Please help me figure out where to move! (apartment complexes, chapel)

[movingoutofFL82]

Hi there

My husband and I are planning on moving out of the Tampa Bay area after living here for a little over a year. We are really displeased with the area due to many, many different factors. We work from home, so access to jobs doesn't factor into consideration (we currently making about 80-90k a year).

Here are a few of the things we like least about the Tampa area

-an overabundance of strip malls, chain restaurants, pawn shops, thrift shops, and apartment complexes
-too much traffic all the time (not just during rush hour)
-too hot and humid year-round
-houses too are crowded together, no land, too small
-Restaurants (for the most part) do not offer gluten-free menus
-Lack of fine dining restaurants
-No good hiking and biking trails (too many man made creations i.e. boardwalks in every park, parks all look the same)
-A lack of interesting road trips (most trips within a 4-6 hour range feel the same (same weather, same general layout, same activities)

Here are a few things we are looking for:

-more nature, more parks
-decent cost of living
-more individual restaurants and coffee shops
-the ability to take weekend road trips to interesting locations
-the ability to spend time away in more secluded surroundings (everything is crowded here!)
-a nice small downtown nearby and less chains
-at least a few cloudy overcast days per month (you really miss these after living in Florida for a year)
-Bike paths and trails nearby
-More events

Additionally, the weather doesn't really matter as long as there is a little more diversity than Tampa (snow is okay, etc.). Also, we are not excluding any area of the country, so we are open to all suggestions.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I look forward to your ideas!

[Gaylenwoof]

Originally Posted by movingoutofFL82

Here are a few things we are looking for:

-more nature, more parks
-decent cost of living
-more individual restaurants and coffee shops
-the ability to take weekend road trips to interesting locations
-the ability to spend time away in more secluded surroundings (everything is crowded here!)
-a nice small downtown nearby and less chains
-at least a few cloudy overcast days per month (you really miss these after living in Florida for a year)
-Bike paths and trails nearby
-More events

Based on these criteria, I would suggest Minnesota - assuming you can live with the winters. Coming from Florida could be a shock. For "events" you would probably need to be within a hour of the Twin Cities, but there are plenty of small towns in that radius. Obviously the farther north you go, the more natural setting you can find, but the winters get progressively harsher. Road trips would include "the North Shore" with lots of parks, and Voyager National Park, with some of the most untouched wilderness you will find in the US, outside of Alaska.

For a milder version, Ohio is not too bad. Kent, Ohio fits your criteria extremely well - although Ohio, in general, doesn't quite compare to Minnesota in terms of bike paths and parks, it is getting better every year. Kent is a small town, but the presence of Kent State University helps provide some larger city advantages in terms of events. Road trips would be mostly to state parks, Lake Erie, Niagara Falls, Amish country, and assorted cities. Cleveland has the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Canton has the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Some general advantages to the northern states, compared to the warmer states, are the relative lack of poisonous critters to worry about when hiking, and a general lack of natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. The downside for Minnesota is lots of mosquitoes and some risk of tornadoes (although I lived many decades in MN and never personally saw a tornado). Ohio tends to have more cloudy days that Minnesota, but both have a lot of variability in the weather.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by movingoutofFL82

Here are a few things we are looking for:

-more nature, more parks
-decent cost of living
-more individual restaurants and coffee shops
-the ability to take weekend road trips to interesting locations
-the ability to spend time away in more secluded surroundings (everything is crowded here!)
-a nice small downtown nearby and less chains
-at least a few cloudy overcast days per month (you really miss these after living in Florida for a year)
-Bike paths and trails nearby
-More events

Check out Durham NC

It's a beautiful area that's not overbuilt, has lots of trees/greenspace, an equally distributed moderate four season climate, a manageable cost of living, a fantastic food scene with excellent restaurants and farmers markets, fairly close proximity to beaches and mountains (around 2 hours) as well as 4 hour drive to DC, has a thriving historic downtown with a cool minor league ballpark, an impressive performing arts center and tobacco warehouses restored into shops/etc, a bike-friendly environment with a good number of bike trails/paths and overall a friendly population of well-educated/progressive residents. I used to live there and loved it!

