Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

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snackdog
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by snackdog »

quantAndHold wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 1:45 pm
snackdog wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 10:28 am Florida has some hiking plus swamp tours and the Keys, etc. Can be warm but everyone raves about the winters. Can’t beat the taxes.
How would living next to a swamp meet OP’s requirement for low humidity or good hiking weather?

If I wanted to hike every day, Florida is literally the last place I would pick.
Literally?
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quantAndHold
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by quantAndHold »

snackdog wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 11:09 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 1:45 pm
snackdog wrote: Sun May 21, 2023 10:28 am Florida has some hiking plus swamp tours and the Keys, etc. Can be warm but everyone raves about the winters. Can’t beat the taxes.
How would living next to a swamp meet OP’s requirement for low humidity or good hiking weather?

If I wanted to hike every day, Florida is literally the last place I would pick.
Literally?
Me writing like i talk doesn’t make my argument any less valid.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Valuethinker »

BernardShakey wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 5:12 pm
nura wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 3:23 pm Vancouver, BC, Canada
I love BC but I don't think it meets the OP's requirement of "good year round weather" :wink:
One of the highest costs of housing in the world (relative to incomes). Average house over $1.5m Canadian?

Real estate has ruined Vancouver. Great city in most ways (although the drug problem is very visible) but ... real estate. Besides the fact that 6 months of the year it is *grey*.

Victoria was nice (in a sleepy way, and with better weather I think) but has had the spillover effect. Pretty well anywhere which is along the south BC coast.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Valuethinker »

ScubaHogg wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 1:07 pm
Valuethinker wrote: Mon May 22, 2023 12:10 pm
ScubaHogg wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 10:59 pm No one would lump Georgia and New Jersey in together
[ quote fixed by admin LadyGeek]

Wait. Isn't that basically the plot of Ozarks? (mobster from New Jersey takes cover in rural Arkansas?) :wink: :?
Someone who works for a Mexican cartel in Chicago moves to Missouri (not Arkansas)…so…not even kinda close
I am confusing it with Lillehammer (New York mobster on witness protection moves to Norwegian Olympic town)-- which I have seen.
FireProof
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by FireProof »

Watty wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 12:29 pm
adamthesmythe wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 12:21 pm
somekevinguy wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 10:58 am The Bay Area certainly ticks those boxes but of course cost of living is pretty high…
Great weather, close to many recreational options- almost all of which involve spending time in a car in traffic. Just so you know.
The OP wanted to be within 30 minutes of trailheads. That would be at best limited in the Bay Area. You might be able to go up to Yosemite or Lake Tahoe after work on Friday but you might not get there until midnight.
In Santa Cruz, you can be in Big Basin or Henry Cowell within 30 minutes. In Palo Alto, you can be in Portola Redwoods State Park (or just Foothills Park) within 30 minutes (Henry Cowell and Big Basin are <50 minutes), and obviously places like Atherton and Los Gatos are even closer. Then there are a lot of open space preserves and local parks like Purisima that are really nice.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by ScubaHogg »

Valuethinker wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 2:16 am
ScubaHogg wrote: Tue May 23, 2023 1:07 pm
Valuethinker wrote: Mon May 22, 2023 12:10 pm
ScubaHogg wrote: Fri May 19, 2023 10:59 pm No one would lump Georgia and New Jersey in together
[ quote fixed by admin LadyGeek]

Wait. Isn't that basically the plot of Ozarks? (mobster from New Jersey takes cover in rural Arkansas?) :wink: :?
Someone who works for a Mexican cartel in Chicago moves to Missouri (not Arkansas)…so…not even kinda close
I am confusing it with Lillehammer (New York mobster on witness protection moves to Norwegian Olympic town)-- which I have seen.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by tashnewbie »

BernardShakey wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 11:46 pm Outside of CA, I also like Roanoke, VA and areas in western NC for hiking and outdoor sports. The weather isn't as nice but they are very outdoorsy places, cheaper, and the humidity is tempered a bit by the modest elevation.

Roanoke is very affordable and I've heard some call the area the "hiking capital of the East Coast" --- Right on Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Mill Mountain right in town, and Shenandoah NP just a couple hours drive away, Smokies not too far either, etc.
Shhh. :D I feel like too many people are moving to Roanoke and the housing is becoming more expensive.

Easy access to many great hiking areas.

Summers can be humid but not as bad as other areas in VA or NC without the elevation. Hasn't really gotten too hot or humid yet (this is subjective and depends on what you're used to). Winters are fairly temperate. There was basically no snow this past winter; a very, very mild winter.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by hudson »

tashnewbie wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 8:22 am
BernardShakey wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 11:46 pm Outside of CA, I also like Roanoke, VA and areas in western NC for hiking and outdoor sports. The weather isn't as nice but they are very outdoorsy places, cheaper, and the humidity is tempered a bit by the modest elevation.

Roanoke is very affordable and I've heard some call the area the "hiking capital of the East Coast" --- Right on Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Mill Mountain right in town, and Shenandoah NP just a couple hours drive away, Smokies not too far either, etc.
Shhh. :D I feel like too many people are moving to Roanoke and the housing is becoming more expensive.

Easy access to many great hiking areas.

Summers can be humid but not as bad as other areas in VA or NC without the elevation. Hasn't really gotten too hot or humid yet (this is subjective and depends on what you're used to). Winters are fairly temperate. There was basically no snow this past winter; a very, very mild winter.
Roanoke to McAfee Knob trailhead: 21 minutes https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Roanoke ... 929102!3e0

As you already know,
hot summer: hike near sunrise or sunset (An Apple watch can continuously display sunrise/sunset times. At sunset, you've got almost 30 minutes of light left...you already knew that too.)
cold winter: hike after lunch
Last edited by hudson on Wed May 24, 2023 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
tashnewbie
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by tashnewbie »

hudson wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 8:33 am
tashnewbie wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 8:22 am
BernardShakey wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 11:46 pm Outside of CA, I also like Roanoke, VA and areas in western NC for hiking and outdoor sports. The weather isn't as nice but they are very outdoorsy places, cheaper, and the humidity is tempered a bit by the modest elevation.

