MarthaB1

Salt Lake City is the capitol and biggest city in Utah, and is also home to the largest Mormon (aka Latter Day Saints) community in the country, which has had a big impact on the city.

Unsurprisingly, the focal point of the city is the Mormon Temple, which looms large downtown and is surrounded by a guarded wall. Since Im not Mormon, I wasnt allowed inside, so all I can say is that the building is impressive and the security guards dont have a sense of humor.

The rest of downtown Salt Lake City is very clean and well maintained. There are some great restaurants, though the selection is limited. After all, even being the largest city in Utah, there are fewer than 200,000 people who call this city home.

I can personally recommend the Beehive Pub, where I went while visiting a friend who attends the University of Utah. The Beehive Pub has a great selection of craft beerswhich is rare in this city. We were there the day that Obama won reelection against the Mormon Republican Mitt Romney. Basically I was in the most disappointed city in America. We were 2 of about 12 people celebrating in the whole city. LOL.

Part of the reason my friend suggested this place is because it is one of a limited number of restaurants that serve normal-strength beer. This is again due to the Mormon influence, whose members are not allowed to drink alcohol, coffee, or tea, among other strict dietary and lifestyle restrictions. In fact, in the entire state of Utah, beer is limited to 3.2% alcohol when its sold in grocery stores and anyplace that has a beer only liquor license. For stronger beer, wine, and any other alcohol, you have to go to the state liquor stores and places with full liquor licenses.

So if you are looking for a city with great nightlife, this is definitely not it. There is a *little* bit of nightlife in the form of laid-back pubs and restaurants, but nothing like the bar and club scenes in comparably sized cities.

My friend attends the University of Utah, which has over 30,000 students and is very close to downtown. It has the only medical school in the state, and overall has a good reputation, regularly winning substantial research grants. The LDS influence is very strong at U of U as well. It was founded in part by Brigham Young, a famous Mormon (and polygamist), who also founded Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, as well as Salt Lake City itself. Young is best known for the exodus he sparked with his followers from Illinois to where he founded Salt Lake City. Unsurprisingly, this is not a city that is very welcoming to LGBTQ folks.

As for cost of living, there is a variety of prices with apartments, which is nice because it accommodates everyone from Ramen-eating students to professionals who want luxury. You can easily find a modest 1 bedroom for $700 close to downtown. Now, keep in mind that this is also due to the fact that wages can be pretty low in Utah. The minimum wage usually is the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25/hr).

A big reason people love this city is because its close to great skiing. Since the city itself is at 4,226 elevation, snow is not uncommon. The skiing is famous for having super dry powder and being close to the city. Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, Park City, Snowbasin and Solitude are some of the most famous, but there are NINE ski resorts within an hours drive. NINE!

Hiking is also epic here. Being on the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains, it doesnt take long to get into some beautiful wilderness. There are way too many hikes to even begin listing, so Ill just leave it at that.

One last random facta majority of people in SLC drive white cars! This is mostly due to the hot summers, but is also just a style preference here.

Minor (Central District) is a super interesting and vibrant community. It lies right where South Seattle culture meets North Seattle culture. Nobody likes to talk about it, but Seattle was once legally segregated by race, and the Central District is right at that transition point.

The perfect example of this is the fact that the mostly white middle/upper class, private, Jesuit Seattle University is less than 2 blocks from Seattles youth jail, which is mainly full of youth of color. Awkwardand a clear indicator of the social justice work Seattle still has to do. This jail has understandably been a point of contention in Seattle lately, with many protests around spend several millions on a new youth jail rather than other community services. The current youth jail is in an old high schoolliterally a school to prison pipeline.

Sorry if that got a little heavy there, but these are real conversations and happenings in this neighborhood. But that tension is actually part of what makes this part of town so awesome. Because people are actually talking about it. You cant ignore it, and so even reserved, polite Seattleites will chime in on occasion.

The further east you get in this neighborhood, the more residential it becomes. This part of town has a lively and welcoming community, from all backgrounds. Youll mainly find single family homes, with some apartment buildings scattered along the arterials. Another tough conversation that Seattles been having recently is how the neighborhoods that were once filled with people of color are now being white-washed, as housing prices rise throughout the city.

Also along those main streets is where the amenities are. There are restaurants, cafes, bars, and a few small shops dotting the streets of 12th, 23rd, Cherry, union, and Madison.

In the south and east parts of the neighborhood, along Cherry, 23rd, and Union, the restaurants reflect the vibrant diversity in the neighborhood. Youve got a great selection of Ethiopian food (Ras Dashen, Meskels, Assimba, and Caf Selam, to name a few within 2 blocks of each other), Ezells Famous Fried chicken, Fats Chicken and Waffles, and Durdur East African Caf. Its pretty awesome.

Then even further south, as you get closer to the International District, you start too see more Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian restaurants.

The restaurants along 12th cater to the relatively well-off, if still young, student population of the private Jesuit Seattle University. The current restaurant du jour is Ba Bar, an upscale Vietnamese place that is notoriously hard to get in to (at the moment). Also along 12th is the college haunt Rhein House, which has games and a good beer selection. There are plenty of other decent places, just expect a lot of students during the school year.

Head northeast on Madison and there are some more college-friendly options, like the friendly Elysian Brewpub (welcoming to everyone from retirees to biker gangs), Thudsuan Thai, and the low key El Gallito.

Overall, I love this neighborhood and the dynamic energy that is there through its mix of residents, its real conversations, and, of course, the food.

Leavenworth is a mountain town ruled by two things: the tourists and the seasons.

Just on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, on highway 2, a few decades ago it was transformed into a German/Swiss-style mountain town, complete with sausage restaurants, an accordion festival, latticed siding, and Octoberfest.

The Tourists:
Tourism is what makes this town run. People come from all over the country to enjoy the outdoor activities in a more comfortable setting than a tent (thought theres plenty of camping too). The busy seasons are around the holidays, during their multiple festivals, and all summer. Spring and fall are a bit quieter.

The Winter:
Winter in Leavenworth can be a magical place. Christmas lights cover the buildings, and the snow collects on rooftops and trees. There are Christmas festivals and plenty of activities like sledding and music shows.

But one of the main reasons people come here is not just to enjoy the townits to ski or snowboard. Leavenworth has 3 ski resorts within an hours drive (in good conditions) Stevens Pass, Leavenworth Ski Hill, and Mission Ridge. Employees from those resorts often live in Leavenworth, as well as all the local hospitality staff that serve the tourists.

The not so magical part? Getting here in the winter. Highway 2 is a two lane, winding mountain pass that causes more than a few serious accidents each year. Of course, the best time to visit Leavenworth and the ski resorts is also the worst time for the roads. Make sure you are carrying chains, check that they fit ahead of time, and know how to use them. Ideally, have snow tires as well.

The Summer:
During the hotter months, Leavenworth is a destination for hiking, backpacking, rafting, climbing, and basically any other sports you can do in the mountains or on a river. Icicle Creek Road leads to the most popular area, and all the campgrounds are usually full by Friday morning. The backpacking is so popular that for the highly popular area called The Enchantments, you have to enter a very competitive lottery system in order to secure a permit to stay overnight during the summer. Day hikers do not need a permit.

