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Colorado Babies
LisiLynn
member
Can you tell me about Colorado?
LisiLynn
member
Hi there,
I currently live in the Portland metro area and have lived in the Pacific NW my entire life but my husband is in negotiations with a company in the Louisville area and its a position with huge growth potential for him so if it comes through it looks like we'll be moving to CO. I'm excited and really nervous/anxious about the move. All my husband has really told me about the area is that it gets a lot of snow and is very flat. Are there rivers/lakes in that area? Can you plant gardens, is there plenty of water or is it more drought like in the summer? What are the nicest areas to live in that are somewhat affordable? Boulder was recommended to me but our house would cost nearly twice as much in Boulder so I doubt we'll be moving there. Also, what are people like there? Are they friendly? A friend who used to live in CO said she felt the people there were more friendly than here which surprised me because I hear that Oregonians are quite friendly. What is there to do for recreation or what is popular? Are there any areas to avoid living/purchasing a house? What is the weather like? How long are the seasons and what are they like? How much snow does that area get? We're also in the process of purchasing new vehicles, is there anything we should know about the area that would impact that decision? Right now we're looking at a commuter car, do we need to be sure to have all wheel drive or is the snow dry enough that we'd be unlikely to slip? If we get snow here its really wet and icy but we might get 2-5 days/ year so its not such a consideration. Portland is a super green city, big on recycling, sustainability and eco-coconsciousness, what's CO like? Are there many natural grocery stores or food co-ops? and what about farms and nurseries, are there many? For example its common for people in my area to purchase a farm share, and buy fresh produce and eggs either directly from the farm or at the weekly farmers markets when they're in season, is that popular in CO as well?
Sorry for the 50 questions, but I just want to know what to expect before we move there so that I don't experience too much of a culture shock LOL!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Can you tell me about Colorado?
I have been here about 8 months and find it similar but love it more here. The culture and arts are similar, Boulder is more like Ashland but yes more expensive. Denver would actually be a lot like Portland in terms of style, culture, community etc. whatever "group" you fit into, you'll find here.
There are tons of outdoor activities like in the P NW. Again I like this place much better but the depression and suidcide rates are WAY lower. Portland has one of the highest suicide rates in the country and WA has one of the biggest rates for SAD. This place is much lighter, happier and from what I feel, healthier. Hope that helps, good luck!
I would definitely recommend a 4 wheel drive car/SUV for Colorado, particularly in the Denver/Boulder area (and of course mountain areas). We can get a lot of snow here and driving can be at times difficult. The snow season here usually starts in October and can last until April or May (although I have seen it snow here in June!). The good thing is though, the snow doesn't usually stick around on the roads for too long. We get a lot of sunshine here and you'll find yourself wearing sunglasses all year long. We get the 4 seasons here but you'll find that spring and fall are the shortest.
Colorado is very outdoor activity (this includes the Boulder area) friendly--loads of people love to hike, go biking, climbing, etc. A lot of people also love to ski and snowboard.
You will find that Colorado is green minded with recycling, upcycling, and farmer's markets--Boulder has a good one. Just google towns and you'll find them around. You'll also find farms/market stands in the Boulder county area too.
There are many chain health food stores to choose from including some independent ones in Boulder--Alfalfa's, Sprouts, Vitamin Cottage, and Whole Foods to name a few. You can usually find Sprouts/Vitamin Cottage/Whole Foods elsewhere in the Denver metro area as well.
Depending on the snow accumulation for the season, we can have droughts here so you will not find it is like gardening in the NorthWest. Check out xeriscape gardening.
The closer you get to Boulder, the more expensive it will be for housing/rent and this includes: Louisville, Lafayette, Superior......if you're willing to live more east or north, Broomfield or Erie might be more affordable options.
My husband moved from England to Colorado and we've been here several years now (I've lived in Colorado almost 30 years) and we couldn't live anywhere else! If you have any more questions, let me know. I'd be happy to help.
