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.

Portland

Portland Maine is lobster rolls, lighthouses (Portland Head Light is the brochure), a working waterfront where fishing boats still come in, and a food scene that has the same per-capita acclaim as the much bigger Portland Oregon. The Old Port's brick streets, breweries, and harbor views are walkable in an afternoon. Casco Bay's islands are a ferry ride away. Tiny, dense, and seriously delicious.