If not Pittsburgh.... (Washington, California, Denver: to live in, shop, safe)

[robrobrob]

A small town in Vermont, a smaller city like Portland, Maine or maybe Bozeman, MT.

Hopes has a point, the main drawback to Pittsburgh is that it isn't close to any great natural wonder, a great ski mountain or the beach. We also don't have great weather.

[Pixxburgger]

I'm from 'Burgh and haven't been back in a very long time. I miss it -- the rivers, Giant Eagle, n' at. Just wondering -- how's the job market?

[Herodotus]

Boston, Savannah, Frederick, Md., Hoboken, NJ, Providence.

[neurodistortion]

Probably near a beach, and I don't mean Lake Erie.

[scottrpriester]

Originally Posted by Herodotus

Boston, Savannah, Frederick, Md., Hoboken, NJ, Providence.

Last year at this time we were on our honeymoon throughout New England, and I fell in love with Burlington VT. I'd be there in a second if I could.

[Fiddlehead]

Well, I don't even live in Pittsburgh, but this is a nice daydreamy thread, so..

Asheville, NC. Mountain city. Sounds nice, artsy, friendly, and woodsy.

Fayetteville,AR sounds interesting, tucked up in the Ozarks, though not sure if I could deal with summers or chiggers...

Missoula,MT. A pretty progressive, but diverse college city with Rattlesnake wilderness (60k acres) at the edge of town. Could get munched by a grizzly right outside town!

Durango, CO. The San Juan Mountains are the most gorgeous in the US IMO. Best way to end up with $1M in Durango? Arrive with $2M.

Madison, WI. Great little city. I love lakes. I'd need earmuffs for winter.

Minnapolis, MN. Great big city. More lakes. Ok, and extra heavy duty ear muffs.

Las Vegas NM. High elevation hispanic city at the edge of Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Would need some of IWonderWhy's inheritance, few jobs. Lovely people.

Burlington, VT. Hey, sounds just too darn nice. And I like places where people think just like me...

Ok, now to cheat:

Prague, Czech Republic. An ancient city of hills bisected by the majestic River Vltava with eye-popping architecture, enough beer and ale to souse the Roman legions, amazingly good looking people, poet politicians, and..... oh sheesh just google it!

Stockholm, Sweden. Spectacular city arrayed on the isthmus between a spectacular island-studded lake and a spectacular islet studded sea. Everyone looks like a model. Even the models. And they get naked often. Added plus...You can catch salmon from the river bridges in the city!

[Tiger Beer]

I'm not in Pittsburgh either, but since it is at the top of my list with a few others.

Basically, of ANY northern city (i.e. cold winters), Pittsburgh beats all of them. I like pretty much everything about the layout, culture, views, architecture, looks, affordability, etc. of Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately there aren't any southern cities quite built like it - mostly all sprawl, etc. That being said, I am considering places, like, believe it or not, Las Vegas or Sacramento...and remotely even considering Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Florida for beaches, warm weather, etc.

I can't really say a Cleveland or Cincinnati or Minneapolis or other Pittsburgh equivalents, as I really think Pittsburgh stands out above them. The rightwing conservative nature of the South doesn't appeal to me either, so while there are sancuaries amongst that area, none of which greatly stand out - I'd prefer a more northern or western mindset.

My ideal city would be Manhattan on the beach - which I guess is Honolulu. But hardly realistic or affordable. Truth be told, I'm bouncing back and forth between mostly Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, Nevada - which are probably some of the two most different cities you could possibly find.

[pman]

Sacramento is the most at risk for a catastrophic flood, according to modern marvels.

[onwardandupward]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Truth be told, I'm bouncing back and forth between mostly Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, Nevada - which are probably some of the two most different cities you could possibly find.

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm totally curious as to how such completely different cities are at the top of your list - care to share your list requirements?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by onwardandupward

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm totally curious as to how such completely different cities are at the top of your list - care to share your list requirements?

Yes, Pittsburgh & Las Vegas, NV.

Pittsburgh appeals greatly because of my love for a good solid city - urban, walkable, etc. All the many things often mentioned here.

I guess the two common strains that goes through both cities is the fact they have desireable characteristics PLUS affordable - i.e. I can attain home ownership without it taking my entire lifetime.

Las Vegas' appeal is WARM weather, I like the desert, I like the West Coast...plus wife lived there for awhile, so I got to know it well - has a ton of really cool southwestern architecture I like, etc. Plus, amazing national parks and mountains and such around there - Mt Charleston (skiing just outside the city limits), Red Rock Parks (more nature), Zion National Park, Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, Death Valley, etc. Plus they got 1000s and 1000s of very low priced housing that is simply gorgeous and new. I happen to love Pittsburgh style housing and stucco mediterranean style both about equally. I'm not too fond of mainstream midwestern..ahm..what do you call that - the shingles down the sides or whatever that is.

So, actually Vegas and Pittsburgh are polar opposites...but of their extremes, I just like Vegas the most, and of the other extreme, Pittsburgh appeals strongly to me