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Hello everyone, a friend who recently moved referred me to this site, highly recommending it. Any help that you all could provide me with would be greatly appreciated.
My family and I currently live in the suburbs of New York City, and we are about to make a HUGE decision and move west. We are considering areas in Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Utah, and Boise is among are top choices. Unfortunatley I know very little (translation: nothing) about Boise and I am hoping this website will help me start finding out the HUGE amount of information I'd like to know.
I love New York and the East Coast, but my wife and I (who is from Omaha, Neb.) need to get away from the overly materialistic, glitzy lifestyle of the East Coast suburbs. I am looking for someplace more laid-back, conservative, family friendly, that will provide my family with a better lifestyle.
My wife and I are both very "outdorsey" people, I've skied all my life, and I love camping, hiking (former Eagle Scout) and hunting. However, one of my biggest reservation about leaving the coast is that I've never lived away from the water. I love fishing, sailing, and being near the water in general.
So thats a little about us, can you tell me a little bit about Boise? What's it like? I know that's an impossibly general question, but I have to start somewhere. What is the lifestly like? Are there any lakes where I can fish or sail? (sorry, I really do know nothing). What's the culture like? My wife and I are fairly (though not extremnly) religious and conservative. Will we fit in?
I'd rather live in town than in a suburb. Right now my family and I live in an older house near the center of town where we can walk to the downtown/main street area, and I can walk to the trainstation that brings me to work. I would like to move into a similar situation. Are there neighborhoods like this in Boise? My family is fairly large (just had twins!), so I would need a fairly large house, but I am NOT looking for a sprawling mcmansion-this is what I'm trying to get away from.
The most important thing for me is that my children are raised in a strong, family-friendly community. A community with neighbors who know and support each other, where there are always things for children to do. This is the kind of neighborhood I grew up in, but unfortunalty NY has changed so much in the past few decades that I believe places like this don't exist in NY anymore. Thus, I'm searching for someplace where they do. Hopefully Boise will be my answer.
Thank-you all very much for taking the time to read this, and please feel free to add anything else about Boise that you think will be helpful. Once again, Thank-you and hopefully Boise will be my dream city!
From what you describe, Boise-Metro sounds like the place for you. This area is very family oriented and you will find people for the most part to be friendly and laid back. I've often commented on the sense of community Boise seems to possess compared to other places I lived. It's a place that reminds me what it was like when I was growing up. Neighbors chat with one another, help out if someone needs something, or lets you borrow a cup of sugar if you run out in the middle of a baking frenzy. I can't claim that every neighborhood is like that, but mine is and some of the people I've helped relocate have had the same experience.
Outdoor activities are practically at your doorstep; Boise is one of the few places in the country where you can ski and golf in the same day. Bogus Basin is about 45min outside of town or you have the option of Sun Valley, Brundage, Tamarack, etc. if you're looking for more world class skiing. They're further out, anywhere from 2.5 hours to 3.5 hour drives, but worth the distance. Camping opportunities are everywhere so no problem there, and hiking.... well that's just a given with all the wilderness we're surrounded by. Probably the best thing to do if/when you first move here, is to buy a book that lists hiking trails in the area so you have some starting points. You could probably even google some of the information if you didn't want to buy the book. Idaho is the home of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest protected contiguous area in the United States. At approx. 2.3 million acres, you will have no problem getting the outdoor experience you crave. Of course the nearby towns of Cascade and McCall are a bit closer if you're looking for a more tamed down weekend. Lake Cascade, and/or the Payette Lake offer opportunities where you can do some sailing if you so desire.
There are lots of great cities within the Boise-Metro region, but since you like to walk to a downtown, you will most likely want to be in Boise. The North end has the older homes and the close location you're looking for, so I would start there.
As far as lakes for sailing, you will have to go outside the area for that. Probably the closest is Lucky Peak Dam, just outside of Boise, or Lake Lowell in Nampa. I have a list of several of the lakes and rivers in this area; if you'd like a copy so you can check them out, click on my name and send me a direct message with your email and I'd be happy to forward it to you. Boise does have a beautiful river that runs through it, but I think what you're looking for will be more suited for the surrounding lakes.
Definitely come for a visit and see what you think, but I believe you will find this to be the breath of fresh air you're looking for.
Thank-you very much, thats very helpful. I'm planning on taking a trip out west in a few weeks, and Boise will definatly be one of my stops.
You mentioned the North End neighborhood. Do you have any sources where I could learn more about this area, as well as other areas in Boise?
Also, how would you compare Boise and its suburbs? Which suburbs are most desirable?
Finally, how is the traffic in Boise? How would my commute be from either in town or the suburbs? Is there any public transportation, or is driving the only option?
Also, if you haven't all ready, go to the thread at the top, Boise-Metro your one stop shop. There's lots of links on there that will help you. I also like to recommend the Middleton Chamber of Commerce website as it has a links to all the Chamber of Commerce websites in our area(just scroll down towards the bottom of the page).
Relocation Information - Middleton Chamber of Commerce (http://www.middletonchamber.org/default.asp?pageName=Relocation%20Information - broken link)
You will find several suburbs that are within the vicinity of Boise. Eagle, Star, Middleton, Kuna, Caldwell and Nampa are all fairly close. Most are a 25 to 30 min. drive to downtown Boise depending on the time of day. Traffic is heaviest during rush hour times, but besides that, it isn't bad at all. Public transportation is minimal, so most likely you will have to drive on your own if you work downtown and choose to live further out.
