Thinking of moving to Erie from Portland, ME. (York, Meadville: insurance, co-op)

[hcarleton]

My girlfriend is considering transfering to Mercyhurst University. I would be moving there with her if she does. Before making the decision we are trying to decide if Erie is a place we could both stand to live in for three years. It's only three years, so it doesn't have to be a perfect match, I just want to get a feel for what it's like compared to other places I've lived.

So right now I'm living in Portland, ME. It's a great little city, with a huge amount of small businesses, including tons of restaurants and bars for all types. Here's a list of some things that I'm looking for. Maybe someone could tell me how much of this can be found in Erie.

- Thriving indie-music / art scene
- Good selection of locally owned bars and restaurants
- Lots of craft beer / microbrews
- Farmers Market
- Public Transportation
- Bike friendly
- Hiking
- Sailing(I would definitely like to try out sailing Lake Erie)
- Canoeing/Kayaking

It would also be nice to have a thriving tech community, as that is the industry I am in.

Things I don't want:

- too many clubs
- an abundance of chain businesses
- really spread out city, where there is no real downtown(sprawl is the worst)

Thoughts?
Like I said, it would only be for three years. I'm not expecting it to have everything I listed, I really just want to make sure I'm not going to hate it there.

[Ohiogirl81]

Thriving indie-music / art scene - Yes. It's not in your face as in larger cities; you have to look for it.
Good selection of locally owned bars and restaurants - Yes.
Lots of craft beer / microbrews - One, off the top of my head. This wouldn't be high on the list of priorities I'd be looking for in relocation, though.
Farmers Market - I'm sure there are, somewhere. But really there's no need; you can get straight to the farms themselves in less than 15 or 20 minutes.
Public Transportation - Yes.
Bike friendly - Yes.
Hiking - Yes.
Sailing(I would definitely like to try out sailing Lake Erie) - You just answered your own question.
Canoeing/Kayaking - Uh ... Lake Erie? Also Presque Isle Bay and the lagoons and inlets on the peninsula.

I really just want to make sure I'm not going to hate it there.

How much would your girlfriend hate you if you didn't go with her? This may not be the relationships forum, but if she is your highest priority, then you've answered your own question once again.

[Wells5]

Can't your girlfriend find a college to transfer to in New England? Wondering why she is considering Mercyhurst?

Erie is a midwest-type industrial city with their major employer, GE Transportation, laying off more and more workers as they move operations to Fort Worth, TX and Mexico. Big corporations that were once headquartered in Erie like Hammermill Paper, Zurn Industries and Lord Corporation have moved out although the latter 2 still do some manufacturing in the area. Nevertheless, Erie is a relatively prosperous city with many nice neighborhoods and suburbs and beaches. Most everything on your wish list can be found in the Erie area. It's also a major grape growing area with vinyards stretching along Lake Erie into New York State.

Northwest PA is big in machining, tool and industrial technology, not exactly IT but if you are a mechanical engineer or CAD/CAM specialist, jobs should be plentiful.

[hcarleton]

Thanks for the input. I think it'll work.

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Lots of craft beer / microbrews - One, off the top of my head. This wouldn't be high on the list of priorities I'd be looking for in relocation, though.

I find that the size of the market for craft beer in a city is a pretty good indicator of what the night life is like.

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

How much would your girlfriend hate you if you didn't go with her? This may not be the relationships forum, but if she is your highest priority, then you've answered your own question once again.

I'm moving with her wherever she goes, but erie is not the only option. We are going through them and deciding which is the best option. Right now based on the size of the scholarship Erie is looking like the best option. The only thing that would change that would be if we didn't think we could be happy living there.

[hcarleton]

Originally Posted by Wells5

Can't your girlfriend find a college to transfer to in New England? Wondering why she is considering Mercyhurst?

Athletic Scholarship

Originally Posted by Wells5

Northwest PA is big in machining, tool and industrial technology, not exactly IT but if you are a mechanical engineer or CAD/CAM specialist, jobs should be plentiful.

I work remotely as a web developer. So I have a job. It's just nice to have a community in the area to collaborate and just generally socialize with.

[trackstar13]

Craft Beer in Erie
I am listing these in order of awesomeness:
1) Lavery
Lavery Brewing Company - Erie, PA - Home

2) Erie Brewing Company
Home - Local Craft Beer Erie, PA

3) BrewErie
THE BREWERIE | Erie PA | The Brewerie, one of Erie’s best restaurants and banquet halls featuring unique food, beer & atmosphere.

