Big City Living: Is it Worth the Hassle?

By Chad Anthony on March 11, 2014

In any action-drama movie involving nuclear strikes, the three cities in the United States always on the list of getting destroyed are Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. These three areas host a dense population of American citizens; no wonder the bad guy seems to be so eager to press that big red button.

Image from Expedino.com

The big three hold many traits in common. They stand as epicenters for the national economy, import and export of necessary goods, as well as societal entertainment.

New York boasts being one of the great American cities. Why should you not love it? There’s the Upper East Side, Central Park, and more culture than you can ever imagine. It embodies the cliche of “melting pot.” The streets are filled with people with amazing stories, as seen in Humans of New York.

Los Angeles hosts a slew of production companies such as AMC, CBS, and 20th Century Fox. Walk the streets of Hollywood to play the game of “Where’s the Celebrity?” The Santa Monica Pier, Grammy Museum, and Hollywood star walk hook tourists from across the globe.

Take the trip to Miami to find a sparkling night life in South Beach. The music scene bursts at its seams with performances by Avicii and Pitbull. Run your face through a delicious and cheap tour of Cuba in Little Havana. Visit any one of these three cities and any person is bound to find something of interest.

If these cities are so amazing, could there be any drawbacks?

Travelling?  Hope you brought a survival kit.

1. LaGuardia Airport, NY
LaGuardia covers an expanse of 680 acres with 76 gates divided among 4 main terminals. It is one of the smaller major airports in the continental United States. Try to fly in or out of this hell hole in the afternoon and you’ll be stuck for hours. Buckets catch water dripping from the ceiling and the food and beverage options are scarce. Travelers complain about the horrid check-in experience and poor building quality. JFK is a much better option. And when I say much better, it’s like picking from having tonsillitis or wisdom teeth surgery.

Image from NYDailyNews.com

2. Los Angeles Airport, CA
Los Angeles Airport receives negative marks on check-in, location, and design. LAX, as it’s normally called, ranks as mid-range for shopping– 36 out of 67.

Aside from the numerous reasons to avoid LAX like the bird flu, various restaurants have plans to be revamped in 2014. At least when your flight is postponed, you’ll be able to enjoy a slightly-over-par chicken sandwich for $18.

3. Miami International Airport, FL
The trifling humdrum of chaos sitrs day in and day out in the depths of Miami-Dade. MIA is huge – 3,200 acres compared to that of LAG’s 680. Travel goers continuously lament over the long lines and seemingly pointless crowds directed by the MIA Transportation Security Agency. The cleanliness fluctuates with that month’s underground drug smuggle from South America. When someone asks what airport to fly into for their cliche college spring break trip to South Florida, always tell them Fort Lauderdale. It’s the sleepy, well-laid-out alternative to airline travel.

The driving force behind the madness is TSA and their crack-squad of highly motivated personnel, as Jerry Seinfeld describes the necessary evil.

So many people, so many risks: a claustrophobic’s worst nightmare.

1. New York
Walk the streets of New York and attempt to not bump into someone. I’ll let you know, the game is extremely difficult. Keep your hands in your pockets and keep to yourself. Need to raise your blood pressure? Well, don’t go to a doctor for medicine. Simply drive on the George Washington bridge or through the Lincoln tunnel.

New York drivers are some of the most aggressive and honk-frenzied of most major cities. Cars cower with bus drivers acting like Jason Statham in Transporter. The best way to get around the city is a healthy mix of subway, sidewalk, and skepticism.

2. Los Angeles
This bustling city is quite different than the pedestrian focus of New York. The highways and bi-ways of LA come to a stand still each work morning and afternoon. Year after year the City of Angels takes the title of nation’s worst traffic. According to CBS Local, Los Angeles drivers spent an average of 67 additional hours in a car thanks to traffic. The LA Times states that it hosts 35 of 162 most-congested sections of highway.

Image from Skylinerealityinternational.com

3. Miami
Do not know Spanish? No worries. Spend any amount of time in the 305 and you’ll hear the ringing of Cubano-ghetto slang Spanish.

The months of June to November are filled with random interjections from hurricanes that never live up to the hype of the news stations.

Liberty City, Opa-locka, and Overtown make the list of areas to avoid, being the most at high risk of crime. If you really feel like venturing out, hit up areas like South Beach, Vizcaya, or Cocowalk.

These impediments can be applied to any and all major cities within the United States – Chicago, Orlando, and San Diego included. Is it enough to make you not want to live there?

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