Surprisingly, Leavenworth is also a destination town for bachelor/ette parties. Perhaps its because the downtown is so small you can easily do a pub crawl, and there is usually more than one live music show on the busy weekends.

There is also a weekend craft fair in the summers, which is well known for having stunning, affordable photography for sale, among other art trades.

As a Washington native, its not somewhere I visit regularly, but I usually find myself there a couple of times a year or so, especially in the summer. The last two summers though, weve had the worst wildfire seasons in state history, and one fire got dangerously close to town. You can see the singed trees on one side of the highway now on your way there. Lets hope it doesnt happen again!

I once read a funny article that described cities as though they were people. Denver was a fit couple dressed head to toe in REI outdoor gear while talking about their latest backpacking trip and drinking a craft beer. Obviously this is a stereotype, but you will see lots of people that fit this description in Denver!

Denver is Colorado’s capitol, largest city, and business center. Because it is one of the biggest cities in this part of the country, there is a lot of commerce and travel that comes through.

Denver has a thriving and growing Hispanic population, with 25% of residents speaking Spanish at home. The city overall is relatively white (both Hispanic and non-Hispanic), though it has slowly been diversifying with time.

THE CITY
People who haven’t been to Denver imagine it being tucked away deep in the mountains. But in reality, it’s next to the Rockies, on the east side of the range, on relatively flat land. But don’t be fooled—that doesn’t mean it’s low elevation. It’s still one mile above sea level.

When people ask you where you live in town, you’ll often simply hear north, south, east, or west. Though of course Denver does have specific neighborhoods like Cheery Creek, Stapleton, and Capitol Hill, each of which has it’s own vibe.

Downtown Denver has changed a lot in the past decade. Parts of it used to be filled with old abandoned buildings and dilapidated streets. The city has really invested in renovating it, and now downtown is quite pleasant, with a decent nightlife and shopping scene. I especially like how they’ve refurbished some of the older buildings with classic architecture.

Traffic is as worse than you'd imagine for a city Denver's size, unfortunately. Even getting to the nearby ski resorts and campgrounds on weekends can be super frustrating in recent years, often taking twice as long as it should.

NEIGHBORS
Nearby Boulder, just northwest of the city, is sometimes considered Denver’s younger, hipper cousin, home to the very large University of Colorado Boulder, which has more than 30,000 students. Comparatively, University of Colorado Denver has 18,000 students. Aurora, just east of Denver, is where the tragic movie theater shooting occurred in 2012, killing 12 and injuring 70.

SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
Unsurprisingly, winter sports is something that Denver, and Colorado overall, is most famous for. There are 21 ski resorts in the state, with quite a few close enough for a day trip from Denver. Being in the Rockies, weather can change quickly, and in the winter it often comes with LOTS of snow.

Echo Mountain is the local Denver mountain, about 30-45 minutes away. Loveland is another locals mountain, about an hour away. The next farthest are Winter Park, Granby Ranch, and Eldora. After these, you’ll probably want to spend the night and make a weekend out of it, because the drive will be pretty long.

Keep in mind that Colorado ski resorts are *very* high elevation. So most people coming from sea level will need time to acclimate. But this also means that you can often ski from October through May! The other thing to keep in mind is that some of the big ones (Vail, Aspen) cater to the wealthy, almost exclusively. Hotels, restaurants, and ski tickets all have a premium here. If you want something more affordable, but still with excellent skiing and nice dry snow, try the smaller ones closer to Denver or head south to southwest Colorado.

OTHER OUTDOOR RECREATION
Being right next to the Rockies, there is so much to do outside. This is definitely one of the main reasons that people move to Denver. Besides your typical city parks, right at the edge of town you have the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, which has some beautiful hiking. Within an hour or two drive you can be in a huge variety of protected land, including Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Pike National forest, Arapaho National Forest, Roosevelt National Forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, to name a few. The farther out you get, the less and less tourists you’ll see, especially if you stay away from the ones right off I-70.

Overall, Denver is the one of the best places in the country for people who prioritize city life but still value access to the outdoors. But for those who are looking first and foremost for access to nature, there are dozens of better places to live in Colorado where you are closer to less crowded outdoor rec areas.

SUBSTANCES
Denver, and Colorado in general, is known for having a great craft beer scene. There are dozens of brewpubs producing creative and delicious microbrews all over the city. My favorites are Vine Street Pub and Brewery, and the riverside Denver Beer Co (the best porter!).

Colorado, alongside Washington State, is a living social experiment with the recent legalization of mar*juana. Though medical mar*juana had been legal for quite awhile, recreational use was only legalized about 2 or 3 years ago. So far it’s been a tourist draw for Denver, and lots of pot shops have opened up throughout the city. Locals have mixed feelings about it—some love it, others are annoyed with all the shops, and with people getting high and endangering others by driving or skiing.

ECONOMY
There are a few big players in the economy here. Transportation, in particular air travel, is a big one. The Denver airport is extremely busy, being a regional hub, and there is also an Air Force base south of the city. The economy also depends on heavy industry, particularly in oil and minerals. Tourism is of course vital to the economy, and the city is also a minor tech hub for the region—though nothing like San Francisco or Seattle. The biggest employers are the government and the aforementioned University of Colorado

SEASONS
Denver has four very distinct seasons. The most beautiful though, just may be autumn, because of the Aspen trees. Winters are cold and snowy yet sunny, and summers are hot and dry.

Boston is the heart of New England, both geographically and culturally. It’s an old (by American standards), wealthy city with an established personality. Even though it’s full of green spaces, it manages to be one of the most densely populated cities in the country. Downtown Boston is gorgeous and walkable, though neighborhoods are also pleasant, with each having a unique community.

ECONOMY
Boston has a powerful economy. It is the 6th largest economy in the country, even though it’s only the 24th largest in terms of population. This tells you a lot. It’s a port city, which means by default a lot of money goes through here. But some of the wealth also flows from the “old money” which still flourishes in the city. You’ll find some of these families in a few select suburbs and neighborhoods, like in the classic brick homes of Back Bay. According to the Boston Globe, the city had almost 1700 resident millionaires in 2012. Much of the money is invested in healthcare and education, which are two of the biggest employment sectors in Boston, alongside finance and insurance.

EDUCATION
One effect of being one of America’s oldest and wealthiest cities is that there are a plethora of higher education institutions. Harvard, Boston University, Bradeis, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are some of the most highly ranked. But there are dozens of other higher education institutions in the city (and in neighboring Cambridge).

MEDICAL
It’s worth mentioning that Boston is also a medical hub of the region, in part due to all the universities. In fact, the #1 biggest employer of the city, with about 15,000 employees is Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

HISTORY
I can’t write a review about Boston without mentioning that it has historically been a very important city, particularly in the American Revolution. That’s all I’ll say here, but there is plenty to explore for history buffs and tourists.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The public transit system in Boston is pretty good, with plenty of trains to get around the city and the suburbs. A high percentage of locals use both the trains and the buses. One downside is that the T line (unless it’s changed since I was there) only runs until 12:30am, while bars are open until 2. Not cool.
Also, everyone walks everywhere downtown. Officially, it’s the 3rd most walkable city in the U.S. This is partly because the city is small and dense enough to cover a good distance on foot, and also because the city is relatively flat, due to the hills literally being cut down, and the marshes and ponds filled in over the past couple of centuries. Most recently, the ‘Big Dig’ was (finally!) completed in 2007. This was an epic, decades-long project to put Interstate 93 underground, making downtown even more walkable. However, be warned that if you DO drive, the streets are pretty crazy here. If you’ve been to an old European city you know what I mean. There are very few parts of the city that have a nice grid design. Usually, they twist and turn all over the place, sometimes confusing even the locals.

