The Oregonian

Portland Among 10 Underrated Cities

2007-04-29

Portland is among the nation's top 10 most underrated cities, according to ShermansTravel.com, an online travel magazine.

According to the site's editors, the cities have either recently undergone major revitalization or, in spite of their many charms, are overshadowed by larger nearby cities.

The cities, in alphabetical order as described by ShermansTravel.com, are:

Baltimore: Boasts a revitalized Inner Harbor area, plus the backdrops for such John Waters film classics as "Hairspray," "Pink Flamingos" and "Female Trouble."

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: Goodbye spring break, hello swanky new hotels. The latest up-and-comer in beach chic.

Houston: Top-notch arts institutions, great shopping . . . and NASA.

Kansas City: A multibillion-dollar face-lift, a thriving jazz scene, some of the country's best barbecue . . . and more fountains than any city outside of Rome.

Louisville, Ky.: Old small-town charm meets a new cosmopolitan riverfront district, and the two bond perfectly over mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby.

Minneapolis: A burst of new buildings from some of the world's top architects and the revitalized Mill District reinforce the city's cultural cachet.

Pittsburgh: Native son Andy Warhol might have skipped New York if he'd had a taste of Steel-town's newly sizzling nightlife.

Portland: More breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S., plus the monthly First Thursday tour, when art galleries stay open late.

Providence, R.I.: Visitors can take gondola rides through downtown or enjoy the light of 100 riverside bonfires as part of the city's annual WaterFires events.

Sacramento: An increasingly sophisticated food scene, plus quick access to the Sierra foothills wineries.

More: www.shermanstravel.com/underrated