Miami to Minnesota... (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eden Prairie: fit in, condos, low crime)

[Mariee]

Hello everyone. I have been browsing the Minneapolis-St. Paul board and general Minnesota board for awhile now and my interest in possibly relocating to MN from Miami, FL grows stronger the more I read. I find it refreshing that so many people have left Minnesota only to happily return, and it is also nice that there are so many people who have positive things to say about it whether they still live there or not.

I am 24 years old, college educated (BA in Psychology) and was born and raised in Miami, FL. I lived in Tampa, FL while working on my BA and enjoyed it, but not quite enough to move back there. I have been living in Miami for close to a year now and am looking to relocate to a TOTALLY different environment. The subtropical climate and the cold and careless attitudes of so many around me does not appeal to me. I have never been a loud "party hard" type person, and Miami is a party town, just as Tampa is. I'm a very simple and quiet person; everyone I know jokingly refers to me as a Midwesterner... they actually ask me in a playfully condescending way if I really was born and raised in Miami. I've always felt like an alien here... My mom is from Illinois and I never quite understood how she managed to move to Miami, FL of all places and feel comfortable here!

I'm interested in possibly relocating to a suburb of Minneapolis. I would prefer to live somewhere that is relatively safe (after living in the ghettos in Tampa... I would prefer NOT to be around drugs, public housing, crime, etc). I know there is crime everywhere, and I am smart about things... but I would prefer not to see crack dealers on bicycles in my neighborhood 24/7 I eventually (after establishing state-residency and settling down for a few years) would like to go back to school to receive a graduate degree. I am interested in a program at UM-Twin Cities... so it would be preferable to settle in a suburb that is an easy (or at least reasonable) commute to the campus. The employment environment is important - I have experience in sales, customer service, retail, managerial (office), and administrative areas. I also have volunteer experience with a non-profit agency that works with the poor. Even though I grew up in Miami, I am not bilingual... even though I understand Spanish more than most people... I don't speak it and would prefer to be in an area in which bilingualism isn't a necessity. (That is not to say I have anything against people who don't speak English... I just yearn to live in an area in which I am not the minority).

I like smaller towns that have a bit of charm. Quirky mom and pop type shops appeal to me more so than big-chain stores, but I appreciate those stores for their convenience and do shop them as well. Even though I don't have a family or children, I would prefer to live in a community with good schools as I feel they typically reflect the community in which they stand.

So... reasonably safe suburbs of Minneapolis relatively close to the UM-Twin Cities campus? I know someone who lives in Hopkins (they are a native and they love it... which says a lot about the place), so if anyone has any information about that area that would be great. Information regarding other suburbs that natives might know about that would be a good fit for someone who is the complete opposite of what one might think of when they think of Miami, FL would be great, too. I'm not into the club scene, I prefer museums, live theater, live music, books, attending football games, spending time at home, etc to going out and partying every night. Occasional partying is ok...

I just want a nice quiet life for the most part. I also love football and the Minnesota Vikings are another reason why I am so drawn to the city and surrounding areas. I guess that would be important as well... a relatively safe suburb with some charm, within a reasonable commute to the UM-Twin Cities campus and just a drive to the Metrodome so I can attend football games.

Sorry for the rambling post, but any advice/insider info (employment, housing, taxes, weather, crime, demographics, education, etc... etc) would be appreciated. I figured if I included a ton of information about myself and what I am looking for those of you that know Minneapolis can give me the best idea of what would be a nice fit for me... or you can tell me I don't fit in there, either one works Thanks in advance for any information you all have to share.

[moving123456]

Pretty much any suburb without "Brooklyn" in the name would fit your low crime requirement. Hopkins might be a good place to start since you already know somebody there, which could help with adjusting to living in a new area. St. Louis Park would put you slightly closer to downtown and the U of M, but still near Hopkins.

I working on making my way back to MN from FL right now.

