Underrated US Cities I've Visited

I'm certainly not as well traveled as many of you reading this blog right now, but I was recently thinking about travels that I've enjoyed and what might be enjoyable in the future. Hence the idea for this blog was born! I originally had intended to make this blog more traveling-focused, but ultimately settled on purely talking about cities that I think are underrated placed to visit or are simply underrated in general. I hope you enjoy hearing about these cities that I've enjoyed visiting.

Also, I want to point out that these cities are listed in no particular order. I just wanted to highlight some of the cities that I've visited that most people probably haven't been to or that most of you may never think to visit.

Pittsburgh is somewhat well known (with a 73% correctness in both Biggest Cities in the U.S. - Extreme and 100 Biggest U.S. Cities on a Map. However, I feel as if it isn't commonly a place where individuals tell themselves they want to go visit, especially foreign tourists. However, my most recent visit to Pittsburgh was honestly quite pleasant. The scenery is quite beautiful in the city and there are almost always nice events going on to enjoy in town. Things that I have personally enjoyed in town have included Pittsburgh Pirate games, Kennywood, Peoples Gas Holiday Market, and more! It's definitely a tourist-y thing to do, but you can also visit and ride the incline (pictured below)!

With similar answer stats as Pittsburgh, Milwaukee is also a fairly known city. I regret to say that my experiences in Milwaukee is limited to only a weekend, but I felt like Milwaukee was an all around solid city! From its waterfront views to its iconic breweries, there is quite a bit to do and see (though perhaps any more than just a weekend or a few days in the city would be too long for sightseeing). Unfortunately, I can't comment on the sightseeing attractions such as its art museum, the Harley Davidson Museum, or its breweries, but I was impressed by the overall charm and impression the city gave me. I would recommend a visit to the Public Market for lunch or a Spotted Cow (only if you're 21+ of course).

If you're visiting California, odds are you probably aren't planning to stop in Eureka, but this city is definitely worth the visit, especially if you're already planning to go to Northern California. I can't quite speak on its familiarity to the average American as it isn't mentioned in either of the aforementioned quizzes and doesn't even make the cut for 1,000 Biggest U.S. Cities on a Map, but I feel it's at least decently known for being more of a tourist-y town. Quite honestly, I didn't get to spend much time in this town nor did I get to do any of the things I wanted to do here. However, given its proximity to both the Bay Area but also to Redwood National/State Parks, I felt it would be good to mention here as it's a chance to travel a few hours out of the busier California to see the Redwoods in all their glory. So I guess I would say it's more of an underrated city for visiting rather than simply being "underrated".

In my opinion, Alabama is an underrated state to visit (probably to live in too, but I wouldn't know). Being its biggest city, perhaps Birmingham isn't the best city for me to choose to mention here, but so was Milwaukee and plus Birmingham is less guessed than both Milwaukee and Pittsburgh on Biggest Cities in the U.S. - Extreme. I feel that Birmingham is a pretty vibrant city that flies under the radar. Good things to check out include Vulcan Park and their Botanical Gardens (though I haven't actually seen the gardens myself).

Yep, more Alabama. As I said, I think it's an underrated state to visit, so I guess that means it should come as no surprise that two of its cities show up on here. Mobile is much lesser known, only being guessed 44% of the time on Biggest Cities in the U.S. - Extreme, but honestly is probably the best city to visit in Alabama. Its downtown area, particularly around Dauphin Street, has a more historic feel to it. Plus, if you're into history, you can check out the USS Alabama! I was also impressed by the nature and wildlife, this being something I'd check out more so if I ever get the chance to visit again.

Omaha is another one of those cities that most have heard of but have probably not thought to visit. I had the pleasure to visit this city less than a year ago because of school, and like most cities, it also has a charming and vibrant downtown. I didn't feel like this town had all that much to offer in terms of tourist attractions, but I had a lot of enjoyment from simply biking and walking around and even some window shopping.

When someone thinks of Indiana, they probably think of Indianapolis or Notre Dame. But I'd argue that Fort Wayne is a nice (somewhat) hidden gem of Indiana. In terms of visiting the city itself, I don't really think it has so much to offer, so unless you're just looking for a nice place to stop on a road trip, Fort Wayne isn't your place. So I mention this city last because it strikes me as a great place to live. Its decent cost of living and overall solid infrastructure (with the exception of trying to drive down Coliseum Blvd) make it a pretty attractive city in my humble opinion. Many of the things I've enjoyed in this city are also available elsewhere, but it's been something about the people and its atmosphere that make it reflect so well to me.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about a handful of cities that my subjective self has deemed "underrated". Writing this blog has been nice to reflect on my own travels and what I like in cities. It makes me think that later this year when I start my final year of studies and begin looking towards finding a job, I may write a blog on underrated or simply just good cities to live in (mainly since I'll be looking to likely move somewhere new).

What do you think? Have you visited any of these cities before? What are some cities you've been to that you feel are underrated?