[goatwoodward]

I know the fall leaves are beautiful, but I can't help having a feeling of dread about the coming winter. I remember the past winter - the weeks of temperatures below zero, the lack of significant daylight for months on end - and feel as though the ax is about to fall. Don't get me wrong - it's beautiful, but my Virginian blood still takes time to heat every year, even though I've lived here since 2001.

I fantasize about moving somewhere warmer every winter, but the summers are so beautiful, they lure me into staying... What other cities are similar to Burlington, only more temperate? I don't like overly big cities with too much concrete. I like walking everywhere when I can and Burlington is great for that. Plus, the people are friendly and the environment overall is gorgeous. I was looking at Charlottesville, VA and Asheville, NC - any other ideas?

They say that the cold and lack of jobs are driving youth away from Vermont. I love so much about Burlington, but I don't know if I can stand many more winters here, so I think I may be on the 5 year plan to move somewhere else.

[tkln]

I had briefly looked into Charlottesville - it looked like a great place, with a really neat downtown, lots of great shops and restaurants and what seemed like tons of outdoor stuff nearby...read a lot of great things about it as well, and it seems to follow the liberal trends of a lot of college towns.

I took it off the list cuz it the winters were too warm with minimal snow. So it might be right up your alley.

[68vette]

Charlottesville and Burlington are similar towns. They are both ranked in the top 5 small cities to live in. We were going to move there several years ago for the same reason, but due to some personal issues we weren't able to. You have the mountains, you can ski in the winter, 4 seasons, mild winter and many job opportunities(ranked 31st in the country by Moody's as the best place to do buisness). They have top notch education as well as one of the best medical centers in the country(top 100 in the country). Culture, diversity, entertainment, the heart of American history and list goes on.

[tkln]

68vette- what is the nearest area to ski down there? I didn't look into it too much after seeing how mild the winters were but it might be a place to consider for a farther-down-the-line move...

[girlandpup]

I briefly looked into Charlottesville myself a little while ago, but was "turned off" because it seemed that the summers are VERY hot and long. I personally would rather have really cold for more months (like Vermont) than really hot for so long. That is just my personal preference, which I wanted to share with you because it's something to think about - is so very hot for at least a few months okay with you?

[goatwoodward]

I grew up in Dunn Loring, VA (northern VA) and the climate doesn't seem all that different. I remember the heat & humidity, but I also remember the pools & AC. (With a little longing after living in the cold for so long, but I'm sure I will complain about them if/when I move - the grass is always greener. ) However, I don't want to move back to northern VA for many reasons (materialism, traffic, concrete everywhere, etc - I don't mind a little gentrification, but NoVA's gone crazy...), but I hear that Charlottesville and other parts of central & southern VA are smaller, more genuine, and less snooty. Too bad I can't live in Burlington for the summer/fall and Charlottesville for the winter/spring.

Are there any other places I should look into that are temperate Burlingtons? I looked into Madison, WI and it seemed like a bigger Burlington, but the weather was no better...

Thanks!