Midwest to Denver (transfer, living, vacation)

[Rockies4]

Lived in WI for a few years.

Positives of Denver
- Over 300 days of sunshine
- Winters are great with 60's in almost any winter month. Could snow 2 feet and be 60 degrees the next day.
- Views of the mountains and gorgeous sunsets
- Great downtown area - restaraunts, sport teams, and museums.
- Friendly people (alot of transplants from the midwest)
- World class skiing about 1 hour away

Negatives of Denver
- Dry air - drink lots of water
- No lakes like WI. Reservoirs out here just are not the same
- Most homes are located on small lots and are close together
- Traffic is getting horrible
- No close major city (chicago, minneapolis, etc.)
- Ski traffic is getting worse
- Alot of brown and lack of green (compared to WI)

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Rockies4

Lived in WI for a few years.

Positives of Denver
- Over 300 days of sunshine
- Winters are great with 60's in almost any winter month. Could snow 2 feet and be 60 degrees the next day.
- Views of the mountains and gorgeous sunsets
- Great downtown area - restaraunts, sport teams, and museums.
- Friendly people (alot of transplants from the midwest)
- World class skiing about 1 hour away

Negatives of Denver
- Dry air - drink lots of water
- No lakes like WI. Reservoirs out here just are not the same
- Most homes are located on small lots and are close together
- Traffic is getting horrible
- No close major city (chicago, minneapolis, etc.)
- Ski traffic is getting worse
- Alot of brown and lack of green (compared to WI)

While I agree with most of this, to say no close major city and then cite Minneapolis as a major city is funny. Denver metro and Minneapolis St. Paul metro are very similar in size and I would argue that Denver, while a few hundred thousand people smaller, actual has more of an urban vibe.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by AceShopper

Remember that thick overstuffed jacket/parka that you have ? Remember that big 4 cycle 10 HP kickass snowblower you have ? Sell those to some poor bloke moving into WI and then come over to Denver.

We moved from WI last year and have not yet used anything more than a light jacket. You can always tell people who have moved from the Midwest here - They are the ones in short sleeves while others are bundled to their chin !! If you are moving out of WI for weather, you will have no complaints here. But guess what ? The best perk would not be getting rid of cold winters .. It will be actually enjoying the summers !! Two words : "No mosquitoes" and three words : "Cool summer nights" .. Arm yourself with these five words and you have the best way to enjoy those late nights on the porch

Although, you will miss :
- The greenery
- Hardwood forests
- Milwaukee's Lakefront festivals
- Lake Michigan

To paraphrase, "If you think this winter is mild" (which it has been), "stay a few winters and it will change". I've been here about 32 winters now. I've seen it all. We even had one winter recently where it was actually cold for a long stretch in Jan. Probably 3 weeks or so of highs only in the 40s. Some of the natives had a hard time with it (at my work). This is one of the warmest, most snowless winters I have seen. I do agree you don't need a snowblower, but if you have one, OP, you might bring it along as every few years we do get a snowstorm (or two) where it will be useful. You surely don't need all the warm clothes you have amassed in Wisconsin. Pick a few favorites and sell the rest or give to Goodwill.

We do have mosquitoes (though not in the numbers as in WI). West Nile Disease has been bad here a few summers. Cool summer nights is generally true.

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

While I agree with most of this, to say no close major city and then cite Minneapolis as a major city is funny. Denver metro and Minneapolis St. Paul metro are very similar in size and I would argue that Denver, while a few hundred thousand people smaller, actual has more of an urban vibe.

ETA: I don't know what you mean by "urban vibe" that Denver has more of than Mpls. My daughter has lived in both and thinks they're quite similar.

[AceShopper]

Originally Posted by Katiana

it was actually cold for a long stretch in Jan. Probably 3 weeks or so of highs only in the 40s.

Exactly !! Show this quote to anyone in WI and they will jump at the opportunity to be in that weather in January Although, the recent winters in WI have been mild too !

And for something that gets used twice a year - I would rather use a shovel. Of course, if you get that snowblower along, you will be the neighborhood darling when there are dumps of 2 feet of snow

[ChrisFromChicago]

I didn't him summer very well ...focused on Winter, etc.

1) I did buy a whole home humidifier (mostly for winter) but hell, I wanted one in Connecticut/Indiana too

2) Every Morning in the summer is awesome, and every evening. Even if you get a day that is upwards of 90 degrees, you can still have wine on the patio by 9pm.

3) technically there may be mosquitoes. But I didn't notice them/have any issue. . bug free (except moths) seems to be a norm.


I can't speak to multiple years. Ski Traffic going I70 can be tough, so tomorrow i'm leaving early (slopes at 8:30). I went on Sunday and getting there was 0 issue, driving back tough.


Overall though, I give Denver props. We love it here. . .


though you will miss German food, don't have that as much here as you do in WI/Chicago

[denver_hacker]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

While I agree with most of this, to say no close major city and then cite Minneapolis as a major city is funny. Denver metro and Minneapolis St. Paul metro are very similar in size and I would argue that Denver, while a few hundred thousand people smaller, actual has more of an urban vibe.

I think SkyDog meant close as in proximity. Like in WI you can get to Chicago or Minneapolis pretty easily, or from San Jose you can get to Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diago via car in a day's drive.

Beyond that, I tend to agree with what people are saying about WI v. Denver. It's arid in Denver, there's very little water fun (compared to the lakes and rivers in WI), the native landscape is grassland with tiny creeks that might have some cottonwoods (forests are in the mountains), etc. But on the upside, there's a lot of sun, not many bugs, the altitude makes your heart more efficient, the mountains are fantastic, Denver is a very liveable city with great amenities, etc.

[davidv]

We will always get a cold snap or two every winter where the temps go below zero for a low and stay in the teens for a high. They last about a week and then they are gone. Sometimes we will even get a few days where the temps never get above zero, but not often.

The near-constant sunshine makes our cold feel warmer than it actually is, and a cold wind can make it downright frigid.

I firmly believe that Denver has the most underrated summer weather in the country. The catch is, the sun gets very intense during the middle of the day and can make you feel hotter than the temp.

The number of mosquitoes, I have noticed, are directly proportional to how much you water your lawn. If you have xeriscaped your yard, you will notice very few mosquitoes bothering you in the evening and at night. If you keep pouring water on your Kentucky Bluegrass to keep it alive, not only are you wasting water, but you are providing a wonderful mosquito habitat. The only other time you will have problems is if you happen to live near a body of water.

[JBPisgah]

I can't imagine why knowing about the weather in advance matters, but...

The summer sun can be intensely, uncomfortably hot in a way the WI sun isn't.
The weather can be boring. In a good way - another sunny day with no rain, the 30th this month - but still boring.
The elevation and sun combo turns people into saggy-skinned, precancerous prunes.
The dry air means itching is a real possibility, and takes some getting used to.
It can get really cold, although nothing like WI.

Also, there are many, many days, sometimes a whole weeks at a time, where you'll think, "it is just so crazy pleasant outside and I absolutely love it." Enjoy.

[SouthXSW]

In a typical summer a good number of sunny days turn cloudy in the afternoons when the storms roll in off the mountains. I love those days.

[Changeistuff]

Thanks everyone for your response.

bflynn, ChrisFromChicago, AceShopper, Rockies4 - Thanks for the detailed post. The pros and cons really helps.

I am really relieved after reading the replies about the weather and job opportunities.

Again, thank you so much.