Looking to move after college, need advice (rentals, chapel)

[pseudoxan]

Ok, so my fiance and I are currently seniors in college and will be graduating in May. Ideally, we would like to not have to move back in with our parents (although temporarily i.e. a month or so would be ok) so we are trying to figure out a good place for young couples. I'm originally from the Chicago suburbs, and she's from Iowa. I'm open to Chicago, but I deal with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and the dark winters really wear on me. A short list of ideal qualities for places to move would be:

-Places good for SAD sufferers (obviously) but I have found that places with natural beauty tend to offset this a bit (I love parts of MI)
-Good jobs for college grads (i was a psych major, she was english). I may end up going to graduate school and/or getting my teaching certificate in special education in a year or two, but we both want to take a year off and make some money.
-Good outdoors activites (biking especially)/nature
-I love warm weather, but I also absolutely love snow (just not so much the gloomy winter days)
-Cheap affordable rentals/housing. (while still being fairly high quality)
-natural beauty (hills, mtns, lakes, etc.) I LOVE being near a large(r) body of water.

Also, we are in school in Iowa, and I absolutely could not live here. Living somewhere flat and dull doesn't really appeal to me (no offense Iowans). The biggest draw for Chicago is that it's near our families and it's where I'm from. That being said, I would much rather live somewhere that is closer to having the aforementioned qualities. Any thoughts, suggestions, or ideas would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!

p.s. I've been looking into this for a while now and the indecision is driving us both a little crazy. Not that we need to know necessarily, but it would just be nice to have an idea. Thanks again!

[nowincal11]

Denver. The snow is there, but it is not nearly as cold as Chicago. The summers are warm and there are plenty of outdoor activities. Plus, the city isn't that expensive.

[ckhthankgod]

Perhaps western Virginia, eastern Tennessee, western NC, Upstate SC and Northern GA. Parts of West Virginia could work too.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Virginia, Carolinas, Southern California.

[kyle19125]

Check out Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro, NC

It has a 7.5% unemployment rate, a mild four season climate with little snow and excellent outdoor recreation opportunities as well as a number of grad school options nearby. The cost of living is fairly low and the west side of the Triangle (the nickname for the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area) is more progressive than Raleigh which you will probably find appealing when moving from a much larger city.

[JohnRoxy]

Wherever you can get a job is a good start. Sometimes you try to plan your life and it doesn't always work our the way you expected it to. Go for what you want, but whatever is right, it will work out, the doors will open up and it will be great. Go with the flow.