# Ideal place to live with a family with kids



## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

I am an avid mountain biker and my kids are starting to ride with the littlest one still on the trailer but ready for big off road adventures. We also like hiking and any outdoor sports.

We live in Missouri and did not get too many opportunities to travel withing the USA so we are looking for some advices from you.

Where would be an ideal place to live, much closer to mountains than Missouri? 
Places like California are out of the limits due to housing cost.

Thanks!


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## HWYMAN (Aug 28, 2008)

Hey Ozvena -

You are right about California housing prices. You should research both Bend, Oregon and areas near Reno, Nevada. Bend is a MTB mecca. Reno is close to Lake Tahoe where there are ample outdoor activities and tons of MTB trails. Good Luck!


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

I live near Asheville in western NC. I think its a great place to raise a family. Lots of mountains and trails and places to ride and hike. Good weather keeps us on the trails year round. Never too hot or too cold. Houses are expensive when compared to the southern region but not expensive when compared to the rest of the country. Schools are good. Eclectic mix of people and ideas. Bluegrass, good beer, hippies, baptists, and lots of mountain bikers.


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## fmdj (Nov 7, 2007)

We live in Las Vegas now. I wouldn't call it an ideal place for a family, though like alot of places, you just need to know where to go and where not to go. But we did live in Utah for 9 years and found that was an awesome place, both for having a family and for outdoor stuff (and contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be a Mormon to live there  ) 
Where we were, in Spanish Fork (Utah Valley area, about 60 miles south of Salt Lake), the mountains were almost at a spitting distance, tons of great trails to choose from within 20 minutes of driving, Moab was only about 3 hours away, we knew all our neighbors, and cost of living was much less than what we're paying in Vegas (our 2100 sqft 3 bedroom tract home on a 1/4 acre lot sold for less than 200k 2 years ago. I think they are right around 210k now) And there seemed to be a good amount of work, particularly in the technology sector.
And best of all, we actually knew all our neighbors, our kids had other kids to play with, and we didn't have to worry about crime, drugs, etc. I guess you can tell I miss it.
Anyhow, good luck with your hunt.


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

Much appreciated! I have nothing to add so I will stay on the side and keep reading and dreaming ))


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## ettore (Nov 13, 2004)

#1. Norway (highest quality of living for you and your kids, they'll actually learn stuff at school too). I know little about the place, except that it rocks from everyone I know that has lived / visited there.

#2. Canada, BC coast. World class skiing/snowboarding, MTB, probably surfing and watersports and the economy is excellent. No forest-fires to deal with, no random stupid laws (law enforcement is quite lax) and ability to go anywhere on the planet and people like you for what country you live in. Olympics in 2 years, plenty of clean lakes, and the ocean if you like salt. Close to the US and A for when you feel the urge to make a trip.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

LOL, Bend prices are out off the charts too, and traffic there is terrible.

I live in Spokane Washington, an nice small city of about 180K at the western edge of the mountains. It's the OTHER side of the state from Seattle. Average home price is still under 200K, terrific school system, lots of trails right in town, a growing bike culture ( slow but sure) and a four season climate. Canada is 90 miles away. We've got whitewater, skiing, rock climbing, national forests and more very close to town. It's a great place for outdoors lifestyle and to raise kids.

f.


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## maglia vecchia (Aug 6, 2008)

*reno*

I moved my family from CA to Reno, NV and love it. I ride sick single track from my garage, can be on the ski lift at mt rose in 15 minutes (or Alpine, Squaw in 1hr), and can head off into the heart of unpopulated NV for a break at any time. the weather is great too. I'm at 5600ft in elevation so I get snow but the summers are cool. It is a great place - no complaints.


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## daleksic (Aug 26, 2007)

Austria. You want Mountain Bike Heaven, Austria is the place. I enjoyed it for 20 years.

Once you hit the Alps over there, nothing else satisfies anymore so leave it for last


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

daleksic said:


> Austria. You want Mountain Bike Heaven, Austria is the place. I enjoyed it for 20 years.
> 
> Once you hit the Alps over there, nothing else satisfies anymore so leave it for last


This is funny because I can see Alps from my parent's place (SK) on clear days.

