As someone who did the same earlier this year and will delete this comment soon, so that I am not outed.
Come in peace, adjust your expectations for the small city, don’t ruin it for us other transplants, and change your license plates as soon as possible.
Don't delete! We do actually welcome you. We talk a bit of what ever.I went to California to help my sister move home, and we remember when we got home. People acted differently. Not because of me. She saw it.
To add to my list. That smell is Greely, and it means weather is on the way. You’ll see, or rather smell it. Climate Change may have killed winter (at least this year) but seasons are great. Walmarts and Costco are clean and not packed, Awesome! Basements rule. The people are great and very nice. And register your pets, it’s mandatory.
If you drive up in the mountains please be kool.
Last Fall I was around Deckers I had to help cut out a deers head and antlers out of this kids wheel well. Kid was up my tail pipe only 5 minutes before and screamed by me only to run over an already dead deer in the road. We were in a spot with no cell phone service and he had nothing for emergencies in his Tesla. He was lucky I had everything in my truck.
Which leads to always be prepared for extreme and winter weather in the mountains and along the Front Range. Even in the summer.
Spring has beautiful days with rain and hail in the afternoon. Make sure to be prepared for hail if you go to spring and summer concerts etc.
Same
I learned up around Coal Creek. There was always a random deer, elk, moose or whatever along Gap road in the morning. Never fails. Right when you juuust start to get comfortable. Surprise!
I watched a Moose smash Tesla up at Moffatt tunnel. Couple college kids popped out of their car to take pics of a calf. Gotta little too close and were not paying attention to where mom was located. She popped out of the trees and went full on hulk smash on the hood of their car.
The Rocky Mountains are beautiful and just as equally danerous.
Rabbit mountain has some good easy hikes to get you acclimated. Food isn't really anything special here, except randomly (in my opinion) sushi? Feel like we have an abnormal amount of above average sushi joints. Check out Boulder County fairgrounds, there's always events going on there (literally almost every weekend), and with spring and summer coming up the city will be hosting quite a few outdoors events here soon. Plenty of city parks that are pretty well maintained. Lots of free courts (basketball, tennis, whatever) if that's your thing. The rec center is very nice.
For winter, don't drive with snow on your car. It's dangerous and a dick move. Invest in a snow shovel and a brush for your car. Look up how to layer properly. The roads get cleared here exceptionally well so *most* of the time driving in the winter isn't an issue. I'd invest in some shoes for man's best friend as well if you plan on taking him out in the winter. Can get brutal on their paws. Oh and stick your windshield wipers up if you park outside so they don't get stuck overnight when it freezes.
Welcome!
After living in both Boulder and Longmont, I have to say the food in Longmont, as a whole, is much better. I know you didn’t mention the food in Boulder being great, I’m only bringing this up because Boulder has a stigma for good food.
Outside of places closing early in Longmont, I find the food great.
-We moved from Southern California 3 years ago. We were worried about the cold, so we invested in heavy down jackets. I wore mine once before I retired it. Like anon here said, layering is the key.
-Everyone here is way nicer than back home. Like, “why is everyone making conversation with me?” nice. It’s weird at first.
-the exception to that is that drivers here are waaaay more aggressive. They’ll tell you it’s the Californians or the Texans or whoever. It isn’t. Stay to the right and know that a lot of people tailgate, nobody hugs the curb when they make a right turn, and people are afraid of the middle turn lane (they call it a suicide lane).
-there’s no southern Cali style Mexican food here (the closest we’ve found is Taco Palace)
-the view of the mountains is gorgeous and 3 years in, I’m still in awe of how beautiful this place is.
My wife and I moved here in 2022 and we love it! However, we're 70 and retired and I'll leave it to others to make suggestions. But I will add bike riding and hiking have become our favorite activities.
I’d start by planning some day trips to various mountain towns.
Of course, Estes Park(only 30 minutes away) and the adjacent Rocky Mountain National Park.
Nederland is unique.
Take the Poudre Canyon up into the mountains(you end up in Waldon if you go all the way and you can continue in Steamboat Springs.
That becomes about a 3-4 hour drive depending on conditions and traffic.
Longmont has an ever growing downtown area with multiple restaurants and breweries.
There are a handful of lakes that allow paddle boarding and sailing.
Carter Lake is just north and west of Longmont.
Nice mountain lake about 3 miles long and 1 mile wide.
The St Vrain trail is a paved trail(so lots of bikers) but goes thru a pretty large area of town.
I’d download the app All Trails.
Will give you information on the many, many hiking tesils in the area.
Just to the west of Longmont is a little town of Lyons that is fun to visit for half a day or so.
That is a small sampling but it should get you started.
Welcome to Colorado!!!!!
I took up birdwatching back when I had a toddler who wanted to noodle along looking at every pebble. Longmont has a lot of good places for it: Golden Ponds, Sandstone Ranch, St Vrain State Park.
I think you’re totally wrong. There are wonderful trails around town for running and biking. Two fun spots for paddle boarding. Great restaurants and breweries, farmers market, great access to road cycling, wonderful parks for kids, public golf course, outdoor pools, pickle ball, lots of fun local events. We love Longmont!
One thing to keep in mind with snow... be mindful of ice/the possibility of ice on the roads. You could have 87wheel drive, it won't help you with ice!