WEATHER
When a winter storm comes through Boston, people don’t wonder *if* it will snow, they wonder ‘how much?’ Last year, Boston along with most of the East Coast had record-breaking snowfalls. This year has been milder, but still very wintry. Summers get pretty hot, generally in 80s or so. Thunderstorms are not uncommon.

DIVERSITY
The Massachusett American Indians, who are still not a federally recognized tribe, originally inhabited the Boston area. When European settlers arrived in the early 17th century, Irish and Italians were the biggest ethnic groups that settled in Boston, though of course they were not alone. The city was very white until the past 50 years, when it has diversified considerably. Now you’ll find Bostonians of many different backgrounds throughout the city. Like many American cities, Boston is definitely not there yet with racial equality, even though it’s politically liberal.

HOUSING
Housing is not cheap if you want to live close to downtown. But once you get past the South End, it’s much more affordable. And honestly, if you can manage to get a place not far from one of the trains, you’ll do great. A lot of the neighborhoods have their own downtowns too, with a group of shops and restaurants (like River Street in Hyde park). People are fiercely loyal to their neighborhoods. The good thing about housing is that there is a lot of availability. So unlike Manhattan, San Francisco, or Seattle, you will probably have more than 20 minutes after viewing an apartment to decide if you want to rent it.

POLITICS
Like with higher education and wealth, Boston is also a powerful place for politics. It’s a strongly democratic city, with such lawmakers as John Kerry, and my personal favorite, Elizabeth Warren, calling it their home.

SPORTS
I guess I have to mention that sports are huge here. If you’re not a sports fan it can be annoying (don’t throw your dunkin donuts coffee at me for saying that!), but if you like getting riled up watching people throw balls around, you’ll love the super enthusiastic sports community here.

Missoula, aka Zootown, may be a small city by American standards, but it is a big city by Montana standards—second biggest in the state, actually. This part of the west has a lot of open land, and the next biggest cities in the region are Spokane, Washington a couple hundred miles west, Billings, Montana 350 miles east, and Idaho Falls about 300 miles south. There are some smaller cities in between those big ones, but Montana’s nickname “Big Sky” definitely makes sense out here--there's a lot of open space.

People move to Missoula for the gorgeous Rocky Mountain surroundings, the lifestyle and culture, and the University of Montana.

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

Missoula has a very unique culture that’s quite different from most western cities. It is a blend of some of the more reserved values of the rural west with the more liberal ideology that the university brings. Rancher meets student. Rural meets urban. It’s a pretty cool blend that’s found hardly anywhere else in the country.

THE CITY

Much of the downtown area is pleasantly walkable, because even though it’s in the Rockies, it’s situated in a relatively flat valley, with the mountains springing up dramatically all around. This means it’s also conveniently, a bike-able city, which is especially great for students or those who prefer not to drive. There is some traffic, but it’s really not bad.

The rivers are a big part of the Missoula’s geography, with the Clark Fork River winding it’s way through downtown, and the Bitterroot River creating the western boundary of the city. There are a few popular spots to jump in and cool off in the summer—just watch out for people fishing and floating!

One fun and unexpected thing about the city is that a lot of people have urban gardens. Much of the housing is small, single-family homes that are either occupied by families or by several students sharing one house. And each has a small yard, many of which are filled with small veggie and flower gardens.

WEATHER

This part of the country has 4 very distinct seasons, with hot yet pleasant summers in the 70s and 80s, and snowy winters below freezing. If you’re thinking of moving here, it’s worth investing in some snow tires and maybe even all wheel drive (or at least front wheel drive) if you're a skier or snowboarder.

Wildfires are a common sight nearby in the summer, with some even threatening Glacier National Park last year.

UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA

Missoula was the first of 4 University of Montana schools, and it is also the largest. It brings in about 13,000 students, both for undergrad and graduate programs, which keeps the city young. The school is also part of why Missoula has such an interesting culture for this part of the world. Mixing together ranchers and farmers with students and university faculty definitely means this is not a dull town!

Recently, however, the school was the subject of John Krakauer’s 2015 book Missoula: R*pe and the Justice System in a College Town, which was extremely critical of the way the university handled several sexual assault cases.

OUTDOOR RECREATION

Playing outdoors is a BIG part of the culture here. Here are some of the most popular ways to have fun:

Skiing and snowboarding: Being in the Rockies, this one is a given. Missoula has it’s own little local mountain right in town called Snow Bowl, to begin with. Then you have Discovery Ski Basin, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Lookout Pass, and Blacktail, which are all within about 2 hours (depending on road conditions).

When it comes to hiking and camping, there are endless options. I’m not even going to try to make a list. But it is worth mentioning that Missoula is about 2.5 hours south of the famous Glacier National Park (which won’t have any glaciers anymore after the next 7-10 years, so go see them while you can). On the way, you pass the large Flathead lake which brings a whole other variety of outdoor fun.

Whitewater rafting and kayaking is popular in the many nearby rivers, especially Clark Fork River, Blackfoot River, and Bitterroot River. Whitewater races are also popular, as if the sport wasn’t already extreme enough!

Fishing is one of the favorite pastimes of many Montanans. Fly fishing is especially popular in the rivers and lakes, for trout, bass, pike, salmon, and other fish.

Hunting is an interesting one. All types of people take part in it, from the ranchers that you’d expect to those that are most interested in sustainable eating. Deer and Elk are the staples, but people also hunt fowl.

Overall, Missoula is a gorgeous city and one of my favorite places. It's a great base for people who love outdoor recreation but don't want to give up the perks of being in a city.

Chicago, located on the southern end of Lake Michigan, is the 3rd largest city in the country and the biggest by far in the Midwest. A lot of Chicago is BIG—some of the country’s biggest buildings, on one of the biggest lakes, home to some of the biggest names in music and sports.

GEOGRAPHY
The focal point of the city, aka the Loop, is centered near where the Chicago River meets the Lake, and is buffered on the east side by the enormous Millennium Park. It’s definitely a city for people who like beaches, because there are dozens of public beaches on the Lake within city limits. Jarvis Beach is my personal fave (used to be called Marion Mahoney Griffin Beach Park)—climb over the rock pile to find a second hidden beach!

ARCHITECTURE
Chicago is famous for its skyline and it’s many interesting buildings, as part of the legacy of its history of innovation and industry. It’s full of skyscrapers, including some of the country’s tallest, and the most unusual. Some odd ones are the Corncob Towers (use your imagination) and the wavy-walled Aqua Tower. Due to a boom of construction before the Great Depression, you’ll see a lot of 1920s art deco style buildings, including the beautiful and colorful Carbide and Carbon Building. Tastefully designed bungalows and classic red brick apartment buildings are not an unusual sight in the residential areas.