I looked into Bend, Oregon and really like it. I have read that "Median home prices in the Bend MSA increased by over 80% in the 2001-2005 period." This seems high but need to do more research, hopefully the prices dropped since from the highs.


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## Okie Dokie (May 14, 2008)

Dont count out California completely. There are some great places to live with much more reasonable housing costs. Look into places such as Grassvalley, Nevada City, Truckee (though has increased a lot in last couple of years), Auburn, Redding and surrounding area, Mount Shasta area, Humbolt and many other places. Just dont live near the coast or in a resort and things are not that bad.


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

Best Places for Outdoor Activities:

http://realestate.msn.com/Rentals/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=26852

Burlington, Vermont
Missoula, Montana
Laramie, Wyoming
Hanover, New Hampshire
Grand Rapids, Michigan

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/index.html
Fort Collins, CO


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## jtrain (Jun 11, 2008)

Grand Rapids? Really?

Do yourself a favor and move to Kalamazoo, just south of Grand Rapids by about 45 minutes. The beer is WAY better there 

(I'm biased because I went to college in Kalamazoo)


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## fmdj (Nov 7, 2007)

ozvena said:


> Best Places for Outdoor Activities:
> 
> http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/index.html
> Fort Collins, CO


I used to live in Ft. Collins and Loveland, just south of there. Both are great for outdoors stuff and for families. I liked Loveland a little better because it has more of a small town atmosphere. With HP and CSU both being in Ft. Collins, it can feel rather crowded at times. But nice area, nonetheless. Horesetooth rock and all the recreation stuff around there is great.

The only thing I will forewarn you about is Greely, which is about 15 miles of there, has a meat processing facility and when the wind shifts from East to West, STINKY! :eekster: But the rest of time, I loved it.


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## R-MTBs (Jul 1, 2003)

*Western Colorado*

30 miles east of the Utah border on I-70 is a nice town called Grand Junction. Fruita is 10 miles away. Housing is affordable, jobs are plentyful, mountain biking is amazing and the mountains are close. Many people like the proximity to Moab as well. People are escaping California and larger cities to enjoy western slope living. I hear Bend is nice but quite expensive but similiar in climate and topography. Good luck in your search. If Outdoor magazine visited or researched this place it would be top 10. Im hooked after 7 years here.


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## Visicypher (Aug 5, 2004)

Missoula??? If you can find a job that pays enough!!!!


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## dh1 (Aug 28, 2004)

jtrain said:


> Grand Rapids? Really?
> 
> Do yourself a favor and move to Kalamazoo, just south of Grand Rapids by about 45 minutes. The beer is WAY better there
> 
> (I'm biased because I went to college in Kalamazoo)


Kalamazoo ain't bad (I spent my college years there too) but Grand Rapids is a lot better for families. And it's closer to Michigan's largest forests...and the north country trail. You can get Bell's beer at any grocery store in Michigan anymore.

While we don't have mountains like the west, we have some truly awesome singletrack here.

Things West Michgan has going for it:
-top ranked schools (except for inner city schools)
-terriffic state and national parks
-Lake Michigan is less than an hour drive from anywhere in West Michigan...it's the nicest of the Great lakes
-lots of available hiking and biking trails
-suburbs around GR are loaded with MUTs
-cost of living is low (compared to the east and west coast)
-GR is still a decent sized town of 300K+, so there is a lot to do. (semi-pro farm teams for baseball, basketball, soccer, arena football means you can take your kids to a pro sporting event locally for 1/4 of the cost of taking them to a Tigers game).

The only bad part about Michigan is Detroit. The economy in Detroit has affected most everyone, and right now we have a high unemployment rate....mostly unskilled former manufacturing jobs. Some professions are still in high demand here though. If you work in the medical industry, you can get hired tomorrow.


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## surlytman (Nov 9, 2005)

Pssst! I will let you in a secret. Black Hills of South Dakota. www.bhmba.org


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## lowendrick (Sep 2, 2008)

Maida7 said:


> I live near Asheville in western NC. I think its a great place to raise a family. Lots of mountains and trails and places to ride and hike. Good weather keeps us on the trails year round. Never too hot or too cold. Houses are expensive when compared to the southern region but not expensive when compared to the rest of the country. Schools are good. Eclectic mix of people and ideas. Bluegrass, good beer, hippies, baptists, and lots of mountain bikers.


