posted June 30, 2008 01:08 PM         

What do you think the best place to live in the US is and why?
Please rate the climate, public transportation, housing, job market and things-to-do.
Where I live the climate is somewhat mild but there is no spring here. There is no public transportation to speak of, houses are outrageously expensive and jobs are scarce.
There is nothing to do in the winter which lasts from Nov. - May.

posted June 30, 2008 01:53 PM         

Boulder is about 30-40 minutes from downtown Denver so you have the amenities of big city culture and entertainment in Denver and the charm and spiritual focus of the smaller artsy, new age-oriented town of Boulder. Boulder has it's own cultural amentities too: a world famous outdoor Shakespeare festival that runs during the summer, a ballet, a symphony, theater, art galleries galore, lots of restaurants and outdoor cafes, plenty of shopping, beautiful mountain views (the town is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains).

There are a lot of different types in Boulder: outdoorsy people (who enjoy hiking, skiing, mountain climbing, white water rafting, bicycling, etc.), artists, musicians, writers, poets and craftsmen, hippies, yuppies, intellectuals, college students (it is a particularly liberal college town), spiritual seekers, new-agers and alternative healers, and then just your average down-to-earth types who want to live in a beautiful, clean (no one litters in Boulder), safe, artsy, liberal, eco-friendly town.

The climate in this part of Colorado is wonderful. Four seasons, fairly mild, not as cold and gray as New England - in fact there are an average of 300+ sunny days a year, more than the average in Florida and even most of California. In the winter it can get as low as 10 degrees (but you don't feel it like you do in the NE because the air is dry - so you don't feel the cold or the heat the same way you would elsewhere)...and then the next day it's in the 60's and you're wearing a t-shirt. The nights are cool even during the summer which is really pleasant.

Public transportation is very good and there are bike paths everywhere.

posted June 30, 2008 03:28 PM         

Try this website. Its very cool.

"Take our fun online quiz We'll instantly provide you with a tailored list of the best cities and small towns that fit YOU. Compare the perfect hometowns and undiscovered havens that match your interests. Dig deeper with colorful reports, job listings, and more. It's fun & easy"

posted July 01, 2008 08:52 AM         

Tigerlily and Zala - Boulder/Denver and Portland are very high on my list.
Portland seems more walkable and there is a lot to do there but I am put off by the weather. I don't know if I can handle the gray days.
Zala, did you live in Portland and how come you moved? It really sounds like a great place to be especially if you have property there. I saw a "House hunters" show where this young couple was buying a house in Portland and they had to spend about 1 mil. to get a decent place
Boulder on the other hand seems like it has a better climate but it is smaller and it would be a big challenge to find a good job there.
Tigerlily, do/did you live in Boulder?

Now these are second hand impressions that I got from people's accounts. I realize I need to visit these cities to get a better idea.

posted July 01, 2008 01:42 PM         

Aphrodite, I thought about Austin too - will possibly go there in the beginning of August (I know - terrible time to visit Texas weather wise)
It sounds like an interesting city with lots to do, good jobs and inexpensive real estate. The only problem is that the city doesn't seem very walkable... and I hate driving

zenwarner - you live in Texas I gather?

posted July 01, 2008 04:08 PM         

I lived in both Portland and Boulder (technically I lived in itty bitty Nederland which is 30 minutes up the mountain from Boulder but we spent a lot of time in Boulder)
and I preferred Portland. Granted I kinda like the rain but it was more than just my preference for the climate and ecosystem of Oregon over Colorado. There was something more 'real' about the people in Portland. Boulder has this subtle feeling of elitism that runs through it that I could never get past. Everything was more expensive than I was used to and it was frustrating because we were very poor. Portland on the other hand had plenty of really affordable fun stuff to do.

On the other hand, I loved the mountain areas surrounding Boulder. It was rustic and rugged and the landscape was stunningly beautiful. Very cold winters up there though. It reminded me of Alaska so I liked the familiarity of the mountain forest ecosystem.

posted July 01, 2008 06:08 PM         

quote:

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Boulder has this subtle feeling of elitism that runs through it that I could never get past.

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posted July 04, 2008 04:28 PM         

I highly recommend anywhere in western washington, if you can deal with rain most of the year and giant slugs the size of bratwurst, it really is worth it for the natural beauty and temperate weather. The puget sound connects all the Seattle- area cities with its ferry system,or the land transportation can connect you too. You should look up olympia WA and see what you think of it. This place seems to have it's own consciousness, it's like the 60's ideals have been kept alive, though not in appearances. Of course you'll probably mostly get to see just the towns on line, but the forest is all around and you can always choose to live in the sticks and still be very close to the city. and you can always get fresh sushi anywhere around.