Roanoke is very affordable and I've heard some call the area the "hiking capital of the East Coast" --- Right on Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Mill Mountain right in town, and Shenandoah NP just a couple hours drive away, Smokies not too far either, etc.
Shhh. :D I feel like too many people are moving to Roanoke and the housing is becoming more expensive.

Easy access to many great hiking areas.

Summers can be humid but not as bad as other areas in VA or NC without the elevation. Hasn't really gotten too hot or humid yet (this is subjective and depends on what you're used to). Winters are fairly temperate. There was basically no snow this past winter; a very, very mild winter.
Roanoke to McAfee Knob trailhead: 21 minutes https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Roanoke ... 929102!3e0

As you already know,
hot summer: hike near sunrise or sunset (An Apple watch can continuously display sunrise/sunset)
cold winter: hike after lunch
Yep! In the summer, I like to be out no later than 9 am. I'm usually done before it really starts to warm up and get humid.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by coastalhiker »

FireProof wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 2:35 am
Watty wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 12:29 pm
adamthesmythe wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 12:21 pm
somekevinguy wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 10:58 am The Bay Area certainly ticks those boxes but of course cost of living is pretty high…
Great weather, close to many recreational options- almost all of which involve spending time in a car in traffic. Just so you know.
The OP wanted to be within 30 minutes of trailheads. That would be at best limited in the Bay Area. You might be able to go up to Yosemite or Lake Tahoe after work on Friday but you might not get there until midnight.
In Santa Cruz, you can be in Big Basin or Henry Cowell within 30 minutes. In Palo Alto, you can be in Portola Redwoods State Park (or just Foothills Park) within 30 minutes (Henry Cowell and Big Basin are <50 minutes), and obviously places like Atherton and Los Gatos are even closer. Then there are a lot of open space preserves and local parks like Purisima that are really nice.
Yes. And the East Bay Regional Parks are gems. We can drive < 30 minutes to many very nice regional parks (Tilden, Wildcat Canyon, Briones and others), as well as Mt. Tam and Mt. Diablo State Parks. And an easy 50 minutes to Pt. Reyes National Seashore, more great hiking. It's hiker's paradise, year round.
TheDogFather
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by TheDogFather »

We love to hike and picked the northern Shenandoah Valley. Not close to a major city (although Winchester has a surprising amount thanks to the university), but only an hour from an international airport (Dulles), and when it gets hot and humid just go up 3000+ feet in Shenandoah National Park.
SouthernInvestor
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by SouthernInvestor »

Chattanooga, maybe Knoxville. Don't pay those pesky NC taxes to be in Asheville.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by hudson »

SouthernInvestor wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 4:42 pm Chattanooga, maybe Knoxville. Don't pay those pesky NC taxes to be in Asheville.
Chattanooga: Signal Mountain is right next door. I'm not familiar with hikes there: https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/chattanooga
Knoxville: I don't know if there are any mountains within 30 minutes; the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is an hour away.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by bagle »

Strictly on the basis of (1) and (2), SF Bay Area, especially city of Tiburon/Belvedere or Mill Valley. (I didn't say it was cheap...)
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by GreenLawn »

I've lived in or visited many of the areas mentioned in this thread. It's been fun and educational to read the different perspectives. My personal preferences are often at odds with consensus opinion so I do the research but reserve judgement until I've lived in an area for a while. I recommend the OP do the same. I didn't have much of an opinion regarding alligators prior to moving to Florida, but grew to enjoy their company (at a distance!) during my walks around the lake.

When researching places to live around the country decades ago I ran across the phrase "an invigorating four season climate". I didn't appreciate or even understand what that meant at the time, but after about six months of living in San Diego I got the message. A very moderate climate isn't automatically the "best" climate. Some of us appreciate invigoration.

The southern Appalachians have a good reputation, as the OP noted, and deservedly so. Lots of hiking trails and waterfalls. I'd keep that area near the top of the list and consider the surrounding cities and not just Asheville.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by BanquetBeer »

Bogotá, Bogota, Colombia
Weather averages
Overview
Graphs
MonthHigh / Low(°F), Rain
January 68° / 43°, 3 days
February 68° / 45°, 6 days
March 68° / 47, °9 days
April 68° / 48°, 11 days
May 67° / 48°, 12 days
June 66° / 48°, 9 days
July 66° / 47°, 7 days
August 66° / 46°, 7 days
September 67° / 45°, 8 days
October 67° / 46°, 11 days
November 67° / 47°, 10 days
December 68° / 44°, 6 days
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by lakpr »

BanquetBeer wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 6:23 am Bogotá, Bogota, Colombia
Kidnapping risk
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by PaddyMac »

We used to live in Southern California and that ticks your boxes especially if you live on the western side (Ventura Co. rather than the valley) as it will take you too long to get to the mountains otherwise. The weather along the coast is much nicer than more inland.

We moved over a decade ago to New Mexico, and Albuquerque/Santa Fe area would also check those boxes. Very little humidity (except in an afternoon summer monsoon when you wouldn't be hiking). Santa Fe gets a bit of snow, but ABQ gets very little so you could hike in the winter there too. The summers are hotter in ABQ so you either hike there early AM, or you drive around to the east side of the Sandia Mountains (called the East Mountains) where it's higher elevation (6500) and cooler. There are tons of trails here along Sandia Crest road for instance.

