Top 5 Cities with the Cleanest Air
With U.S. air pollution a hot button topic, people are looking to seek out cities with the cleanest air in consideration for a better quality of life.
Need a place to get a refreshing breath of clean air? Are you looking for a place to unwind and relax without any harmful pollutants in the air? We’ve got here a list of cities with the cleanest air.
Recent studies list Anderson, California with the worst air pollution in 2018. Also in California, Sacramento had the worst air pollution of any major city worldwide in November. The Camp Fire blaze is the major reason for Sacramento topping that list.
1. Farmington, New Mexico
Leading the list of the cleanest cities in the US, Farmington holds a lot of national parks. It’s a great place to unwind and explore when you’re in need of a break. San Juan County only experiences 9 orange-level high-ozone days in a year.
Get in touch with your history-loving side as you visit the Aztec Ruins National Monument. If you want to see the largest excavated prehistoric ruins in North America, check out the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Locals may know this better as the Chaco Canyon.
If you want a park filled with cliff dwellings, go over to Mesa Verde National Park.
The Bisti Badlands will give you an eerie feeling of otherworldliness. This fossil-filled fantastical landform is also known as the De-Na-Zin, a term for cranes. Bisti comes from the Navajo tongue and refers to a wide area filled with shale hills.
2. Burlington, Vermont
Back in 2010, Burlington ranked as one of America’s prettiest towns. This is due to the charming brick pedestrian marketplace, the iconic white steeples and rolling hills, and the green waterfront on Lake Champlain. Said waterfront and islands offer 200 miles of shoreline to outdoor-loving visitors.
You can also visit South Hero Island, the home to Vermont’s first vineyard. Take the Lake Champlain Coast Wine Trail to Snow Farm Winery. It’s great for local tourists who want a refreshing but classy activity.
You can get the full Green Mountain State experience by taking the bike paths. These bike paths wind around the Winooski River and Lake Champlain. There are seasonal bike ferry links with scenic paths every now and then.
If you want the marketplace experience without the air pollution, head over to Church Street or the Burlington farmer’s market. You can also try your luck in the flea market in the South End Arts District. You’ll often find this on the third Sundays of May through October.
If you want a safe city to raise a family in, Burlington isn’t a bad idea. It has a rich history, a healthy natural environment, and good weather. The shopping and dining districts are also wonderful places for family time.
3. Cheyenne, Wyoming
If you want a place that “embodies the spirit of the Old West,” head over to Cheyenne in Laramie County. The old Wyoming capital city is the nation’s rodeo and railroad capital. Don’t worry about the railroad because the city ranks as one with the cleanest air in the US.
If you’re a big fan of steam engine trains, this is the perfect destination for you. At last, the Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive debuted after 5 years of restoration. It’s the only operational locomotive of the eight remaining Big Boys built from 1941-1944.
For more information about the last of the 19th-century depots of the transcontinental railroad, tour the museum. The place also has the 30,000-acre Terry Bison Ranch. Take a train bison tour and watch over 2,300 bison grazing the grassland area.
If you want something more futuristic, visit the Paul Smith Children’s Village. You can find this landmark in the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. It showcases sustainable systems for energy and food production, water quality, and more.
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
Here’s a place with one of the best air quality in the US at the same time an awesome destination. Honolulu is always a great holiday idea for unplugged vacations. You can never go wrong with vacationing in Hawaii for a few weeks or two.
Honolulu is Hawaii’s capital city and the constituent state’s largest one. It’s not only a fun summer escapade destination; it’s also a historical place, too. The USS Arizona Memorial in the WWII Valor will teach you about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
You can also head to the Diamond Head State Monument for a stunning coastal view. This landmark will also let you take up the challenge of a hiking trail. When you hike to the top, you’d see a giant, saucer-shaped crater formed by a volcanic eruption.
The volcanic eruption happened around 300,000 years ago. Now, the air here is clear as the water and clean as the skies. If you plan to relax, head over to Waikiki for the sandy beaches and fresh air.
5. Wilmington, North Carolina
Between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, you can find Wilmington. It’s filled with clean, revitalizing island beaches and other attractions. Furthermore, it’s safe from most of US air pollution that other major cities have.
Visit the nature parks and recreational areas for a weekend of invigoration. The riverfront and scenic Riverwalk will give views of the beaches and Cape Fear River. For landmark-lovers, Wilmington has a lot of mansions, museums, and a lot more.
Are you health-conscious and looking for a place to move to? If you make this city your home, there won’t be much need for a difficult respiratory experience. All you’ll need is the best air purifier for dust.
If you’re looking for something calming to do in a coastal town like Wilmington, try your hand at fishing. You’ll need a fishing license first but there are two exceptions if you don’t have one. You can fish from a pier or on a charter fishing boat.
6. Other Cities with the Cleanest Air in America
It’s time for a bonus number. Allow us to list down a few more cities with clean air:
- Bangor, Maine
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Sierra Vista, Arizona
- Corning, New York
- Beatrice, Nebraska
These cities have no days where the particulate pollution spikes to unhealthy levels. They also have some of the lowest concentrations of particulate pollution year-round. If you want other places with clean air to visit, these 5 more cities should be good destinations.
Breathe Cleaner Air in These Cities
That’s it for our top 5 cities with the cleanest air in America. They’re perfect vacation spots for anyone who is sensitive to pollution. Of course, people without any respiratory problems are welcome to visit too.
Do you want to escape the confusing, fast-paced rat race? Are you looking to lead a more modest lifestyle? Check out our guide here about living a simple life.
