Never spent time in DC, outside of some touristy places/architecture in the other two I don’t find the charm. Dirty, smelly, costs way too much, people are meh, just generally overrated
Garbage is a relative term. A lot of people in the North East think that the South is filled with garbage. I will say that NYC and Boston are smelly and dirty, but they are a lot older and have a lot of people per capita. If I am going to be honest, I have seen more garbage and litter in places like Houston and Dallas than I have seen in NYC and Boston and a place like Chicago.
Cain opted out of the season in August. I don't think you take that chance given that we have nothing to indicated Covid will be any less of a problem come April.
Of those three cities outside of Texas I’ve only been to NYC and it doesn’t come close to the hobo piss smell of sixth street in Austin or the subway station in San Francisco
NYC has places that smell like piss and are dirty. It is all subjective anyway. San Francisco is one of the best places on the planet to live if you have money and Austin is incredibly in demand as well.
I would point out that both Austin and SF also have places that smell like piss and are dirty. Just like every other city.
I like US cities that are walkable (which reminds me of other global cities) SF, NYC, Seattle, Boston, DC...what are the others?