My understanding is that Boulder is ground zero for uber-PC living.
Really? I missed all that then. But again, I wouldn't know what is PC nowadays either (except in a work-related HR sense of course!).
Personally I loved living in Boulder. It was sorta kinda like London for the reasons you mentioned. I lived a few blocks from Pearl and could walk into and around Town, and felt safe walking the streets at night. It is a pretty place, with tree lined streets. Not all the shops are high street chain stores, so it maintains some character and individuality. There is usually a festival downtown, and lots of live music. It has a villagey feel, but is large enough to maintain your own identity. For everything else there is a big city very close by. I would have enjoyed living here even without the world class skiing being on the doorstep, that was icing on the cake (with a cherry on top
). I find everyone in Colorado to be very warm and friendly.
The surrounding towns are nice too, and have more affordable rents.
The biking, hiking and skiing is so readily accessible that even a slob like me did a lot of it, and I didn't have to put down the alcoholic, caffeine laden, red meat pie to do it. Although grease spots in lycra are a nuisance to remove.
I agree with the other posts, these are hard choices to make, partly because none of them are out and out wrong. Many of our experiences in a new place are formed by the friends we make in the first few weeks, they tend to become the core of our new social circle. Because we pick places that offer us the activities we like to do and will have social clubs/groups that engage in these activities, mostly we can be assured of success in our chosen destination.
So why did I leave Boulder? To live in Breckenridge of course ........ no more driving to the skiing.
My bottom line is that I think NYC has spoiled me for ever living anywhere that's not decently walkable/bikeable, even if that place does have what is arguably the best skiing in north america. Trust me, I have thought about this A LOT.
