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Survey: D.C. Is Cultured, But Unfriendly

WHAT'RE YOU LOOKIN' AT? Sorry. D.C. resident here. And according to new rankings by Travel and Leisure magazine, friendliness isn't our forte.

In the magazine's survey of "America's favorite cities," Washington ranked an impressive number one for being worldly and internationally cultured — that's pretty good. But that's where the compliments end. We're a chilly 23rd when it comes to friendliness. Reports The Post's Joe Holley:

Other basement-level rankings for our fair city include 25th for "fun" (New Orleans is number one), 22nd for "style" and 24th for "attractive people." (Only Philadelphia had fewer of those). The prettiest people live in Miami and San Diego, according to the poll.
There were some bright spots, though, Holley says. "We may not dress very well, 18th, but we are number one when it comes to architecture, historical sites and monuments."

Right. So we're ugly and unstylish as people, but we've got culture and pretty buildings. Like that awkward, pimply 15-year-old you knew in high school who wore his dad's leisure suit, but churned out masterful poetry. Except he was a bit of a jerk.

We'll take this news in the way Washingtonians are accustomed: with stoic, frosty silence.

» "America's Favorite Cities: Washington, D.C." [Travel + Leisure]
» "D.C. Ranks as Worldly, Yet Unfriendly" [WaPo]

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COMMENTS (5)

  • I learned to be "frosty" upon moving to DC - and why not? I grew up in FL, so I am used to tourists being around. What feels different in DC is that the tourists don't realize that people live and work in DC. They seem to think that everyone is here on vacation, and after I've worked a long day and have an hour (or more) commute ahead of me, I just want to get home in peace and quiet. I don't feel like being a DC welcome wagon. So, I hope tourists come to enjoy the culture and architecture, but they shouldn't come expecting a laid back atmosphere.

    By Learned my Frostiness in DC , Posted October 23, 2007 3:29 PM

  • I agree with you on the tourists, Holly, but I think Washingtonians tend to take the frostiness thing a bit far.

    I'm a D.C.-area native and I didn't realize quite how, um, difficult to approach we could be until I went away to school -- and now I hear constantly from friends who moved here from elsewhere about how difficult it was to adjust to the D.C. attitude. (Just think: the primary complaint I hear about Metro is that people who aren't from around here don't know to get out of the way on escalators. Not exactly Southern hospitality there.)

    By Greg Barber , Posted October 23, 2007 3:47 PM

  • the fun ranking is a bunch of crap. there's no way that the people here are less fun than people in santa fe or atlanta. give us 23rd at least!

    By IMGoph , Posted October 23, 2007 8:12 PM

  • Frosty? That hardly describes the nasty exploitative angry attitude of some of the Washingtonians I encountered during my two visits as a tourist. Not everyone, mind you. But absurdly aggressive panhandling, abrasive police, street vendors and "entertainers" with an entitlement attitude, etc., do not communicate friendly, Washington. You've got some work to do.

    By Mark Green , Posted October 23, 2007 10:11 PM

  • Is it any wonder a Parliament of Whores would give rise to a city of Pimps?

    By Snoopy , Posted October 25, 2007 5:49 AM
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