2023 Best Places for Outdoor Activities in America

• City in Washington

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  1,038 reviews

Current Resident: I love Seattle very much; the food, the scenery, and even the weather. I love the diversity in the food we have here from teriyaki to fish and chips it is not hard to find good eats here. The scenery alone is a reason I feel like people love it here; being able to see Mt Rainier while driving down I5 on a nice clear day is always a unbeatable view. Contrary to popular belief, it does not rain all day every day here. During colder seasons rain is definitely making quite a few appearances but during the summer everything from the trees to the flowers are just so beautiful and clear. Though, once we get 2 months into summer and us Seattleites are already talking about how we miss the rain! Something I would like to see changed is definitely how homelessness is handled here. To be one the most expensive cities and have all of these big companies here and you still will see people sleeping at the entrance of a 60+ story Amazon building, it's sad and I think it could be handled better.... Read 1,038 reviews

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• Population 726,054

• City in California

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  Rating 4.03 out of 5  1,755 reviews

Current Resident: Los Angeles offers a very diverse environment and is a great tourist destination. It has amazing beaches and shopping districts, a multitude of job opportunities, beautiful nature scenery, and other entertainment opportunities. I especially enjoy the sunny weather and the various cultural restaurants found throughout the city. The cons, however, include its high cost of living and heavy traffic. Going from one place to another takes an additional 10 to 15 minutes because of busy intersections and one-way roads. People end up homeless or are forced out of the community they grew up with. In addition are the unsafe hours and the various crimes that occur throughout the city, all of which have made it hard to enjoy the entire experience.... Read 1,755 reviews

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• Population 3,902,440

• City in Oregon

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  1,295 reviews

Current Resident: All around, growing up in Portland has been a great experience. It has many of the benefits of a big city, like the concerts and exhibits that come; there is always something new to explore. The size comes without a lot of the drawbacks of a big city though, like crazy traffic. It's a very funky and quirky city. There is a such a diverse array of amazing restaurants, there's tons of cool shops and companies, and the people here are unique. More than in other city I've been to, the people in Portland are incredibly kind. This shows through the complete lack on horn-hocking from everyone in the city. While there are all these nice things, Portland has a lot of room to improve. There is a serious houselessness crisis, and I believe it has a lot do with the intersection of local public policy and a deficiency and mental healthcare. I would like to see everyone approach this issue from a place of empathy and compassion and demand equity for everyone.... Read 1,295 reviews

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• Population 647,176

• City in Washington

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  Rating 4.37 out of 5  191 reviews

Former Resident: I grew up in Bellevue, Washington and I had a great experience. Bellevue School District has a number of fantastic public schools and there are many great neighborhoods. It is close to the city if you enjoy city life but also far enough away to enjoy a slower pace. There is always plenty to do and the scenery is beautiful!... Read 191 reviews

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• Population 149,365

• City in New York

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  Rating 4.28 out of 5  1,723 reviews

Current Resident: New York City occupies a special place in the American consciousness as the tumultuous seat of our financial markets and the buzzing capital of our culture. New York is celebrated for its wealth of nationalities, ethnicities and languages. But why would anyone want to live in NYC? It's insanely expensive, there are too many crazy people, it's bundles of energy and famously, "If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere." And lots of people love the challenge! Most important, it’s the city that exemplifies American pluralism, the “melting pot” that attracts new immigrants looking for work and college graduates drawn from their hometowns by the promise of excitement and opportunity. Its appeal hangs on its image as a city where everyone can try, get, and be anything. It has been my home for more than 40 years and I love it for its social and economic freedoms. My education and computer technology background fit right in and I found great career and social successes.... Read 1,723 reviews

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• Population 8,736,047

• City in Massachusetts

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  Rating 4.17 out of 5  818 reviews

Current Resident: I love Boston because i feel safety, I feel very happy in here, is a beautiful city, and I love the activities the do sometimes… I just love it!... Read 818 reviews

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• Population 672,814

• City in Massachusetts

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  Rating 4.36 out of 5  129 reviews

Current Resident: I love it here! Cambridge, MA is the Mecca of Biotechnology, which is what I want to continue in my Professional Career, but also in Graduate School. It is very safe, diverse, The Top Two Universities in the World are here, the salary is high, specially for those who work in Tech and Biotech meaning that you can easily have a great quality of life. Lastly, I highly recommend those who are ambitious and career driven to move here, if you can make it here, you can make it ANYWHERE!... Read 129 reviews

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• Population 116,892

• City in California

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  Rating 4.05 out of 5  1,331 reviews

Current Resident: My experience in San Jose has been better than I was expecting, I like the food here it is not too different than from my home town. Everything is expensive, as it be expected, such as housing, It is one of the top expensive cities in California. You might come across a couple of homeless camps as well while riding around, but there are a lot of fun things to do here and a lot of places to visit, plus if you’re a foodie, there are plenty of great places to try out!... Read 1,331 reviews

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• Population 1,013,337

• City in California

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  Rating 4.37 out of 5  581 reviews

Visitor: The city is really clean, up kept, the city landscaping is really green which I love and it's generally cooler than my home town climate. It's always a breath of fresh air to come here.... Read 581 reviews

