I was just about to take off when Ralof said to go our separate ways. Then he kept chatting and as I listened, I ended up following him to Riverwood

I always prefer the most centrally located city, so Whiterun was an easy choice for me. Besides, some of the cities in Skyrim are pathecially small and have nothing to offer.

My first ever character went to Whiterun first.

I think it is obvious that most people are going to say Whiterun. There are obvious reasons for that too.

Haha two people were lucky to go straight to Morthal! It can only get better from there.

For me it was Riften because I knew the thieves were there.

I'm kinda curious how they ended up in Morthal. Even Winterhold seems more likely (if someone took a carriage straight to the College), but it doesn't have any votes.

+1, I also just followed the main quest for the 1st playthrough, so Whiterun was the 1st major city I visited.

Whiterun, though I went into Bleak Falls Barrow first and got into one of the most intense moments in my Skyrim history, in the first room with the Draugr.

I think like most of the people here, I went straight to Whiterun both due to main quest reasons and the fact it was close.

after going to riverwood marveling at ants on a tree stump and stocking up on arrows and potions i went straight to markarth. as i intended that to be the first piece of dwemer architecture i visit in skyrim but alas the first one i seen was actually reachwind eyrie the place still holds a special place in my memory simple but beautiful i still have that first piece of dwemer scrap metal in my argonians inventory. seeing the ancient magnificence of markarth was still worth the trip...and meeting my first sabre cat...that thing came out of nowhere.

Solitude.

For the Empire, for the legion!

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.....

Not really, but it's my favorite place to live and the Khajiit merchant box has some good loot for a starter

Whiterun; I knew ahead of time that Whiterun was where that cool meadhall was located wherein I could eventually become a werewolf.

Only one character, a short-lived male Altmer, never went to Whiterun first. He got as far as the stables, then I had him grab a carriage to Riften.

That's what gives Riften big marks for me.

I went to Winterhold first because first character is a mage. Oh wait, I actually came across Dawnstar before arriving at Winterhold. Wrong vote then I guess..

Whiterun lol.

Second was Riften though.

I'm being a bit nitpicky here, but I can think you can delete your vote and vote again. As Dawnstar dosen't have any votes.

Falkreath, because I went left.

The first time I ever played Skyrim I went to Whiterun first (for quest-related) reasons. It has been the first city I visit on every playthrough, I think. I was going to say Helgen or Riverwood, but they're not on the list (I guess only hold capitals count here).

In all my previous games I either went to Whiterun first with the exception of one or two where I did Riften first to join the thief guild.

In this game I avoided walled cities in solidarity with the Khajit caravans.

Then I had an night to remember and ended up in Markarth

I made a change to my vote. Turns out my first town was Falkreath (I don't consider it a city), but since it was listed in the votes, I changed it.

However, Riften still stands as the first city. In fact, there's a path right behind Falkreath that practically takes you to it, since that's the one I took. I didn't find the Alchemy Shack until my return from Riften to Whiterun for the poison quest, which was a staggering three in-game months from the time I left Helgen.

What. I know I'm not the only one who kept their original save files from the first playthrough.

I believe it was Morthal. From there to Solitude.

I admit the first time I came to Whiterun I was on the wrong end of town, so unable to find a town gate I just said screw it and headed northwest.