Where to go in America?

[jt'smom]

You've described many small towns in Minnesota. Heck, even the Twin Cities is pretty darn nice. Really scenic places: Duluth, Winona, Mankato, Brainard

Omg, I just had this vivid image of Margie and Norm!

 

[JustMeFran]

Seacost Region of New Hampshire (Rt 93/Salem East and Concord South)
Greater Rochester NY area (Monroe and Western Wayne counties)

 

[Marchand63]

I'm selling my home in FL and want to buy another place...but where? I like cold weather, beautiful scenery and friendly people. Don't want a town terribly large...don't want the challenge of learning a BIG place and don't need the headache of lots of traffic. Who has a suggestion? I'm wide open.

Anywhere in New England.

 

[sasywtch]

If you're up for a big move, Lake Tahoe on the NV side (I prefer the CA side but NV doesn't have state taxes), Placerville, CA. These areas get cold but not down right freezing, they get snow but not blizzards etc.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

New Hampshire, Maine or Vermont.

I need to do a road trip one of these days and hit these states. Feel like I'm missing out.

 

[China Expat]

We are moving to Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington state in just a few more years. Cant wait.

 

[McKelly]

I remember driving through the Wapiti Valley on the way from Cody, Wyoming into Yellowstone and looking at the houses there thinking how beautiful it would be to live there. Cody is a small town, which would be on one side of you and Yellowstone on the other. It definitely would fit the cold factor!

 

[MillauFr]

Ashland, Oregon.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I need to do a road trip one of these days and hit these states. Feel like I'm missing out.

Me too

 

[lisaviolet]

What a great adventure OP.

Since a lot of Canadians travel throughout the US and have a different perspective well two of the friendliest states that I drive through are West Virginia (I would say ironic given last week's disgusting news but I don't want to get points) and Virginia - the service with a smile and warmth is exquisite.

I love Southeast Virginia. The area around Williamsburg, just beautiful. I am assuming there are a lot of bylaws for signage, building structure, urban sprawl because it is just lovely. But the 64 can have a ton of traffic going in and out of the area. Unsure how that affects daily living, maybe not at all.

Also, I know you said town but Burlington, Vermont is a very livable small city. Stowe is beautiful and quaint.

There are towns on the islands of Lake Champlain that are quaint as well.

I concur about North Conway. Spent a lot of my youth hanging out there. I went to university in Quebec near the NY/VT/NH/ME borders. So many beautiful towns. We loved a road trip.

Lake Placid is nice.

I would also look to coastal towns from Maine, NH, MA and down if being near the ocean is a great addition. Even on Long Island, if one has the money, there are some beautiful towns. I love Sag Harbor.

Again, if money isn't an issue there are some really gorgeous spots on the Hudson, north of NYC.

Northern Michigan is gorgeous.

(I have travelled in many other areas of the US as well but New England is a great choice for your criteria and Virginia being high on my list of friendliness. Also, for me I would really look to university towns.)

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Up here, this city girl has a town she loves in the Eastern Townships of Quebec - North Hatley. On a lake, with a myriad of bike paths and gorgeous architecture. You can see the colonial influence. Absolutely picture perfect.

 

[lisaviolet]

I would also suggest the beautiful and friendly Carolinas. It gets cold here in the winter.

And t's an entirely different kind of cold! Insert smile.

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I know a few Canadians that have gone to live in South Carolina and have commented that even after decades living there, well there is something about their area/town that still makes them feel like an outsider.

But no doubt some beautiful areas.

 

[katie01]

How exciting for you! I currently live in Illinois, I've also lived in Iowa and Minnesota, I also vacation in Michigan and Wisconsin fairly frequently, so most of my ideas will come from Midwestern cities. Google some of the following and see if any of these appeal to you: Ames IA (college town with Iowa State University, my alma mater), Galena Illinois (overall Illinois has high taxes so you might want to avoid the state, however I'm sure the property taxes are much lower in Galena than they are here in the Chicago suburbs--Galena is a quaint small town that has preserved much of the architecture from the 1800s), Northfield MN (home of St Olaf College, also a quaint smallish town, Minnesota is such a great state to live in with friendly people), Door County WI--there are several towns here--touristy in the summer but a very pretty area, or St. Joseph MN--has some of the most beautiful beaches (Lake MI) in the US

 

[Pooh2]

No state income tax in NH!

 

[Mirielle]

My head is swimming! So many incredible responses with great ideas. I like them all!!! Was on realtor sites till nearly 4 a.m. Loving this adventure! Appreciate the help and welcome any more ideas you care to offer.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My head is swimming! So many incredible responses with great ideas. I like them all!!! Was on realtor sites till nearly 4 a.m. Loving this adventure! Appreciate the help and welcome any more ideas you care to offer.

Are you retired? Younger? What do you like to do for recreation? Do schools matter?

 

[crazymama]

Friendly Manitoba! Technically, not in the States but only a quick hour drive to the border from Winnipeg

Or Beautiful BC!! LOL! Dueling Provinces!

 

[Arkansan]

Her is my list in no particular order:

Appleton/Neenah, WI-- three hours from Chicago, near Green Bay and Door County and the UP of Michigan. Cute communities with celebrations for Octoberfest and the 4th of July.

Northfield, MN--just outside (30 min. max) the Twin Cities. Has two liberal arts colleges (St. Olaf--um ya ya!--and Carleton) so lots of opportunities and a really cute downtown. They host the "Defeat of Jesse James" days each year because the town fought off a robbery attempt on their bank and ran Jesse out of town. Complete with a reinactment on horseback and a parade!

Bentonville/Rogers/Fayetteville/Belle Vista, AR--far NW corner of Arkansas near the Missouri border. Property taxes are low, many transplants due to Wal*Mart's headquarters located in Bentonville, and lots of opportunities for sports and the arts at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Summers can be warm, but it snows and there is no snow removal equipment so everything shuts down--even if it melts by noon! It is several hours from Kansas City, so you can get to a bigger city/airport fairly easily.

 

[wishing4PA]

State College, PA (not usually very cold though - depends how cold you want it)
Ithaca or Albany NY?
I'm sure there are great options in VT, NH, and ME, but I need to get up that way to see them myself.
Juneau AK? Now that would be fun!
Charlottesville, VA if the others are sounding too cold or too distant?
I've spent anywhere from a couple minutes to over a decade in the towns above, so I can't vouch for the friendliness of the people everywhere. But I think all would be pretty.
Good luck! It sounds like it'll be a fun move, wherever you end up!

 

[Mirielle]

Are you retired? Younger? What do you like to do for recreation? Do schools matter?

Schools are not a concern. My favorite form of recreation is eating!

 

[Wendy31]

Tennessee really is a great state - friendly, smaller towns (but w/ bigger cities nearby), no state income tax, lots of great scenery, tons of history, different types of culture (museums, festivals, etc.), & the bigger cities have some really good & interesting restaurants & bars.

But I don't know if it gets cold enough & snowy enough for you.

We'd love to move to Florida some day!