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Native Minnesotan who has lived in TX for the past 14 years here.
Just to set the record straight: people are "pansies" about whatever weather they are not used to. Our friends in Northern MN cannot tolerate anything higher than 80 degrees. Recently it was 90 at our lake cabin just an hour south of Canada and my neighbors were complaining. I told them I loved it, since it made swimming so pleasant. Overnight lows were in the 60s, so AC is totally not necessary. Also, that kind of heat is really rare in Northern MN and only lasts a few days. Also, you can't throw a rock and NOT hit a spring fed lake, so it's easy to cool off.
I used to wilt in the heat. Now that I've lived in TX long enough, I regularly compete in various cardio sports outdoors in heat indices of 110 or higher. I have definitely gone soft about the cold, though. We adapt to wherever we live.
Back to OP's post: I wouldn't recommend Duluth (though I personally love it for summer vacations). I'd definitely recommend the Twin Cities, though, as it checks many of your boxes.
Avoid Michigan, I moved here from Houston a year ago. Horrible crime especially in and around Detroit. Winters are awful and can't do anything but stay inside from November - April. Closest major city is Chicago because Detroit haha yeah. Traffic is pretty bad but not to Houston standard. Oh state and city income tax ( yes cities here tax you on your wages) AVOID!
Northerners are also super afraid of bugs and snakes. I swear there is at least one thread per month on the North Carolina forum asking about snakes and spiders.
I guess Northern states have ruined most of their nature with buildings and commercialization.
LOL! Um, NOOOO! There are actually tons of tons of wild, natural, open places up north! Obviously you have never been to Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc. North Carolina is MUCH more densely populated than any of those states! The difference is that we just don't have poisonous snakes snd spiders up there because they cannot survive the long, freezing winters. (We still have plenty of bugs though, they're just, for the most part, not as big and scary lookin' as the ones down south.)
Back to OP's post: I wouldn't recommend Duluth (though I personally love it for summer vacations). I'd definitely recommend the Twin Cities, though, as it checks many of your boxes.
Ditto this! Twin Cities has a LOT to offer. Duluth, on the other hand is nice... to visit! One thing to note however, is that MN would probably feel like a big change culturally to a native Texan.
LOL! Um, NOOOO! There are actually tons of tons of wild, natural, open places up north! Obviously you have never been to Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc. North Carolina is MUCH more densely populated than any of those states! The difference is that we just don't have poisonous snakes snd spiders up there because they cannot survive the long, freezing winters. (We still have plenty of bugs though, they're just, for the most part, not as big and scary lookin' as the ones down south.)
When I said Northerners, I was referring to Northeasterners. Much of the Northeast is overbuilt to the point where nature is non-existent.
Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas have more nature than anywhere in Texas.
I must agree with another poster on here who recommended Michigan. My husband and I are both from there, and have lived in Texas for the past 9 years, and honestly, although we love Texas and its been good to us, the people here--friendly as they are--have never really accepted us. Even after 9 years we are still called "yankees." Anytime we go to Michigan however, we're kind of treated like rock stars. Michiganders (as they are sometimes called) love Texas for the most part. I think they admire its warmth?
I will say, if your a really countryfied "good ol boy" stetson wearing, spurs-on-the-boots, cowboy with a thick southern drawl...you will be a big time outsider up there. But if your, you know, not, well then...
Michigan is BEAUTIFUL. The lakes are clean (especially the further you get from cities,) the people are friendly (tho don't expect to hear "sir" and "ma'am" much,) there are numerous very charming towns with tons of character and great schools. The weather is fantastic--yes, the winters are long and cold, but it's worth it when spring rolls around. Anyway, some towns I recommend are: Chelsea, East Lansing, waterford, Grand Rapids... don't know if your looking for big city, or want to escape all that, so I can't suggest much. But property taxes are CHEAP (esp compared to TX) and over all cost of living is reasonable. It's not hard to find an affordable lake house at all! Hunting and fishing are excellent, you can hike barefoot and blind-folded through the woods--you know you can't do that here! There are no venomous snakes, spiders, scorpions. A very friendly nature scene... anyway,
When I said Northerners, I was referring to Northeasterners. Much of the Northeast is overbuilt to the point where nature is non-existent.
Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas have more nature than anywhere in Texas.
You have obviously never really explored the northeast either, then. Upstate NY contains the largest state park in all of the USA (Adirondack Park) at over 9,000 square miles. And that is just one region of nature in just one state in the northeast.
Native Minnesotan who has lived in TX for the past 14 years here.
... Also, you can't throw a rock and NOT hit a spring fed lake, so it's easy to cool off.
Haha, so true. Thanks to all those glacier-carved lakes, you really can't throw a rock without hitting a local lake somewhere. I remember wishing for a prolonged heat wave in my youth so that it would warm the waters enough for my wimpy self to swim in. And catching local freshwater crayfish while swimming was beyond neat. (Didn't know you can eat them until moving to TX).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Campeador
I used to wilt in the heat. Now that I've lived in TX long enough, I regularly compete in various cardio sports outdoors in heat indices of 110 or higher. I have definitely gone soft about the cold, though. We adapt to wherever we live.
