Looking to move: Small-ish town with a lot of coffee shops?
April 22, 2019 12:17 PM Subscribe
My partner and I are looking to move! Hooray! We had originally set our sights on Boulder, Colorado -- we're triathletes, outdoorsy, love the mountains, and want a vibrant community. But now we're looking to broaden our search to other towns and hopefully have some luck in the job search. We live in DC and have found that it's way too big, way too expensive, people aren't very considerate, and there's no where for us to spread out. The dream town would be on the smaller side but vibrant and young, with plenty to do and lots of coffeeshops and cafes, access to the outdoors and trails (mountains are a massive plus), and a walkable downtown/main street. TLDR: We've realized we're really not city people after all -- where should we move?
If you don't mind humidity or being a blue dot in a red state, Fayetteville AR is worth looking into. Flagstaff, AZ, possibly as well, though I don't remember what their downtown is like. Smaller towns that are also university towns, which both of those are, are probably going to be a good fit for you. Fayetteville and the entire NW corner are growing, the food scene is great, there are bookstores and coffeehouses....the "mountains" are hills but still great for hiking.
You couldn't pay me to move back to AR but there are a lot of appealing things about it. I live in the SF Bay Area now and I honestly think the coffeehouse culture in Fayetteville was superior. More comfortable, more variety, open later, and more welcoming.
posted by wintersweet at 12:22 PM on April 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
You couldn't pay me to move back to AR but there are a lot of appealing things about it. I live in the SF Bay Area now and I honestly think the coffeehouse culture in Fayetteville was superior. More comfortable, more variety, open later, and more welcoming.
posted by wintersweet at 12:22 PM on April 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
Ft. Collins, Colorado might fit the bill.
posted by MadMadam at 12:24 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by MadMadam at 12:24 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
You might like southern Oregon - Medford or Ashland.
I am iffy if you would like Bend because there is a huge tourism presence that makes the town feel really packed, in my (admittedly first) impression.
posted by nakedmolerats at 12:31 PM on April 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
I am iffy if you would like Bend because there is a huge tourism presence that makes the town feel really packed, in my (admittedly first) impression.
posted by nakedmolerats at 12:31 PM on April 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
That sounds like Ithaca, NY to me, if you're ok with cold.
posted by peacheater at 12:34 PM on April 22, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by peacheater at 12:34 PM on April 22, 2019 [4 favorites]
Fayetteville is a city, as is Bend, as is Bloulder. OP, you're saying town and small town; can you clarify what size place you're looking for, in terms of population? Also knowing what industries you're working in would be useful.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:35 PM on April 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 12:35 PM on April 22, 2019 [7 favorites]
What kind of jobs are we talking? Did Boulder not have enough jobs?
posted by everythings_interrelated at 12:37 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by everythings_interrelated at 12:37 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
I'm also going to recommend Asheville, NC. In addition to Marshall to the north there is also Black Mountain to the east, and a few other places with an artsy small-town vibe that are within hailing distance of Asheville.
posted by slkinsey at 12:47 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by slkinsey at 12:47 PM on April 22, 2019
Grand Rapids, MI has an excellent and vibrant coffee scene. It's a winter state so the streets are built for snowplows, not pedestrians - yet I still walk here quite happily. No mountains but we do have the Lake Michigan dunes and multiple state and national parks nearby. Let me know if you come to visit!
posted by rebent at 12:53 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by rebent at 12:53 PM on April 22, 2019
Burlington, VT and surrounds. Yes, it's a "city" but it's really a small town. And the towns around it certainly are. You really have to be okay with winter, though.
posted by kapers at 12:53 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by kapers at 12:53 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Bozeman, MT
Cheyenne Wyoming
McCall, Idaho
Lewisburg, WVa
posted by Ideefixe at 12:59 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Cheyenne Wyoming
McCall, Idaho
Lewisburg, WVa
posted by Ideefixe at 12:59 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Missoula, MT
posted by Crystalinne at 1:13 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Crystalinne at 1:13 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Yellow Springs, Ohio. It's quite small (3500), extremely outdoorsy (best hiking in Ohio, and 330 miles of bike trails in the region), super walkable (the entire town is only a few blocks), and as vibrant as anywhere I've ever been. I'm not a coffee drinker, but there are a ton of places in town that feel like coffee shops, and I'd really be shocked if there weren't at least a couple places to get good coffee. But it sounds like your ask is more about the cafe atmosphere than the actual drink, and nearly everywhere in town has that atmosphere. For jobs, it's within commuting distance to Dayton (short drive) and Columbus (longer drive, an hour or so, but I know people who have done it, and it's probably not that much longer than your DC commute).
