Colorado v. Asheville

[lovethehighcountry]

Most of my friends in Boulder that have "unstable" employment split a house with three other people. Rent isn't too bad that way if you're up for it. Its not for me, though!

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by Westcliffe

What the hell kind of reply was that? Guy just asked a question

Wouldn't the Gay & Lesbian Fund be a good source of info about Colorado's gay friendliness?

[MadeItToColorado]

Hello-

I moved to Colorado a year ago from North Carolina. I lived in Charlotte and visited Asheville many times (10-12 separate trips). I now work in Boulder and live just outside of Boulder. My personal opinion is that Boulder would be your best bet. Very liberal environment, very protective of equality -- we are encouraged not to say "Hey you guys" at work because it excludes women...Boulder is very much a artsy town. I suggest checking out both though if you have the means. All the environments you mentioned will be somewhat of a shock if you've only ever lived in Florida. Although Colorado, with its lots of sunshine will be an easier adjustment for you.

[bartonizer]

While I'm not gay, many of my friends (and my brother) are, and I've lived in Central FL, Western NC and CO. Asheville and surrounding areas are liberal, and quite gay-friendly- as is Boulder. They're about the same sized cities. But I would also check out Denver, which is much bigger, a little grittier, and actually has a gay scene. Specifically, if you're narrowing it down to the two states, I'd say the Capitol Hill neighborhood is where it's at, with lots of bars, restaurants, regular events (like the huge PrideFest in Civic Center Park), public transit, cheap cabs. Lots of bikeshare and carshare options, too- in fact, you could easily move there without a car. Also, the Uptown, Baker, and Highlands neighborhoods are nice, as well. But if you've narrowed it down to CO/NC, I think Cap Hill is your best bet for a first place to live in and check out. I lived there for the last three years, and if you look hard, and act quick, there are still semi-affordable studios/1 BDR apts available. Boulder gets a lot of hype for being liberal, but a lot of my friends that lived there eventually ended up in Denver because it's a real city and the hub for the region. It may not be as bohemian and artsy as Seattle, but compared to FL, it will be to you.

[ZorbaTheGeek]

Santa Cruz, 1st choice (BEACH, dude! Sun!) And Santa Cruz is youth-oriented, and close to the Bay and SF, for more action of various sorts.
2nd choice: Asheville. Beautiful area, mellow vibe, lots of nature, mountains, art scene.

Competing for 2nd place: Santa Fe, like somebody else said. HUGE art scene, one of the top 3 art scenes in the world! Mellow vibe. Even mellower--Taos, NM. Drawbacks: dry desert. Taos is greener, though. Small town, but lots of art, scenery, culture.