Moving to Boulder
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Moving to Boulder
Feb 2005
We are considering a move to Boulder, CO due to career/family
reasons. I understand that Boulder is not a wonderfully diverse
community like Berkeley (At least it is pretty liberal). Can
anyone recommend areas to live? Boulder high school vs.
Fairview HS? Elementary schools that are particularly good?
Thanks for your help.
anon
We moved to Boulder in August and are liking it pretty well here. I miss
the Bay Area's resources and urbanity, but everyday when I go outside
and look at those mountains, I give a happy sigh. The outdoor
resources are remarkable here. Without even leaving Boulder, we've
seen foxes, racoons, coyotes (from a distance), deer, and lots of
gorgeous birds. Houses are expensive in Boulder, so though it will be
less than in the Bay Area, keep that in mind. There are also abundant
and very ugly ''developments'' with uniform rows of homes all squinched
in together. I recommend North Boulder, where we found a home.
South Boulder seemed to us to be more tract homes that were close
together. Older homes on ''the hill'' near the university or near
Chautauqua can be beautiful but are prohibitively expensive (at least for
us). There is so much public open space in Boulder that it might be
worthwhile to keep that in mind as you look for a home: we live half a
block away from a big hiking/open space area and it's really added to
the pleasure of the neighborhood. I have also looked, recently at
nearby towns like Longmont and Lyons, both of which are less
expensive than Boulder and have nice older homes with character.
Schools seem to be a public priority here, though I did not find the
school district helpful as we moved in. There are some good charter
and magnet schools, but when I called about enrollment, I was
continually reassured that my kids couldn't get in because the open
enrollment was over (calls were made February-June). That said, as I
queried parents about their various elementary schools, each insisted
that the school their child attended was THE most excellent in the area.
Again, this is anecdotal, but I hear very good things about Boulder High
from parents. I don't know much about Fairview, but I've heard that the
kids there tend to be more affluent and more subject to the evil
influences of our consumer culture. If you have other questions, feel
free to e-mail me directly.
i lived in boulder for about 3 years. i liked it for the most part. the lack of diversity
was a disappointment though. it's there you just have to search for it in the
surrounding areas. boulder high school is great. atleast it was 4 years ago. my
brother went there and they really worked hard to help him. the school has a lot of
resources that i don't think fairfield high has. all in all i think if i had to pick a place
in colorado to live it would be boulder.
angela
Feb 2004
Hi
My husband, 1 y.o. and I are considering a move to Boulder and
would like recommendations onn neighborhoods and schools. We
live in Rockridge now and love the feel of the neighborhood and
would like to find something similar. Also, what are the good
elementary schools and private schools. Is it any cheaper to
live there?
I know there have been previous postings but they don't really
address these questions.
Many thanks!
Anon
Good friends moved to boulder about two years ago and prices
were pretty comprabale to the bay area - they ended up outside
of Boulder in Lewisville but are now regretting that and may
try to move into Boulder. I guess I'd reccomend alot of
research into the cost of houses.
good luck
April 2003
Help! We are moving in mid July to the university area in Boulder,
Colorado. Being native to California, I am particularly worried about
actually living in and driving through snow (my daughter is thrilled) for
an entire season. I would like some advice on surviving, perhaps even
thriving, in winter conditions. I also welcome any recommendations
about living in Boulder, but I am especially interested in preschools,
cheap family thrills, restaurants, and Japanese grocery stores.
Thanks in advance!
Miki
Hi- Boulder is a great place to live, I went to CU about 12 years ago. I
visit periodically still. Aside from the snow it is a lot like the East
Bay. If
you are uneasy about driving in the snow I would suggest having a four
wheel drive vehicle. Even though it snows a lot it can warm up to the
60's the very next day and you would see people walking around in
shorts when there is snow on hte ground and the sky is amazingly blue.
Don't fret- Get yourself some good hiking/waterproof boots and enjoy the
winter wonderland. It is not a wet/damp cold like the Northeast so you
are in for a treat.
Marion
Boulder is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! It backs right up to the
flatirons which are so amamzing!. Don't fret. I am from
Hawaii and live here presently but went to UC Boulder for
undergrad (1990-1994) and loved it. Can you think of two more
different climates?! But both are equally gorgeous in
different ways. I burnt out on the cold weather but that was
after four years of college, a year after(because I couldn't
bear to leave after school finished) and then another year
after living overseas (1997)because I missed it so much. Like
the other recommendation, you could get a 4 wheel drive car. I
had a little Toyota Tercel (front wheel drive)and worked in the
mountains. I just got special tires (with little cleats in
them) for the winter season and did just fine. As for housing,
are you moving there to teach at the university? They have
housing info and there are faculty condos. If you are looking
for regular housing just make sure you are out of the student
populated areas (The HILL, and right below the campus) because
these are party central and can be dumps with sleazy landlords
and run down student houses. Up closer to Chataqua Park there
are nicer homes as well as out on Table Mesa Rd. or more north
of the university. In fact anywhere except the immediate
vicinity of the univ. should have adequate living
accomodations. Restaurants: I haven't lived there for a while
but there is a great ethiopian place called Ras Kasas. It
moved since I last was there because it was so popular but it's
still in the area. There are a number of others too- pretty
good selection of international cuisine for a small town.
Thats what's nice about Boulder, it has a lot packed into it
bacause it is a college towm. Speaking of, Boulder is pretty
heavy on bars and breweries to keep all the students drunk and
happy. Pearl St. is a closed off street with little shops and
places to eat all along it and can be fun just to stroll and
people watch. Drives into the mountains are always nice. If
you are interested in getting into winter sports you can
probably find some deals on lift tickets for the season.
Hiking is right in your backyard around the flatirons. There
are also lots of bike trails. Everyone bikes in Boulder. I'm
not sure about the Japanese market but there is a good chance
that you'll find one there. It's pretty diverse. There are
lots of health food markets in the area if you like that.
My biggest recomendation to you would be to separate yourself
from the student areas as that could be really annoying. The
summers there are great because the town empties out and it's
pretty calm. Things get bustling again in the fall when the
students return. I was there as a crazy student and not a
parent so I'm not as aware of fun things to do with kids in
Colorado but I'm sure you could find out more from better
sources. Too bad there isn't a Boulder parents network- maybe
there is. Boulder is really a very unique place and I hope you
enjoy it and the beautiful winter weather. Stay warm and feel
free to email with any questions.
Courtney
this page was last updated: Aug 23, 2005
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