[movingoutofFL82]

Originally Posted by Gaylenwoof

Based on these criteria, I would suggest Minnesota - assuming you can live with the winters. Coming from Florida could be a shock. For "events" you would probably need to be within a hour of the Twin Cities, but there are plenty of small towns in that radius. Obviously the farther north you go, the more natural setting you can find, but the winters get progressively harsher. Road trips would include "the North Shore" with lots of parks, and Voyager National Park, with some of the most untouched wilderness you will find in the US, outside of Alaska.

For a milder version, Ohio is not too bad. Kent, Ohio fits your criteria extremely well - although Ohio, in general, doesn't quite compare to Minnesota in terms of bike paths and parks, it is getting better every year. Kent is a small town, but the presence of Kent State University helps provide some larger city advantages in terms of events. Road trips would be mostly to state parks, Lake Erie, Niagara Falls, Amish country, and assorted cities. Cleveland has the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Canton has the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Some general advantages to the northern states, compared to the warmer states, are the relative lack of poisonous critters to worry about when hiking, and a general lack of natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. The downside for Minnesota is lots of mosquitoes and some risk of tornadoes (although I lived many decades in MN and never personally saw a tornado). Ohio tends to have more cloudy days that Minnesota, but both have a lot of variability in the weather.

Thanks for your suggestions. I lived in Chicago for several years, so I am used to long and cold winters. I have seen Minnesota mentioned on many "best to live" and "fittest states" lists, so I will have to do a little more research. It does seem to fit a lot of my criteria. Never been to Kent, although pleasantly surprised with Cleveland's downtown and nice Towpath bike trail.

[movingoutofFL82]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Check out Durham NC

It's a beautiful area that's not overbuilt, has lots of trees/greenspace, an equally distributed moderate four season climate, a manageable cost of living, a fantastic food scene with excellent restaurants and farmers markets, fairly close proximity to beaches and mountains (around 2 hours) as well as 4 hour drive to DC, has a thriving historic downtown with a cool minor league ballpark, an impressive performing arts center and tobacco warehouses restored into shops/etc, a bike-friendly environment with a good number of bike trails/paths and overall a friendly population of well-educated/progressive residents. I used to live there and loved it!

Based on your information, Durham seems like a great little town! I have been to Western NC (Asheville and Boone) and really liked the natural beauty of the area, although, it seems like it would get a bit boring after a while. Thanks for the suggestion - I will add it to my places to check out!

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by movingoutofFL82

Based on your information, Durham seems like a great little town! I have been to Western NC (Asheville and Boone) and really liked the natural beauty of the area, although, it seems like it would get a bit boring after a while. Thanks for the suggestion - I will add it to my places to check out!

It really is a great city and large enough (230K) to not be boring, along with neighboring Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Raleigh.

[ckhthankgod]

Ithaca NY, Ann Arbor MI, Amherst MA and Burlington VT, among many others, may work.

[usaf_1832]

-more nature, more parks
-decent cost of living
-more individual restaurants and coffee shops
-the ability to take weekend road trips to interesting locations
-the ability to spend time away in more secluded surroundings (everything is crowded here!)
-a nice small downtown nearby and less chains
-at least a few cloudy overcast days per month (you really miss these after living in Florida for a year)
-Bike paths and trails nearby
-More events

You may have just described Portland, OR. Day trips to Mount Hood, waterfalls, forests, ocean etc. Restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries.

Cleveland is also a wildcard with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park/Towpath Trail. Getaways to Amish Country, Lake Erie Islands, Niagara Falls, etc. Huge loyalty to local and crazy low cost of living.

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by movingoutofFL82

-more nature, more parks
-decent cost of living
-more individual restaurants and coffee shops
-the ability to take weekend road trips to interesting locations
-the ability to spend time away in more secluded surroundings (everything is crowded here!)
-a nice small downtown nearby and less chains
-at least a few cloudy overcast days per month (you really miss these after living in Florida for a year)
-Bike paths and trails nearby
-More events

Ventura or Ojai, CA

[movingoutofFL82]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Ithaca NY, Ann Arbor MI, Amherst MA and Burlington VT, among many others, may work.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will look into these areas. Love New England (lived there for a few years) so I'll have to check out individual small towns.