As a bluegrass bass player, mountain biker, alternative thinker, and father of 3 I have often thought about relocating to Asheville. We're planning a visit in December over the school break.


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

I've got 3 kids as well. They say the best schools are in the Roberson district (south Buncombe County). Hit me up on the NC/SC forum when your coming down and if I'm free that weekend I'll show you some trails. It rarely snows so even if it's a bit cold (40 degrees) in the winter we ride year round.


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## lowendrick (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks Maida! I am going to take you up on that offer. I definitely want to hear more about the schools. Especially any of the more alternative options.


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## The Understater (May 6, 2007)

I know this is a really, really long shot, but if anyone living in one of these lifestyle and riding meccas needs to hire an experienced watch and clock repairer, then let me know!:thumbsup: 

b.


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

sure, here:

www.ExperiencedWatchAndClockRepairer.com

Would that work for you? ;-)


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## 2melow (Jan 5, 2004)

Fort Collins for sure. There is a reason it's always top 5 in:
#1 place to raise a family
#1 place to live
#1 place to retire

Loveland is nice too, just 20 minutes to the south. All the good Thai, Mexican, Vietnamese, and Indian places to eat are in the Fort though  

Oh yeah, my driveway to dirt in under a mile. 2000 sq/ft house for $200K, probably could get a foreclosed one for $160K now.

That said If we had to move we'd go to Boise next.


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## [email protected] (Jan 11, 2009)

upstate new york mtb in the summer fall spring and in the snow the rest of the time


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

i'm in a similar boat- i live in chicagoland and enjoy it for the city, but need more scenery and outdoor activities- especially trails!

good luck with your planning!
ez


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

I live 17 miles east of Seattle along I-90.

Well, there's very good local trails. Great road and mtn biking. Also a quick trip on the freeway for some snow skiing. But houses in the metropolitan area are pricey thanks to a little company called Microsoft.

Still, if you travel out to the more rural areas, homes become a lot more affordable.


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## fully_rigid (Feb 11, 2009)

I moved from Columbia, MO where I frequently mountain biked Rockbridge State Park to Fort Collins, CO where there are lots of great mountain bike trails + paved trails for family riding.


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## acctnut (Dec 1, 2008)

Bend isn't too bad as far as housing prices go. I was hiking around the hills and came across one of those free brochures on a house for sale. I automaticly thought this huge house overlooking 100s of miles of wilderness and rivers would be over $1 million. No it was $450k. Coming from the bay area, I almost shat my pants. 

Bend had a peak a few years back and the latest housing crisis isn't helping either. The only problem with Oregon is the job factor. If you've got a career/business that can thrive in a small town, or are simply retiring, it would be a good move. Trying to buy a house in the 200-450k range with an already existing Bend job would be hard.


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## jaysly (May 7, 2008)

$450, 000 may be a great deal compared to home prices in S.F. but for the majority of Americans, that price may as well be 1 million. I can't give input as to where to live but I can tell you to cross Corpus Christi off your list of potential cities as this place has nothing going for it. Schools are mediocre at best, teenage pregnancy is in the top bracket for the nation, voted one of the fattest and dumbest cities in the USA. No MTB trails, and did I mention that for about 6 months we need to keep an eye on the weather channel to see if that hurricane in the gulf is headed this way. Good luck, keep us posted on your progress and the reasons you choose wherever you end up going.


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## slickrockross (Sep 10, 2006)

surlytman said:


> Pssst! I will let you in a secret. Black Hills of South Dakota. www.bhmba.org


I'm gonna have to agree with surlytman. Rapid City, SD is a great place. I've been looking for the same thing and we plan on moving to Rapid this summer from Sioux Falls, SD. Housing is dirt cheap and the job market is pretty good. Black hills have everthing, skiing, awesome rock climbing, hiking, and the MTB rides are endless. Can't wait to get out there. Later.

-Ross-


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## D3DO (Feb 1, 2007)

Prescott Arizona, Grand Junction Colorado, Reno/Tahoe/Truckee would all be on my short list.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

jaysly said:


> $450, 000 may be a great deal compared to home prices in S.F. but for the majority of Americans, that price may as well be 1 million.