posted by kevinbelt at 1:13 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 1:13 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Northampton, MA tics many of your boxes, albeit without "real" mountains. But it hits all the other requirements.
posted by Betelgeuse at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Betelgeuse at 1:43 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Ellensburg, Washington. Two hours east of Seattle. College town, coffee (of course) but also a number of prize-winning local breweries. We've also got Washington wine country to the south and also to the east just a few miles. Tons of trails and mountains and skiing and the Columbia river. 20K residents (half of them students). Lots of cultural activities and outdoor things to do. Cost of living is crazy cheap, especially compared to the coastal Pacific Northwest on the other side of the Cascade mountains. Plenty of sun, plenty of wind, four distinct seasons.
posted by seasparrow at 1:46 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by seasparrow at 1:46 PM on April 22, 2019
I'd recommend Bellingham, WA. Youngish community, right by Mount Baker and has a burgeoning food scene - which includes coffee. Plus, you're close to both Vancouver, BC, and Seattle, so you can scratch that big-city itch, if you so wish. No idea about the employment situation, but remote opportunities abound.
posted by theseventhstranger at 1:46 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by theseventhstranger at 1:46 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Lawrence Fucking Kansas.
I mefimailed you with more details, but it ticks all your boxes except for mountains, and is close to Kansas City in case you need the things that only a big city offers (major sports teams, a Warby Parker store, etc).
also Colorado isn't that far; a lot of Kansans consider the 8-hour drive to Denver to be no big deal.
posted by god hates math at 2:00 PM on April 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
I mefimailed you with more details, but it ticks all your boxes except for mountains, and is close to Kansas City in case you need the things that only a big city offers (major sports teams, a Warby Parker store, etc).
also Colorado isn't that far; a lot of Kansans consider the 8-hour drive to Denver to be no big deal.
posted by god hates math at 2:00 PM on April 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
Ashland Oregon hits all your wants except somewhat difficult on the job availability.
posted by uncaken at 2:01 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by uncaken at 2:01 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Huge amen! to Bellingham, Washington. Mt. Baker is THE mountain, and people climb, hike, run, bike, ski and stare at it all year long. Mountain biking is huge. Many nearby smaller mountains get a lot of use, but we don't usually know their names.
It's a university town, with bookstores and kumbacha bars. City ordinance requires one (1) coffee shop and one (1) brewery/pub every two blocks. It's also a boom economy, with job availability. Agreeing with theseventhstranger, it's close enough to Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. to satisfy occasional Big City yearning.
It is the Pacific Northwest. It doesn't actually rain all that much, or get that cold, so outdoors is used all year long. The days are long and sweet in the summer. Days are very, very short in the winter. Some people honestly can't stand it, and have to have more daylight. But on the whole, a wonderful place to live.
MeMail me if you have specific questions, or would like to find out more in general.
posted by kestralwing at 3:07 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
It's a university town, with bookstores and kumbacha bars. City ordinance requires one (1) coffee shop and one (1) brewery/pub every two blocks. It's also a boom economy, with job availability. Agreeing with theseventhstranger, it's close enough to Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. to satisfy occasional Big City yearning.
It is the Pacific Northwest. It doesn't actually rain all that much, or get that cold, so outdoors is used all year long. The days are long and sweet in the summer. Days are very, very short in the winter. Some people honestly can't stand it, and have to have more daylight. But on the whole, a wonderful place to live.
MeMail me if you have specific questions, or would like to find out more in general.
posted by kestralwing at 3:07 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Come to Vancouver, WA!
posted by masquesoporfavor at 3:42 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by masquesoporfavor at 3:42 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Duluth, MN comes to mind =]
posted by hannahelastic at 3:56 PM on April 22, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by hannahelastic at 3:56 PM on April 22, 2019 [4 favorites]
Come to Vermont. Burlington is OK but I nominate Brattleboro. It checks a lot of your boxes but it’s also 2 hours from Boston and 3 from New York for your cosmopolitan fix. And half an hour from Northampton, mentioned above. Let me know when you get here and I’ll show you around and introduce you.
posted by beagle at 4:14 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by beagle at 4:14 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Blacksburg, VA, perhaps?
posted by biogeo at 4:24 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by biogeo at 4:24 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ithaca, NY if you can handle cold; Asheville, NC if you can't. (Asheville is the south, so it gets hot, but because of the mountains, it's not quite as hot as elsewhere down here.) The downtowns are walkable, there's outdoorsy stuff EVERYWHERE around there (both theres), the people tend to be smart and curious, which means there are bookstores and classes, and there are mountains and lakes and a variety of similarly good stuff nearby. Both have an independent vibe, so coffee houses and cafes abound.
