USA Today article: 10 great public spaces that set a city apart

[JNA]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...apart/1614337/

HIGHLIGHTS:

Great public spaces do not just happen, says Jeff Soule of the American Planning Association. They're developed by civic leaders, architects and the public. Each year, the educational organization highlights several dozen great U.S. places. "We're hoping people will zip off the interstate and take a look," says Soule, the organization's outreach director

Bienville Square Mobile, AL
Ritter Park Huntington, WV - guilty of driving by on I- 64 really who knew
Washington Park Denver, CO - been there
Buffalo Bayou Houston, TX
Village Green Bar Harbor, ME
Jackson Square New Orleans, LA
Chicago Union Station Chicago, IL
Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park Portland, OR
Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL
Cesar Chavez Plaza Sacramento, CA

the photo gallery could have been better.

[Cardinal]

APA has been doing this for a few years in a row now. It is actually one of the few useful things the organization does. I will sometimes visit the site if I am planning a road trip, and map out any destinations along the way. Of this year's crop, I have samples the Chicago Botanical Gardens (used to ride my bike there as a teenager), Union Station in Chicago (I always take the train into the city when I visit), Jackson Square in New Orleans (across from Cafe du Monde), and the Village Green in Bar Harbor.

[Rygor]

Wow. I've actually been to 5 of those 10 places:

Washington Park Denver, CO
Chicago Union Station Chicago, IL - used to take the Metra into there all the time
Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park Portland, OR
Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL
Cesar Chavez Plaza Sacramento, CA