Considering move within US - where would be a good fit for us?

[whichlower48]

We live in a suburb in one of the huge sprawling metroplexes and are considering a move. Our area has grown hugely since we moved here and it's just so busy, takes forever to get anywhere and it's starting to feel over expanded and more than we can handle. We've got every store and chain restaurant know to man within a 10 mile radius but we're craving something smaller, quieter and the holy grail of US living....walkability. We've been to a few places across the country and liked them but some feel too touristy to live there year round or the weather's too harsh in the winter or they have nice downtowns but they’re hours from an international airport! Ideally we’d live in the downtown proper, be able to walk out to bars and restaurants (but happy to get in the car for groceries, malls, chain restaurants, medical etc.) and be within an hour of an international airport for flights to UK.

If you’ve visited or live somewhere great, tell me about about the lesser known walkable towns and small cities where you can live day to day without having to be out of the house for 2 hours to run an errand but still be within easy reach of a bigger city / amenities. We’re open to most of the country,

Late to this, but consider the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We live in SW Minneapolis. It's a ten minute walk to the local shopping area with shops and restaurants, ten minute drive to our local Target and mall, twenty minutes to St Paul or Minneapolis downtown, 15 minutes to MSP International Airport (one direct flight to LHR every day) and with great parks, public libraries and services. The Twin Cities are very 'livable' cities, and housing is still affordable, especially if you are coming from elsewhere. Public transit is good and if you're left leaning/Democrat, it is a really good place to live.

And yes, it is cold in the winter (although weirdly not, this year), but we have glorious summers and you can always bundle up with another layer. Definitely worth considering. Don't let the weather put you off!

What about one of the coastal towns on the train line from NYC to New Haven. Westchester/Connecticut - Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Greenwich, Westport, Fairfield - most have a small downtown with plenty of restaurants and independent shops, shopping malls within easy reach, beaches, boats, paddleboard, movie theaters, music etc. NYC just a train ride away, skiing an hour and a half away, lots of hiking, walking etc.

Have been to Minneapolis, truly one of the coldest days I've ever experienced in my life. There's no way I could cope with winter up there!

Westport and Greenwich CT are lovely but $$$.

What is made fun of is the whopping McMansions with stonking big garage doors fronting the streets and the kind of business school / 'Wonder bread and mayonnaise' types who live there.

In some respects it's the stereotypical suburb that literally sprang from the fields in the last 50 years that everybody likes to look down their nose at, but there are undeniable good points - top schools, a certain amount of diversity, excellent amenities, nice downtown. A lot of people move there for the schools, and it tends to be family oriented.

It's full of people who don't want the more 'urban' feel (i.e., greater diversity and socio-economic mix) of the city and close-in suburbs, prefer houses spread far apart, and like driving places in traffic. It's not what you might call 'quirky' in any way, and it's quite a sprawling place, but objectively, it is a comfortable place to live.

Somebody earlier mentioned the Pioneer Valley in MA, and I agree! Western Mass is amazing.

Lots of walking, and cycling, a great food scene, very international (because of all the higher Ed) and all the benefits of being in MA (Mass health etc) that appeal to me as a European.

Summer and fall are beautiful and as somebody said earlier about Boston, winters are tough but are becoming more manageable (that said I love the snow and winter isn't a problem for me).

3 hours ish to NYC and 2 hours ish to Boston. I can be back in Europe very quickly as well.

good luck!

Pittsburgh is nice!

Probably not downtown which is very pretty but a bit sterile (some good restaurants but not really any shops) , but squirrel hill and shadyside are near downtown and have the European style walkable shops and restaurants thing going.

Beautiful rivers.

Quite cosmopolitan if you don't go too far outside the city centre.

Weather pretty good though weirdly changeable, protected from most extremes by the mountains. Seasons but not too much of them!

(And there is a direct flight to the uk)

Probably a bonkers suggestion, and frightenly expensive.
We holidayed in San Diego, bravely with no car 🤣 (although we rented for some trips out). Stayed in an AirBnB in South Park - on the edge of Balboa Park, which is beautiful, it was a lovely neighbourhood, walkable little cafes, independent shops etc. A friend lived in Kensington at the time, which was also very walkable with its own town centre again with shops and cafes.
There were other similiar areas.
Then you also have mountains and the sea nearby.

This was a good few years ago and I know property prices and taxes are hilarious there, but just putting it out there that city living might be more suitable than you think.