Hi, I'm originally from NY (grew up on LI, then lived and worked in Manhattan for many years). I married an Air Force guy and after 6 years in Europe we ended up in Utah for our next base. If you love the outdoors and love to be busy this is a great place to be. There's an endless amount of stuff to do, SLC is a great city with an emphasis on the arts. The downside about Utah is that if you're not LDS you'll always be an outsider. I know everyone says New Yorkers aren't friendly, but I've always felt a warmth and affinity, and you won't find that in Utah. We've been here for 4 years and like I said, it's beautiful and tons of stuff to do, I wish it was a place I could stay forever but it's hard to integrate here. That said, we recently got orders to South Carolina and asked to have them switched to Idaho because we took a drive up to Boise and found a lot to like about it. It actually reminded me a little of the East Coast as far as driving around the city and some of the mature neighborhoods, and it looks like there's a lot to do there. My concern is that it will start to feel like an island after a while, since you have to travel quite a distance to do anything outside of Boise. But the one thing that impressed me is that it's on the Kiplingers, Money, and Cities Ranked and Rated top ten lists of best places to live and raise a family. The other thing that impressed me is that I didn't speak to a single person in Boise who didn't say "I love it here, I would never leave." I haven't spent a lot of time in Colorado but loved what I did see. It does snow a lot in Colorado and Utah, but the dry climate is phenomenal and you simply can't beat the mountain views. I love NY but I don't know if I could ever live away from the mountains and dry climate (although I do like upstate NY). I know what you mean about feeling landlocked and not being near the ocean. That was a hard adjustment for me, too, since I practically grew up on the beach. But I've grown to love lakes and there are tons of them out west.
I'm being pretty general here, but just wanted to give you a former New Yorker's perspective. Good luck with your move!
You sound like a natural North Ender, Boise's cool. If you can't afford the area, just move farther down the valley, or south of downtown. All the outdoors, small town feel, and metro-esque stuff you want is here. Sailing/swiming/H2o stuff is a 5 min. drive NE at lucky peak res. Or at Lake Lowel if you can only afford the burbs farther west.
Almost forgot... North end in a nutshell = buy a volvo or subaru w/a ski rack and buy organic and you will blend right in. Best of luck to you.
Hi again, I also forgot to mention Fort Collins, Colorado. It's a college town but there's a great little main street area. It might be kind of pricey, but it's not far from Denver, where you'll find tons of stuff to do, which most New Yorkers like.
I am a boise native that has lived in Salt Lake, Washington DC, VT, and NC. Boise definately will not have the big city feel that you are used to with NYC. If you are really into ethnic foods, arts, etc Boise may not be your place. They have some of this stuff, but not nearly what you are use to. SLC and some other west coast cities will have more of this. If this does not bother you, you may like Boise. With the exception of the sophisticated scene, Boise is a much better place than SLC, Utah. (I hated SLC). Overall Boise is one of my most favorite cities, and I wish I could move back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CRB2387
Hello everyone, a friend who recently moved referred me to this site, highly recommending it. Any help that you all could provide me with would be greatly appreciated.
My family and I currently live in the suburbs of New York City, and we are about to make a HUGE decision and move west. We are considering areas in Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Utah, and Boise is among are top choices. Unfortunatley I know very little (translation: nothing) about Boise and I am hoping this website will help me start finding out the HUGE amount of information I'd like to know.
I love New York and the East Coast, but my wife and I (who is from Omaha, Neb.) need to get away from the overly materialistic, glitzy lifestyle of the East Coast suburbs. I am looking for someplace more laid-back, conservative, family friendly, that will provide my family with a better lifestyle.
My wife and I are both very "outdorsey" people, I've skied all my life, and I love camping, hiking (former Eagle Scout) and hunting. However, one of my biggest reservation about leaving the coast is that I've never lived away from the water. I love fishing, sailing, and being near the water in general.
So thats a little about us, can you tell me a little bit about Boise? What's it like? I know that's an impossibly general question, but I have to start somewhere. What is the lifestly like? Are there any lakes where I can fish or sail? (sorry, I really do know nothing). What's the culture like? My wife and I are fairly (though not extremnly) religious and conservative. Will we fit in?
I'd rather live in town than in a suburb. Right now my family and I live in an older house near the center of town where we can walk to the downtown/main street area, and I can walk to the trainstation that brings me to work. I would like to move into a similar situation. Are there neighborhoods like this in Boise? My family is fairly large (just had twins!), so I would need a fairly large house, but I am NOT looking for a sprawling mcmansion-this is what I'm trying to get away from.
The most important thing for me is that my children are raised in a strong, family-friendly community. A community with neighbors who know and support each other, where there are always things for children to do. This is the kind of neighborhood I grew up in, but unfortunalty NY has changed so much in the past few decades that I believe places like this don't exist in NY anymore. Thus, I'm searching for someplace where they do. Hopefully Boise will be my answer.
Thank-you all very much for taking the time to read this, and please feel free to add anything else about Boise that you think will be helpful. Once again, Thank-you and hopefully Boise will be my dream city!
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Try this link for info on the north end:
We have a few New Yorkers and Nebraskans
