Columbia, MO. named 10th Best Town in America... (Kansas City, St. Charles: appointed, university)

[ahoffelt]

That is so true! Every state says the bit about the weather changing every hour. People always like to think they have it worse than others. As for Columbia, we had to move away four months ago for work and have missed it every day since. It is a great place to live and I would love to return someday. I don't think that we truly realized how awesome it was until we left.

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I always got the impression that Columbia was probably a far nicer town 20-30 years ago before the arrivals of sprawl, big box stores and chain restaurants.

Yeah, but that's true about damn near ever town in this country. Columbia still has a very beautiful campus area and a nice feel to it once you get away from all of the sprawl. Take 10 or 15 minutes to drive out of town and you're in beautiful countryside.

[missouridad]

I' seen also where they named Springfield Missouri as the top ten best city to live In' I'm starting to wonder if they don't say that to ALL the Cities ??? Always The Top 10' Where are the Number One and Two and so On cities at ??

[Phoenix56]

I lived in Columbia for years and years. When my Mother passed away I joined my brother, sister and their families in Kansas City. I find Kansas City much friendlier. Columbia could be a little snobby...big fish in little ponds.....The students are what kept it fresh and alive. All in all KC is much better....

[cyrano]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I always got the impression that Columbia was probably a far nicer town 20-30 years ago before the arrivals of sprawl, big box stores and chain restaurants.

There's a far better selection of independent, interesting restaurants than there was that time ago, although inertia has kept many of those oldies (Heidelberg, Jack's 'Gourmet') in business. It probably was a "nicer" town for the townies whose names are on the streets and who own the institutions in town, like the Tribune. It's a far more interesting town now because it's less parochial, but the "sprawl" makes it possible for people on middle-middle class incomes to afford to live here, 'cause they buy the houses on the edge.

[Phoenix56]

The Heidelburg is still there? Awesome!

[Melissa E]

I feel the same.

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Personally, I have never liked college towns. The mentality being, of course, that college students are the center of the universe and the sun rises an sets just for them. I do not find the cultural aspects that endearing either. The music these people listen to is horrific for the most part, and I find their self-important and self-aggrandized attitudes about everything they do utterly pretentious and most tiresome.

On the contrary, it has been my experience that communities that have a large population of retirees often have a great deal more to offer insofar as culture is concerned. They seem more concerned with creating a pleasing living environment and have the experience to tell the difference between trendy garbage and lasting quality.

JMHO

20yrsinBranson

[muman]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Personally, I have never liked college towns. The mentality being, of course, that college students are the center of the universe and the sun rises an sets just for them. I do not find the cultural aspects that endearing either. The music these people listen to is horrific for the most part, and I find their self-important and self-aggrandized attitudes about everything they do utterly pretentious and most tiresome.

On the contrary, it has been my experience that communities that have a large population of retirees often have a great deal more to offer insofar as culture is concerned. They seem more concerned with creating a pleasing living environment and have the experience to tell the difference between trendy garbage and lasting quality.

JMHO

20yrsinBranson

I couldn't disagree with this more. I've never found retirement communities and nursing homes to be all that dynamic or interesting.

To the person who mentioned big-box chain stores, I can agree to a certain extent, but that's been happening to towns and cities all over the U.S. ever since the Wal-Martization of the country began a few years ago.

[w00lyb00ger]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

I've been to Columbia many times, both on overnight and day trips. I know the town fairly well and have seen most of it. I'm quite familiar with the Katy Trail. Comparing it to Lawrence's trail is like comparing apples to oranges. The trail in Lawrence is mainly geared towards walkers, runners, and joggers, with cyclists coming in second. Its also right downtown, while the Katy Trail in Columbia is a spur off the main trail.

Also, the picture you posted is on the Missouri River. The Missouri River doesn't run through Columbia. It is located south and west of the city. The actual town itself is quite flat, with the exception of some small hills on the south end along Stadium Drive, and one creek that runs through town between the Mizzou and downtown area and US 63. Lawrence on the other hand actually has the Kansas River running through the city limits, and has some very nice hills, with the hill that KU is located on having some very nice views of the surrounding countryside. I'm not quite sure how you wouldn't have noticed this, especially since you claim to have spent quite a bit of time in both cities. The actual city of Lawrence is far, far hillier than Columbia.

As far as the lakes go, Clinton and Perry lakes are large lakes operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. They have marinas, campgrounds, and are more than big enough to go sailboating, water skiing, speed boating, jet ski riding, ect. Much bigger than any lake in Boone County. These lakes are more around the size of Stockton or Mark Twain lakes in MO.

As far as whitewater rafting goes, class I-II isn't whitewater rafting, and is flatwater with a few fast spots at best. The only real whitewater in the whole state of Missouri is a few places on the St. Francis River near Ironton, and only when there is really enough water in the river to float it. There might be better canoeing close to Columbia than Lawrence, but it isn't whitewater, at all.

Apparently you haven't been to Columbia much. I find your claims to be very suspect for a number of reasons. First of all, the Katy Trail is heavily used by walkers, joggers, hikers, and bicyclists alike. You're grasping at straws with that one. And no, it's not just a "spur off the main trail". Saying otherwise again, makes your commentary a bit suspicious. The main trail runs directly through the city limits of Columbia. What makes a difference what part of town the trail starts in? That makes no sense.

No, compared to Lawrence, Columbia is practically in the Appalachian Mountains. The south, southeast, and southwest sides of Columbia, which is where the majority of the city resides, is butted up against Mark Twain National Forest and Rock Bridge State park which are where the foothills to the Ozarks begin. I can see more trees and hills in that area than exist in the entire state of Kansas. But I don't see all those glorious hills that seem to exist in Lawrence only in your imagination here do you? University of Kansas: Lawrence, KS | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I never saw much of them in the gazillion times I was there doing work either.

And we have more grasping at straws with pointing out that the Missouri River isn't inside the city limits. If you're on the south eastern edge of Columbia you can see it. You have to be on the northeastern edge of Lawrence to see the Kansas River.

Plenty of lakes in Boone County where you can do all of the above mentioned as I posted earlier. But I find it interesting you would insist any view of the Missouri River does not qualify because it isn't actually in the city limits of Columbia while you would boast about those two lakes when both are miles outside of Lawrence. Neither of which is impressive. And judging by the log jam of cars with Kansas tags on them every weekend headed towards the various lakes in south Missouri it would appear that most Kansans feel the same way. But by your logic, if I'm going to a lake for just it's size, well there's nothing anywhere in the state of Kansas that's noteworthy anyway. You can drive an hour south of Columbia to a lake that could swallow every one of the lakes in the Sunflower State.

As far as you creating your own definition of what whitewater rafting is, that's fine. It's impossible to argue with somebody that redefines things as they see fit. The people that created that site have much more knowledge than you do on the subject I'm sure. And if you'd bothered to look around their site you would have seen just how wrong you are about which classifications of whitewater rafting exist in Missouri. And regardless of how you classify things, Lawrence offers no rafting of that sort. I suppose you could kayak down that muddy ass Kansas River if you wanted.

Missouri White Water Rivers and Paddling Spots

[w00lyb00ger]

Originally Posted by missouridad

I' seen also where they named Springfield Missouri as the top ten best city to live In' I'm starting to wonder if they don't say that to ALL the Cities ??? Always The Top 10' Where are the Number One and Two and so On cities at ??

Springfield actually has quite a bit of untapped potential. If they invested more in turning that downtown area into a lively place they'd be onto something. I've always liked it there. But they pretty much roll up the sidewalks there at night.