The 20 Quirkiest Cities in America
To Caitlin Sandburg, her hometown of San Francisco provides a safe havenāfor oddballs.
āOnce youāve been here long enough, nothing surprises you,ā says the hospitality exec. āWhether itās a naked person walking down the street, someone dressed in full drag, or āBurning Manā types, no one really raises an eyebrow. Being a freak here is so normal.ā
Even so, according to Travel + Leisure readers, there are five cities in the nation that have more weird people than the City by the Bay. In this yearās Americaās Favorite Cities surveyāin which readers ranked 38 cities for features such as romance, thrift shops,Ā craft beers and, indeed, quirky localsāthe results show how a city can be nicely shaped by its kookiest denizens.
One top five city, for instance, offers a hotel fashioned out of a former psychiatric hospital and donuts sprinkled with faux meth. Another winner is famed for its offbeat barsālike the one decorated for Christmas year round, or another that regularly holds armadillo races.
Onward, to the cities with the most kooks per capita.
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20. Atlanta
They may not be perceived as showyāreaders sized them up as being both hip and aloofābut Atlantans are increasingly coming out of their shells, at least for a good parade. The annual Lantern Paradeāpart of Septemberās Art on the BeltLine exhibit, along the revamped railroad corridorāattracts some 20,000 lantern-toting participants. Despite the evening parade, the well-dressed locals seem to be morning people, since the city ranked well for both diners and brunch. For a quirky, only-in-the-South brunch, try the West Egg CafĆ©, which serves breakfast all day on Sundays (dubbed Brinner in the evening) and on Friday nights offers amazing chicken-and-waffle variationsāwith, say, pimento cheese and bacon or habanero-infused maple syrup.
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19. Louisville, Kentucky
The Kentucky city may be a newcomer to the list, but itās giving other weird cities a run for their money. For starters, this is the birthplace of the annual Lebowski Fest, the now-national celebration of the Coen brothers cult-favorite bowling film. To bowl on your own, go to Vernon Lanes, which has been a local hangout for more than a century and (with 300 bourbons on the menu) is a stop on the Urban Bourbon Trail. The city also ranked well for burgers; at Game, you can choose among patties made of kangaroo, antelope, or wild boar. In the case of Louisville, quirky does not equate with cluttered: the city also made the top 10 for feeling clean.
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18. Philadelphia
Some might say there is something odd about a city that honors a big, broken bellābut Philadelphia thrives on history, and not just the kind associated with the founding fathers. You can appreciate the old, abnormal body parts on display at the medically oriented Mutter Museum or the creepy walkways of the Eastern State Penitentiary (once home to Al Capone), where you can also take the kids on a fun scavenger hunt. The cityās nerve center for local quirky types, though, is Fishtown, where youāll find a nice example of why Philly won the bronze medal for pizza: Pizza Brain has pies like the oddly named Felix Huppert (GruyĆØre and caramelized onion) and the Buffy Ernst (blue cheese and Buffalo wing sauce), and a collection of pizza-themed vinyl records. Readers felt that Philly locals embody an ironic combination: loving sports without seeming to be athletic themselves.
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17. Los Angeles
In this show-business town, you need to stand out to get aheadālike the buff exhibitionists in Venice or the spendy fashionistas in Beverly Hills. Even the highly ranked bakeries hustle to set themselves apart: at Gjusta, in Venice, you can pick up baklava croissants (Cronuts are so last year) and rabbit terrines. Otherwise, readers applaud L.A. for its nightclubs and wild weekend atmosphere. Hot nightlife hubs these days include the ā70s-themed bar Good Times at Davey Wayneās in Hollywood and artisanal-cocktail-rich The Edison, located in downtownās former power plant. For another version of āwild,ā donāt miss the performance art going on at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which is also the final resting place of stars like Rudolph Valentino and Estelle Getty.
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16. Nashville
Before this Tennessee city was the country-music capital, it had a classical bentāas in, ancient Greece. The cityās Parthenonābuilt in 1897 and filled with American paintingsāmay seem a little out of place here, but itās also the only full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon in the world. And while Music City has had an increasingly broad definition of museums since then (like the memorabilia-lined restaurant Cooterās Place, paying tribute to The Dukes of Hazzard), the city has also generated plenty of museum-worthy legendsālike the late George Jones, whose own museum will open here this spring. Readers also loved the cityās dive bars, like Santaās Pubālocated in a trailer near the fairgrounds and run by a guy who looks like another legend. Speaking of jolly, Nashville locals ranked as some of the most affable people in the U.S.
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15. Houston, Texas
Compared to nearby Austin, H-Town doesnāt get much credit for its weirdos. But just like folks in the state capital, locals in Houston love to gather at sunset to watch swarms of bats: here, you can see them from the banks of Buffalo Bayou, as they fly out from under Montroseās Waugh Drive Bridge. While readers gave Houston high marks for its impeccable art collections, you could also commission a unique painting hereācreated (with only a little help) by an elephant, jaguar, or white-faced saki at the Houston Zoo (just take note that the $250 painting will take up to six weeks for the critter to complete). To see why the city also ranked well for its distinctive, high-end shopping, try on a pair of one-of-a-kind boots from Tejas Custom Boots on Westheimer.
