We have been wanting to move now for a long time...

We would like to move to what many of the travel writers/directories
have been calling "The number one place to live in the United States."

Where is this Shangri-La and how do people go about choosing it?

We desire: 4 complete seasons
           Excellent public schools
           Mountain views
           Close proximity to cultural events
           Superb hospitals
           History
           Historic Homes

Thanks....Beekman D.

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Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 13 Mar 2005 14:19 PST

Seattle meets ALL your requirements. In addition, is very beautiful.
The summers are a bit short, but there are stunning falls, mild
winters, gorgeous springs, and tolerable summers.

The schools are excellent, especially the Shorline School DIstrict in
North Seattle. We have the Cascades mountains to the east, and the
Olympics to the west. We have many cultural events in the city, it's
also a writer's haven. We are home to Harborview Medical Center, one
of the best (at one time it rated #1) trauma centers in the US, Fred
Hutchison Cancer Research Facility, and many more nationally known
medical facilities.

Seattle has an interesting history, being an old logging town
converted into a major metropolis. It has many historic neighborhoods
with the character you are hoping for.  It is also a magically
beautiful place, with 7 MAJOR hills (offering major views), dozens of
clean swimmable lakes, all within the city limits.  We have wonderful
tap water (no kidding, we won a national contest), Puget Sound
connects us to the Pacific Ocean, ..we have the largest ferry system
in the world.

Needless to say, I am biased.  I was born and raised here. I have
lived outside the state twice, and there is no comparison.  We are
known for being friendly to outsiders, welcoming to newcomers, ...We
have great espresso (the birthplace of Starbucks) on every block, and
technology --the home of Bill Gates, Boeing Aerospace, and much more.

If you want an Answer on the features and benefits of Seattle, ONLY,
let me know and I'll Answer for you, if you want choices, comparisons,
I can't be objective.

The best place to live in the USA are Carmel-By-The-Sea which is along
the California Coast highway along the Californai central coast area
which encompasses many extremely beautiful areas including the Big Sur
and Redwoods forest. This area is an inspiration to writer and artists
and many famous persons live there and have lived there. Also, there
are many beautifull places to live along the California highway 79
which a famous President once said its the most beautifull trip in the
world. Also, the Shades State Park area in in Indiana is extremely
nice and was the last hold out for American Indians in the state. They
didn't want to give it up and for a good reason. Do some web searchs
of these areas and you shall find them to be very nice and at 3
difference price ranges.

Both are lovely, but Carmel is not as idylic as it was 40 years ago,
whereas Seatle is big enough, that it won't change so quickly.
I am surprised that you didn't ask about crime and safetly, but that
just suggests that claims that this subject is near the top of
everyone's worries are overrated.
Cynthia-ga will have an answer to that, though, I am sure. :) 
I like the report by someone who was driving through downtown Seatle
at two in the morning (no traffic) and saw a pedestrian standing in
the rain waiting for the "Walk" light to change for him.  His thought:
 This has got to be the place to live if the citizens are so law
abiding.  Right Cyn?

What about the constant rain in Seattle and one of the nations highest
suicide rates?

Burlington, Vermont?

New York, New York!

Whitefish, Montana
DPRK007

The constant rain is a myth.  It is overcast more days in the year
than I would like, and we do have a 'fair share' of rain, but not as
much as rain as people think.  The suicide rate is high, but we also
sell more books and sunglasses, per capita, than any other city in the
nation.

Augusta...

I had the fortune to visit Burlington Vermont last Sept. We had taken
the ferry over from NY state. I must agree, its a wonderful town.
Although we had intended to travel right away to Stowe ( which is
beautiful also ), we decided to spend the night in Burlington.

Steph53

Hi Beekman...

The most enchanting place I have ever been to is Sedona, AZ.
Absolutely breathtaking.I'm going to visit there again this May :)

Steph53

Best Places to Live Search Tool
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/bestplaces/bplive_quick.jsp

Regards,
hummer

Speaking as someone who moved from Oklahoma to Seattle a few years
back. Seattle is absolutely georgous. The people are incredible, the
culture is awesome.  The down town area is the best down town anywhere
in the country. There are times when the scenery is almost angelic..