I just moved here about 6 months ago, so I'm still learning the answers to some of your questions. What I can tell you is people here are very friendly and outdoorsy. The first month I was here, I had several random people welcome me to the state when they saw my Florida license plate. There are tons of activities to do; sporting events, hiking, bike riding. I've never seen so many hiking trails and parks. North Florida kinda sucks in that area.
Car wise, I'd recommend all wheel drive. Back in Florida, we felt special owning Subarus, but here it's the car of choice. Apparently, this winter was very mild and Colorado is experiencing drought like conditions, but that's all I can say about my experience with weather. It really doesn't snow as much as this Florida girl thought it would.
Are there rivers/lakes in that area?
There are many lakes and rivers in the area of various sizes. It's not like the midwest, but if you enjoy water sports you should be able to find something suitable though.
Can you plant gardens, is there plenty of water or is it more drought like in the summer?
It is pretty dry here. Some years are dryer than others, for instance this year we had a mild winter so there might be water restrictions this summer. But stuff still grows - it isn't a total desert. It will just be different plants than what you're used to in Portland. I have multiple flower gardens though, and my parents have a vegetable garden.
What are the nicest areas to live in that are somewhat affordable? Boulder was recommended to me but our house would cost nearly twice as much in Boulder so I doubt we'll be moving there.
The further you move from the mountains, the more affordable housing gets. Boulder county is one of the most expensive, but it is also very close to the mountains.
Also, what are people like there? Are they friendly? A friend who used to live in CO said she felt the people there were more friendly than here which surprised me because I hear that Oregonians are quite friendly.
I think people are very friendly here, but I have no comparison to Portland.
What is there to do for recreation or what is popular?
Like others have said, people here are very outdoorsy.
Are there any areas to avoid living/purchasing a house?
Sure, but I think this is true for anywhere. Unless you are buying a house unseen, you should be able to tell what the neighborhood is like..
What is the weather like? How long are the seasons and what are they like? How much snow does that area get?
We have all four seasons. It is very dry - no humidity. It can snow as early as October and as late as May. But we've also recently had 70 degree temperatures. Lots of sunshine. March is typically our snowiest month. We can get over a foot of snow at times, but it typically melts quickly with the sunshine. But really, I don't think we get as much snow as people ink we do.
We're also in the process of purchasing new vehicles, is there anything we should know about the area that would impact that decision? Right now we're looking at a commuter car, do we need to be sure to have all wheel drive or is the snow dry enough that we'd be unlikely to slip? If we get snow here its really wet and icy but we might get 2-5 days/ year so its not such a consideration.
We have more than 2-5 days a year of snow, so if you're worried get something with four wheel drive. I don't think it's 100% necessary though - I survived for over a decade without it.
Portland is a super green city, big on recycling, sustainability and eco-coconsciousness, what's CO like? Are there many natural grocery stores or food co-ops? and what about farms and nurseries, are there many? For example its common for people in my area to purchase a farm share, and buy fresh produce and eggs either directly from the farm or at the weekly farmers markets when they're in season, is that popular in CO as well?
Yes to all of this. I have friends that own farm shares, so that is a possibility if you want. I also know some of my coworkers buy all their eggs, milk and cheese from local farms. There are farmers markets during the summer months and natural food stores and nurseries which ae open year round. I don't know if all of this is as popular here as in Portland, but it's all available if you're willing to find it.
Hope this helps ease some anxiety - if you have follow up questions just ask! Good luck!
Wow you sure do have a lot of questions! I'll do my best to answer, but you'll probably get different responses from different people so just keep that in mind.
All my husband has really told me about the area is that it gets a lot of snow and is very flat.
- Sure some areas of CO are pretty flat, but we also have the Rockies and the most 14-ers in the US I believe, so it's not THAT flat. The further east you go, the flatter the state gets (think Midwest plains), but the further west you go, the more mountainous it gets.
Are there rivers/lakes in that area?
- Sure, the Colorado river runs through the state. There's all kinds of other smaller rivers as well. There aren't as many lakes, but there are quite a few reservoirs you can go to for a dip.
