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Apparently to outsiders, Miamians are intimidating. We’re those hotties you see at the bar and work up your confidence all night to go talk to, only to be instantly shut down. At least that’s the impression we get from Travel + Leisure‘s 2014 version of America’s Favorite Cities survey.
The magazine’s globetrotting readers ranked Miami as having America’s most attractive residents, but also its second snobbiest. We also took first place for having the best nightclubs and singles scene in America, but were also ranked the third most rude.
The survey considered 50,000 votes and ranked 38 cities in dozens of categories. Here are the categories where Miami came in the top five.
Attractive
1. Miami
2. San Diego
3. Charleston
4. Los Angeles
5. Providence
Hip/Cool
1. Austin
2. Providence
3. Los Angeles
4. Nashville
5. Miami
Rude
1. New York City
2. Tampa
3. Miami
4. Los Angeles
5. Boston
Snobby
1. New York City
2. Miami
3. Los Angeles
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Boston
Stylish
1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Miami
4. Houston
5. Charleston
Cocktail Bars
1. New Orleans
2. Houston
3. Providence
4. Miami
5. Las Vegas
Nightclubs
1. Miami
2. Las Vegas
3. New Orleans
4. Los Angeles
5. New York City
Singles Scene
1. Miami
2. Houston
3. New Orleans
4. Austin
5. Atlanta
Beach Getaway
1. Honolulu
2. Tampa
3. Miami
4. San Diego
5. Los Angeles
Spa Vacation
1. San Diego
2. Miami
3. Los Angeles
4. Honolulu
5. Las Vegas
Wild Weekend
1. New Orleans
2. Las Vegas
3. Miami
4. Austin
5. Los Angeles
We could parse the hell out of this. Miami isn’t really that snobby. Let’s be real: Everyone has a handful of loser friends from around the way. Nor is everyone here that gorgeous.
But this is from the point of view of tourists, and the average tourist’s itinerary pretty much explains the results.
The average Miami tourist takes a cab ride (rude) to their hotel. Then they check in and take in the lobby bar, where they see a lot of perfectly preserved women in brightly colored designer bandage dresses and red-soled heels (stylish, attractive). Then they try to make last-minute reservations at whatever overhyped restaurant they’ve heard of, only to be told the restaurant is all booked up (snobby). Instead, they grab a quick bite and head to the Broken Shaker because they read about it in GQ (cocktail bars) and then try to get into LIV or whatever Opium Group nightclub, only to wait an hour and be told they have to buy a $250 bottle to get in (rude, snobby). So then they head to some easier-to-get-into locals spot that is actually surprisingly fun (nightclubs, hip/cool) and find someone who is a little too eager to go back to the hotel with them — usually another tourist (singles scene). The next day, they spend the morning on the beach (beach getaway), head to Wynwood to tour the street art (hip/cool), and get a massage at the hotel’s spa (spa vacation). Then they repeat last night’s events, and it all adds up to a wild weekend.
So, sure, if that’s the average tourist’s view of Miami, we shouldn’t be that surprised by these results.
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