What's the closest major city to where you live that you have never been to?

[GaryV]

Actually never being there, it would be Philadelphia.

Although there's other cities that are closer that I've only driven through/by, such as Youngstown, Pittsburg, Buffalo

[Takumi]

Both Wilmingtons. Delaware’s is slightly closer to me than North Carolina’s.

[ThatRandomOshawott]

I think Indianapolis is the closest major city that I've never been to. I'm in the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky.

[webny99]

For the question of what constitutes a "major city", I'd say 100,000+ is reasonable for the core city, but metro areas of 250,000+ could also be included (to include places like Albany, NY, for example).

For the question of what constitutes a "visit", I'd say you have to physically set foot in the city, or at the very least drive on one or more city streets, and can't just pass through on the freeway. (There's also the question of what to do about cases where you've spent time in the metro area, but not the city itself. For me, this applied to Cleveland, OH until last year, and currently applies to Albany, NY and Scranton, PA.)



Using those metrics, my answer is Kitchener/Waterloo, ON (3h 15min / 190 miles).
That edges out my original suspected answer, which was Pittsburgh, PA (4h 35 min / 300 miles).
And as it turns out, Springfield, MA is very comparable (4h 35 min / 305 miles).

[zzcarp]

In the mountain west, major cities are farther apart. I was going to say Casper, WY but it only has a 57k population. For the 100k+ rule, it is Provo, UT at 481 miles. I don't know if that counts as Salt Lake City metro which I also haven't visited, but SLC is only 488 miles from Denver using US 40 (the faster I-80 is 518 miles and I-70/US 6/I-15 is 525 miles).

[hbelkins]

I've been in Cook County, but not sure I have been within the city limits of Chicago.

[skluth]

I only moved to California two years ago, so I haven't explored much outside the LA/SD/SoCal area. This will probably change to something far more distant in a few years. There may be an LA/SD/Inland Empire suburb over 100K I haven't visited or passed through, but I won't worry about it.

Overall: Tijuana, though Mexicali would be a faster drive due to coastal mountains

US: Visalia, CA

[index]

Here's the most notable of them:

Spartanburg (76 miles)
Fayetteville (97 miles)

Augusta (140 miles)
Athens (176 miles)

[LM117]

Charlotte, NC

[Rothman]

Not sure how you define major city so here are a few options (populations are 2019 est.)

Closest city > 500k: Boston, 963 miles

Closest city > 250k: Cleveland, 325 miles

Closest city > 100k: Peoria, 154 miles

I like your way.  For U.S. cities only, using Google Maps:

>500,000 = Mesa, AZ, 2,330 miles (Toronto is 246 miles away)
>250,000 = Tulsa, OK, 1,280 miles
>100,000 = Sterling Heights, MI, 426 miles (cutting through Canada).  Clinton, MI, 459 miles (staying in U.S.).

Still seems Winston-Salem (647 miles), my initial suggestion, is more "major" than those in MI that are closer -- Winston-Salem is just under 250,000.

[MikieTimT]

Topeka, KS would be the closest for me at 297 miles (127K pop.)

[CNGL-Leudimin]

If merely defining as any city over 100,000; then Terrassa (near Barcelona), home of the S.H.I.T. sign . However if it has to have some notoriety as well then Toulouse, France.

[Terry Shea]

I live in Grand Rapids, MI.  If 100,000 is the criteria then I believe the closest city I haven't been to would be Peoria, IL, which barely qualifies.  Looks to be about 250 miles away.

[jp the roadgeek]

Depends on what you define as a "visit", and whether or not the visit has to be to the city center/business district, within the city limits, and would involve getting out of the car.    If we're using the city center definition, it would be almost a tie between Providence and Albany, NY (both about 90 miles as the crow flies; although I've driven through both).  I've been to Colonie Center, which is within Albany city limits, but I've never got out of the car in Providence (closest would be TF Green or a shopping area on the Cranston/Warwick line).  As far as a metropolitan area that I've never been to at all, the closest medium size city would be Scranton (about 160 miles away.  I've never had the occasion to visit Dunder Mifflin).  The largest major metropolitan area would be Pittsburgh (about 475 miles away). 

[ftballfan]

My closest, if using one of the seasonal Lake Michigan ferries, is Milwaukee. Disregarding ferries, the closest major city I've never been to is also Milwaukee, even when taking into account driving through Chicago. Other contenders include Cleveland (never entered city limits but have driven around it on the Ohio Turnpike) and Cincinnati (been to Kings Island and flown through CVG, but never have been in the Cincinnati city limits), but Milwaukee (fully driving) is still closer than either of the two Ohio cities

[I-55]

Never been to Detroit (except for connecting flights). Also never been to Cleveland (I'm form NE Indiana).

[danzarblx]

Never went to Philly. Definitely want to get there sometime.

[I-55]

I live in Grand Rapids, MI.  If 100,000 is the criteria then I believe the closest city I haven't been to would be Peoria, IL, which bare qualifies.  Looks to be about 250 miles away.

For cities above 100k Peoria would be my closest.

And I can't see any reason I would be there.

[kphoger]

I've never been to any town in Arkansas with more than 3000 population.

[Thing 342]

I've never been to Allentown or the Lehigh Valley, about 250 miles from me.

[I-55]

I've never been to any town in Arkansas with more than 3000 population.

I have to wonder where you went because most of the travel routes pass plenty of cities over that size. Was it Northern AR?

[webny99]

I've never been to any town in Arkansas with more than 3000 population.

I have to wonder where you went because most of the travel routes pass plenty of cities over that size. Was it Northern AR?

I'm gonna back it up a step, and first ask if he's been to Arkansas at all? 

[hotdogPi]

I think it was a "cross the border and turn around just to say I've entered it" type of thing.

[nexus73]

Minneapolis-St. Paul.  Figures I would have to go halfway across the continent to find the closest major city I have not been in...LOL!

Rick

[hotdogPi]

Minneapolis-St. Paul.  Figures I would have to go halfway across the continent to find the closest major city I have not been in...LOL!

Rick

Mexicali and Hermosillo in Mexico are closer, as are several major Canadian cities. Have you been to those, too?