Can you plant gardens, is there plenty of water or is it more drought like in the summer?
- You can plant gardens, but it really does depend on how much rain we get. Last year was incredibly hot and dry, so our garden withered away and didn't grow like we wanted. The year before that we had an entire garden full of veggies. This year, I have no idea what it will be like, but there are water restrictions in quite a few places.
What are the nicest areas to live in that are somewhat affordable?Boulder was recommended to me but our house would cost nearly twice as much in Boulder so I doubt we'll be moving there.
- It is really going to depend on what you're looking for and what you consider affordable. I live in the northern metro area and I love it. Like Eshugars said, the farther away from the mountains you are, the cheaper things become. Same I think is true for the farther away from Denver you get.
Also, what are people like there? Are they friendly? A friend who used to live in CO said she felt the people there were more friendly than here which surprised me because I hear that Oregonians are quite friendly.
- I find that in general Coloradoans are very friendly. I can't compare them to people from Oregon, but it is what you make of it.
What is there to do for recreation or what is popular?
- Outdoorsy things. That seems to be the most popular activity people do for recreation. Ride bikes, go for a hike, enjoy the sunshine, etc etc.
Are there any areas to avoid living/purchasing a house?
-Sure, but that's going to be the case no matter where you are.
What is the weather like? How long are the seasons and what are they like? How much snow does that area get?
- When I moved to CO, I was incredibly worried about the weather since I grew up in Hawaii and lived in California. I've found that I don't mind the weather here all that much as long as you dress in layers. We do get all 4 seasons, and oftentimes they overlap. Take this week for example. It was in the 70s on Monday and then snowed on Tuesday. Depending on the area you live in will determine how much snow you actually get. It always melts off really quickly though.
We're also in the process of purchasing new vehicles, is there anything we should know about the area that would impact that decision? Right now we're looking at a commuter car, do we need to be sure to have all wheel drive or is the snow dry enough that we'd be unlikely to slip? If we get snow here its really wet and icy but we might get 2-5 days/ year so its not such a consideration.
- I'm partial to AWD cars but that's just me. Because I've never lived in an area that snows, I don't know how to drive in snow very well. Thus I have an AWD vehicle and don't need to worry about slipping around quite as much. My husband who grew up in a state that always snows drove a corolla around for the last 3 years until it died and he was fine. It's all about what you're comfortable with.
Portland is a super green city, big on recycling, sustainability and eco-coconsciousness, what's CO like? Are there many natural grocery stores or food co-ops?and what about farms and nurseries, are there many? For example its common for people in my area to purchase a farm share, and buy fresh produce and eggs either directly from the farm or at the weekly farmers markets when they're in season, is that popular in CO as well?
- This one I don't know the answer to, but my guess would be not as many as in Portland. They are opening a trader joes here soon and they do have a store called "natural grocers" but I've never been in there. I've never heard about purchasing a farm share though so that I don't know anything about.
Hope that helps and like others said, we hope you move here, it won't be as bad as you think!
All my husband has really told me about the area is that it gets a lot of snow and is very flat. Are there rivers/lakes in that area?
I would not call Colorado flat at all, especially the Denver/Boulder area, unless you start to head out east towards the plains. I live in Louisville, where your husband is interviewing, and we have beautiful views of the mountains here. I work in Boulder, and the drive in is absolutely gorgeous. Here's a sample: https://www.kkofirm.com/images/home_backgrounds/red_sky_flatirons_boulder.jpg?1309217233
Louisville is also an easy drive to tons and tons of hiking in the mountains and foothills. There are lots of rivers, and some lakes, but Colorado overall is going to tend to be more dry than Portland, so be aware of that. Especially as the summer wears on, the creeks/rivers/lakes start to shrink.
Louisville was also voted the #1 best city to live in by CNN Money in 2011. https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2011/snapshots/PL0846355.html
Can you plant gardens, is there plenty of water or is it more drought like in the summer?
