America's dirtiest cities include popular tourist destinations
BY KATRINA BROWN HUNT
How do you define a city's soul? For a lot of travelers, it's in the dirt.
Atlanta ad exec Patrick Scullin, for instance, loves Baltimore—but not because it's particularly pristine. "Yes, there's litter, smokers, and graffiti," he says, "but that's just life going on. The air sometimes offends, but a cool breeze off the harbor can ease all worries. It's a gem of a city."
While such sentiments don't appear in tourist brochures, that glorious grit has landed Baltimore in the Top 10 dirtiest cities, as chosen by Travel + Leisure readers in the annual America's Favorite Cities survey. Of course, visitors gauge "dirty" in a variety of ways: litter, air pollution, even the taste of local tap water.
This year's American State Litter Scorecard, published by advocacy group the American Society for Public Administration, put both Nevada and Louisiana in the bottom five—echoing the assessment of T+L readers who ranked Las Vegas and New Orleans among America's dirtiest cities.
Likewise, the American Lung Association releases an annual State of the Air report, listing cities with the least (and most) pollution. Not surprisingly, Los Angeles fared poorly again this year—but so did Phoenix, which T+L readers actually ranked among the top 15 "cleanest."
It just goes to show that for casual visitors, passing judgment on a city's dirt factor is pretty subjective—and may even have a lot to do with a general vibe. Many of the cities that ranked poorly in the AFC survey also tanked when it came to environmental awareness, nice public parks, or pedestrian-friendly streets.
On the bright side, those same dirty cities also offer a lot of, well, atmosphere. Memphis, Las Vegas, and Miami ranked highly for having great bar scenes, live music, or quirky people-watching.
So while no one would dissuade a city from doing some renovations or stepping up its recycling, there is something to be said for a little disheveled charm. "I love New York City because it's not pristine," says Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan, founder of family travel site MomAboard. "It's a city that has never shunned a chance to fully experience life—and it has the scars to prove it."
Atlanta ad exec Patrick Scullin, for instance, loves Baltimore—but not because it's particularly pristine. "Yes, there's litter, smokers, and graffiti," he says, "but that's just life going on. The air sometimes offends, but a cool breeze off the harbor can ease all worries. It's a gem of a city."
While such sentiments don't appear in tourist brochures, that glorious grit has landed Baltimore in the Top 10 dirtiest cities, as chosen by Travel + Leisure readers in the annual America's Favorite Cities survey. Of course, visitors gauge "dirty" in a variety of ways: litter, air pollution, even the taste of local tap water.
This year's American State Litter Scorecard, published by advocacy group the American Society for Public Administration, put both Nevada and Louisiana in the bottom five—echoing the assessment of T+L readers who ranked Las Vegas and New Orleans among America's dirtiest cities.
Likewise, the American Lung Association releases an annual State of the Air report, listing cities with the least (and most) pollution. Not surprisingly, Los Angeles fared poorly again this year—but so did Phoenix, which T+L readers actually ranked among the top 15 "cleanest."
It just goes to show that for casual visitors, passing judgment on a city's dirt factor is pretty subjective—and may even have a lot to do with a general vibe. Many of the cities that ranked poorly in the AFC survey also tanked when it came to environmental awareness, nice public parks, or pedestrian-friendly streets.
On the bright side, those same dirty cities also offer a lot of, well, atmosphere. Memphis, Las Vegas, and Miami ranked highly for having great bar scenes, live music, or quirky people-watching.
So while no one would dissuade a city from doing some renovations or stepping up its recycling, there is something to be said for a little disheveled charm. "I love New York City because it's not pristine," says Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan, founder of family travel site MomAboard. "It's a city that has never shunned a chance to fully experience life—and it has the scars to prove it."
No. 1 New Orleans
Can you imagine the cleanup required after Mardi Gras? Both tourists and Mother Nature have sometimes been hard on the Crescent City, which readers voted the dirtiest in America. But that doesn’t stop the good times from rolling on. Voters embraced the city’s fun-loving spirit, ranking New Orleans first for itsnightlife and eclectic people-watching.
No. 2 Philadelphia
The City of Brotherly Love was voted the fourth dirtiest city last year and just narrowly avoided the top slot for sloppy this time around. The locals may not be helping with those first impressions—they ranked near the bottom of the style category, as well as in the bottom five for being environmentally aware.
No. 3 Los Angeles
That infamous rep for smog is tough to shake: the City of Angels, which is No. 3 for the second year in a row, continues to do poorly in national air-quality tests. AFC voters also put traffic-clogged Los Angeles in last place for being pedestrian-friendlyand in the bottom three for overall quality of life.
No. 4 Memphis
Nothing is tidy about barbecue or the blues, two of Memphis’s biggest tourist draws. This city on the banks of The Big Muddy has more to work on than dirtiness; it came in last place in the AFC for beingenvironmentally friendly, as well as for feeling safe.
No. 5 New York City
Last year’s dirtiest city is looking a little fresher these days. But AFC voters seem to champion New York because of its less-than-sterile vibe, and not in spite of it. There’s world-class culture, cool neighborhoods, and diverse locals. Just be prepared to pay for it: NYC ranked as themost expensive city in the nation.
No. 6 Baltimore
The Inner Harbor is a crowd-pleaser, but AFC voters weren’t impressed by Charm City’s overall cleanliness or its more land-based features. Baltimore came in next-to-last place for its public parks, hotels, and even interesting people.
No. 7 Las Vegas
This is the No. 1 town for wild weekends, so it’s no surprise that Vegas makes it into the Top 10 for dirty disarray. Impressively, Sin City has actually improved its standing by two slots since last year. And if you’re willing to splurge, any semblance of grittiness may disappear: Vegas scored No. 1 for luxury hotels and No. 2 for both luxury shoppingand big-name restaurants.
No. 8 Miami
AFC voters loved Miami’s bar scene and its upscale dining, but all that hoopla takes its toll on a person—and on a city. AFC voters ranked the Florida hot spot poorly not only for cleanliness but forsafety.
No. 9 Atlanta
Many cities that made the dirtiest Top 10 scored well for having a vivid nightlife, cool neighborhoods, or great live music. Alas, Atlanta couldn’t claim any of those in the survey. At least the city has its quality—and sloppy—barbecue going for it.
No. 10 Houston
This oil town could stand a green makeover, according to AFC voters. Its cleanliness score worsened by four spots since last year. The general vibe left AFC voters wanting, too. They ranked Houston near the bottom for its parks and weather. The city’s collective ego can take great pride in one thing: it topped the AFC charts for its juicy (and no doubt messy)burgers.
No. 11 San Juan, P.R.
Some people find the feral cats roaming the streets of Old San Juan an unsanitary nuisance, but other travelers think it adds to the island city’s charm. Whatever your definition of dirty, if you want a pristine experience, you’ll do fine back in your guest room: San Juan ranks in the top 5 for its all-in-one resorts.
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