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Single guy with no kids. Want a metropolitan area over 2 million people. Good roads and transportation, Restaurants, night life, culture. Good ratio of Women to men. Renter not looking to buy. Parks,lakes, beaches. Looking at cities and in close by suburbs that are Diverse. Day trips or weekend getaways within a day. Thanks
Fort Lauderdale, FL but it's 1.8 million. It's not just a spring break town anymore, it mushroomed into a major city. The road system was actually planned for it. Literally every category you are looking for is met. You will find our suburbs are among the most diverse out there. This forum is full of crap about it, but do some research, and take a visit here. Check out rentals on craigslist. Looking at your criteria, I think you would probably be impressed.
San Francisco, Portland, Seattle. Don't listen to the guy that said St. Louis. No beaches or many day trips.
I was thinking more of weekend trips. No ocean beaches close, although there are plenty of lakes, which is one thing he asked about. There are small lakes around St. Louis and Lake of the Ozarks (A weekend trip probably).
Within 7 hours of St. Louis: Chicago, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Memphis, Lake of the Ozarks, Louisville, Columbus. A lot of those are less than 5-6 hours driving, and you could fly to a lot of those places. Those cities vary so much in what you can find there. You can visit the "south" in Nashville and Memphis or the "Midwest" in Chicago and Cincinnati (I use these in quotes as to not start another argument). The cities vary in the kinds of music, food, and sports they're known for. Although a lot of those places you'd probably want to spend more than a weekend at. A lot of these are less than 7 hours, Chicago, Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Memphis probably being closest.
You also have to keep in mind that in the Midwest you can typically get more for your dollar (except maybe in Chicago) than you can in Southern California. Renting is cheaper in St. Louis, leaving more money to enjoy your surroundings.
From San Francisco within 5-6 hours you can visit San Jose, Los Angeles, Sacromento, and the other smaller cities in California.
From Portland within 5-6 hours you can visit Seattle, Boise, and Vancouver
From St. Louis you can reach 14 states within 7 hours. You're probably not going to spend 7 hours in the car, but they're probably within a decent flying distance.
Also, St. Louis has a lot to do. St. Louis isn't as populated as the Southern California area, but it has a lot to do and four seasons to do it in. St. Louis is a beautiful city and beautiful area in heat, rain, snow, and sunshine.
Hey all I like the suggestions so far (San Francisco is too expensive) but are there others cities that I should consider? Thanks
Santa Rosa, CA: north of San Francisco 60 miles in the heart of wine country. Ten minutes from beautiful redwood trees, 40 minutes to the ocean, mile after mile of beautiful scenery, an hour to San Francisco. Laid back lifestyle. Only a couple of hours from Mendocino, CA, on the coast.
Healdsburg, CA: north of San Francisco 80 miles but smaller community. Very trendy and yet laid back lifestyle. Close proximity to many neat places for a weekend, or day trip.
Sonoma, CA: slightly northwest of San Francisco about 30 miles. Awesome smaller city, close to ocean. Very artsy and laid back community. Many places to visit in close proximity for weekend and day trips.
Napa, CA: same as above only a little bit farther from San Francisco and larger than Sonoma. Great weather, excellent wines, spectacular restaurants, incredibly beautiful city.
Mendocino, CA: North of San Francisco about 3 hour drive on the coast. Incredible scenery, laid back lifestyle, very artsy community, great restaurants, "in" the heart of redwoods. Many nice place to see within close proximity for day trips, and a weekend.
Oops, the populations of these cities may not be what you're looking for.
Preferably near a job in the industrialized north. Keep working to pay down the national debt. You are a traitor if you go down to the Sunbelt and sip juices all day long.
I'm Michael Dennis Kucinich Moore, and I approve this message.
Fort Lauderdale, FL but it's 1.8 million. It's not just a spring break town anymore, it mushroomed into a major city. The road system was actually planned for it. Literally every category you are looking for is met. You will find our suburbs are among the most diverse out there. This forum is full of crap about it, but do some research, and take a visit here. Check out rentals on craigslist. Looking at your criteria, I think you would probably be impressed.
Yeah, definitely do your research on FTL. Stay down there for a week in the summer. I think you'll get the picture.
Then again, based on your criteria it might work out. I lived there for 18 years and I know a lot of folks have serious misconceptions about Florida. Coming from California though, you'll still want to check it out for a week in late August just to make sure it'll work for you.
42 here (in a week). I'm just the opposite. I want out of the city and find a nice, secluded small town with friendly people and lots of space (not plains). I want to live in the mountains and don't mind winter but I hate the heat/humidity. I want to live quietly, simply, be involved in the community and have a garden. I do NOT want a college town because I get enough of that in the city. I want a forgotten, overlooked town. Not something that made Money Magazine's "Top 10 for whatever towns" list.
I love rural living, having been raised that way, but I don't want to go back to where I was raised.
Any suggestions? I've been searching for months. I plan to live in the city for one more year. At that time, I'll be debt free and can move anywhere I want.
42 here (in a week). I'm just the opposite. I want out of the city and find a nice, secluded small town with friendly people and lots of space (not plains). I want to live in the mountains and don't mind winter but I hate the heat/humidity. I want to live quietly, simply, be involved in the community and have a garden. I do NOT want a college town because I get enough of that in the city. I want a forgotten, overlooked town. Not something that made Money Magazine's "Top 10 for whatever towns" list.
I love rural living, having been raised that way, but I don't want to go back to where I was raised.
Any suggestions? I've been searching for months. I plan to live in the city for one more year. At that time, I'll be debt free and can move anywhere I want.
I'm right there with you, though my timeline is about 10 years out (43 now).
Moved from FL to MPLS (west burbs) for a good school system and a diverse economy. I figure I've got about 8 years here maybe a little longer but I'll be looking for what you are.
I spent a good bit of time in the south (Huntsville, AL) which was good about 10 years ago but is miserably crowded now. I'm thinking a little further west, and have always been partial to rural OR or WA.
Keep in touch, we may actually be neighbors again some day
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