19 years old, looking to get out (neighborhood, school districts, universities)

[TXBoy]

So here's my story.
I'm a 19 year old male in community college. I've lived in Houston, Texas, my whole life. I'm also gay and would be considered a "liberal" by Texas standards (I'm really more libertarian than anything). I grew up in a very bible thumping neighborhood and had to hide my sexuality from a lot of people, and although that's not a problem any more now that I live in the city center, I'm getting tired of this place. I'm thinking I need a change of scenery, as well as climate. I'm sick of the long, Texas summers. I also don't like that in Texas I have to be around a bunch of annoying smug, neo-liberal yuppies in order to be open about my sexuality, because anywhere outside of the big cities is full of bigots and Tea Party sympathisers. Personally I would place myself somewhere between a hippie and a redneck. I could go to Austin or Dallas, but I'm done with the hot summers we have all thoughout the state. And even though I will always be proud to call Texas my home, I think it's time I got out and saw other parts of the country.

What I'm looking for...
-A place with a feeling of Americana, where traditional cuisine like steak and BBQ is common.
-Somewhere that isn't terribly hot. I don't mind humidity either, but I would prefer that it doesn't get above 90 for more than a couple of months. Sun or rain doesn't matter to me, but it may take me awhile to get used to snow.
-A mix of political views. I'm not a fan of places that are monolithically left such as San Francisco.
-I'd prefer if religion wasn't too much of an influence
-I'd prefer a smaller city, nothing with more than a million people, and minimal sprawl so I can be close to nature.
-I'd like to be close to hunting and fishing.
-I don't want to live anywhere that is TOO flat. I'd prefer there to be at least some rolling hills around where I live.
-I would like to be close to the beach or at least a lake.
-I enjoy sports, both college and pro.
-I'd like a nice college or university nearby.

So far places I'm considering...
-Asheville, NC
-Charlottesville, VA
-Raleigh-Durham Area, NC
-Manchester, NH
-Wilmington, NC
-Ann Arbor, MI
-Madison, WI
-Reno, NV
-Flagstaff, AZ
-Davis, CA (Although I'm a little hesitant about California in general)
-Bend, OR
-Ashland, OR
-Spokane, WA
-Fort Collins, CO
-St. George, UT
-Anchorage, AK (May be a bit too cold for me though)
-Charleston, WV

[indy771]

I would throw in Bloomington, IN in the list as well. Gay friendly, pretty close to Indy if you want some big city amenities, it has Indiana University, beautiful campus, Lake Monroe(biggest lake in Indiana), college sports, pro sports is just 50 mins away, so yeah basically the city fits your requirements except maybe for the first one.

[takuriver]

Originally Posted by TXBoy

So here's my story.
I'm a 19 year old male in community college. I've lived in Houston, Texas, my whole life. I'm also gay and would be considered a "liberal" by Texas standards (I'm really more libertarian than anything). I grew up in a very bible thumping neighborhood and had to hide my sexuality from a lot of people, and although that's not a problem any more now that I live in the city center, I'm getting tired of this place. I'm thinking I need a change of scenery, as well as climate. I'm sick of the long, Texas summers. I also don't like that in Texas I have to be around a bunch of annoying smug, neo-liberal yuppies in order to be open about my sexuality, because anywhere outside of the big cities is full of bigots and Tea Party sympathisers. Personally I would place myself somewhere between a hippie and a redneck. I could go to Austin or Dallas, but I'm done with the hot summers we have all thoughout the state. And even though I will always be proud to call Texas my home, I think it's time I got out and saw other parts of the country.

What I'm looking for...
-A place with a feeling of Americana, where traditional cuisine like steak and BBQ is common.
-Somewhere that isn't terribly hot. I don't mind humidity either, but I would prefer that it doesn't get above 90 for more than a couple of months. Sun or rain doesn't matter to me, but it may take me awhile to get used to snow.
-A mix of political views. I'm not a fan of places that are monolithically left such as San Francisco.
-I'd prefer if religion wasn't too much of an influence
-I'd prefer a smaller city, nothing with more than a million people, and minimal sprawl so I can be close to nature.
-I'd like to be close to hunting and fishing.
-I don't want to live anywhere that is TOO flat. I'd prefer there to be at least some rolling hills around where I live.
-I would like to be close to the beach or at least a lake.
-I enjoy sports, both college and pro.
-I'd like a nice college or university nearby.

So far places I'm considering...
-Asheville, NC
-Charlottesville, VA
-Raleigh-Durham Area, NC
-Manchester, NH
-Wilmington, NC
-Ann Arbor, MI
-Madison, WI
-Reno, NV
-Flagstaff, AZ
-Davis, CA (Although I'm a little hesitant about California in general)
-Bend, OR
-Ashland, OR
-Spokane, WA
-Fort Collins, CO
-St. George, UT
-Anchorage, AK (May be a bit too cold for me though)
-Charleston, WV

Anchorage climate is similar to some towns in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Winters there aren't brutally cold, just long.

[pentatonic]

Sounds like Asheville to me. Beach would be about 6.5-7hrs away if you wanted to get away from the moutains.

[Craziaskowboi]

If you can handle some snow and persistent cloud cover during the winter, Pittsburgh has a lot of what you're looking for. It's a lot more gay-friendly than people might think; there are actually several regulars on the Pittsburgh forum who are gay, and they seem to enjoy themselves. It also has a pretty broad political spectrum, and no one group really dominates. In terms of religiosity, Pittsburgh is predominantly Catholic, but very live-and-let-live. You more than likely won't get proselytized there.

