Our kids went into DC at around that age. Our daughter went up to Baltimore for a film festival by herself when she was 16; she was a natural at navigating public transit.
Cool. Several others didn’t.
Yet another ambiguous case: As a teen, I went to school by getting on one public transit train and transferring to a different public transit train. All three points (my house, my school, and the transfer point) were within city limits… but the transit point was in the “most downtown” building in the city. Did I “go into The City”? What if I transferred at the same station, but started in a western suburb and ended in an eastern suburb? What if, on the way, I walked a couple of hundred feet to buy something in the mall in that same building: Does that couple of hundred feet of walking, all indoors, change anything?
We live in the far-flung exurbs of Dallas/Fort-Worth. Technically we’re now within the city boundaries, as it grew outward and eventually annexed us. But we still have an oasis of space and quiet (for now anyway).
I go into the inner portions of the city as little as possible, maybe once a year. Never voluntarily, only when forced due to medical issues or jury duty.
So yes, I regard going into the city as a huge PITA, with no upside that I experience. City interiors are hostile places. Filled with warning signs about parking, bike lanes, threats from predatory tow-companies, and aggressive drivers in an incomprehensible contest to beat me to the next traffic light.
I was forced into ‘da City’ two days ago, as the only available specialist was in the downtown hospital district. I had to negotiate a mess of traffic, and spent considerable time trying to find parking in the only available garage. This consisted of multiple trips up and down 6 levels until a spot finally opened.
After negotiating two elevators and a block of sidewalk, I found myself squeezed into a waiting room that was (literally) smaller than our bedroom. I guess I’m just spoiled by having all the open space in our house and environs out in the 'burbs.
I’m using this definition as well although it fits differently in the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex, especially including “theaters/sports”. Also, the term “out in the suburbs” is difficult to define, as the majority of the 9300 square miles is continuous suburban sprawl. The inner areas which I avoid are the downtown regions of both cities, and the middle (Arlington) area of sports/entertainment/amusement parks.
I’m in the city (or thereabouts) for work, so for anything involving shopping or similar errands, I tend to do that on workdays. And I have choir rehearsals in town some evenings as well.
Trips into town on weekends or other days when I’m not already there - maybe once or twice a month.