Where should we move?

August 2, 2005 7:32 AM

Help us decide where to move. Please.

We are currently living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We’ve liked it all right, but we’ve been here for ten years and we are bored. I’ve just finished grad school, and it is time to move on. I ask the good people of Metafilter to step forward and testify about cool, interesting places to live that we may not know about or think to consider.

Us: We are mid-30s, no kids, cats. Our work can be done anywhere, so we don’t care about the job market. We’re not rich but we’re pretty confident in our financial stability, so a place being expensive doesn’t necessarily disqualify it. Also, the place doesn’t have to be in the United States.

Our requirements:
Liberal politics
Good foreign/art film theater
Near water: coastal would be good. Rivers, lakes also considered.
Four seasons: though I could do without a ton of snow.
A house with 2-5 acres of land

Deal-breakers:
Trendy and yuppie-ish
Crowded
Urban – we would gladly live near a city but not in the city
Suburban hell – you know the kind I mean

There are probably lots of other things I could add, but I think these are the big ones. Have at it!

posted by butternut to Society & Culture (40 answers total)

A not too radical move might be to the area around Asheville. The liberal politics would have to come from inside the city, though. You could drive out one weekend and check it out.
posted by OmieWise at 7:37 AM on August 2, 2005

Do you need to leave the house to get your foreign/art movies? If you're willing to get them through netflix, that will rather dramatically expand your horizons. Or for that matter if you're willing to just buy the dvds as they appear; for the most part that won't cost much more than two of you driving into town to see one.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:40 AM on August 2, 2005

Do not let anyone talk you into moving to Central Ohio.
posted by words1 at 7:42 AM on August 2, 2005

I hear that Savannah is very nice, but haven't lived there. Probably doesn't qualify as having four seasons, though.

There are a bunch of small cities in upstate New York along the Hudson and in New England that sound like what you're looking for, and if you don't mind not being within commuting distance of Manhattan the real estate prices aren't too bad. FWIW, when I first visited Chapel Hill I felt like I'd been transported back home to a small town in New England.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 7:47 AM on August 2, 2005

Off the top of my head, it sounds like you're looking for a place like Madison, WI (which has four seasons, but cold winters), or Boulder, CO (which is expensive), or Austin, TX (which doesn't have 4 seasons).

These are all towns I liken to each other because they have three similar traits that lead to great towns: They're all islands of liberalism, they all have major universities (which brings youth) and, thanks to either government or business (or both), they've all got money.

Those traits all add up to open-minded cities with decent infrastructures, that are enlivened with the energy of youth and the culture brought by money.

I'm from Madison, so can recommend it wholeheartedly. I've lived near Boulder, and can say that it's great, but not for everyone. I've only visited Austin, so I can't really speak to living there, but visiting is always great.
posted by o2b at 7:51 AM on August 2, 2005

Oh, water:

Austin: River
Madison: Nice Lakes
Boulder: Not much
posted by o2b at 7:52 AM on August 2, 2005

Seattle has: Liberal politics, Good foreign/art film theater, water, Four seasons (sort of). On the other hand, Seattle is also: Trendy and yuppie-ish, Crowded, Urban; and the nearby suburbs of Seattle are: Suburban hell

You might consider somewhere further out, like the Olympic peninsula, or some of the small towns between Seattle and the North Cascade mountain range (e.g., along Highway 2). Or maybe Olympia, if you can stand a college town. Maybe warbaby can weigh in on what it's like in Bellingham (north of here).
posted by matildaben at 8:04 AM on August 2, 2005

Chicago.
posted by mkultra at 8:06 AM on August 2, 2005

Providence, RI.
posted by jeb at 8:06 AM on August 2, 2005

Ithaca, NY fills every requirement and then some. Very liberal, 2 art theatres, a film school, beautiful lake, all 4 seasons, land is cheap.
posted by ryanissuper at 8:07 AM on August 2, 2005

Just for kicks, take a look at Floyd, Virginia. Home of one of the most beautiful (and popular) stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway, FloydFest music festival, a couple of wineries, a natural health food store, local artists co-op, and about a dozen working communes. It's a bastian of liberal sensibility in the midst of beautiful Appalachia.

Close proximimity to Blacksburg, VA (a college town similar to, but not as cosmopolitan as, Chapel Hill) will give you access to art films and other intellectual perks. Land is still relatively cheap and plentiful, and the low cost of living means you could either purchase a house or buy 2-5 acres and build your own.