Colorado is considered anywhere from zone 4a/4b to zone 6a/6b depending on where you're located. Here's the map: https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-colorado-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php
What that means is that Colorado tends to be cooler and more arid. It can get downright drought like some summers, especially in more recent years. You can definitely still have plants and gardens, but gardening here will be different than gardening in Portland. My dad always had a vegetable garden growing up, and I have flowers, a lilac bush, and some really pretty flowering trees. Here's an article on gardening in Colorado: https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07220.html
What are the nicest areas to live in that are somewhat affordable? Boulder was recommended to me but our house would cost nearly twice as much in Boulder so I doubt we'll be moving there.
Housing in Boulder is obscenely expensive. Some of the outlying areas aren't so bad though, and you get all of the benefits of Boulder. Louisville is more reasonable, as are Lafayette, Erie, and Longmont. My husband and I currently rent in Louisville for a super reasonable price, and down the road when we are in a position to buy, we are probably going to look into Erie. It's a little farther out, but there's more of an ability to have some property, which we would like. I have some friends who own a house in Westminster, which is pretty affordable, but you have to be a little more careful in Westminster - most of it is really nice, but there are several sections of it (mostly the closer you get to Federal) that I would steer away from. Same goes for Arvada/Thornton, some great areas, some not so great. If your husband will be working in Louisville, I probably wouldn't go much further south than Thornton unless he wants an hour commute - highway 36 gets absolutely heinous around rush hour. They're doing construction now that is supposed to help in the long term, but for the short term it's even worse.
Also, what are people like there? Are they friendly? A friend who used to live in CO said she felt the people there were more friendly than here which surprised me because I hear that Oregonians are quite friendly.
There are all kinds here. Colorado is a bit of a melting pot - LOTS of people move here from all over, natives like me tend to be heavily outnumbered by transplants. That said, in my experience, people around here are generally friendly - in the small towns, everyone waves at you as yo drive by, whether they know you or not (and think you're rude if you don't reciprocate!), that kind of thing.
What is there to do for recreation or what is popular?
As PPs have said, Colorado is a pretty outdoorsy place. Lots of hiking, biking, swimming, marathon running, rock climbing, etc. Denver has a pretty cool downtown scene, some art galleries, great local music, etc. Denver/Boulder area has TONS of incredible restaurants. There's a pretty heavy emphasis on health food/organics/grain fed/etc, which is cool. Lots of local beer breweries if you like beer (I think Boulder alone has at least ten, and that's just within the city limits, not counting surrounding cities). Red Rocks in Morrison is an amazing music venue that draws some really cool bands and is an experience in and of itself. In the summer they also do movies on the rocks, where they have a weekly movie shown on a big projector screen after dark, and an opening band that plays until it gets dark enough. We just got the Alamo Drafthouse in Denver which is a super cool movie theater/restaurant. The Denver Zoo is great, as well as the museum of nature and science and the art museum. Boulder County also has TONS of open space with trails, parks, etc for jogging/walking your dog/just enjoying nature.
Are there any areas to avoid living/purchasing a house?
Same as anywhere. Personally, I would avoid Aurora; it's far from everything, and some parts of it are really nasty. There are also parts of Denver (most anything on Colfax, for instance) that I would steer away from. Commerce City has some pretty sketchy areas and also reeks because of the Purina plant.
What is the weather like? How long are the seasons and what are they like? How much snow does that area get?
Beautiful weather for the most part! No humidity, which is good and bad - most people love it, but if you're used to a lot of humidity watch out for super dry skin. Also, coming from sea level and humidity, make sure you drink LOTS of water. We get 300 days of sunshine a year, and that really isn't an exaggeration. Winter can get pretty cold, but it usually isn't bone-chilling due to the dryness. Even in the winter we get temperatures in the mid-50's. Snow can show up any time from October to May, but it usually doesn't stay on the ground for long - the sun comes out and melts it pretty quickly most of the time. Spring and fall can be pretty spastic with weather and temperature changes - for instance, last weekend was in the 70s, then Tuesday in Louisville we got about ten inches of snow. By Thursday/Friday it had all melted. Today is supposed to be around 70 degrees again, but starting tomorrow the temperature is dropping back down and they're calling for snow through the middle of next week. That's pretty typical for Colorado spring/fall. July and August can get HOT!!, but normal upper range temperatures in the Denver/Boulder area is mid-80's. The last couple of years have been unusually hot though, last year there were several days over 100 degrees and uncomfortably long stretches in the 90's. Woo global warming! There is very little rain, especially compared to Portland.
