Alternatives to Santa Fe?

[COcheesehead]

Some of these towns are starting to get out there a ways like Conifer and Pine and if urban sprawl is not your thing, avoid Castle Rock. That is a mess.
I listed the 'burbs that at least touch the metro area since they offer the best of both worlds, nature and city. The light rail connection shouldn't be overlooked. A very nice amenity for a city to have.

 

[Hermit]

Surprised you left out Hartsel, "the heart of Colorado".

I'll be cruising the main drag in Hartsel tomorrow morning! (For those that don't know, that is the only street (US 24) and it is about three buildings long.

 

[Hermit]

A member of my other forum retired in Bend, OR after living for many years in Conifer and has some stories to tell. The average snowfall is 136 inches a year.

I'd guess the great majority of folks in Conifer commute to the Denver Metro area to work. If you want a rural mountain setting fairly close to a metro area, it is pretty nice. If you really want to be out in the sticks in the mountains, Pine is another 20 minutes south of Conifer. You are almost out of the commuting area there.

 

[pjm-7]

Got out of Castle Rock a few years ago, it lost its small town feel. It's now an expensive, snooty burb.

 

[COcheesehead]

Got out of Castle Rock a few years ago, it lost its small town feel. It's now an expensive, snooty burb.

Snooty? The city with all the outlet malls.

 

[COcheesehead]

Here's a good prospect list for all 50 states.
Check out this article from USA TODAY:

50 state road trip: Beautiful small towns in every state

50 state road trip: Beautiful small towns in every state

 

[BarbWire]

Boise is nothing like Austin, well except for all the californicators that have moved here. My FIL lived in Austin 20 years so we used to visit quite often. I was just there a few months ago. Can't stand that town now.

Austin has much worse traffic, crime and sprawl; ever tried going out to dinner in Austin? good luck finding a parking spot. also, ever go down 6th street? carry lots of ones or some change - every tweaked out bum in texas lives there

Please note that I said that 20 years ago -- when I would visit Boise on work -- it reminded me of the Austin of the 80s (and 70s): a state capitol with a university and a "big town/little city" vibe.

I agree that Austin -- and Texas -- are dreadful. I left in the late 70s, the moment I graduated from UT, swearing never to return to Texas. However, I spent 2009-2016 back in Austin for eldercare, right in "highly desirable" central old Austin -- and got out the second my parents' house sold.

In fact, I don't know anyone who is "old Austin" who likes the place any more. No one I went to high school with stayed. Long time (30+ year) residents of central Austin are selling out and leaving: they can't stand being hostage to the traffic and the pro-growth city council and the hipster tech industry ....

 

[SecondCor521]

Boise, Cheyenne, Spokane, Bozeman

I've lived in Boise for the past 24 years. It ticks most of the items on the list, but it might be too big. Official city population is 214K per Google vs. 70K for Santa Fe. The extended area around Boise adds another 100K people at least.

Airport-wise, Boise is not a major hub; depending on where you're heading you may need to fly to Chicago or SLC or Portland or San Francisco first. But the connectivity is getting better and it is served by at least three major US airlines (United, Delta, and Alaska offhand, may be more).

 

[cooch96]

One town in Colorado not mentioned, but might fit is Canon City. It is a small town atmosphere but within easy distance of Colorado Springs for major medical. It has become somewhat of a retirement destination in the last several years. They do some nice events in the summer, but not a major art location to my knowledge.

+1

 

[BarbWire]

Airport-wise, Boise is not a major hub; depending on where you're heading you may need to fly to Chicago or SLC or Portland or San Francisco first. But the connectivity is getting better and it is served by at least three major US airlines (United, Delta, and Alaska offhand, may be more).

Currently sitting in Singapore working on train logistics for Japan as well as starting some preliminary planning for Iceland and for southern Africa in 2018.

Making connections is just part of the travel game, and thus not a dealbreaker. Just so long as the airport is served by at least one airline from StarAlliance and Oneworld!

Boise really does punch many of the items on my list (even, I suppose, size, though I'd prefer under 150K pop when I move in, assuming that when I am carried out in a pine box in 30 years it will more than double.)

Hmmm.