WEATHER
There are big seasonal weather changes here. Winters tend to stay below freezing for weeks or even months at a time, with big storms and snowfalls being common. But it warms up to the 70s and 80s in the summer, perfect for exploring the beaches. It will usually be in the 90s at least a good handful of days each summer too.

ENTERTAINMENT
Chicago is famous for sports and music. Watching a Chicago baseball, hockey, football, soccer, or basketball game is a big part of the culture here. If you like baseball, you’ll definitely be asked to choose a side: Cubs or White Sox. You've probably heard of their other teams as well: Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Fire, and Sky. You could almost write a song about that lol.

If you haven’t been to Chicago, you might not know that the House music scene is HUGE here. In fact, Chicago musicians were integral in the creation and evolution of house music itself, starting in the 1980’s, and slowly changing into the very different creature it is today. The city is also known for incredible Jazz, R&B, Rock, Gospel, Soul, and Blues. You’ve probably heard of Lollapalooza, which is held in Grant Park each year as a world-famous 4 day music festival. You're also likely familiar with a few musicians that have come out of the windy city: Nat King Cole, Neko Case, Muddy Waters, Felix da Housecat, Ella Fitzgerald, Fallout Boy, and OK Go to name a few!

CULTURE
Speaking of music, it’s worth noting that much of the city’s outstanding arts scene is due to the large black population in the city. Like most cities, Chicago has a long and complicated sociological history, which I won’t get into here. But I will mention one recent outcome of Chicago’s culture—just last week the city essentially kicked out Donald Trump during one of his presidential campaign rallies! Based on Trump’s many, many racist comments, I’m not surprised this happened, but am inspired by the bravery of those that said “not in our city.”

The city of angels has so much energy, so much happening, that it is almost like a living, breathing creature unto itself. Whether it chews you up and spits you out, or whether it’s a friend, well, that depends on you.

CLIMATE
In summer, it’s very dry, with temperatures in the 80s, occasionally in the 90s. There really isn’t a winter, but a moderate, wetter season, with temps in the 60s and 70s. Definitely bring extra water when hiking in the summer though!

TRAFFIC
It’s bad. It’s beastly. It’s the worst in the nation. Because it can take so long to get from place to place, you might want to consider living near your work, if at all possible, or at least close to a subway that can get you there while avoiding the worst of it.

OUTDOOR RECREATION
If you do manage to get out of the traffic snarl and leave the city for some outdoor recreation, there is definitely some gorgeous hiking. You don’t have to go far—there are some great hikes right in the Santa Monica Mountains, just west of the city. Being close to the ocean, many hikes here have beautiful water views. If you want a challenge, head over to the San Gabriel Range for the classic Mt. Baldy (real name: Mt. San Antonio) summit, a 10,064 peak and the highest point in the mountain range. This mountain range towers just north of town, to the east of highway 14 and has a treasure trove of trails, some with special sights like waterfalls, bridges, and historical points. Check out http://www.modernhiker.com/la-hiking/ for more ideas.

COST OF LIVING
It’s impossible to pin down one average cost of living in the city, because it varies so wildly depending on the neighborhood. You can find neighborhoods for every income level imaginable, ranging from ridiculously wealthy to extremely low income. Rents fluctuate similarly. According to the LA Times neighborhood map, median incomes range from the highest in Bel Air and Hidden Hills at over $200k, to the lowest in downtown and University Park at $15,000. http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/income/median/neighborhood/list/

NEIGHBORHOODS
With 272 neighborhoods, there’s a lot of variety to choose from. Neighborhoods differ not just by geography and income, but they have their own unique cultures and sometimes even a different variety of languages, depending on who lives there.

I should mention that neighborhood segregation is a real thing. After all, this is the city that invented judging people based on their zip code. The rich and famous like to keep to themselves in some of the neighborhoods you’ve probably heard of (like Bel Air) as well as in Beverly Hills, which is technically it’s own city even though it’s right in LA.

The aforementioned Santa Monica Mountains separate downtown, east LA, and other neighborhoods from “The Valley” which is north of the mountains. The other defining geographical factor of the city is how its southern limits are squeezed in by other cities that aren’t technically in city limits. This leaves a narrow strip of LA (in city limits) that bubbles out in the south when it hits the ocean at Terminal Island. So places like Long Beach, Torrance, Carson, Compton, and Inglewood, are their own cities---not LA neighborhoods.

I don’t have space to list all the neighborhoods here, but definitely check out the reviews of places you’re considering to get a feel for them.

This adobe city is known for art, tourism, American Indian culture, outdoor recreation, and having a large retirement community. Even though it’s only an hour away, the state capitol of Santa Fe is very, very different from Albuquerque, the largest city in NM.

HIKING
The Santa Fe area has stunning scenery, being in the Sangre de Cristo, or ‘Blood of Christ,’ range of the Rocky Mountains. Sunsets around here are unbelievable. The desert offers hiking all around, with Santa Fe National Forest to the east, and Bandalier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve to the west. But watch out—the beauty of the natural landscape can also be dangerous. There’s very little to sustain you out here if you get lost, so bring extra water and supplies, and always tell someone where you’re going and when you should be back.

MOUNTAIN BIKING
The mountain biking around here is world class. I personally recommend the Dale Ball trails northeast of town, which are fun and challenging single track. A couple tips: though crashing on your mountain bike is painful anywhere, you might want to be extra cautious here because there are bountiful cacti and lots of rough exposed rock. Secondly, get the self-healing goo-filled tires, for all those cactus thorns you’re likely to encounter so you don’t have to constantly stop to fix a flat.

SKIING
To the surprise of out of towners, Santa Fe is surrounded by great skiing. After all, it’s in the Rockies! Ski Santa Fe is only 16 miles from town center, and is a small, family-style resort. Taos is probably the most well-known, about 2 hours from town. Angel Fire is also about two hours, Sipapu is 90 minutes, and Pajarito is only an hour away. Plenty of options!

ART & ARCHITECTURE
There are dozens of art festivals here each year. People travel from all over the country and world for them, such as the Indigenous Fine Art Market, Objects of Art Santa Fe, and Contemporary Hispanic Market. Also, there are the regular art markets that are held every weekend for most of the year.

I won’t even try to describe or name all the galleries and art exhibits, because there are simply so many to explore.

The streets are so gorgeous, just walking around downtown is like enjoying artwork. Most buildings are the beautiful and practical adobe style that insulate against the temperature. The style is in part due to the ingenuity of the Pueblo American Indians that have lived in the southwest since long before the Spanish and other European immigrants arrived.

MUSEUMS
Santa Fe is rich in museums. There are quite a few downtown, and a second cluster southeast of downtown called “Museum Hill.” My favorite is the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian on Museum Hill. It is housed in a small and beautiful adobe building with a vista of the town and surrounding desert.

RESTAURANTS & BARS
When eating out it’s fun to get a seat in one of the upstairs bars near the central plaza while you people watch. The Thunderbird Bar & Grill is a good one, which also has microbrews for beer lovers like me. I also can recommend the Beestro Bistro, a cute little sidewalk café that does healthy small meals and drinks.