Those are the main craft beers in Erie specifically and there are also many craft beer places nearby, here are some of my other favorite craft beer places

Nearby Craft Beers
These are also listed in order of awesomeness:
1) Voodoo (Meadville)
Enter the Voodoo Brewery Website

2) Southern Tier (Lakewood, NY, I know it is a different state, but still pretty close)
Southern Tier Brewing Company |

3) Ellicottville Brewing Company (Ellicottville, NY, also very close to Erie and has skiing at Holiday Valley)
- Ellicottville Brewing Co. | Entertaining People!

Great Bars/Pubs that have craft beers and unique food
Also listed in order of awesomeness:
1) Jekyll and Hyde's Gastropub
Jekyll & Hyde's Gastropub - Erie, PA Tap House

2) U Pick 6 Tap House
UPick6

3) Lucky Louie's Beer and Wieners
LUCKY LOUIE'S BEER & WIENERS | Erie PA | Home Page

[trackstar13]

To address some of the other OP's questions:

There is a very good music and art scene for a city the size of Erie, here are some resources to check out:

the crooked i
Sherlocks/Parkplace | Erie, PA | Shows, Schedules, and Directions | ReverbNation
Home * Erie Summer Festival of the Arts
Erie Art Museum
Erie Art Museum - blues & jazz festival
8 Great Tuesdays | Port Erie
Erie Events | All of what is happening in Erie PA
RockErie.com: Erie's #1 Source for Local Music
Home - Roar on the Shore

The farmer's market situation is just okay, there is one downtown in Erie on State Street and one at the West Erie Plaza. With that being said, there is a Whole Foods Co-Op, which is pretty awesome and the farms surrounding Erie have some great fresh produce you can pick on your own or buy at the farm. Frankie and Mays is also pretty nice and they have many products from local farms.

Whole Foods Co-op | Erie, PA
Erie, PA Fresh Grocer | Frankie & May
Duran's Farm Fresh Products - Home

[trackstar13]

A few more things to mention:

Canoeing and kayaking is very good in Erie and I love Presque Isle Bay, the lagoons, and the Allegheny River near the Allegheny National Forest. The Erie Yacht Club offers sailing classes and I think it is pretty affordable. Here is the link:
Home

Erie does have a good amount of sprawl and the bayfront area of the city is currently being re-developed, but downtown doesn't have much retail, it is more restaurants, bars, offices, and hospitals. The suburbs of Millcreek, Summit Twp., Harborcreek, etc. have most of the shopping and these areas are relatively close by to the city, but you do have to drive around to go to various types of stores. Erie has a good number of chains and sprawl, but it seems like this trend could change with the recent availability and potential re-development of the bayfront in the city. Also, as Gannon, Mercyhurst, and Erie Insurance continue to expand there will be more and more businesses in the city to support these organizations. It would be nice if there were a decent grocery store in the city someday.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by hcarleton

Right now based on the size of the scholarship Erie is looking like the best option. The only thing that would change that would be if we didn't think we could be happy living there.

Given the cost of college these days, the size of the scholarship should be a huge factor in deciding where to go.

You can be happy anywhere if you're willing to work at it. And as you've said, it's for three years.

[WPANative]

Originally Posted by hcarleton

My girlfriend is considering transfering to Mercyhurst University. I would be moving there with her if she does. Before making the decision we are trying to decide if Erie is a place we could both stand to live in for three years. It's only three years, so it doesn't have to be a perfect match, I just want to get a feel for what it's like compared to other places I've lived.

So right now I'm living in Portland, ME. It's a great little city, with a huge amount of small businesses, including tons of restaurants and bars for all types. Here's a list of some things that I'm looking for. Maybe someone could tell me how much of this can be found in Erie.

- Thriving indie-music / art scene
- Good selection of locally owned bars and restaurants
- Lots of craft beer / microbrews
- Farmers Market
- Public Transportation
- Bike friendly
- Hiking
- Sailing(I would definitely like to try out sailing Lake Erie)
- Canoeing/Kayaking

It would also be nice to have a thriving tech community, as that is the industry I am in.

Things I don't want:

- too many clubs
- an abundance of chain businesses
- really spread out city, where there is no real downtown(sprawl is the worst)

Thoughts?
Like I said, it would only be for three years. I'm not expecting it to have everything I listed, I really just want to make sure I'm not going to hate it there.

I'm sure you have been to Andy's Pub, right? My favorite hang out in Portland!