Photo: Alexandrea Sumuel
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” wrote an Irish romance novelist, creating a phrase still used today. Although she was not talking about cities, the concept is relevant because everyone has an opinion.
Photo: Shelly Collins
Many lists of beautiful cities in the United States focus on weather, but this alone does not qualify a city as lovely. Many cities in the north have incredible skylines and architecture. Some towns in the Rocky Mountains have equally impressive views and national parks.
Photo: Jacob Licht
To make our list, we require the city to have a minimum population of around 50,000. As a result, some popular but small towns are excluded.
Photo: Luca Micheli
This state capital on the Charles River is known for its skyline along Boston Harbor. The city dates back to early Puritan settlements in 1630. It is also the birthplace of the American Revolution. Because of its age, Boston is the home of many firsts, like Boston Common, the nation’s oldest public park.
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There is no city like New York City in the United States. Its distinctive skyline contains some of the country’s most iconic buildings and well-known landmarks. The list includes the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, Rockefeller Center, the Statute of Liberty, and many more.
Photo: Luca Bravo
From the east coast, we head west to another port city, Seattle, known as the Emerald City. The Space Needle and many skyscrapers punctuate the skyline. Seattle is on Puget Sound, and Mt. Rainer hovers over it in the background, creating pretty and scenic views.
Photo: Robert Richie
The city of Charleston is on many beautiful city lists. The southern city’s charm with pastel houses, 19th-century architecture, tall trees, and cobblestone streets lined with lanterns give Charleston its beauty.
Photo: Leonol Heisenberg
Not far from Charleston is Savannah, Georgia, another beautiful southern city. Savannah is Georgia’s oldest city, and much of the architecture dates back to before the Civil War. It includes Federal, Georgian, and Gothic styles, giving the city a distinctive feel.
Photo: Sunira Moses
Photo: Alexandrea Sumuel