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Are there enough outdoors activities close to Seattle to satisfy my desires? Ideally, I'd go out almost every weekend to hike/bike/climb/etc.
In the Seattle area it's not just rain, but also snow and overcast that will affect your outdoor activities. On a relatively low elevation hike last weekend (say 4000') there was a lot of snow and also a lot of people. This year is typical. For the prettiest hikes you have a window of maybe two months at most. The 7 to 8 months of mostly gloomy overcast days and muddy ground can put a damper on the desire to be outdoors. Some people have no problem with it.
Consider cost of living. Housing cost (to buy) in Seattle is almost double what it is in Denver. Say Denver's restaurant scene is 80% as good as Seattle's. Is Seattle's better restaurants worth it then? Unless you're making a lot less in wage, you'll probably be able to eat out more often in Denver. Rents are a more close match between the two cities.
Salt Lake City - religion not unbearable but will definitely downgrade your quality of life there
SF Bay area - not worth sharing a studio apartment
Portland - same gloomy skies as Seattle, slightly warmer, more rain (including downpours), less pay, better outdoor options
Between Denver and Seattle I'd choose Denver. I haven't lived there, but have visited often. The outdoor options are much better in Denver and the surrounding area. In a city so large you should be able to find plenty of good food and culture. (Anecdote: the best teppanyaki I've had was in Silverthorne CO. Haven't found as good here in Seattle.) I've found excellent food in CO in general, although you do have to look a little harder. Denver is colder in the winter but sunnier; I'd take that over Seattle winter weather.
Consider Colorado Springs. Has defense tech jobs, housing prices about 2/3 of Denver's (1/3 of Seattle's, 1/7 of San Fran's), better outdoor options than Denver, and you can get to Denver fairly easily for better food/culture.
I'd say Seattle's urban fabric is definitely better than Denver's, especially outside of Downtown.
I agree Seattle looks and feels more urban, but it doesn't blow Denver away at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricNorthman
This needs clarification. The airport is inside the city limits of Denver. DIA has a land area of approximately 54 square miles according to wikipedia. When this is accounted for, the density figures are much closer.
Seattle 652,405/83.87 gives a density of 7779
Denver 649,495/99 gives a density of 6560
Yes Seattle still leads but this is a more realistic view of what one would experience wandering around the streets of each city.
I was just about to clear this up. I just feel like it's so pointless that the airport is included in city limits when nearly no one lives in about 1/3 of the city. lol
I agree Seattle looks and feels more urban, but it doesn't blow Denver away at all.
I was just about to clear this up. I just feel like it's so pointless that the airport is included in city limits when nearly no one lives in about 1/3 of the city. lol
Any idea how large Denver's industrial district is? I know that quite a bit of Seattle's population density rating is thrown off by a pretty large port/industry district.
In the Seattle area it's not just rain, but also snow and overcast that will affect your outdoor activities. On a relatively low elevation hike last weekend (say 4000') there was a lot of snow and also a lot of people. This year is typical. For the prettiest hikes you have a window of maybe two months at most. The 7 to 8 months of mostly gloomy overcast days and muddy ground can put a damper on the desire to be outdoors. Some people have no problem with it.
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I honestly think I'd go hiking regardless of the weather, but I admit it would be nice to have some sunny days without a large crowd on the trail.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz
Denver city proper is 153 square miles of land whereas Seattle is 83 square miles of land, making Seattle close to twice as dense as Denver. Stretch out Seattle's border to include 153 square miles of land and you'll have a much higher population. This is further emphasized by Seattle's metro having 1 million more people.
Yeah, but to break down a density comparison even further you are really discounting the fact that Denver Airport's land grab of 54 square miles (1/3 the city's size) out on a remote prairie is included in those city limits. You're not really in Denver yet with respect to its true urban fabric until you get past the gerrymandered lines with Aurora around the I-70/225 interchange.
Seattle is essentially a larger city in its urban core and metro, but Denver is definitely no slouch. Seattle always gets praise, but Denver has also come a very long way in urban infill and transit. The downtown Union Station multi-nodal transit hub has opened recently and it's a fantastic facility for a city of Denver's size and caliber. Both cities are popular with millenials and very much in step with 21st century urban growth in the US and are both growing rapidly. Seattle is just a step ahead.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 07-15-2014 at 08:42 PM..
I honestly think I'd go hiking regardless of the weather, but I admit it would be nice to have some sunny days without a large crowd on the trail.
Very helpful post. Thanks!
Well we were on the most popular trail, the Cascade pass trail that's closest to Seattle. You can get away from the crowds for sure. I used to be okay with hiking under overcast skies but now (after many years) I'm sick of it.
Seattle is more cosmopolitan and dynamic than Denver. Also the setting along the coast and more beautiful scenery to me.
Denver has more of an All-American feel, I went there a few years ago but must admit it didn't make too much of an impact as I don't remember it too well. The red rock out of the city is nice though.
I honestly think I'd go hiking regardless of the weather, but I admit it would be nice to have some sunny days without a large crowd on the trail.
Very helpful post. Thanks!
Excluding weather, I'm not sure what about Denver's outdoor options is better than Seattle's. Seattle has two world-class mountain ranges within a short drive, an incredible National Park nearby (Olympic), amazing hiking of all varieties, tons of boating, river rafting and other water activities, great rock climbing and mountain biking and, IMO, more stunning scenery than Denver.
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