Why I Love Walkable Cities (and Why You Might Too)

There’s something magical about setting out on foot with no particular destination—just a city around you, ready to be noticed.

Maybe it’s the little things: the faded lettering on an old shop window, a mural glowing in the golden hour, or the stranger’s dog who insists on saying hello.

Or maybe it’s something bigger—the quiet kind of freedom that comes from moving slowly.

Walkable cities make that possible.

Walking Is How I Learn a City

When I travel—or even when I’m home in Salt Lake—I always start by walking. Not to check off sights, but to feel the place. A walk tells you more than any map or guidebook ever could. You learn the rhythm of the neighborhood. You notice what’s cared for and what’s overlooked.

Walkable cities give space for that kind of noticing.

You Don’t Need a Car to Have an Adventure

One of the most freeing things about transit-friendly cities is the ability to explore without driving. You can hop off a train, take a right instead of a left, and find something new every time.

Some of my favorite finds—an independent bookshop, a café that smells like freshly baked pastries, a community garden tucked behind a bus stop—happened because I was walking. Because I had time. Because I wasn’t speeding past them in a car.

Walkable Isn’t Just Convenient. It’s Better Living.

It’s community-centered. It’s environmentally kinder. It’s healthier, gentler, more connected.

It’s not about walking 10,000 steps a day—it’s about living where daily life is designed around people, not parking lots.

That’s What This Blog Is All About

Stops, Steps, and Sights is a place where I document those walks.

The tiny discoveries, the art of noticing, and the quiet moments that make a place feel like somewhere.

If you’re curious about walkable cities—whether you live in one, want to visit one, or want to make your own neighborhood more walkable—this space is for you.

Thanks for being here. You can explore my growing library of walkable city guides right here, or follow along on TikTok @stopsstepsandsights for visual stories and walks in motion.

And if you ever take the long way home just because the light’s nice? You’re in the right place.

—Rachel