Note that the SF weather is 10 degrees cooler than ABQ year round because SF is at @ 6500 feet and ABQ is 5500 ft. SF houses are also more expensive. You're also a longer drive from SF to the main airport south of ABQ.

We live on the east side and we live in the middle of a pinyon-juniper pine forest, but we get the SF weather so some snow in the winter. Some communities here have hiking trails (meaning they are not open to the public (don't show up on maps etc). In the winter, we do the opposite - if we want to hike, we go around the west/ABQ side of the Sandias where there is no snow.

Compared to CA, the cost of living is very low, taxes are lower, and NM people are friendly.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Valuethinker »

PaddyMac wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 7:38 am We used to live in Southern California and that ticks your boxes especially if you live on the western side (Ventura Co. rather than the valley) as it will take you too long to get to the mountains otherwise. The weather along the coast is much nicer than more inland.

We moved over a decade ago to New Mexico, and Albuquerque/Santa Fe area would also check those boxes. Very little humidity (except in an afternoon summer monsoon when you wouldn't be hiking). Santa Fe gets a bit of snow, but ABQ gets very little so you could hike in the winter there too. The summers are hotter in ABQ so you either hike there early AM, or you drive around to the east side of the Sandia Mountains (called the East Mountains) where it's higher elevation (6500) and cooler. There are tons of trails here along Sandia Crest road for instance.

Note that the SF weather is 10 degrees cooler than ABQ year round because SF is at @ 6500 feet and ABQ is 5500 ft. SF houses are also more expensive. You're also a longer drive from SF to the main airport south of ABQ.

We live on the east side and we live in the middle of a pinyon-juniper pine forest, but we get the SF weather so some snow in the winter. Some communities here have hiking trails (meaning they are not open to the public (don't show up on maps etc). In the winter, we do the opposite - if we want to hike, we go around the west/ABQ side of the Sandias where there is no snow.

Compared to CA, the cost of living is very low, taxes are lower, and NM people are friendly.
2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by MJS »

Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?
From what I have heard, to a certain degree NM has a "reporting problem." Crimes are reported and recorded as crimes -- not ignored or recorded as lesser issues. Some universities had similar problems -- they reported assault & rape charges vigorously. But as a result, they appeared far more dangerous than the (larger) colleges where not one single case of assault was ever found.

Single statistics can be quite misleading.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Back Dr »

NJ has a moderate climate and is lush and green away from the urban area near NYC
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by PaddyMac »

Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by stan1 »

The crime issue is definitely local. We live in an urban area. The police community relations officer has been telling the neighborhood for years that the main property crime issue is doors and windows left open and unlocked. Including garage doors, sliding doors, French doors, second story windows. So those are back to the residents to take simple steps that will redirect the criminal to an easier target.

I think economic growth is a better metric even for retirees not looking for a job. If the community is prosperous, happy, and thriving and people see opportunity rather than despair everyone is going to be in a better mood. Not everyone wants to sequester inside a retirement community bubble and never leave the gated confines.

Not sure about the source of the data or their methodology, but based off anecdotal personal observation I can't really argue with their list:
https://www.stessa.com/blog/cities-with ... ic-growth/

I'd note that a lot of the small and mid size communities have a lot of government and military/defense spending translated to jobs. Plus migration in from California. Quite a few of these also have already been mentioned as having good weather and good recreation opportunities.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Whakamole »

Van wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 3:32 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 3:17 pm
Watty wrote: Hood River Oregon would also be worth checking out. There is also housing across the river from it in White Salmon Washington which would not have an income tax.
Does Washington just print their own dollars, or do they have other ways of collecting revenue?
Check out the sales tax in WA. That will answer your question.
We also have income tax now, in the form of a "long term care" tax and a capital gains tax that our state supreme court claims is a sales tax.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Valuethinker »

MJS wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 10:28 am
Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?
From what I have heard, to a certain degree NM has a "reporting problem." Crimes are reported and recorded as crimes -- not ignored or recorded as lesser issues. Some universities had similar problems -- they reported assault & rape charges vigorously. But as a result, they appeared far more dangerous than the (larger) colleges where not one single case of assault was ever found.

Single statistics can be quite misleading.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Valuethinker »

PaddyMac wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:38 am
Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
Thank you.

Are wildfires a concern?
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by stoaX »

AllMostThere wrote: Thu May 18, 2023 8:27 pm
Northern Flicker wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 5:19 pm Tax loads by state:

https://taxfoundation.org/tax-burden-by-state-2022/
I must say that I was rather surprised to see my Michigan as #5 Tax Burden. DW & I have been musing about relocation in next several years to TN, Nothern GA or SC. With the exception of TN, MI has lighter tax burden than GA & SC. They are close enough to MI in that the difference is more than likely just noise in the machine. Won't sway our research, but interesting none the less. :twisted:
Also surprising is that your good tax state is only a few percentage points different than 39th ranked Minnesota or Massachusetts. After throwing out the top and bottom extremes, the states seem to me to be rather close to each other (in total).

The real tax burden depends upon your own particulars. A property rich / low taxable income person can have quite different results than a property-less, high income person in the same place.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Nowizard »

Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

Nowizard wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:48 am Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
For all those mentioning Asheville, it leaves me wondering when they last had a lengthy visit. It’s become much more of a city in mostly bad ways. There definitely are some very nice towns in the surrounding area, though. And yes, that includes western TN.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by andypanda »

"Anyone who is suggesting anywhere east of that line must have a different definition of “low humidity” than I do."