I lived in Ithaca four years ago, though long enough ago that I'm remembering. I've visited Asheville many times. Both are places that I'd be happy to live.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:30 PM on April 22, 2019
I lived in Ithaca four years ago, though long enough ago that I'm remembering. I've visited Asheville many times. Both are places that I'd be happy to live.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:30 PM on April 22, 2019
Charlottesville sounds like a good fit unless you're wanting to venture to a different part of the country. Definitely a college town, but I think it's still cozy with lots of good coffee (and wine) and outdoor scenic activities!
posted by Katie8709 at 4:51 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by Katie8709 at 4:51 PM on April 22, 2019
Breckenridge, CO, which has fantastic year 'round recreation and isn't too far from Denver. Housing can be expensive.
Many places in Utah, e.g., Ogden and Logan or Park City if you're feeling fancy, Moab if you like the desert, etc.
Evanston, WY, which is about an hour north of SLC
posted by carmicha at 4:53 PM on April 22, 2019
Many places in Utah, e.g., Ogden and Logan or Park City if you're feeling fancy, Moab if you like the desert, etc.
Evanston, WY, which is about an hour north of SLC
posted by carmicha at 4:53 PM on April 22, 2019
San Luis Obispo, California might fit the bill!
posted by Otis the Lion at 5:02 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by Otis the Lion at 5:02 PM on April 22, 2019
You might want to define "small-ish" because Boulder has over 100k people whereas some of these places are much smaller. How small are you open to?
posted by salvia at 7:40 PM on April 22, 2019
posted by salvia at 7:40 PM on April 22, 2019
Came to second Northampton, MA or .. nearby (Amherst, Hadley, etc). Also seconding Brattleboro, VT and adding Greenfield, MA - if you want to check all of theae out you'd just drive up the 91 corridor. All have plenty of main st culture and crunchy grocery coops and coffee shops, etc. "small arts town" vibes.
Alternatively, you might enjoy Durham, NC.
posted by elgee at 7:40 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Alternatively, you might enjoy Durham, NC.
posted by elgee at 7:40 PM on April 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Bozeman, Montana - Yuppies. Walkable downtown. It's a university town (13K students) so there is a lot going on. In and near a lot of mountain access. Home prices average 300K and your "cheaper" towns are 15 -20 miles (Belgrade/Manhattan) or Livingston (a 25 mile commute to Bozeman that can be hellish in winter.) Tons of snow in the winter.
MIssoula, Montana - Hippies. Great walkable downtown. It's a university town (11K students) and has lot more going on any night of the week than Bozeman. Home prices average 300K and your "cheaper" towns are 5-50 miles away (Lolo, Florence, Hamilton.) In the mountains and has a river running through it. Missoula is a bicycle town with lots of bike lanes and a dedicated bike path that runs through town and into East MIssoula. Missoula has a Pacific Northwest weather pattern meaning less snow and more rain. But it's gray skies without relief from Halloween to/through mid-May. When Bozeman gets fall or spring snow, Missoula gets rain.
posted by ITravelMontana at 9:05 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
MIssoula, Montana - Hippies. Great walkable downtown. It's a university town (11K students) and has lot more going on any night of the week than Bozeman. Home prices average 300K and your "cheaper" towns are 5-50 miles away (Lolo, Florence, Hamilton.) In the mountains and has a river running through it. Missoula is a bicycle town with lots of bike lanes and a dedicated bike path that runs through town and into East MIssoula. Missoula has a Pacific Northwest weather pattern meaning less snow and more rain. But it's gray skies without relief from Halloween to/through mid-May. When Bozeman gets fall or spring snow, Missoula gets rain.
posted by ITravelMontana at 9:05 PM on April 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
Similar to Boulder, in Colorado, a little smaller, but still good coffee shops:
Ft Collins
Grand Junction
Durango
Pueblo
Golden
posted by nickggully at 5:54 AM on April 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ft Collins
Grand Junction
Durango
Pueblo
Golden
posted by nickggully at 5:54 AM on April 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
If your love of mountains is deep, consider Bishop in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains (of California).