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• Population 297,868

• City in Washington

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  Rating 3.65 out of 5  216 reviews

Current Resident: It’s Seattle’s 2nd biggest suburb and, as such, incredibly diverse in all aspects of the word. You’ll find five alphabets on buildings within 2 blocks and everything from very modest 1970/80s apartments and ranch homes to pristine, tree lined cul-de-sacs of upper middle class homes catering to professionals who commute into downtown Seattle/Bellevue (at least when we’re not WFH; FYI, I fall in this category). It’s awesome to be just half an hour from downtown Seattle and Bellevue (made it back from Amazon hq in 24min the other day)!... Read 216 reviews

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• Population 134,890

• City in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  207 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about Stamford is simply the kind of lifestyle there is and how big it is. One place to compare it to is NY CITY because of the amount of things to do there. You can "Go Cart", Ice skate, and many other activities as well as hanging out with friends in downtown Stamford. Not only that but many public parks that you can bike, walk, picnic, play sports like basketball, swim, and even barbeque.Some of those places are Scalzi park, cove park with there beaches. As well as lone park. Other notable parks include, mill river park which is a great place for sight seeing and walking around, also Kosciusko park, cummings park and more! Stamford athletically is good because of the sports complex's like sports complexes, like Bobby Vs, also Chelsie piers that also has fields and courts but younger kids can swim there and gymnastics and trampolines. Not only is Stamford exiting but the restaurant choices might be the best in CT. fancy restaurants, diners, great places for Icecream... Read 207 reviews

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• Population 134,820

• City in California

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  562 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Oakland since I was born, It has its ups and downs, but overall, it is a beautiful city and place. I love going to Lake Merrit, even though it smells horrible over there all the time. And the smell only has gotten worst over the years but it's by a park and library and it's always festive. Something I would Like to see changed about my city is the recent kidnappings. I want them to stop because it's becoming harder for me and my friends to go out and enjoy our senior year without our parents being worried.... Read 562 reviews

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• Population 437,548

• City in Nevada

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  Rating 3.78 out of 5  1,096 reviews

Current Resident: Reno is constantly growing which allows the activities in the community to constantly be expanding! Already being a city full of people that attend burning man, there are always new events and businesses to participate in all of the time. Whether it be artistic, fitness, music, or many other arenas, I have enjoyed growing up here and seeing it flourish.... Read 1,096 reviews

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• Population 259,913

• City in Washington

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  467 reviews

Current Resident: Very diverse. Someparts of town are very scary to be in. Constant construction is annoying for transportation. I would like to see more city events, parades, etc. I would like to see less construction during the day.... Read 467 reviews

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• Population 188,331

• City in California

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  Rating 4.37 out of 5  173 reviews

Current Resident: I love Costa Mesa! I moved here in March and my husband and I have loved it so much. It's close to the ocean without being as cold as living right at the beach. We are close to plenty of shopping, food, and various activities. It has been a wonderful experience. In terms of something that the city needs, it needs more reliable and easily accessible public transportation.... Read 173 reviews

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• Population 112,148

• City in California

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  Rating 4.04 out of 5  497 reviews

Current Resident: Growing up in Anaheim, I was always very fond of the area. As a part of Orange County, Anaheim is at the center of numerous diverse cuisines. From choosing to eat at the Anaheim Packing District which offers a variety of food, to stopping by a local popular taco shop named Los Cholos, to stopping for dessert at Joe's Italian Ice, your cravings will definitively be satisfied. Not sure what to do when you're in the city? No worries! Only a few minutes away you can hang out with Mickey and Friends at Disneyland or Snoopy at Knotts Berry Farm! Not a fan of standing around waiting in long lines? You can come catch the local sports teams instead like the Los Angeles Angels or the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. Overall, Anaheim is quite an experience to live in and I was blessed to grow up in a such a diverse area. I would highly recommend anyone to stop by if they're looking for a fun time out.... Read 497 reviews

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• Population 348,204

• City in California

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  Rating 4.05 out of 5  203 reviews

Works Here: First of Berkeley Ca is a very diverse place. It is a place where you can feel free and express yourself without the fear of being judged. The neighborhoods are beautiful and are surrounded with big beautiful green tress. It has a great variety of public schools and we have UC Berkeley in our own back yard! There is always great food around along with friendly people. The great thing about Berkeley its young and welcoming atmosphere. The one thing I would change about it would be the gentrification that is happening. Gentrification takes away a lot of the historical value Berkeley has to offer.... Read 203 reviews

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• Population 119,607

• City in California

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  Rating 4.52 out of 5  1,094 reviews

Niche User: Incredibly beautiful city. SO many amazing world-class beaches, and a TON of stuff to do outdoors, whether surfing, skating, hiking, skydiving, or even snowboarding, San Diego literally has it all. People are surprisingly laid-back and friendly, too. The culture is centered around happy, relaxed, California living. The food is incredible, and there are tons of affordable, delicious eateries spread out around the county and city. Living here is expensive, though not as expensive as Los Angeles and not NEARLY as expensive as New York. Housing is expensive, whether renting or buying. A four bedroom family home in the city usually goes for around $1M, although neighboring cities in the county are generally a lot cheaper. Traffic is pretty bad. Crime is low, and there are a lot of young people in the city so it's a really nice place to raise a family. Very close to Los Angeles, and even closer to Orange County. Diverse, too! Love it here.... Read 1,094 reviews