Speaking of Virginia and NC, I'd say low humidity begins in the range of 50% to 60%. That's just me and the people I know for the most part. Sure does make the trees green and plants grow in the yard and garden. Makes for pretty good thunderstorms, too.

We're on Ocracoke Island NC - part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore - for a couple of weeks and right now at 10:20 a.m. it's 72*F and 76% RH. It's comfortable and beautiful. And there's a 10 mph breeze. It's a little island, there's always a breeze, not unlike the mountains of central VA and NC.

When we come back for another two weeks the end of July it will be warmer and still humid, but still nice.

Growing up in a rowhouse in downtown Baltimore and not having an air conditioner until I was in 8th grade, well, yeah, humidity can be a bit much some nights.

I checked the weather at home in Richmond for the heck of it. It's 75*F and 45% RH. Nice dry day. Good thing the neighbors are watering our garden.
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by homebuyer6426 »

Norwegian proverb: There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

But seriously, my vote for best year-round weather in the USA would be mid-south, like North Carolina. I prefer places that have some (mild) winter, and enough rain for plants to grow. Months and months of sunlight with zero rainfall gets extremely boring and there's a lot less diversity of plants and animals in those climates.
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Wwwdotcom
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Wwwdotcom »

stan1 wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 10:42 am The crime issue is definitely local. We live in an urban area. The police community relations officer has been telling the neighborhood for years that the main property crime issue is doors and windows left open and unlocked. Including garage doors, sliding doors, French doors, second story windows. So those are back to the residents to take simple steps that will redirect the criminal to an easier target.

I think economic growth is a better metric even for retirees not looking for a job. If the community is prosperous, happy, and thriving and people see opportunity rather than despair everyone is going to be in a better mood. Not everyone wants to sequester inside a retirement community bubble and never leave the gated confines.

Not sure about the source of the data or their methodology, but based off anecdotal personal observation I can't really argue with their list:
https://www.stessa.com/blog/cities-with ... ic-growth/

I'd note that a lot of the small and mid size communities have a lot of government and military/defense spending translated to jobs. Plus migration in from California. Quite a few of these also have already been mentioned as having good weather and good recreation opportunities.
Definitely an eye in the beholder type list. I feel like the data analyst could of just looked at pollution and traffic measures to compile that list.

Seems like crime will follow in a few years when things slow down in those areas.
phinanciallyfit
Posts: 365
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by phinanciallyfit »

Valuethinker wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:22 am
PaddyMac wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:38 am
Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
Thank you.

Are wildfires a concern?
Surprisingly no, at least not for the most populated areas. ABQ has very low wild fire risks and the way the winds blow, it is uncommon to even get much smoke from wildfires elsewhere (though we have periodically had smoke from Az fires).

The risk of fires is higher in the areas near Arizona (not very populated) and more to the north (there was a big fire in Mora County las year). The city of Santa Fe also has fairly low risk, but some homes more on the outskirts may have a slightly elevated risk. Los Alamos also has a slightly higher risk because it is in a forested area. I don't know how accurate it is, but I think realtor.com has a fire risks map layer that you can use to assess fire risks.

I'm fairly confident that many areas of California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado have far higher fire risks in more populated areas. We live in Utah for a bit and the fire smoke there (may have been a fluke few years) was pretty bad from fires in Idaho (and maybe Oregon). I did love Utah though (more than NM. But I also don't mind Utah winters, which was a surprise to me because I had spent the prior 15ish years complaining about winter in the northeast.

The weather really is amazing in New Mexico though. It is early June and there is still no need for air conditioning. It was in the 50s last night, currently 73, and will likely have a high just above 80 around 4 or 5pm.
stoptothink
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by stoptothink »

phinanciallyfit wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:09 pm
Valuethinker wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:22 am
PaddyMac wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:38 am
Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
Thank you.

Are wildfires a concern?
Surprisingly no, at least not for the most populated areas. ABQ has very low wild fire risks and the way the winds blow, it is uncommon to even get much smoke from wildfires elsewhere (though we have periodically had smoke from Az fires).

The risk of fires is higher in the areas near Arizona (not very populated) and more to the north (there was a big fire in Mora County las year). The city of Santa Fe also has fairly low risk, but some homes more on the outskirts may have a slightly elevated risk. Los Alamos also has a slightly higher risk because it is in a forested area. I don't know how accurate it is, but I think realtor.com has a fire risks map layer that you can use to assess fire risks.

I'm fairly confident that many areas of California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado have far higher fire risks in more populated areas. We live in Utah for a bit and the fire smoke there (may have been a fluke few years) was pretty bad from fires in Idaho (and maybe Oregon). I did love Utah though (more than NM. But I also don't mind Utah winters, which was a surprise to me because I had spent the prior 15ish years complaining about winter in the northeast.

The weather really is amazing in New Mexico though. It is early June and there is still no need for air conditioning. It was in the 50s last night, currently 73, and will likely have a high just above 80 around 4 or 5pm.
Was discussed ad nauseam earlier in the thread (back-and-forth may have been deleted); Utah doesn't have good air quality, but generally it has little to do with smoke via fires although Utah is on the higher-end for wildfires (most of it in the southern part of the state). Anecdotally, as someone who lives closer to SLC, I don't recall ever having a conversation with someone who thought about wildfires as a serious concern when deciding whether to move here.
GreenLawn
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by GreenLawn »

Wanderingwheelz wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:29 am
Nowizard wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:48 am Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
For all those mentioning Asheville, it leaves me wondering when they last had a lengthy visit. It’s become much more of a city in mostly bad ways. There definitely are some very nice towns in the surrounding area, though. And yes, that includes western TN.
I agree. 30 minutes or so outside of Asheville provides the proximity for cultural events, etc. and a less expensive, more relaxed lifestyle. I did meet a fellow who rents an apt near downtown Asheville and walks to a favorite pub there. Some folks prefer the urban lifestyle.
smitcat
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by smitcat »