The big unfun summer thing in Colorado is fire. Wildfires are a thing here - last year there was a HUGE one in Colorado Springs that destroyed a big chunk of the city and threatened the Airforce Base. A couple of years ago there was a pretty devastating fire outside of Boulder that took out quite a few homes. We all pray for plenty of snow over the winter, so that the snow pack in the mountains is sufficient to keep rivers and lakes flowing throughout the summer and keep the mountains from becoming a tinder box.
We're also in the process of purchasing new vehicles, is there anything we should know about the area that would impact that decision? Right now we're looking at a commuter car, do we need to be sure to have all wheel drive or is the snow dry enough that we'd be unlikely to slip? If we get snow here its really wet and icy but we might get 2-5 days/ year so its not such a consideration.
A good set of snow tires is a must. I drive a Subaru Outback and I appreciate the AWD, but unless you're planning on living in the foothills somewhere, AWD/4WD probably isn't a requirement. That said, if you aren't comfortable driving in snow, you will probably feel better if you at least have the option of 4WD. Subarus are the most popular car in Colorado, you see them everywhere, and there is a reason for that.
Portland is a super green city, big on recycling, sustainability and eco-coconsciousness, what's CO like? Are there many natural grocery stores or food co-ops? and what about farms and nurseries, are there many? For example its common for people in my area to purchase a farm share, and buy fresh produce and eggs either directly from the farm or at the weekly farmers markets when they're in season, is that popular in CO as well?
Colorado, especially the Boulder/Denver area, is pretty green. Lots of restaurants that are into composting, buying from local sources, etc. Lots of local organic farms. Boulder and Louisville both have weekly farmer's markets all season, as do many other surrounding cities. We have Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Sunflower grocery stores, and even the Safeways and King Soopers carry a lot of local and organic produce. Longmont Dairy will deliver milk and eggs to your door, or there are lots of other local options. I've never done a farm share, but I'm sure you could find one. I know in Boulder County at least there is a heavy emphasis on being green, sustainability, buying local, etc. Recycling is everywhere, and Western, the local trash company, also offers composting if you want to compost but don't want to actually do it yourself.
I asked my coworker who lived in Portland if he had any advice to add. All he said was to tell you that on 55th & Arapaho there is a donut shop run by someone who used to work at Voo Doo Donuts.
Hope this is helpful, good luck!
You may enjoy the fact that Colorado averages 300 days of sunshine a year...I know Portland is rainy. Denver and Boulder have rental bikes in town with kiosks, CO is green and into sustainability.
One thing you should know and look into different cities here may not allow rain catchers. We live in a high desert, and there are some old rules on the books that don't allow residents to capture water and not allow it to flow in it's natural routes...despite the area may be urbanized. You can't keep upstream water.
Wherever you live in the Boulder or Denver there are metro parks, and the mountain within a good distance to enjoy many outdoor activities. I think CO embraces healthy lifestyles with a lot of activity, a lot of people take advantage of the high altitude for training...the mountains, and plains for many outdoor activities: biking, running, kayaking, fishing, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, climbing... and the list goes on.
I have many farmer's markets near where I live and work as well as Whole Foods, Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage, and Sprouts. I think the cost of living is high, but so is the quality of living.
First off! Welcome to Colorado!
Seriously way too many things to name!
Spring is usually snowy and rainy... summer is usually hot and dry for the first part and then hot in the mornings with afternoon storms in like late July/August... our leaves change in September and most of the time our first freeze is early October (sometimes the first week).... but every once in a while we will get a cold snap earlier than usual in September and the leaves will fall off before they change.