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• Population 1,385,398

• City in California

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  Rating 4.32 out of 5  317 reviews

Niche User: I have had an amazing experience living in Torrance. I've lived in Torrance for most of my life and I have met many nice people. Going to school in Torrance was the best school experience I have ever had. When I first went to Madrona Middle School, I was greeted by many nice and respectful students. I have also met very nice teachers who were always there to help me when I needed help. When I transitioned over to high school, it almost felt like I never left middle school because the students are very nice and caring. Torrance will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to making friends and having an education.... Read 317 reviews

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• Population 147,156

• City in Utah

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  680 reviews

Current Resident: Salt Lake is an up-and-coming city currently undergoing lots of construction to facilitate its rapidly growing population. It has an amazing airport that has just been redone and houses an extremely diverse economy. It is the most diverse place in Utah, the only downside is the expense!... Read 680 reviews

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• Population 199,153

• City in New Jersey

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  314 reviews

Current Resident: I love and hate Jersey City, it is my childhood home, and i love to live here. It is a beautiful city itself, with tremendous amounts of transportation such as lightrail, path train, and buses, not to mention the ferry’s. There are many things to do such as restaurants, ice creams places or deserts of different kinds, public place roller skating which is is also ice skating in the winter, the countless pools, along with the friendly grove street that has walkable streets ( which provides traffic ) with 100s of restaurants and stores. Downsides are the tremendous amounts of traffic caused by the holland tunnel and the random construction that occurs, and the slow shift of gentrification. The inflation in housing is tremendous!!! but nonetheless, i still love my home called jersey city.... Read 314 reviews

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• Population 287,146

• City in California

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  865 reviews

Current Resident: Long Beach is an incredible place to live and raise kids, and is kind of a hidden gem tucked in between LA and OC. The best things about living here in no particular order are: fabulous parks; tons of diversity in people, neighborhoods, architecture, events, and activities; friendly and welcoming people; reasonable home prices (by SoCal standards); wide variety of schools with the ability to go outside your neighborhood in order to access magnet programs, such as art or math & sciences; incredible restaurant scene; tons of civic, entertainment, and community events; generally informed and involved population; natural beauty at the beach and at the El Dorado Nature Center; great mix of local and chain stores; and tight-knit neighborhoods with people who care for one another. The downsides are an increase in homelessness (as is true literally everywhere); risk of petty crime (and the very occasional violent crime); not as much access to nature as less urban areas; some iffy schools.... Read 865 reviews

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• Population 466,565

• City in California

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  985 reviews

Former Resident: LOVE this place, but definitely not a perfect city for everybody. Everything here is crazy expensive! Housing here is practically unaffordable for people who aren't very wealthy, which is why most people prefer to rent. Serious homeless problem, some streets are completely filled with homeless people and are insanely filthy. The homeless here tend to be very aggressive and dangerous here, too. Crime is really bad in some areas. Smash & grabs are common. The city itself is amazingly beautiful! Seriously one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. The architecture is pristine and unique, and the views are just breathtaking. SO much stuff to do! This city never sleeps. Lots of world-famous restaurants and also plenty of affordable eateries with great food. Ample job opportunities especially in tech and healthcare. Salaries are generally very high, as is the minimum wage. This city is amazing but for some people the cons outweigh the pros, it just depends on you!... Read 985 reviews

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• Population 865,933

• City in California

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  366 reviews

Current Resident: Not only was I born and raised in Thousand Oaks (husband as well), I’ve raised my 5 kids here! The schools are excellent, sports programs are top notch, great training facilities such as Mamba Academy, tons of community events organized Conejo Parks and Rec, a teen center, a senior center and a large city library. Surrounded by the beautiful Santa Monica mountains, there’s plenty of hiking trails that are especially beautiful in the late winter/early spring and close to the beach. The weather is nearly perfect! Not nearly as hot as the San Fernando Valley, yet you get nice cool ocean breezes in the afternoon. It was lacking diversity when I was growing up but that has changed in recent years. It’s still very safe although some LA crime is starting to creep in. Luckily we have a very proactive police department that takes crime and homelessness seriously. We absolutely love it here!... Read 366 reviews

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• Population 127,274

• City in Washington

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  505 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived here my whole life, with occasional move outs. I always end up back home. I actually ended moving on the same block I grew up on. It is very interesting to see how a lot of the neighborhood has changed, some good things and some bad things. I have learned how to adapt to the new things and getting to know my neighbors! I learned some of them were around when I was a kid. I'm glad it cleaned up nicely. There is also a new link train going to straight to Seattle on one of the busy streets here on the hilltop- I can't wait until it opens up and we can walk right on the train to Seattle! The scenery is lovely, if you haven't visited the PNW...you should! especially since if you love the outdoors.... Read 505 reviews

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• Population 217,332