GreenLawn wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:31 pm
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:29 am
Nowizard wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:48 am Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
For all those mentioning Asheville, it leaves me wondering when they last had a lengthy visit. It’s become much more of a city in mostly bad ways. There definitely are some very nice towns in the surrounding area, though. And yes, that includes western TN.
I agree. 30 minutes or so outside of Asheville provides the proximity for cultural events, etc. and a less expensive, more relaxed lifestyle. I did meet a fellow who rents an apt near downtown Asheville and walks to a favorite pub there. Some folks prefer the urban lifestyle.
I agree as well - while we mostly spend time in neighboring Boone the downtown area has lost its appeal for us at least.
GreenLawn
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by GreenLawn »

smitcat wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:54 pm
GreenLawn wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:31 pm
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:29 am
Nowizard wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:48 am Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
For all those mentioning Asheville, it leaves me wondering when they last had a lengthy visit. It’s become much more of a city in mostly bad ways. There definitely are some very nice towns in the surrounding area, though. And yes, that includes western TN.
I agree. 30 minutes or so outside of Asheville provides the proximity for cultural events, etc. and a less expensive, more relaxed lifestyle. I did meet a fellow who rents an apt near downtown Asheville and walks to a favorite pub there. Some folks prefer the urban lifestyle.
I agree as well - while we mostly spend time in neighboring Boone the downtown area has lost its appeal for us at least.
I haven't been to Boone yet. Western NC and Eastern Tenn have an infinite number of nooks and crannies to explore! Brevard page https://explorebrevard.com/top-10-waterfalls/ claims 250 waterfalls. Just visited the cavern at Townsend, Tenn a few weeks ago.
retire2022
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by retire2022 »

fitawrari wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 8:53 pm Sedona seems beautiful and has lots of hiking trails, close enough to a big airport - Phoenix.

How is the weather in the summer and winter? Google search says it gets up to a 100 in June/July/August.

Housing is expensive. Here is a listing in a nearby town.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/75-H ... 4352_zpid/
https://www.axios.com/2023/06/06/climat ... ia-florida

Insurance companies are pulling out of climate change cities see article above.
VanGar+Goyle
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by VanGar+Goyle »

fitawrari wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 10:34 am
2/ We like to live in a city that has a good year round weather. We dislike heavy snow in the winter and humidity in the summer.
Asheville NC seems to come near the top of many google searches I did. Cities near the Rockies have lots of snow and can get hot, though with low humidity.
Every US state has had snow, and the one with the least snow had humidity issues.
You may prefer Guam or The U.S. Virgin Islands for their lack of snow, but they may have humidity problems.
Have you thought of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? No snow, Big City, humidity may not be terrible.


Luckily I like snow, snow-shoeing and Cross County Skiing, hiking in fog, and dread desert dryness.
phinanciallyfit
Posts: 365
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by phinanciallyfit »

stoptothink wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:29 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:09 pm
Valuethinker wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:22 am
PaddyMac wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:38 am
Valuethinker wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 8:29 am 2 questions, and I mean them to be genuine, not rhetorical (I do not live in the USA):

1. NM has a very high crime rate? One of the highest among US states? Is this of a concern?

2. Wildfires have become a serious issue in recent years? Does this impact air quality and/or general feeling of safety? (Wildfires would be a reason I think northern California is less attractive as a place to live than it once was. Also I believe serious problems with drug abuse).

Generally with more elevated mountain areas I think people should be mindful of altitude issues. Some people just cannot adjust, long term. I don't think that is predictable in advance. I have found 2000m (6000') not too bad, the time we went to 4000m (12k feet) in the Andes I really was struggling (but we were only there for an afternoon).
While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
Thank you.

Are wildfires a concern?
Surprisingly no, at least not for the most populated areas. ABQ has very low wild fire risks and the way the winds blow, it is uncommon to even get much smoke from wildfires elsewhere (though we have periodically had smoke from Az fires).

The risk of fires is higher in the areas near Arizona (not very populated) and more to the north (there was a big fire in Mora County las year). The city of Santa Fe also has fairly low risk, but some homes more on the outskirts may have a slightly elevated risk. Los Alamos also has a slightly higher risk because it is in a forested area. I don't know how accurate it is, but I think realtor.com has a fire risks map layer that you can use to assess fire risks.

I'm fairly confident that many areas of California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado have far higher fire risks in more populated areas. We live in Utah for a bit and the fire smoke there (may have been a fluke few years) was pretty bad from fires in Idaho (and maybe Oregon). I did love Utah though (more than NM. But I also don't mind Utah winters, which was a surprise to me because I had spent the prior 15ish years complaining about winter in the northeast.

The weather really is amazing in New Mexico though. It is early June and there is still no need for air conditioning. It was in the 50s last night, currently 73, and will likely have a high just above 80 around 4 or 5pm.
Was discussed ad nauseam earlier in the thread (back-and-forth may have been deleted); Utah doesn't have good air quality, but generally it has little to do with smoke via fires although Utah is on the higher-end for wildfires (most of it in the southern part of the state). Anecdotally, as someone who lives closer to SLC, I don't recall ever having a conversation with someone who thought about wildfires as a serious concern when deciding whether to move here.
I was multi-tasking, so I may have been unclear. I didn't mean that Utah had a high risk of wildfires, just that one of the years we lived there we had bad wildfire smoke from a fire (I think the fire was in Idaho). It may have just been a random year, but I've never experienced anything similar in NM. I know most of Utah's issues with air quality is in the winter due to inversion.... And most of the time that wasn't so bad either.
Wanderingwheelz
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

smitcat wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:54 pm
GreenLawn wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:31 pm
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:29 am
Nowizard wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:48 am Ashville area would meet the desire, but consider living across the border in Tennessee for tax purposes and a less hyped area.

