While many people consider New York City to be the most walkable city in the United States, Philadelphia actually claimed the top spot in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The award winners are selected not only by reader votes, but by a panel of travel experts, as well. The panel began by compiling a list of 20 of the most walkable cities in the states that offer an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions, which readers then had about a month to vote for. Surprisingly, New York ranks at only number seven on the list.
The top 10 most walkable cities include:
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Long Beach, California
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Boston, Massachusetts
- New York City, New York
- Seattle, Washington
- Chicago, Illinois
- Washington, D.C.
While only 27 percent of New York City’s working population commutes via car or truck, Philadelphia also ranks as one of the larger cities with the fewest cars per person and is also known to be one of the worst cities for traffic—which is perhaps why it beat out the Big Apple in walkability. Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau stated, “This award confirms what we already knew about Philadelphia—it is an accessible destination that is easy to navigate on foot, from river to river.”
So strap on those walking shoes and take in Philly’s sites on foot—your body and planet will thank you.