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Asheville NC, Greenville SC, Boise ID, Colorado Springs CO. Those fit all 7, IMO. I wouldn't go with Portland or Seattle. They check all of the boxes except friendliness. They're 2 of the least friendly places I've ever visited.
I've heard great things about the PNW, but also, people will mention the "Seattle freeze" and seasonal affective disorder. Hype or true?
I can't speak for Seattle, but I did not find this to be true in Portland. I found everyone to be very friendly and warm. People in the PNW are said to be a bit more introverted which is why some people might get that impression.
Some of the Interior Northeastern areas could work as well. Cities near mountains of decent size will fit most, if not all of the criteria. Of course, this will depend on where the OP wants to be within the country though.
Cleveland checks all of these boxes, but if cold weather and SAD is a concern maybe it wouldn't be the best choice. November-February can be pretty gloomy. We do have a great craft beer scene, a fantastic parks system (plus a national park 40 minutes outside the city), great food scene, and really good music scene. Plus it's super affordable compared to a lot of other cities, and the people are pretty friendly.
I've heard great things about the PNW, but also, people will mention the "Seattle freeze" and seasonal affective disorder. Hype or true?
I spent 5 days in Seattle for work a couple years ago.
The people - not friendly. They weren't rude, but they weren't outgoing, either. I literally had a neon sign above my head that said "start small talk with me" because I was in a boot courtesy of a broken foot. I probably should've used Uber to get around the city, but I like to walk and I'm stubborn AF. One of my walks was around a mile. I walked past several hundred people. Very few acknowledged me, and none of them engaged me. I had precisely one person come up to me outside the office the entire trip - a little old lady who asked me how I hurt myself and asked if I needed any help. Denver isn't known for being super outgoing, but here complete strangers constantly wanted to know what I did to myself.
The weather - I was there Sunday through Thursday. It was cloudy when I arrived at Sea-Tac, and the sun didn't come out 'til late Wednesday afternoon. It didn't rain much. It was just cloudy and gloomy. Seattle's sunniest months have average sunshine totals similar to Denver's gloomiest ones - roughly 65%. If you like lots of sun, you'll hate Seattle.
Last edited by bluescreen73; 03-29-2021 at 09:22 AM..
Albuquerque fits the bill with the possible exception of #7. There are canoe and kayak options in the Rio Grande and I see people in kayaks but have never tried it. White water rafting is common through the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos. Within minutes you have a choice between forested mountains and wide open desert terrain or the bosque forest trails. Santa Fe is less than an hour away, Taos is less than two hours. Las Cruces, White Sands, Gila Wilderness are to the south. The place has a Goldilocks four season climate so you can be active all year. Hiking trails go through the Sandia Mtn. foothills, Manzano Mountains, and Jemez Mountains. There are skiing options. Mountain or backcountry biking is popular. With only two million people in the state you will not be crowded out of any activity you choose. The mix of three cultures makes the place interesting. The metro is not yet one million. Balloon Fiesta in October brings in droves of visitors.
Phoenix, Nashville, Austin, Atlanta all fit the bill.
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