Tim
For all those mentioning Asheville, it leaves me wondering when they last had a lengthy visit. It’s become much more of a city in mostly bad ways. There definitely are some very nice towns in the surrounding area, though. And yes, that includes western TN.
I agree. 30 minutes or so outside of Asheville provides the proximity for cultural events, etc. and a less expensive, more relaxed lifestyle. I did meet a fellow who rents an apt near downtown Asheville and walks to a favorite pub there. Some folks prefer the urban lifestyle.
I agree as well - while we mostly spend time in neighboring Boone the downtown area has lost its appeal for us at least.
I’d far prefer to spend a day in Boone than Asheville. Johnson City is coming on strong too. Give it a few more years.
Being wrong compounds forever.
smitcat
Posts: 13300
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by smitcat »

phinanciallyfit wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 4:18 pm
stoptothink wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:29 pm
phinanciallyfit wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:09 pm
Valuethinker wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:22 am
PaddyMac wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:38 am

While NM overall has a high crime rate compared to the national average, like any state, there are safer cities and areas if you take time to research before you buy. We live in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, which is safer than ABQ, and also in a planned community with a security patrol. People walk their dogs all the time around here and suspicious vehicles are watched, so a break-in in this community is a rare thing.

Albuquerque has a mix of dodgy and nice neighborhoods, just like any city. Any good realtor would be able to map out the city and point out the more desirable areas. But the NM gov/ABQ mayor is focused on reducing crime, especially for business owners which seem to suffer the most when their businesses are closed overnight.

It took us six months to adapt to 6700 feet altitude, and I still feel it when I workout. I would not mind living a bit lower, but it's the price to pay for living in this gorgeous landscape with a little land, surrounded by birds and wildlife.
Thank you.

Are wildfires a concern?
Surprisingly no, at least not for the most populated areas. ABQ has very low wild fire risks and the way the winds blow, it is uncommon to even get much smoke from wildfires elsewhere (though we have periodically had smoke from Az fires).

The risk of fires is higher in the areas near Arizona (not very populated) and more to the north (there was a big fire in Mora County las year). The city of Santa Fe also has fairly low risk, but some homes more on the outskirts may have a slightly elevated risk. Los Alamos also has a slightly higher risk because it is in a forested area. I don't know how accurate it is, but I think realtor.com has a fire risks map layer that you can use to assess fire risks.

I'm fairly confident that many areas of California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado have far higher fire risks in more populated areas. We live in Utah for a bit and the fire smoke there (may have been a fluke few years) was pretty bad from fires in Idaho (and maybe Oregon). I did love Utah though (more than NM. But I also don't mind Utah winters, which was a surprise to me because I had spent the prior 15ish years complaining about winter in the northeast.

The weather really is amazing in New Mexico though. It is early June and there is still no need for air conditioning. It was in the 50s last night, currently 73, and will likely have a high just above 80 around 4 or 5pm.
Was discussed ad nauseam earlier in the thread (back-and-forth may have been deleted); Utah doesn't have good air quality, but generally it has little to do with smoke via fires although Utah is on the higher-end for wildfires (most of it in the southern part of the state). Anecdotally, as someone who lives closer to SLC, I don't recall ever having a conversation with someone who thought about wildfires as a serious concern when deciding whether to move here.
I was multi-tasking, so I may have been unclear. I didn't mean that Utah had a high risk of wildfires, just that one of the years we lived there we had bad wildfire smoke from a fire (I think the fire was in Idaho). It may have just been a random year, but I've never experienced anything similar in NM. I know most of Utah's issues with air quality is in the winter due to inversion.... And most of the time that wasn't so bad either.
Actually, it can happen anywhere I guess...my wife's sister is having a good deal of trouble with smoke in the air due to fires in Sleepy Hollow NY. She says the smoke is pretty bad and yet the origin is in Canada.

"I know most of Utah's issues with air quality is in the winter due to inversion.... And most of the time that wasn't so bad either."
Around SLC where my brother is now leaving.... the air quality alert action days are currently predicted to occur at least 40 days pr year. On those days every school employee is contacted as well as every public employee so they can keep everyone inside and follow their new procedures for air quality protection.
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Post by phositadc »

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Last edited by phositadc on Tue Nov 07, 2023 2:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by quantAndHold »

phositadc wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:12 am OP,

I may be late to the party, but my family went through a very similar decision making process almost exactly 2 years ago. Our final 3 contenders were Denver, Seattle, and Asheville.

We ruled out Denver because of water concerns and air quality issues (apparently very bad ozone due to high altitude and extremely intense sun). And, while "average" weather there is pretty good, it has pretty significant extremes in both winter (blizzards) and summer (days near or above 100 deg).

We ruled out Asheville because of schools. The school quality and selection just wasn't what we wanted. If we did not have school aged kids, Asheville probably would have won.

We ended up in the Seattle area and absolutely LOVE it. Downsides of this area (entire pacific northwest really) are gloomy winters, wildfire season, and earthquake potential. The gloomy winters really aren't bad at all. I think the vast majority of people who have heard all the horror stories would say "what?? Really?? This is what everybody complains about" if they spent a winter here. Maybe if you are coming from San Diego or Hawaii or some other heavenly place, you would find the winters to be challenging. But from most areas of the country, the winters here are no big deal. And the summers are just heavenly. Almost too much sun.

