BootsnAll Travel Community

Ok, not really a "travel" post here, but I'm about to be able to start working from home so I'm picking my home from scratch. I'm looking for very specific things, but I figure others might be interested too so it can be more general also.

What are the best mid-large cities in the country (for me anyway this means with a good airport) for...:

1) Whitewater paddling - nearby rivers and park-n-play (I currently live in DC and I have to say there is pretty great park and play a 15 minute drive from Georgetown!)

2) Skiing - if anything beats Salt Lake I'd love to know about it

Here you go...

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/relocating/...o-live-and-play.html

http://outside.away.com/outside/destinations/200604/adventure-hot-spots-1.html

Reno, Tahoe.

- Whitewater park plus the American River isn't too far away
- loads of resorts to ski (I don't think anywhere in the world compares to the skiing in Utah, though)

If you want it all within a 4 hour drive, San Francisco. Hands down best city with access to the coolest outdoors stuff. And SF is just a great city in and of itself. But you've got Napa/Sonoma just 1.5hrs away, Tahoe 4-5hrs, Yosemite 4hrs, the coast south of the city, 2 international airports, a china town that seems like a foreign country, great rafting and kayaking abound, good rock climbing nearby, and Yosemite really is amazing!

Look into Missoula, Montana. On the smaller end of things, but plenty of whitewater and powder nearby. Small, but well-serviced airport.

Santa Cruz!

I don't know of many other places where you can rip sick single track trails all day long, have a good surf session, and party in San Francisco all in the same day.

P.S. Don't tell anyone I sent you.