Help Me Find a City (school, live, friendly)

[k.smith904]

looking for a nice place to settle down once I finish school, and I'm looking for some opinions.

Here's the gist of what I'm looking for, in order of importance:

- needs to be a large city (700,000+ population)
- natural setting (mountains, rivers, lakes, ocean, forests)
- moderate weather conditions (don't mind snow, but I want a relatively warm summer; I love rain)
- culture (art, museums, history, music, sports)
- escapability (proximity to other cities/attractions)
- economy (growing city, business friendly)

Overall I want a medium between a large city and an outdoor lovers' paradise. Somewhere I can get off work and go jog through a quiet park before returning home. I love the feel of a big city (grew up in Chicago) but want to be able to escape if I feel the need. Also, an open-minded culture would behoove me (live and let live type of people).

What do you think? Ask me any other questions if you need.

Thanks

[Roth Asher]

San Francisco

[ckhthankgod]

Columbus Ohio pretty much fits everything you are looking for minus the mountains and ocean in terms of natural setting.

A sleeper could be the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area of VA, which consist of 7 cities that vary in terms of density and that pretty much run into each other. All that is lacking there are mountains, but they aren't too far away.

[ckhthankgod]

Seattle might work as well, but the city itself has under 700k.

[thriftylefty]

I like Asheville NC. You get that triangle of Nashville-Charlotte-Atlanta, Its a small town but there can't be a lot to choose from in Cities over 700,000. I like its proximity to 81 and 75. That gives me New York and Chicago in relativity straight runs . But then again I am a road warrior.

[Westerner92]

I was thinking Seattle or Portland. Austin or Denver might also be options.

[BPerone201]

Seattle, San Francisco, Boston..