Uh yeah. What's house payment on a 30 year for a 450K with 20% down? Shoot, who's got 90K for a 20% down?


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

Places where not to live? Surprisingly, Oregon, one of the few I can't recommend where real estate = politics = MOB

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/real_estate/rebates_details.htm

Basically each time you buy/sell a house in one of these MOB states you have to pay hefty 6%, no way around it.

:madman: :madmax:

For folks moving to Seattle, look at http://www.redfin.com/ and avoid 6% MOB surcharge.


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## Polymer (Jul 25, 2006)

Check our Arizona, suburbs of Phoenix. Year round riding, great place to raise kids, good housing prices and great riding!

I have been all over this great country and this is a great place to live


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## rfeather (Aug 22, 2006)

*UP MI if you can find a job*

Kids still play outdoors here. Most leave their cars and homes unlocked.The climate keeps the rif raf out. You have to learn to like snow. The skiing season is just as long as the biking season. The cost of living is low so you can easily live on a lower income, makes bikes seem more expensive though. Schools are great. People are friendly, even a bit shy. Come up for a visit this summer. You can camp in my orchard. Ride on my trails and others near town. Turn your ankles blue in lake superior, and hear yourself think.
Rich


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## Prophet bill (Feb 28, 2008)

What about pittsburgh,its where i live.Tons of trails to ride, lots of parks with playgrounds which also have smooth trails to pull kids in a trailer.The price of homes is cheap compared to most places and the winter is not to bad.Might be a good place for you to check out.


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## rfeather (Aug 22, 2006)

North Central PA is beautiful as is South Western NY, so I can imagine the Pittsburgh area is. Seems like there's bike trails in any part of the country now, the trick is how close you can get to them. The small cities and towns around here have trails within easy biking distance. People that live in the country often make trails from their back yards.
Rich


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## AdamD79 (Apr 12, 2006)

The West Coast is the Best Coast! I'd live in Vancouver if I could make it happen, but California has it all for me...

I'm sure I'd b***h about the rain in BC after living in So Cal...


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

West Virginia sometimes gets a bad rap but it truly is a beautiful state with lots of outdoor stuff. If you are in the central/southern part of the state you have tons of MTB, rafting/kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, hunting/fishing, so much stuff and the cost of living is decent however jobs are not plentiful depending on what you do for a living.


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## Stacy123 (Jul 9, 2008)

Check out Sandpoint, ID. That is if you have a career that travels with you. lol, or your self employed, or can find a job here...

We live at Schweitzer Mt. Ski Resort and are able to access tons of trails from our yard! Oh, and we also have a great lake and lots of families. Property prices have dropped, before we were listed in all sorts of magazines for the best place, coolest adventure town, etc.

Sandpoint is the town.

The ski resort just built a 6 1/2 mile downhill trail for families...and the xc trails are awesome, not to mention the downhill course.


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

On the other side is Spokane, WA somebody else recommended. Sandpoint, ID seems like a lovely place: http://www.sandpoint.com/Tools/photographsaerial.asp Population of only 6,835.


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## VanHalen (Apr 1, 2009)

Polymer said:


> Check our Arizona, suburbs of Phoenix. Year round riding, great place to raise kids, good housing prices and great riding!
> 
> I have been all over this great country and this is a great place to live


X2

Arizona is covered in outdoors activities, I live very comfortably on a low income, riding mountain bikes, dirtbikes etc. etc. Gas is cheap, houses/rent is cheap, your car lasts a long time (no snow/salt destruction). Utah/Nevada/California/Mexico all within a couple hours driving. And the eternal sun! You might need to wear a jacket in wintertime though, in the morning maybe....


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## arctic slalom (Apr 12, 2009)

prescott, az; farmington, nm; laramie, wy; rapid city, sd, billings, mt


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2010)

ozvena said:


> I am an avid mountain biker and my kids are starting to ride with the littlest one still on the trailer but ready for big off road adventures. We also like hiking and any outdoor sports.
> 
> We live in Missouri and did not get too many opportunities to travel withing the USA so we are looking for some advices from you.
> 
> ...


