Seattle ranks No. 1 for fun

Twenty-five years ago, when high technology was first introduced into real estate, a Portland, Ore.-based researcher developed a software program that allowed consumers to enter personal preferences to help them locate "their own best place."

I have been following Bert Sperling's work ever since, mainly because his "best places" concept caught the eye of officials in cities and counties across the country, helping them understand where they stand in the eye of the consumer. Sperling has offered in-depth analysis of crime, climate, local economy and jobs, cost of living, education, transportation, leisure, arts and culture, and quality of life.

When I heard his company had a new study coming out, I was intrigued, as were many writers who pass on new wrinkles in property data to their readers. His latest work, sponsored by Ritz Crackers and released just in time for summer, is all about the best places to have fun. The big winner in the "Ritz Cracker FUNomenal Places" survey was Greater Seattle and the Puget Sound region, which beat out Minneapolis, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., for the top spot.

Seattle? The Puget Sound? Was climate an important factor?

"No. Climate was not directly considered, since it would be unfair to downgrade a place if it was cold or damp much of the year," Sperling said. "Residents in those places make accommodations and even embrace the change of seasons to have different kinds of fun throughout the year."

When pressed, Sperling said that climate probably played a part in the fun rankings.

"It's difficult to engage in outdoor fun in hot sticky summer weather found in parts of the southern U.S., when the temperature can ready reach 120 degrees, or one can break a sweat by reading a book on the porch," Sperling said. "In these places, less fun events or resources may be available since less people would be likely to use them. As an example, it's a widely reported phenomenon that residents of Phoenix descend upon San Diego each summer to seek relief from their city's blistering heat."

The study evaluated 50 of the largest metro areas in the United States, and identified the "most fun cities" using a variety of data, including outdoor recreation resources; spending on fun activities, sports and recreation, and in-home entertainment; and participation in (and spending on) social activities. ...CONTINUED

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