As to wildfire potential, yep, it is an issue, but the really bad days (i.e., days where you might choose to limit your outdoor activity) are USUALLY limited to less than 10 per year. However, the trajectory is up. So who knows what that number might be a decade from now.

As to earthquakes. Well... if the big one hits, we will probably all regret living here. But YOLO. It's just amazing to see snow capped peaks in almost any direction you look (olympics to the west, cascades to the east, Ranier to the south, etc.)

Good luck OP and please report back after you move.
I’ve lived in both Denver and Seattle. I would pick Denver’s weather every time. Sunny nearly all the time. It snows, but gets warm and melts in between snowstorms.

Summers in Seattle are indeed fabulous. It’s the other 10 months of the year that are the problem.
phinanciallyfit
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:33 pm

Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by phinanciallyfit »

quantAndHold wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 11:02 am
phositadc wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:12 am OP,

I may be late to the party, but my family went through a very similar decision making process almost exactly 2 years ago. Our final 3 contenders were Denver, Seattle, and Asheville.

We ruled out Denver because of water concerns and air quality issues (apparently very bad ozone due to high altitude and extremely intense sun). And, while "average" weather there is pretty good, it has pretty significant extremes in both winter (blizzards) and summer (days near or above 100 deg).

We ruled out Asheville because of schools. The school quality and selection just wasn't what we wanted. If we did not have school aged kids, Asheville probably would have won.

We ended up in the Seattle area and absolutely LOVE it. Downsides of this area (entire pacific northwest really) are gloomy winters, wildfire season, and earthquake potential. The gloomy winters really aren't bad at all. I think the vast majority of people who have heard all the horror stories would say "what?? Really?? This is what everybody complains about" if they spent a winter here. Maybe if you are coming from San Diego or Hawaii or some other heavenly place, you would find the winters to be challenging. But from most areas of the country, the winters here are no big deal. And the summers are just heavenly. Almost too much sun.

As to wildfire potential, yep, it is an issue, but the really bad days (i.e., days where you might choose to limit your outdoor activity) are USUALLY limited to less than 10 per year. However, the trajectory is up. So who knows what that number might be a decade from now.

As to earthquakes. Well... if the big one hits, we will probably all regret living here. But YOLO. It's just amazing to see snow capped peaks in almost any direction you look (olympics to the west, cascades to the east, Ranier to the south, etc.)

Good luck OP and please report back after you move.
I’ve lived in both Denver and Seattle. I would pick Denver’s weather every time. Sunny nearly all the time. It snows, but gets warm and melts in between snowstorms.

Summers in Seattle are indeed fabulous. It’s the other 10 months of the year that are the problem.
And this is exactly why these decisions are very personal. Other people's experience's are useful, but they will be weighed and viewed from each person's perspective and preferences. I'm personally with you... I prefer sun. But I think phositadc's point about Seattle's gray weather not being so different than many areas is likely true. I also know that I found the fall/winter gray weather in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to be miserable. I really struggled by mid-January and knowing I still had a few months of it was awful. I was very much surprised to find I really liked winter in northern Utah. It is so very different, but plenty of people would prefer a different setting. You need to know what works for you and those in your household. My spouse would love living in the Pacific Northwest or Vermont, for example, but he knows I'd be miserable.
TheOscarGuy
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by TheOscarGuy »

quantAndHold wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 11:02 am
phositadc wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:12 am OP,

I may be late to the party, but my family went through a very similar decision making process almost exactly 2 years ago. Our final 3 contenders were Denver, Seattle, and Asheville.

We ruled out Denver because of water concerns and air quality issues (apparently very bad ozone due to high altitude and extremely intense sun). And, while "average" weather there is pretty good, it has pretty significant extremes in both winter (blizzards) and summer (days near or above 100 deg).

We ruled out Asheville because of schools. The school quality and selection just wasn't what we wanted. If we did not have school aged kids, Asheville probably would have won.

We ended up in the Seattle area and absolutely LOVE it. Downsides of this area (entire pacific northwest really) are gloomy winters, wildfire season, and earthquake potential. The gloomy winters really aren't bad at all. I think the vast majority of people who have heard all the horror stories would say "what?? Really?? This is what everybody complains about" if they spent a winter here. Maybe if you are coming from San Diego or Hawaii or some other heavenly place, you would find the winters to be challenging. But from most areas of the country, the winters here are no big deal. And the summers are just heavenly. Almost too much sun.

As to wildfire potential, yep, it is an issue, but the really bad days (i.e., days where you might choose to limit your outdoor activity) are USUALLY limited to less than 10 per year. However, the trajectory is up. So who knows what that number might be a decade from now.

As to earthquakes. Well... if the big one hits, we will probably all regret living here. But YOLO. It's just amazing to see snow capped peaks in almost any direction you look (olympics to the west, cascades to the east, Ranier to the south, etc.)

Good luck OP and please report back after you move.
I’ve lived in both Denver and Seattle. I would pick Denver’s weather every time. Sunny nearly all the time. It snows, but gets warm and melts in between snowstorms.