I live in Colorado Springs, but I am a portrait and wedding photographer, so I travel all over the state (actually the country, but that's not as relevant right now! lol!)
One of the best things about this state is the wide variety of landscapes in pretty small proximity to each other. Louisville is a little bit flat... but you have gorgeous mountain views and you are not very far away when you do want to journey into the mountains or go for a hike. That's the nice thing about living in the foothills. I would check out the Westminster/Arvada area... it's not too far of a drive, is pretty family oriented and is a little closer to Denver when you want to go into the city... also shouldn't be as expensive. Boulder is pricey... especially because the college is there. There aren't really any lakes in Louisville... but there are some reservoirs in the area. There are a few beautiful lakes in the Westminster/Arvada area including Standley Lake. Remember, you are in the foothills area, not the actual mountains... so it's a little bit more bare. I know in Oregon that is not something you really see. We have a lot of plains and grassy fields and then the mountains.
Next, regarding the gardening.... this is my thing. I am a HUGE gardener, so if you have any questions about what grows well here and how to do things, let me know! You can email me at Rieslingfam@gmail.com with any questions about it! My grandma has been gardening here for at least 50 years, my mom is a gardener and I am too! (Plus my husband owns a landscaping company.) The water situation here is different than it is in the PacNW. This past year, we had one of our best rain years on record. We would be considered to be more of an arid state than anything you are used to... so it will be different, but it is absolutely possible and actually things grow quite well here. You will need a sprinkler system... we do not get rain all of the time. In the late summer we get afternoon thunderstorms almost daily, but early summer (June) can be very hot and dry. Wildfires are an issue here... so beware of open flames catching things. Our trees are not as big as the Pac NW... That may be a little strange too... but our forests and climates are very different.
People are generally very friendly here. People here have a lot of state pride... like my brother. He is absolutely a Colorado nut!
People here do pretty much everything recreation wise. We are the most fit state in the country apparently. But there really is something for everyone. My husband and I are huge sports fans and especially love going to Rockies games and spending time in Downtown Denver. Camping and fishing and hunting are huge... you will see a TON of bicyclists and runners.... there is just a lot to do!
I dont live in that specific area, so I won't answer on where not to buy.
Our weather is a bit strange for most people. But here is the good thing. We have the most blue sky days of anywhere in the country. Even when it snows or rains, the storm generally rolls through quickly and the sun is out shining again within a few hours. Our snow doesn't stick around like it does on the east coast... generally it melts the next day. Our temperatures fluctuate a lot... so wear layers. We will get cold fronts in where it is really cold... sometimes below zero. But most of the winter it is actually pretty nice out because of the sun. We get snow storms... not like snow every day. (Unless you are up in the mountains... but even then, wear sunscreen because you will sunburn when you are skiing!) I think the biggest snowstorm in my lifetime was this one - 31.8 inches March 17th-19th. But that was like a blizzard blizzard... not a regular or even yearly occurrence. Most storms we get a few (2-3 inches) and usually it melts like the next day or soon after. The thing that is weird for most people is when we get our snow.... generally we get a few flurries (not really sticking to the ground) on Halloween... and we are usually more likely to get snow on Easter than we are on Christmas. Most of our snow comes in the spring and its heavy and wet. (but again it melts fast because the temperatures go up and down quickly). Sometimes it will snow in May... and sometimes I have to cover my flowers that are coming up when the temperatures drop in the spring. But generally it's not bad at all.
Make sure you get a 4 wheel drive. We have a lot of black ice problems here because the snow melts so quick during the day and then freezes over at night. You will absolutely want it. I would personally recommend a truck or suv... many of the other drivers here have them and if you get in an accident, you don't want the short end of the stick.
Depending on where in CO you live, you will have more of the green movement. Boulder is huge on that, Denver is also getting pretty big with it. In my area, we don't really have farms, but north of Denver, there are quite a few, so I am not sure.
Anyway... good luck with your move!