Western North Carolina. So many great things to do all year round. MTB'ing is the best on the east coast. We are moving to the Asheville area next year as soon as our son gets out of school in mid-spring. Good luck and wishing you all the best!


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

ChiliPepper1 said:


> Western North Carolina. So many great things to do all year round. MTB'ing is the best on the east coast. We are moving to the Asheville area next year as soon as our son gets out of school in mid-spring. Good luck and wishing you all the best!


Where are you coming from?


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2010)

Maida7 said:


> Where are you coming from?


From sunny boring Central FL. I will be up that way tomorrow morning for a job interview, but right now I am in Franklin on business. It is so damn beautiful up here and I miss the mountains in general.


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

ChiliPepper1 said:


> From sunny boring Central FL. I will be up that way tomorrow morning for a job interview, but right now I am in Franklin on business. It is so damn beautiful up here and I miss the mountains in general.


There are lotsa people here from Florida. They are commonly referred to as Floridiots. I'm from NYC originally. Just about everybody I know is a transplant. There are very few true locals in Asheville.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2010)

Maida7 said:


> There are lotsa people here from Florida. They are commonly referred to as Floridiots. I'm from NYC originally. Just about everybody I know is a transplant. There are very few true locals in Asheville.


Mmmm, Floridiots. Why is that? Thats kinda funny, because most northern people and people from NC are all down here in FL, especially from up north. My wife and i are one of the very small handful of FL natives left here besides are folks. 5th generation here for me and 4th for my wife. My wife works with quite a few people up north and from western NC, especially from the Asheville area. I guess we would fit right in. We would actually be closer to Boone than Asheville though.


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## RolledMeat (Jan 13, 2004)

I don't like Florida very much either but there are a few nice things. Winter weather being one of them. Mountain biking is almost nonexistent, especially up near Jacksonville. Western North Carolina is great. We vacation up there at least once a year. I try to ride some new trails every time we go.

Florida is better than Oklahoma, which is where I grew up. Go ahead and scratch them both off your list if you're looking for an active outdoor lifestyle for your family.


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## gravitylover (Sep 1, 2009)

We gave this some thought a few years ago and came up with places that are county seats or regional centers of some sort as having a lot of the things that we wanted. Usually the schools are better and the town facilities are better than "less important" places. Resort towns can be good for schools and culture sometimes too. Watch out for "fake" culture though, look for things like a good summer arts and music programs like *Steamboat* has or a college like in *Durango* or *Flagstaff*. These can be good indicators that there are more enlightened folks in the area that are willing to spend time and effort helping you to raise your kids in a more rounded kinda way. Another good thing about a county seat or a town like *Montpelier *(state capitol) is there tend to be more good paying jobs in the area although this isn't always true.

After all the research and traveling we've done we, unfortunately, are still in the same place and probably will be until the real estate market rebounds and our current property is worth selling. It seems that the really great places have held their own fairly well in this aspect compared to where I am now and with the pay cut I would have to take buying is out of the question without the $$ from our current place.


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## vindiggitydog (Aug 6, 2008)

I live in SLC, Utah, and I have to say its a great place to raise a family. The mountains are right out the back door, and if you can put up with "mormons".........great place!:thumbsup:


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

Looking for reasons not to move to Seattle? Then read: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0213/cover.html


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## intheopen (Sep 3, 2010)

Look at Dallas, every culture you would want. Lots of local trails, www.dorba2.com. Ride almost year around. We live just north of actual Dallas in Frisco. Everything up here is new. Lots of places to go and always something to do with kids. Cost of living is very reasonable.

Although if I had my choice I would be around Nashville, TN or a little east of there, verrry beautiful country over that way.


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## coloradodad (Nov 4, 2010)

*Colorado! Colorado! Colorado!*

Need I say more. Colorado. Specifically the Denver region has unbelievable bike paths over and under roads. they rival the car infrastructure in most states. Get a Weehoo trailer for the kids and you can ride for hours. I go on 30 mile rides on the paths and rarely cross a single road. We've had the best times exploring with the kids in tow. Google denver bike paths and there's a site with great maps. Have fun!


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## ozvena (Sep 17, 2006)

Few things to consider as well:

Schools:
http://www.schoolmatters.com/schools.aspx

Air quality:
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2010/states/


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