But, and there is always a but.  You will have to get used to the
rain.  Yep, it may not RAIN there as much as other states but it seems
to always be on the verge of rain.  If you like golf, better learn to
play in the rain and count on your ball plugging in the middle of the
fairway.

We moved to North Bend, WA in Oct. I didn't see Mt. Rainier until
April or May.  It just jumped out at me one day while driving to work.
 Overcast for 6 months straight is not unusual.

I don't live in Seattle any more, job related.  But I count my
experience there as one of the best times of my life. An experience
that can be credited to the people as well as the geographic area.

Sorry, Cynthia-ga, no place is heaven  - only when you get above the clouds ...
But:  "It never rains in Southern California ..."  But they don't have
any seasons there either.  Used to be said in San Diego that you knew
summer was coming when the Navy lads started wearing whites.
Okay, so it rains in Seatle, but Marty like it anyway, and Victoria on
Vancouver Island is just a ferry trip away  - a bit of England -  and
has more sun, I believe.

martyogelvie hit it right on the money.  It's overcast a LOT.  There's
small town called Sequim (pronounced SQ-WIM) that's on the north
Olympic Peninsula of Washington.  It's sunny nearly every day there,
they have somehow escaped the overcast (and rain) of Seattle.  Check
it out:

http://www.sequim.com/

San Diego, C.A. . It has beeches, its close to L.A., its close to
mountains. it also has lots of canyons to go hike in. Great weather
all year round, has o.k. public schools in the clairmont area. its
like the perfect city.

I have to put in a word for Boston. You want 4 complete seasons, we
have all four, completely. Excellent public schools are here. Mountain
views I can't help you with (but you only need to drive an hour or two
to find them), however, due to the fact that we have two major
universities per square mile, we have abundant cultural events.
Hospitals here are some of the best in the world. History? I think you
can answer that yourself (but if not, yes, we have TONS of history
from the Boston Tea Party on) and beautiful historic homes are all
over the place. In addition, the city has very good public
transportation, great restaurants and cafes, and lots of options for
adult education, including many writerly communities.

I used to think I would leave Boston real quick if I got the chance,
but then I visited places like Denver and Seattle, and frankly, I
learned that I really preferred our city. There's a lot here!

Good luck with making your decision!!

Davidson, NC if you can afford it.  Celebration Florida was built
after it and unless your rich you can forget Celebration.  For a
Florida Disney town to copy a town in North Carolina it has to be
good.  Now Disney would not admit they copied it but they did.  I've
been to both.

Interesting question . . .

I would nix Carmel. I grew up there.  It hasn't been the same since
Clint became mayor and half of Los Angeles moved in.

We who have moved from CA to WA call ourselves 'economic exiles'.  I
bought four times the acreage with a nicer house for half the price
when I bought on Orcas Island in WA state (compared to the piece I
almost bought on the Big Sur coast in CA).   I wouldn't recommend
Orcas for you, since medical care is a helicopter ride away, but I
would recommend the Seattle area in general, especially somewhere
nearby that is within what they call the 'rain shadow' of the Olympic
mountains, Sequim, or Port Townsend may qualify.  If I lived on the
mainland, it would be Port Townsend.  Wonderful history, beautiful
views, and close to Seattle (which has some of the best research
hospitals in the country).

good luck!

ts

Having lived in the following cities, I'd rank them as follows:

1) St. Augustine, FL (live here now -- pop 13,500 and 40 miles south of Jax)
2) Minneapolis, MN (grew up there -- horrendous traffic and cold
winters, but still a wonderful place to live)
3) Boston/Cambridge, MA (vibrant communities)
4) San Diego, CA (idyllic weather)
5) Charleston, SC (wonderfully restored historic city)
6) Newport, RI (much improved in recent years -- great lobster!)

I would suggest you moving to Switzerland, where you will have all of
the factors you mentioned.  Anywhere in the US will lack in history.

Claudietta