Looking into the area - a few questions.

[rzzz]

Originally Posted by ILI.EB

I was just expecting the Twin Cities region to be a mix of portland / seattle with the small town Boise feel which I think would be a nice mellow mix and a good way to enjoy a nice night out while still being able to go home to peace and quiet - am I off track? Would it be just like a much larger Boise?

Minneapolis gets pretty close to that. It is much more like Portland than Seattle. Seattle has many more ritzier spots, large tourist areas, a much larger and visible asian population, and nothing in MN is like the nearby mountains or the Sound. Portland is more similar to Minneapolis in that it's very river oriented, and half of its immigrants are young hipsters from Minnesota...

[StilltheSame]

Great tool to compare COL for different cities: Cost of Living comparison calculator

[cinnamon_toast]

One big reason I left the Twin Cities was due to lack of mountains... I am a huge skier and just couldn't handle the cold, snowy winters without anyplace to downhill ski. There are "hills" to ski on, but the weather is so freaking cold in the winter and the terrain is so mild it is just not worth the effort or expense. There are some nice hiking spots, but most are several hours from the Twin Cities metro area. Personally, I'd live in Boise over MN -- but to each their own! Now we live in Texas and spend 3-4 weeks a year in the mountains in Colorado, which are a day's drive from where we live.

[rzzz]

Regarding snow, MN is not consistent, and it's quite different than the mountain snow experience. There will be one year of serious snow, one year of not much snow, and quite a few years in between when there's a continual layer of about a foot of snow. And... it's all pretty flat. Personally, I had better snow experiences in 6 years of living in San Francisco. Just drive up to Tahoe for a week... there's 30 feet of snow. Then drive home. I preferred this to 4-5 months of blackened sludge snow. I now find very cold urban experiences a bit miserable. I had the same issue with Boston and NYC. The burbs and out in the country are actually better in cold places, IMO. But that might just be me.

[WendyRLee]

Minneapolis has a lot going for it in the way of music and theater and art for a city of it's size. You can find a lot of fun things to do and explore in different areas and still go back to your house and enjoy a peaceful place away from it all if you buy in the right place. If you work from home your options are wide open. You should come and visit and rent a car and look at the different areas and what they offer to try to get a feel for the places and see what feels right for your situation. Right now there are some real affordable homes on the market so I am sure you could find a new place that would satisfy you. Instead of mountains we have a lot of lakes and places that have access to nature with walking, hiking, bike trails and lots of beautiful parks, especially this time of year. So I encourage you to come and visit.

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by ILI.EB

Well I am currently in Boise and I greatly miss the lifestyle of a larger city. I'm sure the area has more than 5 restaurants that aren't a national chain (slight exaggeration...) and high-end shopping (which Boise completely lacks), a theme park (nearest is Seattle 8 hours away - Lagoon in Utah doesn't count), etc. If these 3 situations were fixed, I would actually stay in Boise. It is absolutely wonderful, but it's family-oriented planning leaves much to be desired for a couple such as ourselves with no plans to have children.

Valley Fair is maybe forty minutes from the city (without traffic), and there's a theme park within the Mall of America, as well.

Yes, there are lots of non-chain restaurants and shopping options, as well...