San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco is hills, fog, Mission burritos the size of forearms, and pastel Victorians stacked like dominoes. Karl the Fog has his own Instagram, the cable cars are still mechanically pulled by cables running under the street, and the Pacific shows up at the end of every west-bound avenue. The food is wildly good, the views are theatrical, and yes, you'll get cardio just walking to the corner store.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville's life revolves around Fort Liberty (recently renamed from Fort Bragg), one of the largest military installations in the world. The Cape Fear River runs past, the airborne and special operations museum is excellent, and the food scene reflects the international military families that cycle through. Southern, military, and friendly. Quieter than the big NC cities.