There are several sizable colleges and universities in the city itself, including the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University. It's very much a sports town, though it leans more pro than college. The biggest college fan contingencies are Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and Ohio State. You can also find a few from colleges and universities throughout the Northeast and Midwest. Among the smaller groups, the ones that have stood out to me are Syracuse, Temple, Kent State, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. The Steelers are to Pittsburgh what the Cowboys are to Dallas: the city takes immense pride in the team, and sometimes gets a little overbearing with it. The Penguins are very popular too, though, and the Pirates still draw people because of PNC Park, though they've alienated many fans over the last 20 years with their incompetence. At least recently they finally seem to be trying.

The region is anything but flat. In fact, the terrain is difficult enough to inhibit suburban sprawl on its own. There are a couple of corridors with some degree of suburban sprawl, like I-79 north and south of the city, and U.S. 30 east of the city, but for the most part, you can drive for 30 minutes and be out in, or close to, the wilderness. And Pennsylvania is a big hunting state. Many rural school districts actually take the first day of deer-hunting season off. Gun laws are actually pretty reasonable, especially for a Northeastern state.

In terms of lakes and beaches, the nearest big lake is Lake Erie about two hours to the north. There's no touristy beach there, but Presque Isle is tranquil and sandy. If you need a big ocean beach, though, your best bets are in Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey. (The south "Jersey Shore" is a bit different from the north, which is where the stereotype comes from.) There are several smaller man-made lakes within a two-hour drive as well, including, but not limited to, Pymatuning Lake (partially in Ohio), Conneaut Lake, Lake Arthur, Crooked Creek Lake, Keystone Lake, Loyalhanna Lake, Conemaugh Lake, Cheat Lake (in West Virginia), Youghiogheny Lake, High Point Lake, Deer Valley Lake and Stonycreek Lake. In the city itself are three big rivers, and lots of people go powerboating on them during the summer.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

[ckhthankgod]

Perhaps Northeastern Ohio may work and maybe a college town like Kent may be ideal. Not too far from Lake Erie, but isn't too far from rural hills south of it. It also puts you close to sporting events in Cleveland.

Bowling Green, another Ohio college town in the Northwestern part of the state may work for similar reasons. Athens in Southeastern OH is another college town that comes to mind.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

If you can handle some snow and persistent cloud cover during the winter, Pittsburgh has a lot of what you're looking for. It's a lot more gay-friendly than people might think; there are actually several regulars on the Pittsburgh forum who are gay, and they seem to enjoy themselves. It also has a pretty broad political spectrum, and no one group really dominates. In terms of religiosity, Pittsburgh is predominantly Catholic, but very live-and-let-live. You more than likely won't get proselytized there.

There are several sizable colleges and universities in the city itself, including the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University. It's very much a sports town, though it leans more pro than college. The biggest college fan contingencies are Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and Ohio State. You can also find a few from colleges and universities throughout the Northeast and Midwest. Among the smaller groups, the ones that have stood out to me are Syracuse, Temple, Kent State, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. The Steelers are to Pittsburgh what the Cowboys are to Dallas: the city takes immense pride in the team, and sometimes gets a little overbearing with it. The Penguins are very popular too, though, and the Pirates still draw people because of PNC Park, though they've alienated many fans over the last 20 years with their incompetence. At least recently they finally seem to be trying.

The region is anything but flat. In fact, the terrain is difficult enough to inhibit suburban sprawl on its own. There are a couple of corridors with some degree of suburban sprawl, like I-79 north and south of the city, and U.S. 30 east of the city, but for the most part, you can drive for 30 minutes and be out in, or close to, the wilderness. And Pennsylvania is a big hunting state. Many rural school districts actually take the first day of deer-hunting season off. Gun laws are actually pretty reasonable, especially for a Northeastern state.

In terms of lakes and beaches, the nearest big lake is Lake Erie about two hours to the north. There's no touristy beach there, but Presque Isle is tranquil and sandy. If you need a big ocean beach, though, your best bets are in Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey. (The south "Jersey Shore" is a bit different from the north, which is where the stereotype comes from.) There are several smaller man-made lakes within a two-hour drive as well, including, but not limited to, Pymatuning Lake (partially in Ohio), Conneaut Lake, Lake Arthur, Crooked Creek Lake, Keystone Lake, Loyalhanna Lake, Conemaugh Lake, Cheat Lake (in West Virginia), Youghiogheny Lake, High Point Lake, Deer Valley Lake and Stonycreek Lake. In the city itself are three big rivers, and lots of people go powerboating on them during the summer.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

I'll second the nod for Pittsburgh. I'm in my mid-20s and am one of those gay Pittsburgh forum regulars that Gnutella references. After having grown up in a very conservative and homophobic area living here has been a breath of fresh air. There are plentiful opportunities for nightlife and outdoor recreation. In terms of religion only about 25% of the people whom I associate with actually regularly attend religious services, and most of them are Jewish. The economy here is doing well, and the summers aren't brutal. There's also a lot of cute gay boys here, if that's a consideration. Haha!

[steel03]

Des Moines, IA is one to at least add to your list.
-very good bbq as well as a big array of great restaurants
-over 90 in the summer definitely happens pretty much every year, but it's only for a few days at a time and it's not that common
-clearly and reliably left-leaning (remember gay marriage has been legal in Iowa for four years), but not as granola as Portland or Minneapolis or Madison
-religion won't be an issue, there's plenty of variety
-MSA hovering at just under 600,000
-decent hunting and fishing community
-rolling hills throughout most of the state, big bluffs in the northeast and big hills in the west
-Saylorville Lake, Grays Lake, Easter Lake
-college sports throughout the state
-Drake University in the city, Iowa State 30 minutes north, and University of Iowa 90 minutes east

You might also consider Iowa City and Omaha.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

I would consider Madison, WI or Ann Arbor, MI. They sound perfect for you!

[animatedmartian]

Ann Arbor. The town pretty much is a college and recently voted to put in a green belt around the city.