can't wait get concerts, symphonies and plays out in the hills
I'm like 40 min from downtown SLC, and there's a commuter rail like 10 min from my house. So going to concerts, symphonies, and plays really isn't an issue.
Worst case, I'll take a flight to an urban center for a weekend (regular flights to NYC, SF, LA, etc) if there's an event I really want to go to (I like the Seattle Nutcracker). Vegas is like 6 hours away, so it's also an option for events.
Likewise if I lived near Denver.
Silverado
Looks nice, but a bit pricey. Then again, my area is getting pretty pricey as well (like $500-600k for a decent place, when it used to be $200-300k when I moved here).
I would be a bit nervous about fires and flooding though. No issues with that in my area.
Cities can be very beautiful in their own right
Sure, and I like visiting ours, I just don't want to live in one. Give me close access to commuter rail and a canyon and I'm happy. That way I can get the best of both worlds.
My main complaint is that my area isn't very bikable, so I bought a house right next to a major bike path, which goes like 20 miles in either direction through fields, near urban areas, and along train tracks. I used to commute 10 miles each way on that path for work, and I regularly exercise on it now that I commute to far (25 miles downtown). Most of my trips are fine on a bike, with the grocery, library, and lots of parks within a mile or two with no major roads in between (or just one with a solid crosswalk).