The most walkable city in the U.S. has been chosen — and NYC bizarrely didn't come close to number one
That is, anyway, according to the so-called travel experts behind a USA Today list of the most walkable cities in the U.S. to visit in 2025.
3 New York lags behind nine other much smaller cities on walkability, according to a nationwide panel of so-called travel experts.
monkifoto – stock.adobe.com
Not only was the city that never sleeps snubbed — with nearby Philadelphia muscling into the top spot — New York was shoved all the way down to number ten, behind a host of bizarre picks.
While the publication acknowledged that 'several of [NYC's] landmarks are within easy walking distance from one another, and all five boroughs of the city are walkable,' our sheer size appears to have been behind the lackluster ranking.
Aside from the bewildering anti-Gotham slant, the list had several other surprises in store.
Puny Providence, for example, was awarded number two, Burlington, Vt. — with a downtown you could fit on a couple of Midtown blocks — took home number three. Brutally hilly San Francisco snagged number six.
10 most walkable cities in the U.S. to visit
Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI Burlington, VT Columbus, OH Boston, MA San Francisco, CA Chicago, IL Savannah, GA Washington, D.C. New York City, NY
Philadelphia is enjoying its third year in the top slot, apparently thanks to the tightly-gridded Center City, an area the publication said that both tourists and locals enjoy walking — writing that it boasts 'several gorgeous neighborhoods, including historic and charming Old City and Rittenhouse Square.'
3 Philadelphia was also praised in the list for its cultural attractions and pleasant scenery.
Zenstratus – stock.adobe.com
3 Chicago, with its miles of lakefront trail, made the grade with critics.
Erika – stock.adobe.com
Density of points of interest seemed to work in the favor of the smaller cities — where top tourist attractions can typically be found within an easy stroll.
The topic of walkability is a hot-button issue among many Americans — especially amid stubbornly steep gas prices and rising public transit fares, despite continued city congestion.
On a Reddit discussion of this year's walkable cities list, residents of the City of Brotherly Love unpacked the win.
'Obviously, more people walk and ride transit in NYC, but as a former New Yorker, I do find walking in Philly a lot more pleasant,' wrote one shameless turncoat. 'The narrow and quieter streets are the norm here, while you have to really seek them out in New York— and in most other US cities they straight up don't exist.'
'That's one way to say that our public transit sucks,' quipped a cynic.
'Unlike NYC, though, many Philly neighborhoods lack essential businesses on the neighborhood level. This makes it difficult for the city to be truly walkable outside of Center City and a few other areas,' observed one astute Redditor.
With that in mind, perhaps there's hope for bruised New York City egos after all.
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