Summers in Seattle are indeed fabulous. It’s the other 10 months of the year that are the problem.
I am beginning to feel that is what Boston weather is like. Summers are very pretty winters are gray.
hudson
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Wide Variety of Hiking Trails

Post by hudson »

by fitawrari » Tue May 16, 2023 11:34 am

1/ We like to live near hiking trails (30 minutes or shorter drive to trailheads). We don't do extraneous hiking but like a wide variety of 5 hours or less hiking trails. Hiking is pretty much the only hobby we have, so this is on top of the list. Hiking is often associated with mountains, so we are looking for cities near a mountain.
If the answer isn't below, maybe look for local, state, or federal recreation type properties or search along paths like the Appalachian Trail, the Mountain to Sea Trail, or the Blue Ridge Parkway.

dwhike's adventures
https://www.dwhike.com/

One of the best hiking websites that I've seen with pictures, maps, and trip reports.
He uses a system to rate the hikes by difficulty. https://www.dwhike.com/Other/Difficulty-Ratings
It looks like he's hiked every hike that he's discussed.
Last edited by hudson on Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:37 am, edited 3 times in total.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by quantAndHold »

TheOscarGuy wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 1:25 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 11:02 am
phositadc wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:12 am OP,

I may be late to the party, but my family went through a very similar decision making process almost exactly 2 years ago. Our final 3 contenders were Denver, Seattle, and Asheville.

We ruled out Denver because of water concerns and air quality issues (apparently very bad ozone due to high altitude and extremely intense sun). And, while "average" weather there is pretty good, it has pretty significant extremes in both winter (blizzards) and summer (days near or above 100 deg).

We ruled out Asheville because of schools. The school quality and selection just wasn't what we wanted. If we did not have school aged kids, Asheville probably would have won.

We ended up in the Seattle area and absolutely LOVE it. Downsides of this area (entire pacific northwest really) are gloomy winters, wildfire season, and earthquake potential. The gloomy winters really aren't bad at all. I think the vast majority of people who have heard all the horror stories would say "what?? Really?? This is what everybody complains about" if they spent a winter here. Maybe if you are coming from San Diego or Hawaii or some other heavenly place, you would find the winters to be challenging. But from most areas of the country, the winters here are no big deal. And the summers are just heavenly. Almost too much sun.

As to wildfire potential, yep, it is an issue, but the really bad days (i.e., days where you might choose to limit your outdoor activity) are USUALLY limited to less than 10 per year. However, the trajectory is up. So who knows what that number might be a decade from now.

As to earthquakes. Well... if the big one hits, we will probably all regret living here. But YOLO. It's just amazing to see snow capped peaks in almost any direction you look (olympics to the west, cascades to the east, Ranier to the south, etc.)

Good luck OP and please report back after you move.
I’ve lived in both Denver and Seattle. I would pick Denver’s weather every time. Sunny nearly all the time. It snows, but gets warm and melts in between snowstorms.

Summers in Seattle are indeed fabulous. It’s the other 10 months of the year that are the problem.
I am beginning to feel that is what Boston weather is like. Summers are very pretty winters are gray.
I haven’t lived in Boston, but I spent a week there every month for a couple of years. Boston and Seattle are similar, except Boston is colder and snowier, and Seattle is considerably farther north, and the lack of daylight in the winter is really noticeable.

And I agree with the previous poster that this is all personal preference. I knew a lot of people in Seattle who loved it there. Transplants from the northeast, especially. Transplants from the southwest, like me, tended to suffer.
TheOscarGuy
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Re: Best cities with lots of outdoor/hiking activities and good year round weather

Post by TheOscarGuy »

quantAndHold wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 8:46 pm
TheOscarGuy wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 1:25 pm
quantAndHold wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 11:02 am
phositadc wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:12 am OP,

I may be late to the party, but my family went through a very similar decision making process almost exactly 2 years ago. Our final 3 contenders were Denver, Seattle, and Asheville.

We ruled out Denver because of water concerns and air quality issues (apparently very bad ozone due to high altitude and extremely intense sun). And, while "average" weather there is pretty good, it has pretty significant extremes in both winter (blizzards) and summer (days near or above 100 deg).

We ruled out Asheville because of schools. The school quality and selection just wasn't what we wanted. If we did not have school aged kids, Asheville probably would have won.

We ended up in the Seattle area and absolutely LOVE it. Downsides of this area (entire pacific northwest really) are gloomy winters, wildfire season, and earthquake potential. The gloomy winters really aren't bad at all. I think the vast majority of people who have heard all the horror stories would say "what?? Really?? This is what everybody complains about" if they spent a winter here. Maybe if you are coming from San Diego or Hawaii or some other heavenly place, you would find the winters to be challenging. But from most areas of the country, the winters here are no big deal. And the summers are just heavenly. Almost too much sun.

As to wildfire potential, yep, it is an issue, but the really bad days (i.e., days where you might choose to limit your outdoor activity) are USUALLY limited to less than 10 per year. However, the trajectory is up. So who knows what that number might be a decade from now.

As to earthquakes. Well... if the big one hits, we will probably all regret living here. But YOLO. It's just amazing to see snow capped peaks in almost any direction you look (olympics to the west, cascades to the east, Ranier to the south, etc.)

Good luck OP and please report back after you move.
I’ve lived in both Denver and Seattle. I would pick Denver’s weather every time. Sunny nearly all the time. It snows, but gets warm and melts in between snowstorms.

Summers in Seattle are indeed fabulous. It’s the other 10 months of the year that are the problem.
I am beginning to feel that is what Boston weather is like. Summers are very pretty winters are gray.
I haven’t lived in Boston, but I spent a week there every month for a couple of years. Boston and Seattle are similar, except Boston is colder and snowier, and Seattle is considerably farther north, and the lack of daylight in the winter is really noticeable.

And I agree with the previous poster that this is all personal preference. I knew a lot of people in Seattle who loved it there. Transplants from the northeast, especially. Transplants from the southwest, like me, tended to suffer.
I wanted to move to Seattle post grad school but work took me elsewhere. I know a few friends who left for CA Seattle because they could not take the lack of sunlight and constant rain. Not sure if that is a good move in my mind however, CA has more negatives than positives. But that is just me, and I agree its personal.
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