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Originally Posted by LollaLeeLoo
I'm new here so someone else has surely searched for something similar but I couldn't find it searching through the threads. Anyway, my family (husband, son-7, daughter-4, my sister and her husband) are considering moving away from the DFW Texas area. We don't like the area (pollution, hot weather, not enough outdoor activities, etc.) and want to try somewhere different. Here's what we're looking for: better weather (seasons would be nice); urban area with access to outdoor activities such as beautiful parks, bike trails, hiking, mountains, ocean, rivers, etc; vibrant art and museum scene; liberal state of mind; lots of options for schooling including part-time elementary/middle/high schools or strong homeschool classes/programs; affordability-we don't want to be slaves to our mortgage and want to have money to travel; decent air quality and low overall pollution; plenty of jobs with decent pay (we have bachelor degrees and will be working on masters in the next year or two); and lastly good walkability and public transportation. I know we are wanting a lot but surely we can find a place to fit in. We love the Portland area, but we worry about the amount of rain due to my husband suffering from depression. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!
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Do you want to live in an urban or suburban environment? I think the suburbs of Philadelphia are worth considering, but not so much the city (even though there are nice neighborhoods in the city contrary to the city's ghetto image).
Here's why I think the Philadelphia metro is worth considering:
1) Ocean: The New Jersey coastline is nearby and many people from the area flock there during the summers. It is only about a 1.5 hr drive (60-80 miles away depending on which shore town you want to reach).
2) Mountains: Obviously the mountains in the west are much larger and taller, but the Appalachian Mountains are handy as well. Philadelphia is nearby the Pocono Mountains where many people flock to during the winters to ski, snowboard and engage in other winter-related activities. I am sure there plenty of great places to hike and camp since Eastern Pennsylvania has a beautiful, green and hilly terrain.
3) Proximity to Other Urban Areas: Most of the nation cannot say this, but New York City, Baltimore and Washington DC are an easy day trip from Philadelphia. NYC is 2 hrs away and so is Baltimore, and the nation's capital is a bit further at 2.5 - 3 hrs away. Visiting these cities is a great option to explore and have fun, while returning home later in the evening.
4) Affordable: The Philadelphia metro is not expensive as some of its Northeastern counterparts. There are certainly many affordable middle-class neighborhoods with good school districts. People being priced out or complaining about cost of living is not something you hear over here.
5) Great downtown: Philadelphia has one of the best downtowns in the country with many museums, galleries, tourist attractions, historical sites, bars, restaurants etc.
6) Collegiate Mecca: There's no shocker here, Philadelphia is a collegiate mecca that is recognized nationally and internationally. There are many excellent liberal arts colleges and major research universities here. You will see tens of thousands of students downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods.
7) 4 Season Weather: Cold winters and hot summers, not sure if you like that but here we have a temperate climate. Spring and Fall are beautiful, however.
I say the Philly metro is definitely worth considering. Portland sounds like a great place for you guys though.
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