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14. Portland, Maine
If one feels the need to āput a bird on itā in Portland, then this city will, no doubt, put a lobster on it. Holy Donut has stretched the definition of the lobster roll by offering a lobster-stuffed donut, as well as making donuts with potatoesāwhich promise not to give you that post-cruller hangover. While readers indeed loved Portlandās nonthreatening vibe, the locals seem drawn to what may be lurking in the shadows: downtownās International Cryptozoology Museum highlights mysterious creatures like Bigfoot, abominable snowmen, and the thylacine, a rare carnivorous marsupial. Any weirdness aside, the locals are all business behind the wheel, ranking near the top for their driving skills.
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13. Pittsburgh
Andy Warholās hometown still turns out its artistic rebelsālike Randy Gibson, whose Randyland home, in the cityās Mexican War Streets district, is an art loversā magnet with its colorful murals and courtyard. For provocative dining, check out Conflict Kitchen, which serves only cuisine from countries with which the United States is at odds (like North Korean kimchi or rumaniyya, a Palestinian eggplant, lentil, and pomegranate stew). Readers, meanwhile, were perhaps dazzled by the bravado of Steelers fans in this sport-loving town; you can commune with them at Sunny Jimās Tavern in the Kilbuck area, which boasts of having the worldās largest outdoor TV (25 feet) and does occasional recliner giveaways.
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12. Minneapolis/St. Paul
People who will cycle to work in the depths of winterāand the Twin Cities ranked near the bottom of the survey for its weatherāare clearly comfortable with a contrarian lifestyle. Even the citiesā highly ranked burgersācalled Juicy Luciesābuck convention by offering cheese inside the patty. And while readers applauded Minneapolis/St. Paul for its theater scene, one unexpectedly compelling venue is Bryant Lake Bowl, which offers storytelling, dance, and poetry alongside the bowling lanes. The hipster-rich Twin Cities also ranked in the top 10 for its cool diners, but here you wonāt just find traditional greasy spoons: Tiny Diner, in the Powderhorn neighborhood, is supplied by its own Tiny Farm and also offers aspiring-farmer events like āInsects We Loveā and āFunctional Fungi.ā
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11. Tampa, Florida
The NFLās Buccaneer mascot is no joke in this Florida city, new to the survey this year. Gasparilla season ā with parades and festivals celebrating the cityās centuries-old pirate history ā lasts throughout the winter, but year round, you can embrace the swashbuckling spirit at Gasparās Grotto, offering a $25 ābucket of grogā (read: a huge margarita) to share with friends. To explore one colorful chapter in the cityās history, go to Ybor City ā once known as the cigar capital of the world ā and visit the two remaining stogie factories, J.C. Newman and Tampa Sweethearts.
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10. New York City
New Yorkās top 10āranked transportation system exists mostly under the streets, and indeed the cityās most eccentric charactersāaside from the strolling, cartoonish ones in Times Squareāalso have an underground charm. To admire folks who were freaky before freaky was cool, you canāt go wrong with the contortionists and fire-eaters of the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. In the surveyās No. 1 city for culture, museums, and theater, meanwhile, youāll also find the Earth Room (a dirt-filled gallery in SoHo), the lift-loving Elevator Historical Society Museum in Queens, and the sports-meets-performance-art of competitive Ping-Pong at Spin, in the Flatiron District. No surprise, the Big Apple also ranked at No. 2 for vivid people-watching.
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9. Seattle
The Washington locals did not light up the survey for being friendly, but perhaps they just donāt care about impressing othersāas in, other people. In a city where, according to census numbers, dogs outnumber children, your best bet for good vibes may be to follow the four-footed crowd. In the Fremont areaāknown for its giant stone troll, the regularly decorated Lenin statue, and the nude cyclists who ride during the summer solsticeāyouāll also find Normās Eatery & Ale House, where dogs are welcome to join you at your inside table. The city also scored well for specialty food shops like the bountiful Pike Place Marketāas well as places like Scraps Dog Bakery in South Lake Union, where you can indulge your furry friend with gorgeous baked treats and pup-size Seahawks swag, the latter reflecting the localsā well-known love of their teams.
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8. Kansas City, MO
These midwesterners may have struck readers as thrifty and no-nonsense, but that doesnāt make them dull. The city ranked highly for both its museums and its sense of historyāthough some of that history is distinctly outside the box. Take The 1950s All-Electric House, which was originally built to be a glimpse of the future (when everyone, for instance, would have electric curtain openers). Or you can explore the Arabia Steamboat Museum, where you can see a fascinating array of preāCivil War artifacts, recovered 132 years after the boat sank in the Missouri River. The city also ranked in the top 10 for its coffee, exemplified nicely at Oddly Correct, where cream and sugar are verboten.
