Everyday Tourist: "Second City" Fun
The term “Second cities” is often used by economists and geographers to refer to a city with the second highest population in a country. But when it comes to travel, it can mean any city that might not be the first - or most obvious - choice for foreign tourists to visit, but still one which offers a meaningful cultural experience.
“Second cities” often provide a more authentic experience of a country’s culture than “first cities.”
One of Boise’s tourist attractions is its historic prison. Boise is a great place to visit if you are into “second cities.”
Lyon has a fun street culture in addition to its world famous cuisine culture.
Examples
Instead of heading to Mexico City, visit Guadalajara. We did and we loved it. Instead of Barcelona, how about Valencia. Instead of Paris, pick Lyon. Instead of New York go to Chicago or Toronto or Osaka instead of Tokyo. We loved Lyon as much as Paris and Leipzig as much as Berlin. Well-travelled friends of our are done with Paris - they much prefer France’s smaller cities to experience the real flavour of France.
And, while we’re at it, instead of Vancouver, think Calgary. Sorry I couldn’t resist!
Calgary/Banff have more in common with Vancouver/Whistler than most people realize. Calgary’s 12-km long Bow River Promenade is comparable to Vancouver’s sea wall. Calgary also has equivalent museums and when it comes to indoor urban shopping The Core rivals Vancouver’s Pacific Centre. Calgary, like Vancouver has several great pedestrian streets with shops, restaurants, patios, cafés and cocktail lounges – 17th Avenue SW, Kensington Village and Inglewood. Yes, Calgary’s restaurant scene is also comparable to Vancouver’s – Calgary placed 15 restaurants in OpenTable’s list of Top 100 restaurants in Canada (2019), compared to Vancouver’s 12.
Calgary has two parks bigger than Stanley Park – Nose Hill and Fish Creek Park. And, did you know Calgary has over 900 km of pathways including the 138 km Greenway that circles the city? Bring your bikes! While Vancouver is warmer in the winter, Calgary gets way more sunshine – 300+ days!
Banff, founded in 1885, is a more authentic, historic mountain village than Whistler, founded in 1966. In my opinion!
Link: Calgary vs Vancouver
Link: Calgary is better than Vancouver for cycling!
Link: Calgary’s SoBow Trail: One of the best river banks in North America!
Vancouver is a fun place to shop, from high brow fashions to thrift store finds.
Calgary has a fun patio, food and craft beer culture.
Back to “Second Cities” fun!
The biggest drawback of a second city visit is that it might be more expensive to get there because there are often no direct flights to second cities. Fortunately, accommodations, food, drinks and attractions are usually cheaper in “second cities,” more than making up for the additional cost to get there.
Another bonus of visiting “second cities” is you don’t waste time in line-ups, nor do you get caught up in focusing on a prescribed “checklist” of must-see/do things. It is way more fun to ask locals “what to see and do,” and explore on your own. In my opinion.
Edmonton is home to one of the world’s best Fringe Festivals every summer.
Canada vs USA
In 2017, I posted a blog looking at how Canadian cities could serve as “second cities” to expensive American cities, given the Canadian dollar is usually valued at 30% less than the American dollar.
Edmonton, Canada’s “Festival City” could be an alternative to New Orleans; Winnipeg might appeal to those thinking of going to Chicago; Montreal would be a great choice instead of Boston; Victoria is worth considering rather than San Diego; Toronto could substitute for New York and Vancouver is comparable in many ways to San Francisco.
As for Calgary, it’s a great option in place of Austin, Portland, Nashville, Denver or Seattle. In my opinion.
Link: Canadian Cities Alternatives to USA
Link: Calgary vs Austin Portland Nashville Denver or Seattle
Portland has a fun food cart culture. It is also considered by many as the craft beer capital of North America.
Second City Blogs
Here are links to past blogs about some of our “second city” adventures. Some might even be fun “third and fourth” cities for those who really like to get off-the-beaten path.
Nashville: Rockers, Swingers & Boxes?
Boise: Freakn Fun In Freak Alley
Hamilton: Supercrawl is super fun
Colorado Springs: Fun, Funky, Quirky
Colorado Spring’s “Garden of the Gods” is one of many reasons to add it to your list of places to visit.
Boise’s Freak Alley is Freakn Fun….
Leipzig has amazing modern and historic museums and architecture, as well as, fun flea markets. It a must see place for those into music.
Saskatoon has fun street ornamentation.
In addition to the Temple, Salt Lake City has an iconic central library, lots of funky street art, vintage shops and great restaurants.
Spokane has lots of fun family things to see and do, including a fun Children’s Museum and unique children’s playground with a vintage carousel.
If you haven’t been to Buffalo in awhile you should add it to your list - outstanding art gallery, fun river park festivals (winter and summer) and some great architecture.
Hamilton’s Super Crawl is one of the best music festivals in North America and its FREE!
Last Word
Many of the planet’s tourist hotspots are grappling with the effects of over tourism thanks to travelers’ tendencies to all flock to the same places. There are definite advantages to thinking before booking and “taking the roads less travelled.”
Robert Frost understood this in his poem:
“The Road Not Taken”
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.