Cleveland. Ohio

Drawing from its roots as a working man's town, Cleveland has worked hard to prove itself as a rock and roll haven. The first step was to control the urban decay – the Cuyahoga River was once so polluted that it was actually flammable. Next: a worthy attraction to town- the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From there, clean up downtown's public spaces and add chic hotels and restaurants. The city has come a long way- Even LeBron has deemed it happenin' enough to come back to.