The Best Mountain Cities to Live in
The best mountain cities are scenic and recreational havens with access to culture, dining and infrastructure. The cities are excellent for living and raising families because of low crime rates and high ranking school systems. The best mountain towns also provide easy access to world class skiing, public lands, fishing and other outdoor events.
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Lake Tahoe
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Lake Tahoe straddles the Nevada-California line and provide a healthy combination of entertainment and adventure. The lake is home to several small towns with Tahoe City hosting the casino scene and North Lake and Incline Village being home to dining and outdoor adventure. Several ski resorts overlook the clear lake waters and the surrounding mountains are home to a large network of trail systems and public lands. Residents have access to several public schools, grocery conveniences and it is a short one hour drive a to a major airport in Reno, Nevada.
Boulder
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Boulder, Colorado, is consistently ranked among the top mountain towns because it provides access to large areas of Rocky Mountain lands and has a strong outdoor culture in the town. Boulder provides opportunities for mountain climbing, skiing and snowboarding, hiking, fly fishing, rafting and kayaking. The town was ranked as the second healthiest in the United States for 2010 by Men's Health and it is home to a high ranking public school system and the University of Colorado.
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Salt Lake City
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Although Salt Lake City, Utah, is home to a large population base, the city is surrounded by mountain opportunities with world class skiing, angling, biking and hiking. Housing is also increasingly affordable since the market crash and Salt Lake City provides job opportunities for those looking to relocate in a non-retirement position. In addition to the mountains, the region is home to entertainment with downtown conventions and mountain festivals like the Sundance Film Festival in Park City.
Boone
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Boone, North Carolina, was rated as one of the top mountain towns by National Geographic Adventure in 2007. The town is attractive as the highest peak west of the Mississippi. It sits in the Appalachian Mountains and residents have access to fishing, hiking, biking, climbing, golfing and rafting immediately outside of the town. The town is also eight miles from the Appalachian Ski Mountain and sledding and snow tubing are easily available. Boone was also rated as one of the four top adventure towns in the United States by Adventure Sports Magazine in 2005.
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References
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