Best places to live in US for outdoorsy families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideal would be near a smaller city with easy access to parks, skiing, hiking, etc. Prefer cooler climates. Towns with good schools a bonus, especially those that emphasize outdoor education.

Massachusetts. Excellent, town-based school districts. Access to Boston and obviously great access to all the skiing and hiking in Vermont.

[Anonymous]

Concord, NH. Snow, lakes, very outdoorsy. Small town feel but not hickish.

- 1 million for Oregon -- polar extremes for left and right wing and not actually very progressive at all for a blue state. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Colorado!

[Anonymous]

We live in Virginia Beach and while it's not a cooler climate and therefore doesn't meet your needs, I have noticed that outdoorsy families often choose to live near the ocean. As a result, we have a tremendous number of triathlons, 5ks, marathons, what have you going on nearly all the time. There are always outdoor festivals and concerts. There are lots of active hiking and biking and walking groups. Lots of biking and hiking trails both within the city limits and close by in Shenandoah, etc. I'm just mentioning this because I honestly didn't realize that the people who actively choose to live somewhere where you can swim, boat, dive, etc. would be different than the people you encounter elsewhere, but it seems like everyone is outdoorsy. It's great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With Alaska as part of this county, I don’t know why there are other potential options listed. People are never inside, outdoorsyness is a part of life for nearly everyone. It’s not, like, California outdoorsiness where sure it’s easy to be outside when it’s sunny and warm — these are people who go running in Subzero temps, whose facial hair freezes when they’re skiing, etc. And, there are many great schools.

(I grew up there. Nowhere else compares. I learned skiing as part of my public school gym class. I learned how to start a fire with sticks in high school environmental ed. I watched dogsled races as a 3 year old. I’ve caught and processed many fish, and know how to get around on a snowmachine and an ATV. I’ve been backwoods whitewater rafting, I’ve been on a plane with cross-body seatbelts. AND my family and upbringing was fairly ‘traditional’ by AK standards — most people are much more rugged)

If not Alaska, Montana is probably your next best bet. Maaaaybe the UP of Michigan, but you won’t be near any cities, small or otherwise, up there.

Wow that sounds like an interesting childhood!

I lived for a year in Northern Wisconsin and feel like there's a similar lifestyle up there. Lots of ice fishing, dog sledding etc. And after work in the summer, people would go hiking instead of happy hour and all kinds of water activities on Lake Superior in the summer.

I spent my summers in Vilas County, WI! I love it up there...BUT it's very...provincial. Hickish. I could never move there full time as an adult.

Yes, I think that's the difference between Alaska and the rugged parts of Wisconsin and Michigan -- Alaska has all of those opportunities and you can still live in a fairly diverse, mid-sized city (Anchorage).

Was also thinking: Duluth, Minnesota, maybe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideal would be near a smaller city with easy access to parks, skiing, hiking, etc. Prefer cooler climates. Towns with good schools a bonus, especially those that emphasize outdoor education.

A few mentions for PDX, so thought I’d comment...

We left DC for Portland, OR a few+ years ago. While it fits the bill for much of what you describe, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Racist AF. Restaurants are nowhere as good as DC’s. Housing market is inflated. Salaries are low. Income tax high. Schools suck, so competition for charters and private is high.

Once the smoke clears from the wildfires (we evacuated to breath easy), we will resume prepping house for sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in Virginia Beach and while it's not a cooler climate and therefore doesn't meet your needs, I have noticed that outdoorsy families often choose to live near the ocean. As a result, we have a tremendous number of triathlons, 5ks, marathons, what have you going on nearly all the time. There are always outdoor festivals and concerts. There are lots of active hiking and biking and walking groups. Lots of biking and hiking trails both within the city limits and close by in Shenandoah, etc. I'm just mentioning this because I honestly didn't realize that the people who actively choose to live somewhere where you can swim, boat, dive, etc. would be different than the people you encounter elsewhere, but it seems like everyone is outdoorsy. It's great.

We live in Norfolk on the water and we LOVE IT! Although skiing isn't at good around here, but being able to access the beach, go boating, fishing, hiking, surfing, etc. is awesome. And we can drive to skiing (though admittedly nothing near what you'd find in CA, CO, UT, etc.)

[Anonymous]

A former co-worker of mine moved from DC to Idaho and they are so happy. They ski a ton, he bikes to work, and the schools are great.

[Anonymous]

Agree with Duluth!

Also Jackson Hole (but expensive and on the smaller side)

Tucson except in the summer (lots of hiking and mountain biking and close to places like Sedona, Flagstaff, etc)

[Anonymous]

I lived in Colorado Springs and it is a smallish city that has outdoor activities aplenty. I've also spent significant time in and around Denver, Boulder, Santa Fe, and Salt Lake City - all are very nice if you like big mountains and desert-y climate.

I am also from New England and think various places across all of the states there would be good!

[Anonymous]

Definitely Colorado.

[Anonymous]

I am wondering too. I'd like something akin to Vancouver, Canada but with less rain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Virginia Beach and while it's not a cooler climate and therefore doesn't meet your needs, I have noticed that outdoorsy families often choose to live near the ocean. As a result, we have a tremendous number of triathlons, 5ks, marathons, what have you going on nearly all the time. There are always outdoor festivals and concerts. There are lots of active hiking and biking and walking groups. Lots of biking and hiking trails both within the city limits and close by in Shenandoah, etc. I'm just mentioning this because I honestly didn't realize that the people who actively choose to live somewhere where you can swim, boat, dive, etc. would be different than the people you encounter elsewhere, but it seems like everyone is outdoorsy. It's great.

We live in Norfolk on the water and we LOVE IT! Although skiing isn't at good around here, but being able to access the beach, go boating, fishing, hiking, surfing, etc. is awesome. And we can drive to skiing (though admittedly nothing near what you'd find in CA, CO, UT, etc.)

+1. We are outdoorsy but don’t want to live somewhere cold.

[Anonymous]

I love the idea of a mountain west town but after seeing a glimpse of what the scorched future looks like...no thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A former co-worker of mine moved from DC to Idaho and they are so happy. They ski a ton, he bikes to work, and the schools are great.

My sister lives in Idaho (Ketchum) and lives it. But it’s a two hour drive to Twin Falls (closest Target, Costco etc) and three to Boise. Boise has a ski area right on the outskirts that’s fun (Bogus Basin) and the climate in the city itself is pretty temperate (I’ve been there some springs where golf courses are opening by March) but I have no idea how schools are in Boise. My nieces and nephew constantly are skiing, mountain biking, kayaking etc and that’s in addition to swim team, soccer team and softball.