The New River runs nearby; Claytor Lake and Smith Mountain Lake are each within an hour, and the NC beaches are 4-5 hours away. Winters are a bit colder than central NC and feature more snow, but nothing compared to, say, upstate NY or Minnesota.
posted by junkbox at 8:07 AM on August 2, 2005

I live in Ithaca, NY as well. And the snow here isn't as bad as it is further upstate in Syracuse/Buffalo/Utica/etc (the region I'm originally from). So I second Ithaca.
posted by stefnet at 8:26 AM on August 2, 2005

Burlington, Vermont
posted by k8t at 8:35 AM on August 2, 2005

Providence, RI
Kelowna, BC
Western MA
Portland, OR
posted by fionab at 8:42 AM on August 2, 2005

I'll second Providence!
posted by judith at 8:42 AM on August 2, 2005

Chicago, IL! I moved here from Greensboro, NC about a year ago. Seriously, one of the best life decisions I've ever made. I lived in NC for 25 years and was so bored with it. I've been all over that damn state. It's beautiful here, I could spend all day at the lake. There winters aren't bad at all to me, although I've only been through one. As noted in the sweat thread, 20 degree days are welcome, especially for bike riding. No sweat! Plus we have all the perks that big city life offers, but a very neighborhoody feel.
posted by corpse at 8:45 AM on August 2, 2005

Oh, but that house thing won't work out. Sorry about that. Condos can be affordable though.
posted by corpse at 8:46 AM on August 2, 2005

Providence is close to the ocean and on a little river, it has two or three art theatres, still isn't terribly expensive or uppity, close to Boston and New York but you can still live cheaply, four very real seasons. For 2-5 acres it could be just outside the town itself, but still in close proximity.

Kelowna, BC: four real seasons, on a big lake (massive), still really affordable, a few little theatres, and lots and lots of land, vineyards, farms, ski hills.

Western Mass (Northhampton, etc.): four seasons, lots of land, not really close to water, maybe not affordable.

Portland, OR: Obviously close to the Pacific ocean and lots of lakes, rivers, etc., lots of art houses and galleries, it's actually a really growing little town/city but you could live on the outskirts or in Vancouver, WA quite easily with a boatload of land.
posted by fionab at 8:49 AM on August 2, 2005

Ann Arbor, MI - but you would have to drive a little bit for the water.
posted by rfs at 8:49 AM on August 2, 2005

Woodstock, NY or the environs, perhaps even New Paltz, NY.

Catskills, Hudson River, close to lots of lakes and tributaries, the Beaverkill and Wallkill Rivers are world reknown fly fishing rivers.

Foreign theatres are in Rhinebeck, which might be a bit of a hike, but there is one theatre in Woodstock (one screen) that is focused on indie and foreign film, I believe.

Other benefits: two hour drive to NYC, two and half/three hour drive to Boston. Culinary Institute of America is in Hyde Park which means the Hudson Valley is a mecca for chefs. Hudson Valley farms also produce some great organic produce, artisanal meats, breads and cheeses and even wines. Hiking and other nature endeavors including rock climbing in the gunks are world class. Skiing at Hunter Mt, Windham and Belleayre. Lake Placid is a four hour drive.

Woodstock is a liberal enclave that still maintains blue collar roots due to the surrounding areas and also the many music and film industry types that live there.

This is a small mountain/woods town. Other than a CVS, no chain stores. Large scale grocery shopping may be an inconvenience as compared to living in a city or suburb.
posted by spicynuts at 8:51 AM on August 2, 2005

Ashville is a great suggestion. I had the chance to pick a place out of the air this year and found Best Places, Find Your Spot, and Healthiest Places for Women very helpful.

Chicago is a wonderful town, but it's very grey and cold.

You might also consider college towns. I lived in Bloomington, Indiana for 7 years, and it's surprisingly brimming with global culture and outdoor activities. Because it is a university town, it has a lot more global influence than other places in the same geographical area. Prime example, the Lotus Festival. It's also very affordable with great community vibe. If not Bloomington, then look into other university towns. They are cheap and great places to live.
posted by abbyladybug at 9:00 AM on August 2, 2005

Williamstown, Mass.
Museums, theatre, community-owned cinema, great restaurants, 200-year-old stone college buildings, and sidewalks set 10 feet back from the road. New England autumns, burbly rivers, mountain lakes. No chain stores, no Wal-Mart.
posted by soiled cowboy at 9:11 AM on August 2, 2005

I would second Asheville - it's a great, funky little town. You're not terribly near the water, and not everyone is wonderfully liberal (mostly the older generation, I think, from observing my own family). But it's such a cool place!