Well...I think this will vary according to each individual's mental and physical make up. I know my kids have never adjusted to vigorous outdoor activities/sports in the Texas heat. They, as well as some of their friends, have succumbed to vomiting and other signs of heat distress while participating in the Houston summer outdoors sporting activities. This, after over 5 years of living here. I know I'd prefer being able participate in vigorous outdoor activities all year round in the 4 seasons, which MN offers, than what is available to me in Houston. (Not much of a swimmer, and I find using swimming as a means of vigorous exercise difficult because it generates body heat and I don't like the feel of it while in the water).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Campeador
Back to OP's post: I wouldn't recommend Duluth (though I personally love it for summer vacations). I'd definitely recommend the Twin Cities, though, as it checks many of your boxes.
Yeah, upon further reflection, am thinking the Twin Cities may be a better choice over Duluth for Houston natives. Less of a climate and culture shock.
I think it's telling that of all the places where he could have lived in the world (and very well, at that!) Prince had chosen to remain in MN.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rapidroller
You have obviously never really explored the northeast either, then. Upstate NY contains the largest state park in all of the USA (Adirondack Park) at over 9,000 square miles. And that is just one region of nature in just one state in the northeast.
Love, love, love the Adirondacks and Upstate NY over the 3 years I lived there (where I snowshoed for the first time). My husband is a born and raised native. More temperate winter and summer extremes than MN, with great access to amazing outdoor activities (much better downhill skiing, for sure, and you can't beat hiking those High Peaks), good schools (depending on location), and an overall good COL to quality of life ratio (similar to MN). I don't think it offers as much access to watching and playing hockey, though. But I wouldn't hesitate to live there if given the chance ( not sure on fiscal health of NY state vs. MN, though).
I think you really can't go wrong with either locations, based on the posted criteria. It really becomes a matter of splitting hairs as to local culture/flavor (lefse vs. ???), and geographic location.
I would be careful about moving to a place with radically different weather. I've lived all over Texas, though never in Houston specifically -- Beaumont would be the closest weather-wise as far as Texas cities where I've lived. Even in Texas there's quite a difference in winter weather from one place to another, as well as big differences in humidity. Both Lubbock and Amarillo have pretty cold winters, normally with some real snow, and low humidity throughout the year. You can contrast that to the more token snows you get in Dallas-Fort Worth, and the usual lack of snow in Austin and points farther south. But at any rate, I now live in Delaware, and while I like having a four season climate, winter is my least fave. Cold weather can be confining when it goes on unremittingly, and you have to worry about stuff like your plumbing withstanding sustained cold that is sometimes in the teens or at night occasionally even down to single digits. Moreover, heavy snows can be worrisome in terms of your roof and the possibility of trees not being able to bear the weight. Further, the ground can become very saturated when snow melts, which sometimes causes trees to come down because they aren't very deeply rooted and become unstable when the ground turns to mush. Also, shoveling a deep snow off your driveway is not exactly fun. I'm just trying to point out that there are practicalities involved that one may not have thought about living in a place with very mild winters, and in the broad spectrum of things Delaware winters aren't even all that harsh when compared to the Upper Midwest, Upper New England, or Upstate NY.
On the other hand, Spring and Fall are beautiful, and Summer a lot milder than in Texas, even though it does get hot here, as well as humid. The OP is likely to enjoy living in a more northerly climate three seasons out of the year, but winter is something I'd advise not being naive about. It might be well to try to at least spend a couple of weeks vacation up north during the winter just to feel what it is like.
Given the OP's interests, I would recommend southeastern Pennsylvania as a possible compromise where winters are not completely brutal (just as they aren't here in northern Delaware), where there are good outdoor areas like the Poconos for hiking and camping, and where you've got some interest in ice hockey (though football is the real obsession).
BTW, I also want to dispute the misconception that nature has been obliterated in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. If I go across the bridge over to New Jersey, I am suddenly in a very rural place with small, rather isolated towns and a lot of farmland. That's South Jersey, but even in North Jersey there are areas of striking natural beauty and such a large population of black bears that a hunting season on them has been reinstated in recent years. Here in Delaware, the northern part of the state where I live is pretty urbanized, but the southern two-thirds of the state is very agricultural. There's a tremendous amount of bird life, especially water fowl, and wildlife such as foxes, coyotes, muskrats, ground hogs, rabbits, deer, and the rare incursion of a bear into the state (coming over from Maryland or PA). We've had both foxes and deer in the yard of our suburban home, and I spot foxes in our neighborhood when I'm out walking in the early morning.
Last edited by doctorjef; 08-06-2016 at 08:14 AM..
Avoid Michigan, I moved here from Houston a year ago. Horrible crime especially in and around Detroit. Winters are awful and can't do anything but stay inside from November - April. Closest major city is Chicago because Detroit haha yeah. Traffic is pretty bad but not to Houston standard. Oh state and city income tax ( yes cities here tax you on your wages) AVOID!
Wow. Way to paint with broad strokes. I have lived all over Michigan growing up, and most of the state is beautiful with low crime. Like 95% of the state. Avoid Detroit, yes (which is about 2% of the land area of Michigan), but avoid MICHIGAN...NO.
That would be like someone who has only lived in San Antonio to say "avoid Texas".
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Consider MI
