What's So Great About Your State?

[CedarCreek]

I am itching to get out of Texas!

I have lived here since I was a year old (from Ohio originally) and I am just sick and tired of it here! (no offense to fellow Texans!)

So in my fantasy, my family and I relocate to another state and have new adventures!

So, what's great about your state? Why do you love living there? If you don't love living there, where do you want to go?

I'd go somewhere with actual seasons! Here, it's hot and humid all year long until we get about 6 weeks of slightly chilly. I want fall! I want somewhere with no hurricanes and where I can have a basement for daycare!

What about you?

[preschoolteacher]

I LOVE Minnesota! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. We have gorgeous seasons, and yes winter is long--but it's only really cold in January and February (in my opinion). In my city, people are outside all times of year and are very active and athletic even in the dead of winter. In the summer, everyone gathers on the lake, picnics, and barbecues. I think we really appreciate the summer and take advantage of it after such a long winter.

We have a lot of diversity, believe it or not. The stereotype of the "all white" Midwest really isn't true where I live. I love that.

Minnesota is also known for it's excellent education and hard-working people. Have you heard of "Minnesota Nice?" We're friendly! There is a lot of culture, art, delicious food, paths and trails, lakes.... it rocks.

[Blackcat31]

I love my state!

We have FULL seasons! We get a nice long, hot (NOT extreme) summer, a nice cold snowy winter, a wet muddy spring and a beautiful cool fall.

We have over 10,000 lakes (over 1,000 in just my county) to water-ski, swim, boat and fish on. In the winters we ice fish, snowmobile, ski, play hockey (on rinks and on lakes and ponds) we snow shoe, cross country ski and go sledding.

The temps are extreme sometimes....summer can be hot and humid with temps in the 90ies...thank goodness for lakes....but for the most part the temps are simply nice and enjoyable!

In the winter times, it can get frigid with temps well below zero but you just get used to it....it's not year long so you learn to enjoy it! Snow is fun and fantastic!

I use my boat as much as my snowmobile!

My state has prairies and farmlands as well as mountainous hills and valleys! We have the world's largest fresh water lake! We have waterfalls and raging rivers too!

We have God's Country up here....The Boundary Waters Canoe area....untouched, pristine land that is so beautiful!

Don't even get me started on the wild life! We have everything you can think of but NOTHING poisonous!! LOL!

I wouldn't live anywhere but here.

Wow! I sound like a tourist guide! LOL! ::

[Blackcat31]

Oh, and we have the Mall of America!! ::

If you like that sort of thing....I went a couple times and can't say you are missing anything if you don't go but it IS worth seeing at least once....

[CedarCreek]

You're in Minnesota too, right BC?

Minnesota is sounding awesome!

When people ask me about my part of Texas I'm like, "Uh, there's a beach. But the water is brown. And we get hit with hurricanes all of the time. And the teenage pregnancy rate is really high."

::

[Blackcat31]

You're in Minnesota too, right BC?

Minnesota is sounding awesome!

When people ask me about my part of Texas I'm like, "Uh, there's a beach. But the water is brown. And we get hit with hurricanes all of the time. And the teenage pregnancy rate is really high."

::

Oops, yes I am in northern Minnesota.

Our lakes are crystal clear! You can see the bottom of most the lakes here....

I have a ton of photos I can show you....I'll find them and make an album in my profile and link you to them when I gather them all.

Oh, and running a daycare in MN is easy too! Our regs are not very restrictive and they are easy to follow.

[CedarCreek]

Ooo..I wanna see pictures! This is super exciting to me! ::

[Play Care]

I'm in NY state, but closer to the Vermont border than NYC (more rural than urban)

What I love: Having four seasons. The proximity to anywhere - want to spend the day in the mountains? on the lake? on the ocean? in one of the greatest cities in the world? (IMHO: all pretty accessible (unless one decides to head east on the LIE the Friday before Memorial Day weekend - WTH was I thinking?! But I digress...) Good public schools, lots of good college options, diversity, etc.

What I don't like: NYS has to be one of the more regulated states and our taxes are higher than many other states.

[Leigh]

I LOVE Minnesota! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. We have gorgeous seasons, and yes winter is long--but it's only really cold in January and February (in my opinion). In my city, people are outside all times of year and are very active and athletic even in the dead of winter. In the summer, everyone gathers on the lake, picnics, and barbecues. I think we really appreciate the summer and take advantage of it after such a long winter.

We have a lot of diversity, believe it or not. The stereotype of the "all white" Midwest really isn't true where I live. I love that.

