Top 5 Cities for Outdoor Enthusiasts: Hiking, Biking & Adventure Hotspots

Most Americans live close to an outdoor space like a park or trailhead, but there's only a few cities that make an outdoor adventure almost effortless. This is a major time for outdoor recreation, with an increase in remote work, national park developments, and health focused lifestyles. These trends have shown a surge in interest in being outdoors. Here we've narrowed down the map to five cities that balance job opportunities, vibrant food, and an active culture.

1. Salt Lake City, UT

Sat between the Wasatch front, and the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City offers any type of lifestyle you want. 

Proximity to Adventure: With access to 11 different ski resorts just an hour away, Salt Lake also provides close proximity to hundreds of scenic trails for hiking, biking, running, or other trail activities. Some of the most popular are Booneville Shoreline trail, Grandeur Peak, and Mt. Olympus for a more experienced hike. With close proximity to Great Salt lake, there are many opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, etc. 

Climate: Salt Lake is a sun soaked mountain town with all four seasons, powdery winters, and desert-like summers. Summer highs are regularly 90-100°F and in the later months, you might see some monsoons. Winters are always around 50+, and snow is common downtown. In fall and spring, the weather varies, from freezing and snowing one day, to hot and dry the next. 

Cost of Living: Salt Lake City's cost of living is 27% above national average, a median home price of $585,000 and an average rent price of $1,470. 

Economics and Lifestyle: With low unemployment rates and a booming job market, Salt Lake is at the top of our list for its vast array of opportunities. Along with this, an increase in jobs, also makes for a fantastic food and entertainment scene. A mountain town with big-city energy, comes with fantastic food and drinks all around Salt Lake. Salt Lake City is at the top of this list for a reason, big city life and mountain adventure never went together so well.

2. Boulder , CO

Northwest of Denver, Boulder, Colorado fusses a laidback college town with world class outdoor adventures. 

Proximity to Adventure: Just a 30 minute drive you can arrive at Eldora mountain for skiing and snowboarding, or take the I-70 up to Winter Park, Copper Mountain, or A-Basin for a day trip. But, boulders cup of tea is in the name, It is known for rock climbing and bouldering. The Flatirons, Eldorado canyon and Flagstaff mountain are best for climbing. It's also a staple spot for altitude endurance training, with Olympians and world class athletes coming to train in the thin air. Boulder is also known for gravel cycling, mountain biking, and running. Some events like the Boulder10k, and the Ironman 70.3 Boulder are some headline endurance events held there. 

Climate: With a high-desert climate and 300 days of sun per year, boulder consists of dry, mild summers, and comfortable winters. With an average snowfall of 89” a year boulder gets the best of all seasons. For the shoulder seasons, spring is just an extended winter with the majority of the snow coming in April, while a second summer comes with highs of 70°F into October.

Cost of Living: Boulder has a significantly higher cost of living, around 41% higher than the national average. Housing prices and rent prices are also high, with an approximate $940,000 median home price and a median rent of $1,600 to $2,600. Overall, the beauty of Boulder doesn't come cheap, but you pay a premium for those views.

Economics and Lifestyle: With UC boulder being the main attraction of this city, it's not lacking in life. The college brings jobs, people, and fun to the city and gives it a popping social scene. With a job market tailored to young professionals and growth in tech, aerospace, and research development. Boulder also has a large outdoor job market, with gear startups and tons of seasonal jobs. Boulder has a great brewery and bar scene, more than enough places to go and get a drink. Pearl Street is where you want to go for food and shopping, packed with tons of delicious restaurants and a great place to hangout after a long hike.

3. Seattle, WA

Called the trifecta-town, Seattle has it all, from oceans, mountains, lakes and everything in between, it's the perfect hub for outdoor activities. 

Proximity to Adventure: Seattle's 200+ miles of shoreline provides residents with year round kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and other water activities. If you're not a fan of the water, Seattle has 3 major national parks, and tons of national forest all around the city. For easy access, discovery park Loop is best for a scenic walk and to get out of the city, a moderate, but not far summit trail is Rattlesnake Ledge, where you can get in a good hike, without sacrificing much time or energy. The real rite of passage is Mailbox Peak, a steep and scenic hike, it shows off the true grit of the Seattle outdoors. 

Climate: Seattle has an Oceanic climate, which consists of wet winters, and cool dry summers. Be prepared for lots of rain, over 200 days of clouds and common sprinkles more than true downpours. The mild weather is great to enjoy the outdoors in, just be prepared to do lots of activities in the rain. 

Cost of Living: Seattle's cost of living is the biggest factor in moving here, with it being 45% higher than the national average, the city can get quite expensive. Housing, being the biggest factor, is a median home price of $995,000 and a median rent of $2,123. With the tech boom and geographical constraints, Seattle's housing market is growing significantly. 

