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If your kids are teens why the need to move? I get the weather blows in Minnesota, but that’s what they know, and I’m sure they’d be more resentful about moving vs grateful about moving to a better locale at that age?
Wait until they go off to college (or join the workforce) and move where you want. And lol at those suggesting the Northeast as a viable option of escaping crap weather.
I moved from MN to North Atlanta and we love it. However I wouldn't classify it as liberal, but (not looking to get into any kind of political debate here), we were looking to escape the liberal aspect of the Twin Cities so it's worked out great for us.
This was my first thought. Olympia and Tacoma are not terribly expensive. I don't think Bremerton is either.
Also, the area around Portland is still gorgeous. It's not as spectacular of a setting as the Puget Sound but you still have access to some amazing landscapes. This view is 30 mins from downtown Portland.
The area north of Bremerton is even better if the OP wants a smaller town like Poulsbo.
If your kids are teens why the need to move? I get the weather blows in Minnesota, but that’s what they know, and I’m sure they’d be more resentful about moving vs grateful about moving to a better locale at that age?
Wait until they go off to college (or join the workforce) and move where you want. And lol at those suggesting the Northeast as a viable option of escaping crap weather.
For those, it is a matter of places meeting the criteria in the OP and the school options. While the weather may be an issue or difficult to fit in terms of the Northeast and the criteria, those familiar with schools and the type of environment they are looking for makes certain parts of the region a viable option.
There are many, many towns and cities that will meet your requirements between areas north of Seattle, WA to Sacramento, CA. I'm most familiar with Oregon, since that's where I grew up. Take a look at Corvallis, OR which is home to Oregon State University, good restaurants, shopping, groceries, farmer's markets, good schools, etc.
Salem, OR is a bit north of Corvallis, and 45 minutes south of Portland. It's a bit bigger than Corvallis, it's the state capital, has all the shopping/dining/school options.
Canby, OR is a smaller town at the commuting edge Portland proper. You can feel a bit more rural, but still be in Portland pretty quickly, and even faster into closer-in suburbs.
Newberg, OR is another outer suburb of Portland that has a nice little downtown area, some decent restaurants, good shopping options, good schools, is home to George Fox University, and is a major wine producing area.
All these towns have easy access to hiking in the Cascade and Coast Range mountains, boating on the Willamette River, beaches within about an hour, interesting city, state and other cultural events, sites and museums. There are certainly many other towns and cities to explore in the area both further north and south.
OP here. Thank you for all the suggestions so far. I should clarify that I would need a big improvement in the weather in order to make a move worth it for me. So I don't think I'm interested in NE states, although I'm sure there are many good high schools there. The natural beauty of the area and recreational opportunities (hiking, biking, paddling, swimming) are much more important to me than politics, so I probably don't need to be too concerned about politics. I'm okay with paying more in taxes if it means better public schools and amenities. I love AZ, but I think it would be too hot for me in summer. I think FL would also be too hot and humid for me in summer. I like to have plenty of sun, so I'm not sure if I would like WA year-round, although I love WA in summer. I would be interested in CO, but I'm not sure if my housing budget is too low for CO. I might be interested in MT if the winter is warmer than MN. I don't have much experience with GA, NC or TN, but I might like those states too if there are a lot of areas for recreation. It would probably make more sense for me to wait until the kids have graduated to move, but I'm just trying to figure out if there is a place that would work for me.
Since sun access is an issue I'll add another city on the east side of the cascade mountains: Redmond, OR. It's the city adjacent to Bend, OR which is the biggest city in Oregon east of the cascades at ~100k. Redmond is just a few minutes north and is home to the decent regional airport and county fairgrounds, as well as it's own downtown and shopping along Hwy 97. Per Google, Redmond gets 320 days of sunshine a year (I'd guess that's 320 days with at lest partial sun). It's a nice city of 35K in population. Even if you wait till the kids leave it would still be a nice area to relocate to.
And lol at those suggesting the Northeast as a viable option of escaping crap weather.
Why is that funny? I overwinter in New England. It is FAR milder here than where I live in the midwest. I really never gets cold, or if it does, it's for a few days.
And lol at those suggesting the Northeast as a viable option of escaping crap weather.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeugh
Why is that funny? I overwinter in New England. It is FAR milder here than where I live in the midwest. I really never gets cold, or if it does, it's for a few days.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sm2010
I currently live in MN, and I like almost everything about MN except for the winters.
<snip>
climate that's not too hot and not too cold. (Looking for temps mostly less than 90 F in summer and mostly above 20F in winter. I don't mind snow, but I just don't want a lot of sub zero temperatures.)
Weather being "good" or "crap" is extremely subjective. OP did not ask for a place with "good weather". She asked for a place with milder winters relative to Minnesota. The Northeast definitely qualifies.
Why is that funny? I overwinter in New England. It is FAR milder here than where I live in the midwest. I really never gets cold, or if it does, it's for a few days.
If you say so?
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