Looking to make a fresh start (Denver, Colorado Springs: 2009, job market, movies)

[surfergirl67]

Our family is looking to make a fresh start. We've had enough of South Florida and Florida in general.

We have two girls a teen and a tween. We want an area that has seasons with snow in the winter. Mountains would be nice. Good schools for the girls where english is NOT a second language. We want the old town feel you see in movies (yeah I know doesn't everyone! LOL), but seriously, I want to open up a bakery on Main Street. The top 5 places we are considering are Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, & Colorado.

Any advice, suggestions, etc would be greatly appreciated.

[PokerMunkee]

Woodland Park definitely has the small town feel. Population is ~7500 and is located under Pikes Peak at 8500' elevation. It's a quick 18 mile drive down to Colorado Springs for the big city things. WP does have a Walmart and your typical fast food places and a few restaurants. A bakery opened and only made for a few months, which wasn't long ago (6 months). i don't think there is any other mom and pop bakeries, other than the Donut Mill which is very popular with tourisits and ski/camping traffic.

WP Info: http://www.city-data.com/city/Woodla...-Colorado.html

[80skeys]

There's basically four types of towns in Colorado.

1) Desert towns. These are small towns either on the eastern plains or in the high desert. Generally not good for employment opportunities. Some of them have that old town feel, while others are dry, dusty and run down.

2) Mountain towns for rich people. These are usually very nice. Lots of snow in the winter. Short summer season. Employment is usually tourist oriented because most of the people who own property and live there are rich people who have chosen to live next to ski areas, etc.

3) Mountain town for agriculture. There's a lot of ag in Colorado, and a lot of this is located in mountain valleys. Very nice areas, although rural and lots of farmland, grazeland, etc.

4) Front range cities. Denver. Boulder. Colorado Springs. Basically city living 30m-1h drive to the mountains.

[Micktooth]

My family and I moved from New Orleans to Louisville after Katrina. We have a son now 16 and a daughter 14. We just love it here. Louisville was just named the #1 small town in America! Best Places to Live 2009 - Top 100: City details: Louisville, CO - from MONEY Magazine There is a nice Main St and a small town feel, yet we are so close to Boulder and Denver. I just wish we would have moved a long time ago.

[surfergirl67]

Originally Posted by Micktooth

My family and I moved from New Orleans to Louisville after Katrina. We have a son now 16 and a daughter 14. We just love it here. Louisville was just named the #1 small town in America! Best Places to Live 2009 - Top 100: City details: Louisville, CO - from MONEY Magazine There is a nice Main St and a small town feel, yet we are so close to Boulder and Denver. I just wish we would have moved a long time ago.

Thank you for responding!

Do you happen to know the job situation in Louisville?

[surfergirl67]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

There's basically four types of towns in Colorado.

1) Desert towns. These are small towns either on the eastern plains or in the high desert. Generally not good for employment opportunities. Some of them have that old town feel, while others are dry, dusty and run down.

2) Mountain towns for rich people. These are usually very nice. Lots of snow in the winter. Short summer season. Employment is usually tourist oriented because most of the people who own property and live there are rich people who have chosen to live next to ski areas, etc.

3) Mountain town for agriculture. There's a lot of ag in Colorado, and a lot of this is located in mountain valleys. Very nice areas, although rural and lots of farmland, grazeland, etc.

4) Front range cities. Denver. Boulder. Colorado Springs. Basically city living 30m-1h drive to the mountains.

Thank you for your response!

[parks71]

We live in Florida as well and we plan to move out west. We go to Tennessee every christmas just to escape this heat and see a change of landscape.

I have been to Colorado too, and Tennessee does not even compare. Tennessee is a very wet cold like florida can get but much colder. Still, better than Florida but if I had a choice I would take Colorado anyday and I do have a choice and thats where we are going to go. Not sure about the others you asked about because sking and mountain biking ect are a must for me so I narrowed it down between Utah, Colorado and Tennessee and Tennessee came in last but I already have my cabin reserved for December 17 for 5 days just to hold me over until We move next summer.

[surfergirl67]

Originally Posted by PokerMunkee

Woodland Park definitely has the small town feel. Population is ~7500 and is located under Pikes Peak at 8500' elevation. It's a quick 18 mile drive down to Colorado Springs for the big city things. WP does have a Walmart and your typical fast food places and a few restaurants. A bakery opened and only made for a few months, which wasn't long ago (6 months). i don't think there is any other mom and pop bakeries, other than the Donut Mill which is very popular with tourisits and ski/camping traffic.

WP Info: http://www.city-data.com/city/Woodla...-Colorado.html

Thank you for your response and the link!

My concern is the bakery only lasting a few months. Do you happen to know what the job market is like there?

[surfergirl67]

Originally Posted by parks71

We live in Florida as well and we plan to move out west. We go to Tennessee every christmas just to escape this heat and see a change of landscape.

I have been to Colorado too, and Tennessee does not even compare. Tennessee is a very wet cold like florida can get but much colder. Still, better than Florida but if I had a choice I would take Colorado anyday and I do have a choice and thats where we are going to go. Not sure about the others you asked about because sking and mountain biking ect are a must for me so I narrowed it down between Utah, Colorado and Tennessee and Tennessee came in last but I already have my cabin reserved for December 17 for 5 days just to hold me over until We move next summer.

Thank you for responding!

I too am tired of the heat, among many many other things too long to list (lol)! I like the cold and I don't mind rain. Since posting these threads I've found out that Tennessee doesn't get that much snow, I would like somewhere with snow. Christmas just isn't Christmas ( since your from Florida, you know what I mean)