Economics and Lifestyle: Seattle's tech-focused job market is leaning towards a hybrid/remote work environment, which is great for accessing the outdoors more often. Seattle's dining and entertainment scene is lively, with creative food, great music, tons of open air movies, film nights, and bike-to-brew routes that are tailored towards people with a love for the outdoors. REI has a great spot to visit their cafe, or the many food trucks or breweries nearby. Capitol Hill is the city's nightlife spot, with tons of bars and restaurants, more than likely you'll end up here more often than not. 

4. Flagstaff, AZ

Flagstaff is a great spot for year-round adventures. Skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and star gazing are some popular activities. 

Outdoor Adventures: At 7,000 feet, flagstaff has stunning mountain scenery and is home to snowbowl, which is perfect for skiing, scenic views, and hiking. It's also surrounded by popular outdoor destinations like the Grand Canyon, Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater and Meteor crater. Being tailored to outdoor loves, the FUTS has over 50 miles of urban trails throughout the town. Flagstaff was the world's first International Dark Sky City, and home to the Lowell Observatory for a great place for star gazing. Nearby lakes include activities like kayaking, fishing, and paddleboarding when the summers start to warm up. 

Climate: Flagstaff's four-season climate is different from the rest of Arizona. The elevation brings a cool alpine climate with summer highs around 85°F and winter lows around 15°F. The dry, mild climate is perfect for people who love all four seasons, and with around 260% of sunshine per year, there's no lack of sun! 

Cost of Living: Being a popular destination for people from the valley, flagstaff cost of living has grown significantly over the past couple of years. The COst of living is around 16% higher than the national average. The median home price is around $690,000 and median rent prices are around $2,000. 

Economics and Lifestyle: Flagstaff's job market relies heavily on seasonal work; but, research and education are by far the most prominent fields because of NAU, with outdoor careers following closely behind. Downtown flagstaff is the heart of this NAU collegetown, overflowing with breweries, a flourishing restaurant scene that's focused on eco-friendly eating with hand crafted spots for all different kinds of diners. Year-round entertainment like walking tours through downtown, historical attractions, and art galleries make this town full of life.

5. Asheville, NC

Asheville is regarded as one of the best places in the eastern US for outdoor enthusiasts, with a diversity of trails, water recreation, and an outdoor-oriented quality of life. It's everything an outdoor lover looks for bundled into one place.

Outdoor Adventures: Asheville has tons of options for outdoor lovers, from beginners to seasoned outdoorsmen, the city provides you with anything you might need for your next adventure. Asheville is home to Pisgah National Forest, and DuPont State Forest which provide you with roadside waterfalls and half day hikes through lush Appalachian rainforests. The city is also home to the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Mt. Mitchell, which has a rewarding summit trail. Kayak, paddleboard, or tube down the French Broad River that flows right through town. Some day trips include Chimney Rock State Park (40 min) and the Great Smoky Mountains (90 min). Asheville is also known for its mountain biking, gardens and greenways, and other adventure sports. The weather here changes fast so be prepared when exploring!

Climate: Asheville has a humid Subtropical climate, with elevation that keeps the heat moderate, and mild winters, there's never any harsh weather. Summer highs are around 89°F and winter average temperatures are around 45°F. Rain is persistent year round, and there's not much of a dry season, so be prepared to get wet. 

Cost of Living: with one of the most manageable costs of living on this list, it's only 4% higher than the national average. With a median home price of around $517,500, and average rent of $1,606 a month, the cost of living is fairly reasonable compared to most cities with the same amenities. 

Economics and Lifestyle: Asheville is growing rapidly, with professional services, manufacturing, educational, and health services being the biggest job markets. Major employers are Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, and manufacturing firms like Flint Ground and Southwest containers. Hospitality jobs also come from The Biltmore and Omni Hotels. Asheville dining is heavy on breweries, gastropubs, and high end dining. South Slope is the “brewery district” with dozens of craft breweries and taprooms within walking distance, it's a great spot for beer crawls or tasting tours. Asheville's food scene is locally, farm to table. Downtown, South Slope, West Ashville, and the River Arts Districts are the best places to find an amazing dining experience. 

Picking Your Fit 

Make sure you tailor your new home to what you enjoy about the outdoors. For high altitude and world class skiing, choose Salt Lake or Boulder. For a mind winter appeal, Flagstaff and Asheville are a great option. The size of the city matters too, for a small town soul choose Flagstaff or Asheville, and Seattle and salt lake for that big city urban feel. Boulder is a good mix of both, depending on where you chose to settle. The most cost effective is Ashville, with Flagstaff and Salt Lake being middle priced, while Seattle and Boulder being the most expensive places to live out of the 5. Each one of these cities delivered adventure outdoor enthusiasts are looking for, and hopefully this helps narrow down your perfect home base!