The Windy City tops the US ranking for walkability from Preply, a language learning marketplace that runs walkability studies across the US, Europe, and Asia. “You can walk between Chicago’s five most-visited attractions (the Art Institute, Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, the Chicago Architecture Center, and the Magnificent Mile) in 28 minutes, about 2,500 steps,” says Preply’s communications leader Madeline Enos.
Sheldon Bishop, the founder of BrewAtlas, a guide to independent specialty coffee shops, argues that the best sign of a walkable neighborhood is a good cafe. And Chicago is particularly well caffeinated, thanks to 95 specialty cafes across 41 neighborhoods. “When people can walk to get coffee, they run into neighbors, stop into the bookstore next door, and spend money on the block instead of at a drive-thru,” he says.
8. Miami
For Sandra Masis, director of sales at the residential building Arbor Coconut Grove, it’s neighborhoods like Coconut Grove that make Miami such a pedestrian-friendly city. “You can walk to restaurants, cafés, shops, parks, and the waterfront, all while enjoying the neighborhood’s lush greenery and relaxed atmosphere,” she says. “It has a sense of community that makes you want to get outside and explore.” And Miami’s newer developments, like Brickell, prioritize walkability as much as older neighborhoods like Coconut Grove and Little Havana. “Even in a city built around cars, you can create pockets where people can comfortably live, work, and socialize on foot,” says Masis.