Much of the nightlife is catered to the tourist and older crowd, with a relaxed ‘wine and soft music’ atmosphere. But there is a younger scene if you look for it. Cowgirl was definitely the most fun venue I found. When I was there it was a raucous karaoke night with all the toppings. Super fun. I couldn’t describe it as classy, but then again, they weren’t trying to be.

COST OF LIVING
The cost of living is high for New Mexico and the southwest, but low for the country overall. You could probably find a decent 2 bedroom for about $1000/month, and really nice one with a view for about $1200 or a bit more. There is quite a bit on the market if you’re looking to buy, ranging from modest 1 story 2 bedrooms to luxurious retirement penthouses.

WHO LIVES HERE?
I’ve mentioned retirees a few times, because this is a very popular place to relax in style and comfort. Yet it is not the only big community here. Santa Fe has large and unique Hispanic community, from the long history the area has with Spanish settlers. Some families can trace their heritage in the area back hundreds of years. The American Indian community, however, has a MUCH longer history here. They are a vibrant and important part of the culture and population, and drive much of the arts scene.

SPIRITUALITY
The desert is a place of such beauty and serenity that it naturally attracts those interested in spirituality. People travel to the area to see the beautiful old Spanish churches, go on a vision quest, enjoy a retreat, try a sweat lodge, or to simply meditate in the wilderness. Overall, there certainly is a slower and perhaps more grounded atmosphere here than in nearby cities.

NIGHTLIFE
Obviously, this is the main reason people go to Las Vegas—for the party and gambling scene, as well as the anonymity that the huge crowds afford. I don’t think I need to say too much about this, as everyone is already familiar with Vegas’ most famous attractions. My only suggestions are:

--Definitely get a hotel on or close to the strip, or you’ll have to taxi everywhere and that will cost just as much as the extra expense of a hotel right in the middle of all the action.

--The blocks are HUGE so if something looks close on a map (only 4 blocks away!) it’s MUCH farther than you think

--If you have a lot of women in your group, walk around during the day and look for promoters (young men in nice suits handing out flyers). They will put you on their guest list, which means free entrance and/or a shorter line. Then, show up EARLY. Otherwise your guest passes are useless.

--Traffic at night is totally stop and go. Rush hour has a completely different meaning here. So if you’re catching a cab to the other end of the strip, give yourself a lot more time than you think you’ll need to get there.

SPORTS & CONVENTIONS
Besides the gambling, shows, and nightlife, Vegas is known as a big sports competition destination. The NCAA WCC (West coast conference) Basketball competition is usually held here. When I was there most recently there was a huge soccer tournament with hundreds of teams, all ages, from all over the country. There was also a gymnastics convention.

Vegas is popular for conventions overall, not just sports. This is probably due to the large amount of venue space to rent and the availability of accommodations.

LIVING HERE:
One word: cheap. Depending on the neighborhood, you can rent an entire 1 bedroom house for $600/month, or a 2 or 3 bedroom house for $750/month. Since the biggest industry in Vegas is obviously tourism, low rent is important because most of those service jobs aren’t high paying. The catch? A lot of the homes are in mobile home parks.

This is a little insight into the reality that is Vegas—as soon as you step off the strip, the range of incomes, particularly low-income households, is very apparent. The glitzy streets are replaced with cracked pavement, empty lots, and broken sidewalks. The fountains and valet parking make way for mobile home parks. There are very few locals that actually get rich in Vegas, most people are just working service jobs trying to get by like the rest of us.

That being said, the friends I do have that live in Vegas say one reason they stay is they love the tight community of locals.

Another reason people love living here is the beauty of the natural surroundings:

OUTDOOR RECREATION:
If you’re sick of the strip and want the complete opposite, Vegas has some beautiful outdoor rec sites within an hour’s drive.

If you get your timing right, there are some great day hiking options. In the winter the trails can be snow covered (but still possible with the right gear, and stunningly gorgeous), and in the summer, you have to REALLY be able to handle your heat because there’s very little shade in a lot of areas. Rock climbing is also big here. Carry over a gallon of water for a day hike. The two closest areas are Red Rock Canyon (30 min drive, busy, accessible) and Sloan Canyon (45-60 min, rough road, not busy) National Conservation areas. Sloan Canyon also has a pretty cool petroglyph site (ancient rock art).

Besides those two, there is lots of recreation on the Colorado River and Lake Mead to the east, on the border with Arizona. The bottom of Lake Mead is where the famous Hoover Dam is, another popular tourist destination. Plenty to enjoy in nature here, outside of the smoke-filled casinos!

CULTURE
Portland has a very casual, organic feel to it. There are few dress codes at clubs and music venues. Books, beer, and beards are all highly valued. Natural food is everywhere. And yes, tiny houses are a real thing. Not many people actually LIVE in tiny houses, but Portland is a national favorite place for this tiny new movement. Read on for some more hints into the culture here.

BOOKS
As a shameless bookworm, one of my very favorite things about Portland is, of course, Powell’s bookstore. It is the largest independent bookstore in the WORLD and a very, very dangerous place for a book lover. You will find every book you ever dreamed of, and a thousand more. It’s the kind of place that will never be replaced by Amazon, because it’s just so damn fun to go to your favorite category and explore their new choices, check out the staff favorites, and chat it up with other people that are interested in (insert niche subject here).

THRIFTING
My other favorite place in town is Crossroads Trading Co. This is a chain used clothing store, but for some reason the one in Portland is better than the others I’ve seen. It’s fun to find a trendy new outfit that doesn’t break the bank. Actually, Portland is a great place for thrifting overall. You can get some really good finds. Maybe this is why the hipsters are so stylish. Hmmmm.

FOOD
Portland has a great food and beer scene. There are dozens upon dozens of local specialty restaurants, many of which use organic/local/fair trade ingredients. I like JoLa Restaurant in John’s Landing neighborhood. Amazing soup, sandwiches, salads, and gourmet toast. Stormbreaker Brewery is another favorite for food, and of course beer. I also like Sizzle Pie, a pizza place with a fun atmosphere and a bar that’s open late.

BEER & NIGHTLIFE
The city has tons of brewpubs downtown, and also more than one beer festival throughout the year where you can shamelessly get drunk with your friends in the name of “learning about the brewing process.” Other than downtown, Mississippi Street is the new hip place to go out. It didn’t used to be so hip, but it’s been developed/gentrified a lot in the past 2 years. Portland also has a great music scene, with a wide variety ranking from folk to opera to metal. For the most part, the nightlife is very laid back and unpretentious here.

RUNNING
Running culture is big in Portland, unsurprisingly. Athletic companies such as Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour have headquarters here, drawing in sports enthusiasts as employees. There are also quite a few professional runners who call Portland home. Galin Rupp, one of the U.S.’ top distance runners, is a homegrown hero, and another one of the running world’s biggest heroes, Steve Prefontaine, is from Coos Bay, about an hour from Portland. Runners really like the soft trails in Forest Park, a huge urban park stretching along the Wilammete from downtown about 5 miles north, almost to the town of Burlington.