Good luck with the move.

[Mariee]

Thanks so much for the advice. I'll definitely check out St. Louis Park.

What part of FL are you trying to leave? I'm familiar with most of the state, and for the most part:

Good luck to you too!

[Minnehahapolitan]

Saint Louis Park - An old Jewish suburb, built post-war. Rather urban for a suburb along Excelsior Blvd., a mixture of chains and independents. Really safe, close to Uptown and Downtown (by extension, the U of M (UM-TC is an outsider flag to me). A mixture of housing options.
Hopkins - Further out Excelsior Blvd. form SLP. An old blue-collar town. Has a near-by beach. A wonderful Main Street with antique shops, neighborhood bars, a movie theater, Perf. Arts Center, a few new condos, a bowling alley, et. cetera. In the future, a light rail line will connect Eden Prairie to Downtown along Excelsior Blvd.
Excelsior and Wayzata. - Are pretty far from the city if you ever commete to the U. Wealthy areas, started as small resort towns on Lake Minnetonka (The suburban Gold Coast) Excelsior is more authentic, Wayzata is more polished.
Saint Anthony Village - A small suburb of Northeast Mpls. Post-war subban homes, but not like a newer suburb. The shopping mall ceded to a "main-street/lifestyle" center. Mostly chains in that area, but is close to downtown (literally, like 3 miles).
Columbia Heights - A Northeast suburb. A commercial strip along Central. Close to downtown and the U. A mixture of pre-war and post-war homes.
Thats all I can really think of. If you are willing to live in the city, there are plenty of safe places with great shops around them. Most of the city really isn't that "ghetto". (if that was your aversion to it). Good luck
---Minnehahapolitan

[lovelivinloringpark]

If you're interested in the U of M campus and downtown, that's where the Vikings play, there are nice neighborhoods along both sides of the river south of downtown, northeast is pretty safe and not so expensive. Downtown itself is experiencing a 'condo boom'. I live in the Loring Park neighborhood which is on the sw edge of downtown, and I love it here, it's actually mid-town between uptown and downtown. my advice is stay away from the north side, at least certain blocks, as well as just west of the Light Rail line, i.e., Phillips. Best of luck, and don't forget to stock up on long undies..

[K-Luv]

Hopkins to the U is a bit of a drive and will be a real pain during rush hour. SLP is probably your best bet for suburbs but I think that the Lake Harriet area would be more ideal, also more $$, though.

[whatever]

Just made the move from Hollywood, FL to Minnesota this summer. We're in Orono, nearly Wayzata which is kinda like a cross between a little New England town on the CT river but with the uppity overtones of Boca Raton

It might be a little west for you but if you need any specific info you can tag me directly. Good luck with the move.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Hopkins to the U is a bit of a drive and will be a real pain during rush hour. SLP is probably your best bet for suburbs but I think that the Lake Harriet area would be more ideal, also more $$, though.

Lake Harriet is not necessairily close in time to the U. The lakes are actually a pretty big barrier. You would have to take side roads, 62 or France to Excelsior. Hopkins is straight out Excelsior, which is a de facto freeway. Both are nice areas, though.

[Mariee]

Everyone has been very helpful. When it comes to MN I am mainly focused right now on SLP, but I'm going to take a trip up there within the year and figure out where I would like to be. In the meantime I'm working on clearing out the house down here and saving up a bit of dough to eventually relocate. Aiming towards moving Summer 2008.

Also - it is nice to see people from FL that have moved up there as well. When I speak to people here about my intentions they tell me I'm nuts. Maybe I am crazy, but I don't think FL is paradise. It seems like that is what everyone says "oh how can you trade the palm trees and sun for snow?!?!?" "Florida is paradise, how could you even think of leaving?!?!?" "Blah, blah blah!"

[nick is rulz]

Saint Louis Park has charm. Golden Valley is pretty decent too...not really a vast difference between the two as they border one another.