I'd also suggest one of Philadelphia's nicer neighborhoods (Mt. Airy feels like a wonderful, old suburb), or a nearby town. I've recently fallen in love with Lansdale, despite my loathing for suburban towns. You also have a better chance of getting a nice chunk of land going outside the city.

Finally - would you mind if I e-mailed you about Chapel Hill? I'm considering UNC Chapel Hill for grad school, and I'm curious about the school, and the town. (My e-mails in my profile, if you just have a spiel you want to rattle off ;) ). Thanks!
posted by kalimac at 9:12 AM on August 2, 2005

I have to say that while Asheville is pretty, it is, at least to my tastes, WAY provincial. In the times I've been there I've not found anything all that unique about it - nothing that couldn't be found in any college town. I love North Carolina as a whole, but Asheville...eh. Plus, they have this ridiculous law that you can't order a burger anything rarer than Medium Well. Fascist!!!
posted by spicynuts at 9:21 AM on August 2, 2005

Canada. I'm thinking about moving to Montreal. Anyone wanna come? Let's start a MetaFilter migration.
posted by crapulent at 9:43 AM on August 2, 2005

Austin, TX! South Austin is fairly liberal, housing is pretty cheap (Buda and Dripping Springs are nearby and you could easily find a house with a few acres there. If you're willing to drive a bit, you could find some beautiful places in the hill country.) There are great art-house movie theatres, the lakes and rivers nearby can't be beat, and it does have four seasons....summer is just the most pronounced. I lived in the area for most of my life, so if you have any questions, feel free to email.
posted by amandaudoff at 9:49 AM on August 2, 2005

you might consider somewhere on the outskirts of ann arbor, mi ... in town might be a bit much ...
posted by pyramid termite at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2005

I grew up in Ann Arbor--there's not much outside the city proper. I've found that the city has gentrified considerably since I lived there eight years ago, but maybe everyone thinks that about their hometown. When I go back, it seems very yuppified. Too much sushi, not enough Hash Bash.

I'm living in Minneapolis/Saint Paul and highly recommend it. The first-ring suburbs are great, but second-ring are all suburban hell.
posted by hamster at 10:41 AM on August 2, 2005

except the whole "wanting four seasons" thing, hawaii might be a good place to be. It's liberal and progressive, there are some art-house movie theaters in Honolulu and Hilo(?) and Maui. And, for all you imagine it being like Waikiki-Beach-Las-Vegas-Disney-World-Land, it's really not very crowded. There are 1.5 million or so people in Hawaii. And 1 million of them live in Honolulu. So if you stay out of there, you're golden.

That's where I'd move if I had my druthers.
posted by zpousman at 11:15 AM on August 2, 2005

Duluth, MN.

Liberal, water, seasons, culture, land. Tough driving during the winter, but no place is perfect.
posted by unixrat at 11:18 AM on August 2, 2005

Portland, OR. Great film community (I live near Todd Haynes). Lots of water, four seasons but little snow (unless you want to drive an hour to go skiing), very liberal, 2-5 acres is available but will cost you, and it is one of the best regions in the world for keeping suburban sprawl in check.

I lived in Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, and San Diego. Wouldn't trade Portland for any of them.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 11:45 AM on August 2, 2005

Consider Nevada City, CA. It's small (about three thousand people), but it has two art house theaters, a river, lakes, tons of houses with property, light snow in the winter, hot in the summer, three hours from the bay area and Pacific Ocean, and very progressive for how small it is.
And Gary Synder lives there.
posted by slimslowslider at 11:49 AM on August 2, 2005

My wife and I went through a similar exercise a few months ago. We considered the West Coast (where we've lived for 5 years) and Minnesota (where we both grew up). We ended up staying in Mountain View, CA because of our jobs. It is close to water, liberal, close to SF, but 5 acres would cost you millions. With your freedom to live and work anywhere, I really wouldn't suggest it.