PUBLIC TRANSIT
The city really has public transportation figured out. There’s the MAX light rail, which goes all the way to the airport, plus all the way to Beaverton, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Clackamas, Gresham, and the Expo Center. Not bad, not bad at all. Besides the MAX, there’s also the streetcars. There are two routes, the north/south line, and a loop that goes from downtown to the east side of the Willamette, and back. Oh, and there’s free public transit on New Year’s Eve! Not sure why all cities don’t do this, because it’s brilliant.

DOWNSIDES
There are two main bruises on Portland’s reputation. One is its struggle to support the homeless population. It’s unfortunate that there are so many people without a home, and Portland doesn’t seem to be able to adequately house and help them, sadly. Downtown can get pretty crowded. The second downside, oddly, is the over-abundance of strip clubs. When you picture Portland, you probably don’t think “bachelor party destination,” but it is for some. I’m not sure why this strange phenomenon has happened, but there are far too many seedy strip clubs for this small city.

COST OF LIVING
Part of the reason some Portlanders are building tiny houses is for the affordability. Depending on what part of town you’re in, rent can definitely put a big dent in your paycheck. Studios start at about $900/month, one bedrooms starting at about $1200. Luckily, prices aren’t quite as high as Seattle or San Francisco…. Yet.

How to describe the colorful, ever-changing, noisy, gorgeous city that is New York? It really differs based on which neighborhood you’re in, but I’ll give it my best shot to describe it overall.

THE GOOD:

NYC has such an amazing diversity of people. You can meet people from everywhere in the world, with every skill set imaginable, from so many cultures and languages… and that’s just on the subway on your way into the city. The city is so dense that you’re automatically going to meet people from other industries and backgrounds by default, which is amazing.

Part of why you’ll meet so many interesting people is because of all the events. There is just SO MUCH to do in this city. You can find a hundred different things to do each night, many of which are low cost or free (which kind of makes up for the unaffordable rent, a tiny bit). Museums, theater, music in the park, dancing, happy hours, parties, artwork, brunch, sports, it never ends. ……

But the culture here isn’t just about a huge roster of events, it’s also that people tend to be very open to going out, being socially active, and making new friends. As a Seattleite, this isn’t something to take for granted and definitely isn’t part of the culture of every city. If New York was a person, it would be the social butterfly, always interested in meeting new people, going to events all the time, and never having a dull moment.

The food is so good. You can find some of the best in the world for whatever type of food you like. The best ramen, the best pizza, the best sushi. For sure the best brunch, which is a vital weekend meal here, and probably the only time New Yorkers actually slow down. The only trouble is eating out can get very expensive. But at the same time, depending on where you live, it can be tough to cook all your meals at home because the grocery stores are also expensive and sometimes hard to come by.

THE BAD:

NYC is always humming with life—which is good. But this means that you have to get used to sleeping with noise, or get earplugs. The noise just never stops in this city. You get used to it after a while, but it can still be draining to not have a quiet space. Especially if you’re in an older building where you can also hear everything your neighbors are up to, whether you want to or not.

The lack of access to nature isn’t great either. Sure you can go to a park, but to get out into the mountains to go for a hike, you really need a car and a lot of time—both things most New Yorkers don’t typically have. So that’s a trade off, because you definitely can feel like you need some fresh air once in a while.

The last detriment to NYC is the cost. Rent is obscenely high. It can be stressful, even for the mid to high wage earners, because apartments are simply so scarce, and so expensive. Sure, you might be earning a higher wage in NYC than your job in another city, but your standard of living isn’t going to change because renting your tiny studio is going to eat up most of your income. And right now there’s really no way to avoid that without a super long commute. I honestly have no idea how minimum or low wage earners live here.

THE GOOD/BAD:

Lastly I’ll mention the fast pace. It’s a cliché, but it’s true that this is a city that never sleeps. There is a whole other standard of work and social activity that I’ve never seen anywhere else. People work ridiculous hours, go out after work, sleep for a few hours, then do it all again. This can be both exhilarating and exhausting. But it’s really hard to NOT do it, because everyone else is doing it. So the excitement and fun of a non-stop life have to be worth the weariness that it can cause if you want to live in this beautiful crazy city.

Northwest is the Spokane neighborhood to live in if you like doing sports. Golf, Frisbee, bmx, swimming, softball, baseball, soccer, skating. It’s all here.

Here are your options:

--Downriver Golf Course
--Downriver Disc Golf Course (for the rest of us, who’d rather invest in a Frisbee than in a set of clubs and a golf course membership)
--Downriver Park: with river access, picnicking, and walking trails
--Dwight Merkel Sports Complex: This place is huge! They have 5 softball/baseball fields, 6 natural turf soccer fields, 2 artificial turf soccer fields, a bmx course, a skate park, a wading pool, and picnic area. Not bad. I love that the city invested in this, because it’s so great for the community to have all these options.

Other benefits of living here is that housing is very affordable. You’re also pretty close to the Northtown shopping center on Division, and all the commercial options on Francis. Overall, this neighborhood has a reputation of being relatively safe, with a solid middle-class communities settled down in small, single-family homes.

Probably the only downside is the distance from downtown, though the commute isn’t that bad. There’s also not much of a community downtown here with shops and restaurants. They tend to be scattered on Francis, Northwest Blvd, and Wellesley.

A couple of recommendations:

--Maple Street Bistro: super cute neighborhood place with delish coffee and breakfast sandwiches. The smoothies are also great in the summer.
--Wall Street Diner: Deliciously greasy American breakfasts. Perfect hangover cure.
--The Flying Goat: A fun pizza spot with good beer.
--Rancho Chico: a down-home Mexican place with great service.

People come to San Francisco from all over the country and the world for the tech, finance, and business communities, the LGBTQ scene, and that Cali vibe.

The city itself makes up the end of the San Francisco Peninsula, connected to the north by the famous Golden Gate Bridge. To the west is the Pacific Ocean, and to the east is the Bay, protected by the peninsula.

COST OF LIVING
It can’t be avoided, we’ve got to start with the fact that SF is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. It all starts with the cost of rent. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Everyone in San Fran knows it, but puts up with it because they love the city so much. Small studios start at $1800/month and it only goes up from there. Minimum wage workers don’t really stand a chance at having their own place.

Part of the reason it’s so expensive is because SF is the second most densely populated city in the country, second only to Manhattan in NYC. That means that much of the city is made of multi-unit apartment and condo buildings, with very few able to afford single-family homes.

PARKS
Despite the density, San Fran has some huge parks. There’s the 1,000 acre Golden Gate Park that is full of walking paths and even a lake. It’s has tons of activities like exercise classes, canoeing, archery, Frisbee golf, and of course lots of bikers and runners. It leads you all the way to Ocean Beach, one of the city’s iconic sandy beaches where you can swim.

