I guess I just like bears, deer, bobcats and other critters more than millions of people. If I'm with somebody who knows where they are going then I'm fine in cities. (for short visits) To try and figure it out on my own????not so much.
Who could blame you! My wife and I have lots of fun just watching the critters who cut through our yard — turkeys, coyotes, groundhogs, deer, foxes . . . .
Used to live in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The city is really more like a lot of little towns all right next to each other. Most people who live in the city stick to their own neighborhoods. Lots of people hardly ever leave their boroughs. So it can feel small, even though it's not.
The sense of community is different, too. Rather than relating to people because they live near you, your circle tends to be interest-based. Bluegrass artists hang out with bluegrass artists, public interest lawyers hang out with public interest lawyers, cops hand out with cops, science fiction fans hang out with science fiction fans, softball players hang out with softball players, grafitti bombers hang out with grafitti bombers. You might not know anyone in your building, but you have lively relationships in whatever your social crowd is.
As mentioned above, It's hard to get lost in Manhattan. But I'm like you. When I go visiting places I don't know, I like to have a tour guide.