With that as a home base, you have a lifetime supply of day trips to a rich and varied array of spectacular wilderness and serious mountains.
posted by Glomar response at 6:32 AM on April 23, 2019
With that as a home base, you have a lifetime supply of day trips to a rich and varied array of spectacular wilderness and serious mountains.
posted by Glomar response at 6:32 AM on April 23, 2019
Culpeper VA or Warrenton VA are delightful. Don't know if they're too small, but both are between DC and Charlottesville and you could check them out on a day trip.
posted by somanyamys at 6:34 AM on April 23, 2019
posted by somanyamys at 6:34 AM on April 23, 2019
I also suggest Northampton MA (or surrounding areas). There *are* mountains very close by, though not Colorado-type mountains; bigger mountains can be found not so far away in NH and Vermont. It's a very walkable area, there's a pretty big bike culture (see the rail trail and Pedal People), lots of good food, lots of coffeehouses, bars, good to great music scene. And lots of bookstores. Kind of a Brooklyn-ish neighborhood in the middle of the country. It's home to Smith College and locally there are 4 other colleges, so I think the general public is probably more educated than not and definitely very, very politically progressive. (And although you mentioned you aren't city people, NYC is only 2.5 hours and Boston about 1.5-2; beaches are 1.5-2 hours away also in Rhode Island and the MA coast.)
posted by sound_of_silver at 6:37 AM on April 23, 2019
posted by sound_of_silver at 6:37 AM on April 23, 2019
I love Frederick, MD in the Catoctin Mountains. It has a great walkable downtown and is surrounded by natural beauty; plus it's only an hour to DC (with off peak traffic).
Also a big fan of Fayetteville, AR.
But logged in to say: Warrenton and probably not Culpeper either! Both are super cute places to visit, but Warrenton especially is less "vibrant and young" and more "conservative, affluent retirees with horse farms." If you end up looking in that area, I would say Charlottesville, or maaaaybe Winchester/Berryville.
posted by toastedcheese at 10:26 AM on April 23, 2019
Also a big fan of Fayetteville, AR.
But logged in to say: Warrenton and probably not Culpeper either! Both are super cute places to visit, but Warrenton especially is less "vibrant and young" and more "conservative, affluent retirees with horse farms." If you end up looking in that area, I would say Charlottesville, or maaaaybe Winchester/Berryville.
posted by toastedcheese at 10:26 AM on April 23, 2019
I live in Ashland OR and you're describing it to a t. Also seconding what others have said about the job market and how expensive housing is here though. There's a nearby very small town called Talent that is gorgeous and has more affordable living options.
posted by moons in june at 12:41 PM on April 23, 2019
posted by moons in june at 12:41 PM on April 23, 2019
Nthing Western Massachusetts! Northampton is nice, but Greenfield is up and coming.
posted by apricot at 1:05 PM on April 23, 2019
posted by apricot at 1:05 PM on April 23, 2019
The North Shore of Lake Superior sounds right up your alley. That's Duluth, Two Harbors, and Grand Marais, in descending order of 'cityness'. There's a lot of cross-pollination with the kinds of places you were originally considering, because there's a similar outdoor feel.
Send me a MeMail if you every come to check out the area; I'll point you to the best coffee shops. I guarantee you'll fall in love, based on what you've asked here.
posted by dbx at 2:06 PM on April 23, 2019
Send me a MeMail if you every come to check out the area; I'll point you to the best coffee shops. I guarantee you'll fall in love, based on what you've asked here.
posted by dbx at 2:06 PM on April 23, 2019
I find it silly that no one has suggested Portland Maine yet. You can't trip on the sidewalk without landing in a coffee shop, there are mountains very close, it's not big but has lots lots lots to do, and a bonus you won't get in Colorado: ocean and ocean air.
I'll second Lawrence Fucking Kansas though.
posted by donnagirl at 5:59 AM on April 24, 2019
I'll second Lawrence Fucking Kansas though.
posted by donnagirl at 5:59 AM on April 24, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hydra77 at 12:22 PM on April 22, 2019 [4 favorites]