Baker Beach is another good swimming option. It’s a clothing-optional beach though, so you can’t say no one warned you! A (clothing not-optional) alternative is China Beach aka East Beach. It has plenty of shallows for wading, and picnic and bbq equipment. It’s a bit warmer than the other two because it’s on the Bay side, rather than the ocean side. Both Baker and China Beach are part of the Presidio, another huge park that sits at the north edge of the city where the Bay spills in to the Pacific Ocean underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

WEATHER
Before you book your beach vacation though, you should know that it doesn’t actually get that hot in SF. You’ll get a few sweaty days, but for the most part it’s very mild. The summers tend to be dry, but rarely get over 80 degrees. The rest of the year is wetter and cooler, with about 73 days of rain per year, compared to 260 clear days and just over 100 days with clouds. The city is also well-known for it’s fog, which can sock the city in a cold mist that brings a chill even in summer.

ECONOMY
This city runs on tech and finance, with a big dash of tourism to keep the coffers full. This means that the population overall is very highly educated. It also means that income levels are above average, which is part of what keeps rent extremely high (alongside the density).

TRANSPORTATION
For the US, San Francisco has excellent public transportation. Between buses, street cars, light rail, and subway, including an underwater tube that takes people in and out of the city from the east side of the bay, a lot of people get around without driving. It also has two nearby airports.

CULTURE:
This is one of the big draws to the city, and why so many people stay. SF has a really unique culture that is constantly evolving. It manages to combine the innovation and flash of the wealthy tech world with the laid back nature of a west coast town, with political liberalism and an internationally-known, thriving LGBTQ community. With all of this, and the fact that it has over 850,0000 residents, many residential parts of the city maintain a down to earth neighborhood feel.

NOLA is a beautiful, colorful city full of life. In the extremely conservative state of Louisiana, it is a more liberal hub with a very unique culture and history unlike anything else in the US. Compared to many other cities in the south, there’s a thriving LGBTQ community here as well. Tourism is the main industry in New Orleans, and is definitely what keeps this city running.

Much of the city is flat and walkable, thought it’s so hot and muggy in the summer that you’ll probably want to get a street car or a bus to get around. Otherwise people drive or ride bikes. Because it’s so flat you’ll see a lot of heavy cruiser bikes, some even with classic back-pedal brakes.

Water is a big part of the identity here. New Orleans is bordered in the south by the Mississippi River, in the north by Lake Pontchartrain as well as Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, and in the east by Lake Borgne and more Bbayous, which spill into the Atlantic Ocean.

Water, of course, is also what destroyed much of the city in 2005’s Hurricane Katrina when the levees broke.

HURRICANE
Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath brought out a lot of racial tension and legacy that had been underlying but had not been solved. One big issue that came out was the racialization of poverty—when the hurricane was on its way, the city had warnings to evacuate. Thousands of people left for their own safety. Those who didn’t? The people who couldn’t afford it, didn’t have a car, or didn’t have a place to stay elsewhere. And a disproportionate majority of them were black. So when the levees broke, that meant that a disproportionate amount of the people who died or were injured were also black. Now I definitely can’t do justice to this highly complex and charged issue here, but I wanted to note that for all of NOLA’s amazing characteristics, it is still struggling with how to best and most fairly support all of it’s residents. But it’s definitely not alone in that regard, it’s something than many American cities struggle with, though not on the same dramatic scale as seen with the hurricane.

As for the physical damage of Katrina, though a lot of progress has been made, the city still hasn’t recovered fully. You’ll see a lot of construction and boarded up, abandoned buildings dotting the city, even a few in the downtown core, though most are in surrounding neighborhoods. This means that construction has become the other main industry here, alongside tourism.

NEIGHBORHOODS
Speaking of neighborhoods, cost of living varies wildly depending on where you live in the city. The French Quarter is out of reach for most, as the hottest place in town. The Garden District also has a high price tag, because it’s full of gorgeous old mansions and pristine gardens. But other nearby neighborhoods begin to reach a more reasonable cost. I really like Marigny, just east of the French Quarter, which is full of colorful houses of different sizes, and is close to the famous Frenchman’s street, which boasts dozens of music venues squeezed one next to the other. Bayou St John is also a fun neighborhood, and it’s got the benefit of being close to the HUGE city park. The neighborhoods near Tulane University are also nice, and full of students.

Neighborhoods that were damaged more by Katrina, of course, are the most affordable, because in many cases they haven’t received the resources they need to properly rebuild. The most famous of which is the 9th ward, which was almost completely destroyed.

NIGHTLIFE & CULTURE
On a lighter note, this is definitely a city that knows how to party and have fun, and not just on Mardi Gras. Themed parties are a strong tradition here, so you’ll get the chance to bust out your costumes and dance more than once a year.

And do I need to say how great the music is here? Any night of the week, you can find outstanding musicians playing at dozens of venues around the city. The nightlife and party scene is how the city got the nickname the Big Easy. One of the best things about NOLA’s party culture though, is that it’s not just for college students, like in many other cities. Many of the festivals, parades, and music events here are meant to be for all types of people, all ages, all backgrounds.

This inclusive culture is also reflected in the southern hospitality that comes out in full force. It really is a special place to be a visitor, because many of the locals will go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

FOOD
I can’t finish the review without mentioning the food. The food is, of course, amazing. The city is probably best well known for seafood, and Cajun style flavors. Gumbo, Jambalaya, po-boy sandwiches, Beignets, Crawfish Étouffée…. There are so many delicious things to try. I don’t want to do the city an injustice by recommending restaurants because there are SO MANY places that have excellent food.

If you’re traveling and you ask someone from Austin where they’re from, they often won’t just say they’re from Texas—they’ll make sure you know they’re from Austin. I’ve heard two reasons for this: One, because everyone’s heard of Austin and it’s great reputation, and two, because it’s so different from the rest of Texas.

The state capitol of Texas, the city is centered around the Colorado River which goes straight through town. It’s known for being much more liberal than most of Texas, with a pretty different culture from other big Texas cities like Houston or Dallas.

First order of business: MUSIC. Austin is obviously known for good music (though coming from Seattle, I’m not 100% sure I can say that it’s the live music capitol of the world… let’s call it a tie.)

The Texas Music Museum is decent, but it won’t take you a whole day—leaving you plenty of time to explore elsewhere. Like maybe a lazy stroll around Zilker Park, which often has live music, or sometimes theater. The park is also the host of Austin City Limits (ACL), the world-famous music festival at the end of September.

6th street is the main drag for nightlife, including live music, though from what I hear it’s been slowly changing to be less live music and more clubs. In my (limited) experience, there were still some great venues though it did seem a bit touristy with a lot of college students.

6th gets a lot quieter on the east side of hwy 35, where it has more of a locals/neighborhood vibe. The venues are less touristy and more cozy. Probably in part because to get there from the busiest part of 6th you have to walk under the freeway, which was a bit sketchy.

Besides music, Austin’s great for museums. There's the Mexican American Cultural Center, the Mexic-Arte Museum, and the Bullock Texas State History Museum, among others. I LOVED the state history museum. I spent more than half a day there and didn’t want to leave yet.

I can definitely see the appeal of living in Austin. Great music, food and culture, decent public transit, big parks. The only part that doesn’t cut it for me is the heat and no mountains or ocean in sight. Though to be fair, the hill country is gorgeous in the spring, with bright wildflowers covering the country hills north of town.

