Even LA, NYC and Chicago proper aren't really that big, What makes these metropolises so large are the interconnected surrounding towns and cities where one can't tell they've left "downtown" unless there's a sign telling one which city or town they're in.That's true about most big cities. Denver itself isn't that big but Denver metro is huge, same with DC.I hear ya... what I dislike about cities is lots of people and traffic/traffic lights. I need me some elbow room. I lived in Phoenix, Tampa, Las Vegas, Reno... all big cities. Reno was the only one that was even remotely tolerable, but I just got my belly full of cities. I can go downtown here which is like half a mile away, and all I have to go through to get there is two stop signs. There are no traffic lights here, there is no rush hour traffic, and there's nowhere I can't go around here and not say hi to someone I know. They do roll up the sidewalks around here about midnight, but that's the way I like it, nice and quiet.Everyone has their like and dislikes. It's not that small towns are really bad, it's just we are not cut out to live in one, or in a rural setting either. I like the fact that I can go 2 minutes down the road to a gas mart or 7-11, 24-7 if there is something I need or want, I like having multiple grocery stores to choose from, tons of restaurants, multiple mom and pop or chain store options, etc.I love "podunk towns." I live in one.![]()
I don't think Tampa counts as a big city. It's more like an extremely large suburb.![]()
When people use the term big city, I think New York, Chicago, LA. I haven't traveled enough to see what most major US cities are like, but Tampa barely seems like a city at all to me.