As we weighed options we saw lots of great places that we ruled out because of employment options. Because that doesn't matter to you, consider these places: Bellingham, WA; Portland, OR; Eugene, OR; Duluth, MN; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.

Bellingham is a great college town that sits right on the water, is liberal, has plenty of culture, and it just gorgeous. My wife lived there for a year of grad school, and I always say that I would live there if I could ever find a job. You get all the seasons (although you have to drive about a half hour for more than trivial snow) and you can always drive an hour south to Seattle or an hour north to Vancouver to get even more culture.

Portland is a nice balance between a town and a big city. It is very well planned, near water, liberal, and full of good culture. I visited multiple times and always felt comfortable and happy there. One advantage to living outside the city here: you can live across the Washington border. No income tax in Washington and no sales tax in Oregon.

Eugene is very similar to Bellingham, with a bigger university and a bit further from the ocean. It has a very liberal, outdoorsy feel. You can get land just outside the city for reasonable prices. And those surrounding areas are gorgeous. You might be looking for a bit more culture, but Eugene does pretty well because of the universty. If you're a football fan, then you'll really love the culture -- but there is plenty more than Ducks games.

Duluth has been recommended multiple times for good reason. It isn't overwhelmingly large, but it is the cultural center of northern Minnesota. It has a fairly large university and the cultural perks that go with it. It sits on the hills overlooking Lake Superior, which means that it has great views and moderate temperatures. (Although "moderate" winters in northern Minnesota will feel damn cold for someone moving from NC.) Duluth has some great old houses outside of the city and plenty of people that live outside the city like you want. The main drawback is that the town feels pretty industrial and has mediocre food.

Minneapolis and Saint Paul feel somewhat similar to Seattle and Portland (at least for me). They have lots of great culture (best of the places in my little list) and tons of water: rivers and lakes are surrounded by parks for easy access. The main drawback is that the Twin Cities have sprawled badly in the last few decades. You need to buy in suburban wasteland to get the acres you're talking about. The stately old house in Mpls and St. Paul might change your mind about living outside of the city -- they are great and not that densely packed.
posted by cholstro at 1:09 PM on August 2, 2005

I second Find Your Best Place as well as Chicago, the architecture center of America. Nothing beats the lakefront, and the abundance of parks, especially on the south side ("the emerald necklace"). The weather is not always grey and cold, really only during the winter and that's typical of anywhere with winter. As for the weather the only problem is the humidity. It's a very down to earth city, great people. I regret leaving it for NYC.
posted by scazza at 2:23 PM on August 2, 2005

Burlington, Vermont

Might be too urban or yuppie trendy, but there are a lot of other smaller towns nearby that are commuting distance to Burlington that are knock out lovely, though many have a real Winter. If you're closer to Lake Champlain, you'll have less Winter. If money is less of an issue you might want to think about some of the cuter smaller towns like Vegennes or Charlotte [shar-LOT] or even further north to places like North and South Hero, or inland some to Lincoln. It's hard to beat the liberal politics here on a state basis, though towns will vary an awful lot. On the other hand, once you get outside the main cities, winters are harsh but land is cheap. If you work from home and near a fast Internet connection, however, I'd make sure you check that before making final plans.

I also like all of Cholstro's suggestions, having spent a fair amount of time in all of those places except Duluth.
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on August 2, 2005

If I had to live in/near a city it would be Portland, Eugene, or Ashland Oregon. They all fit your critera. Something I've always loved about Portland is that it was laid out by a genius; even a PhD can find their way around.
posted by Mack Twain at 2:38 PM on August 2, 2005

A second vote for Floyd VA and the Blacksburg area.

Or, the Dordogne and Lot river valleys of France (Cahors, Figeac, Souillac) are beautiful, nicely rural with similar, milder climate. I'm not sure about politics, but you'll surely have 'foreign' films!
posted by pgoes at 3:58 PM on August 2, 2005

Santa Cruz, CA
posted by invisible ink at 4:33 PM on August 2, 2005

Response by poster: Thank you, MeFites. There are many places y'all have mentioned that I have never even heard of. The investigations will commence!
posted by butternut at 6:13 AM on August 3, 2005

Who ever said Williamstown is high. No offence. It's like a ghost town. It's completely desolate. I've laid down in the middle of the main road at 8 pm w. no difficulty.
posted by matkline at 7:35 PM on December 23, 2005