Some recommendations:

--Parish on 6th: A live music venue small enough to get up close and personal with the bands. The managers curate the music well, and the acoustics are great (not always a given). I saw an excellent jazz band here.

--Eureka! A burger bar with great micro brews (coming from WA, I realized how spoiled for choice we are in Seattle where at any given bar you can find at least 5 micro brews on offer. Not so in other cities. But this place is great in Austin.

--Historic Scoot Inn on 4th—just off 6th, on the quieter east side of hwy 35. The staff can be hit and miss, but the bands they choose are great, and overall it’s an awesome venue. In an old red barn with a huge outdoor concert area, it's so fun when the whole crowd's dancing on a summer night.

Phinney Ridge and Greenwood both sit just west of Highway 99/Aurora. They’re pretty typical for north Seattle neighborhoods, full of single family homes, a few condos and apartments, cute downtown areas, and middle/upper-class residents.

Being just far enough away from the city center, there are lots of families that enjoy settling down here. Not everyone who lives here is in a family though. There are plenty of couples, and a smattering of singles who prefer the quiet life.

When I was apartment hunting I looked at a few places nearby, and one thing that I liked about both neighborhoods is that they each had a small-town vibe to them. They have neighborhood associations with events, and it doesn’t feel as impersonal as a city. But that also made me feel a bit young for the area.

The neighborhood center for Greenwood (at 85th and Greenwood) is quite small, only about 2 blocks, but it’s enough to cover the bases of some good food, good bars, and good coffee. For groceries, there’s a big Fred Meyer, which is super convenient.

Phinney Ridge’s downtown runs down Greenwood ave all the way until you get to Woodland Park Zoo (personally not a fan), and also along 65th, between Green Lake and 8th ave. It’s a cozy neighborhood stroll to walk around the business district, getting occasional glimpses of Green Lake.

When it comes to housing, both are popular, but Phinney Ridge is probably in higher demand, because it’s just a bit closer to Green Lake, and to downtown. It’s easy to grab a bus (E line) down Aurora, which takes you straight to downtown Seattle, most of the way in a bus lane so you don’t have to wait in traffic. But getting east to west is a challenge on public transit.

The PhinneyWood art walk is definitely worth checking out-- it’s the 2nd Fridays from 6-9 and includes food! (The motto is ‘art up and chow down’). One cool thing is they make an effort to have most artists on site. Since it’s north Seattle, you’ll always find something funky too like on-site Reiki sessions and aromatherapy. Plus there are discounts on the art.

In the end, I didn’t end up getting a place here because even though the E-line runs right downtown, it still would add a 30-35 minute commute to get downtown, and that wasn’t worth it for me. Plus I felt I'd get a bit restless with how quiet it is, though I can see the appeal for others.

Seward Park is a well-off Seattle community, just east of Columbia City. It is bordered to the east by Lake Washington, with a long shoreline road and walking path. The focal point is the enormous Seward Park, a 300 acre forested park with peaceful walking trails and swimming.

The Park:

One of the best things about Seattle is that early in it’s development, it set aside prime land for parks, and since then has invested in making them beautiful and maintaining them. Seward Park is the perfect example.

The park makes up the entirety of a small peninsula that juts out into Lake Washington. It actually almost feels like an island, because it is only connected to the mainland by a small piece of land, and is full of trees and ringed with beaches. This makes Seward Park feel miles away from the city, even though it's right next door.

There is a paved walking trail all the way around, and a few trails through the middle. It’s a perfect place for a weekend stroll or summer swim. For boats, you can hand launch at Martha Washington Park just south of Seward park, likewise at Adams Street launch just north. For motorized boats, you’ll want to head to Atlantic City Launch a couple miles south.

The Neighborhood:

The neighborhood of Seward Park is full of single-family homes, and people hold on tight to them, because it is such valuable property with the proximity to the lake and the park. You won’t find much for rent or for sale here, especially as Columbia City is quickly becoming one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seattle.

The closest areas you’ll find more rental availability are in Columbia City, particularly along Rainier Ave. Even though it’s only about a half mile away, the housing is also much more affordable. Those single-family homes with a water view in Seward Park are out of reach for most.

I’d say the only downside to this neighborhood is that isn’t really anything to it besides housing. The only amenities are a Caffe Ladro and a pizza restaurant. There used to be a PCC natural market, but it moved to Columbia City down the road

That being said, even as Columbia City is booming, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few more shops or restaurants pop up along Wilson Ave.

Five Mile Prairie is an unusual neighborhood. It is a plateau, rimmed by cliffs, raised above the rest of Spokane by about 450 feet.

Why such an odd geological formation?

During the last ice age, natural dams full of glacial meltwater broke in Montana, causing violent floods to rush eastward across Washington. When the water reached Spokane, it was up to 500 feet deep at times. Only the areas with harder rock, such as basalt, could withstand it—everything else got scraped away. File Mile Prairie, along with the nearby Orchard Prairie, are made of basalt, from more ancient volcanic activity, and so survived.

Luckily, Spokane’s not expecting any Noah’s Ark-style floods again anytime soon. If they were, I'd head to Five Mile Prairie, because it still sticks up above the rest of Spokane, like a pedestal.

And it’s not just the elevation that’s higher here--the income levels of residents here are also much higher than the rest of Spokane, on average.

Homes here are newer and larger. They tend to have a 2 or 3 car garage, and 4-6 bedrooms. Whereas much of the rest of Spokane, with a few exceptions, is filled with modest, though comfortable, single-level homes, most homes on Five Mile Prairie are 2 or 3 stories.

No doubt this is a great neighborhood for those who can afford it, and it’s certainly more affordable than anything similar on the west side of the Cascade Mountains.

File Mile Prairie is right on the border of Spokane city limits, and the northern half is not incorporated. Students, even those that are in the incorporated part of Five Mile Prairie, will be part of the Mead School District, which is not part of the Spokane School District, and serves communities just north of the city limits.

Spokane Valley (aka ‘the valley’) is Spokane’s smaller next-door neighbor. Just east of the big city, if you’re driving on I-90, you really can’t tell where Spokane ends and the valley begins—it’s all sprawl.

A lot of people who live here commute to Spokane, or to the Business and Industrial Park, in northeast Spokane Valley, on highway 290. A good amount are also employed at the Fairchild Air Force Base, west of Spokane.

The valley doesn’t have nearly as much of a downtown area as Spokane, with restaurants instead being strewn down the main roads—Sprague, South Pines/27, and Sullivan. There’s also the mall, just off exit 291A, which is probably the closest thing to a city center.

If you’re looking for a community with a walkable downtown, and community areas, this isn’t it. The valley instead caters to those who prefer owning their own home and being comfortable staying in their neighborhood, and driving to everything they need.

A bonus of living here though is that you’re very close to fantastic outdoor recreation. Dishman Hills park is right in town, with views. On the east side of town is Saltese Uplands, which has a mountain biking loop with sweet singletrack (but there’s NO shade—watch out!). And a few more miles east on I-90 is Liberty Lake, which has camping, swimming, and a gorgeous 8 mile hike through the hills. I’ve seen moose here enjoying the marsh, so stay aware. And you’re less than an hour away from the Coeur d’Alene National Forest, which is a hiking wonderland.