If you want to tie up the laces on your walking shoes and hit the pavement, the No. 1 city in the United States to do it is San Francisco where the city government has not one, not two, but 12 agencies devoted to walking issues and concerns.

San Francisco was followed on this list by Boston, with its patterned intersections that encourage walking, and New York City, where its residents log the fewest vehicle miles. "The Top 25 Walking Cities in America" is compiled annually by Prevention magazine, along with the American Podiatric Medical Association and Sperling's Best Places.

The top 10 walking cities in America are:

1. San Francisco, California
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. New York, New York
4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Chicago, Illinois
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Seattle, Washington
8. Honolulu, Hawaii
9. Portland, Oregon
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Metro areas were evaluated based on 19 criteria including population density per square mile, use of mass transit, crime rates and square miles of local and state parks. A panel of nationally recognized experts in the field of walking communities also weighed in.

Top walking commutes:

New York, New York
Boston, Massachusetts
San Francisco, California


Best for families:

San Francisco, California
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Seattle, Washington


Amazing nature walks:

San Francisco, California
Los Angeles, California
Santa Ana, California


Great for fitness walkers:

Boston, Massachusetts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Santa Ana, California


Safest for walkers:

Rochester, New York
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Boston, Massachusetts


--From the Editors at Netscape