Minnesota is also known for it's excellent education and hard-working people. Have you heard of "Minnesota Nice?" We're friendly! There is a lot of culture, art, delicious food, paths and trails, lakes.... it rocks.

I'm not a Minnesotan (anymore), but I have to agree that it is one of the best places to live. Quality of life is amazing, incomes are higher than average, there are less people struggling to get by there than most other places. It's clean, it's pleasant, there are FOUR seasons, and you'll have a hard time finding nicer people anywhere.

[daycarediva]

I'm in NY state, but closer to the Vermont border than NYC (more rural than urban)

What I love: Having four seasons. The proximity to anywhere - want to spend the day in the mountains? on the lake? on the ocean? in one of the greatest cities in the world? (IMHO: all pretty accessible (unless one decides to head east on the LIE the Friday before Memorial Day weekend - WTH was I thinking?! But I digress...) Good public schools, lots of good college options, diversity, etc.

What I don't like: NYS has to be one of the more regulated states and our taxes are higher than many other states.

I live in NY and will concur. We also get a great 4 seasons every year, it is B E A U T I F U L (I live near the finger lakes, right in the heart of wine country) BUT the taxes and regulations are ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend anyone move here, simply because of the taxes.

[momofboys]

I live in NY and will concur. We also get a great 4 seasons every year, it is B E A U T I F U L (I live near the finger lakes, right in the heart of wine country) BUT the taxes and regulations are ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend anyone move here, simply because of the taxes.

We visited the Finger Lakes when I was pregnant with #2 - BEAUTIFUL!!!

[Willow]

Another vote for MN, I'd never live anywhere else even if someone paid me to

Reasons:
-NATURE! - there's lots to see and do if you're into it
-the type of people who live here are "homegrown" and typically very nice and respectful
-the hunting
-the fishing
-lots of farming so access to loads of locally grown foods is fantastic
-the seasons can be fun if you aren't too wimpy about winter
-if you live rurally cost of living is super low which means most people can afford not only a decent house at a reasonable cost but a hefty chunk of property as well
-the air quality is great
-we have great healthcare available here (as in a whole slew of wonderfully talented physicians and specialists)
-overall it's the perfect place to raise a family and run a business

I could go on and on

[melilley]

I live in MI and although I do get sick of winter, I must say that I would miss living here if I ever left! We have all four seasons with lots to do each season!
In the summer (my fav. season) we have lakes upon lakes, not to mention the Great Lakes, fishing, rivers, boating,we have a quad and there are the sand dunes, campgrounds-where you can actually have a camp fire if it's not too dry, outdoor concerts, festivals, etc... I could go on and on!
In the fall there are the apple orchards where you can pick apples and there are many festivities at the cider mills for kids and adults, beautiful foliage, wineries, pumpkin patches, etc..
In the winter there are ski lodges, tobaggan runs(sp?), ice fishing, winter carnivals.
In the spring there are festivals, etc...
In just about every season you can find a festival or even a zoo to go to!
We also have tons of museums and historical places to visit.
I lovethis MI!

[MsLaura529]

I live in MI and although I do get sick of winter, I must say that I would miss living here if I ever left! We have all four seasons with lots to do each season!
In the summer (my fav. season) we have lakes upon lakes, not to mention the Great Lakes, fishing, rivers, boating,we have a quad and there are the sand dunes, campgrounds-where you can actually have a camp fire if it's not too dry, outdoor concerts, festivals, etc... I could go on and on!
In the fall there are the apple orchards where you can pick apples and there are many festivities at the cider mills for kids and adults, beautiful foliage, wineries, pumpkin patches, etc..
In the winter there are ski lodges, tobaggan runs(sp?), ice fishing, winter carnivals.
In the spring there are festivals, etc...
In just about every season you can find a festival or even a zoo to go to!
We also have tons of museums and historical places to visit.
I lovethis MI!

agreed And you can easily go on vacation to "Up North" - in the same state.

[CedarCreek]

I live in NY and will concur. We also get a great 4 seasons every year, it is B E A U T I F U L (I live near the finger lakes, right in the heart of wine country) BUT the taxes and regulations are ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend anyone move here, simply because of the taxes.

How bad are they? Here we pay around 5,000 a year in property taxes. I've heard from friends who have moved here from NY that it is really beautiful.

Oops, yes I am in northern Minnesota.

Our lakes are crystal clear! You can see the bottom of most the lakes here....

I have a ton of photos I can show you....I'll find them and make an album in my profile and link you to them when I gather them all.

Oh, and running a daycare in MN is easy too! Our regs are not very restrictive and they are easy to follow.

How are the taxes in MN? Do you think that the union for daycares that just passed will become mandatory?