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7. Baltimore
The city known for its own quirky dialectāthe āHey Honāāheavy Bawlmereseāhas long celebrated its own outsider status. The American Visionary Art Museum, for instance, shows a wide range of outsider art (like the broken-glass-and-glitter rendition of George Washington by āBaltimore Glassmanā Paul Darmafall. To hang out with literary oddballs, go to Atomic Books, in the Hampden neighborhood, where director and native son John Waters picks up his fan mail; you can people-watch at Eightbar, a bar in the rear of the bookstore with craft beer and gourmet soda. To see why the city also ranked well for food trucks, donāt miss the bibimbap from one local favorite, the Korean-fusion Koco Truck.
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6. San Francisco
The city that gave the world hippies and the Castro also scored highly in the survey for fabulously fashionable locals. To see them up close, take the hipster-led Wild SF Walking Tour through the Beat Generationās North Beach and the artsy Mission District. Not surprisingly, San Francisco scored in the top five for its wine bars and cocktail loungesābut even those can offer their own surprises. Take the San Francisco Champagne Society, a reservations-only lounge in SoMa that serves small-production bubblies, or The Interval, at Fort Mason Center, which has ātimelessā cocktails (like an Aged Tom Collins) and a clock designed to last 10,000 years, installed by a local group called the Long Now Foundation.
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5. Albuquerque
The New Mexico city made the top five for its unique, piƱon-accented coffeeāwhich tastes great with a faux-meth-sprinkled Blue Sky donut at Rebel Donuts. Indeed, the sometimes-dubbed Albuquirky has embraced its links to the TV series Breaking Bad: you can explore Walter Whiteās version of the city in ABQ Trolleyās Bad Tour. Otherwise, you could stay at the Hotel Parq Central, a former psychiatric hospital that now has the rooftop Apothecary Lounge, with pre-Prohibition cocktails and a full selection of interesting bitters, like blood orange, celery, and Aztec chocolate. The city also ranked in the top 10 for being both adventurous and affordable.
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4. Providence, RI
Founded by the tolerance-advocating Roger Williams, the Rhode Island city has long cultivated iconoclasts. Indeed, youāll find more than a mere symphony and theater scene here: you can experience the all-puppet Big Nazo Theater (where you can get hands-on with the alienesque creatures) or the Extraordinary Rendition Band, a local marching band featuring sousaphones, accordions, and washboards. The city ranked highly for both its burgers and its sandwiches, but its only-in-Providence hot dogs also distinguish themselves: at Olneyville New York System (which does not presume similarity with New York dogs), the savvy order is āthree all the way with coffee milk,ā which comes with everything (meat sauce, mustard, chopped onion) and a glass of the odd but wholesome state drink. Say what you want, but the locals did not rank as being dumb, either.
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3. Portland, Oregon
The legendary community of hipsters ranked at the top of this yearās survey for being pedestrian-friendlyāand perhaps, by association, unicycle-friendly, too. The independently minded locals are known for their passion for sourcing: the store MadeHere PDX boasts all local (and often kind of bizarre) products, like mustache wax or a wood-and-leather six-pack holder for cyclists. Readers also awarded Portland the top spots for its tasting-room coffee (like Coava) and craft beer (like the inventive brews at Coalition Brewing), but the City of Roses even offers a tasting-room experience with salt. At Jacobsen Salt (which shares space with the artisanal honeys of Bee Local), you can sample, say, the Smoked Cherrywood or Stumptown Coffee Flake salts. Unicycling is clearly good for your core: the locals also ranked No. 3 for being buff.
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2. Austin, Texas
The 1991 film Slackerāby Boyhoodās Richard Linklaterāfeatured aimless intellectuals wandering the Texas capital, and you can still find a lot of those same folks (perhaps literally the same folks) populating the bars, food-truck pods, and parks of Austin today. The newest incarnation of the Keep Austin Weird motto is the recently opened Sfanthor on South Congressāa wax museum celebrating the greatest in the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres (hence, āSfanthorā). To experience some of the weirdest of Austinās highly ranked bars, order a Shiner beer at longtime standouts like the always-decorated-for-Christmas Lalaās, or Little Longhorn Saloon (home of the weekly Chicken-S--- Bingo)āor the newer entries, like Javelina on Rainey, which hosts live armadillo races.
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1. New Orleans
The city known for its jubilant funerals, voodoo shops, and seemingly nonstop festivalsāfrom the roller-derby-based San Fermin Festival to the Oak Street Poā Boy Festivalāwas a shoo-in to win the quirky category. Indeed, the offbeat culture is so dominant that itās become mainstream: even the spa at the Ritz-Carlton offers a VooDoo Massage, complete with chants and scents of absinthe. To experience the city in a quirky but convivial way, try one of the NOLA Social Ridesālike the organized bike ride starting at Congo Square, with stops to hear live music. New Orleans also made the top five for two things that make travelers giddy: romance and free attractions.