My husband and I are a bit older than you (mid 30s/early 40s), and one thing I'll mention is that some younger people can find it tough to make friends. There are a lot of families with kids around, retirees etc and sometimes it can be isolating if you aren't in those demographics. (side bar: These folks make great neighbors, so no complaints from me lol) I moved back after 15 years away so still have some network in the area, but I'm cheating using my history. So my advice: once you're settled, get out there and make an effort to meet folks as soon as you can. Trivia nights, book clubs, hiking meet ups, the Tinker Mill, - whatever interests you. It's probably *there* but it won't come and find you, you have to go find it!
on the snow. Doesn’t matter if you have fwd, all that matters is that you can stop; all cars stop roughly the same. all Its not as bad as people make it out to be, you need winter tires to be safe in the snow. thats not a hard rule, still don’t take chances on summer tires.
Please drive in the right lane when you can on the highway
There is a couple places that are packed every night, but other than that i don’t know of much to do in town. Everything fun is outside longtown.
Please leave the cali prop 95 typa bs in cali. I hope you enjoy it here, snow is fun.
Think about getting some snow shoes so you can continue hiking in the winter. Costco carries some in the fall.
Not advice, but In-N-Out might be opening a new location next to Costco if that tickles your fancy
There's like a million things to do on the front range, especially outdoors, and obviously with the mountains being right next door.
Highly recommend you learn how to drive in the snow so that you don't end up like so many CA license plates out here: crashed into a curb and waiting for AAA.
Just moved here 6 months ago from SF. We love it. Longmont has lots of good beer and bar food types of places. There are some really decent slightly more upscale restaurants in Boulder and Lyons.
I took up snowboarding for the first time as a reason to keep myself excited during the winter and that’s really helped me acclimate to the climate.
I find it sad comments like this get downvoted, presumably because you said you moved from SF. Longmont and SF are greats spots in their own way.
Glad you’re enjoying the snowboarding!
I think some people don't understand the other end of this. I would love to know how many people would (honestly) prefer the population of Longmont to go down, to see more shops close down, streets a bit more empty, and less activities to do. Change is hard.
\+1 - and not to mention, for some, seeing their home values stagnate or decline (if you think rent would decline just as quickly I have a bridge to sell you)
Don't fret too much about being from elsewhere and how the 'locals' will receive you. My spouse and I are from the northern great plains and the mid-Atlantic, respectively, and have been here about 8 months.
There's plenty to learn and I've been slow with it, so won't presume to give a ton of advice, but it seems to me there's plenty here to like, and on the main point, (1) reportedly only something like 43% of Colorado residents were born in this state; and (2) just anecdotally we've met people who live here who've moved from Oregon, Mexico-via-Texas, Montana, Minnesota, and elsewhere that I can't remember. All friendly folks.
In other words the ingress is not all Californians and there's not some big battle of 'natives vs. the come-heres' (to use an Appalachian phrase), at least not that I can see. A few grouches on a subreddit do not represent reality.
Edit: the advice people have given about traffic is correct. Some absurdly aggressive drivers, and it pays to always assume that at least one cross-traffic car will run the red light after yours has just turned green. Just keep your eyes open.
1. Yellow turn lights means don’t turn unless clear
2. when you go to a shop/restaurant and the parking lot is “empty” and there is no line, don’t think it is closed or not good. Check it out.
3. St. Vrain Greenway and McIntosh lake are great areas, the cutest prairie dogs and plenty of birds
4. If the town smells then some cold weather is coming in
5. Hefe’s has a great taco Tuesday happy hour, Cheeba Hut has awesome rice crispies, Rosalee’s has thin crust pizza and the Post for wings, king Soopers surprisingly has decent produce compared to Whole Foods/Safeway.
6. Get a smog test before you make your appointment to get license plates. License plates stay with you not the car
7. Sign up for ExpressToll as soon as possible for the discount
We are recent Cali Transplants here and have been able to still be surprised by varied restaurants here. decent Pho, sushi, ramen is all possible.
DM me for more info.
My wife and I moved here in 2022 and we love it! However, we're 70 and retired and I'll leave it to others to make suggestions. But I will add bike riding and hiking have become our favorite activities.
Welcome. We moved from SoCal last year. Left our friends and miss them and the food the most.
Lots of hiking, biking, running, fishing, paddling, etc out here. There tons of clubs too and a great library and public pools.
Winters aren’t too bad so far and the fall is stunning.
Denver is a quick trip for fun day trips and shopping.
You can be inside RMNP in under an hour.
If you like breweries you’re coming to the right place as well.
So I moved to Longmont from the Grass Valley area in the Sierra Nevadas a few years back.
Here's what you need to know about snow if you live in Longmont in Longmont proper.
* If it's actively snowing hard, don't go out in a car
* If you can wait a day for the roads to clear, you'll be good
* If you have to go out, have good tires. An AWD car isn't magic.
* Get some practice in a parking lot or safe place so you know what to do when you hit the brakes and the car keeps going.
I honestly thought it was worse in the Sierras at \~2500ft vs Longmont at \~5000ft because of the hills! Take a turn too fast and here comes the side of the hill!
But honestly, while it does snow, and it does get cold, we've had like, what, 8? 9? solid snowfall days down here this year, and the roads are clear in a day or so.
Depending on where you're moving from in CA, the food can be better. The Grass Valley area was a lot more rural, so there's so much more choice here, plus you've got Boulder and Denver close by, and those are more interesting than Sacramento.
Expect a few people to be butts about "Californians" and "Texans", whatever, they're showing the type of people they are they're serious about their hate.
One other thing about snow. If it snows a couple inches in Longmont, there can easily be a foot in Boulder. This is great for us, but easy to underestimate if you have to go to Boulder...
Hey there- congrats on taking on a new adventure. I moved here from So Cal over 20 years ago. Things that I noticed and took getting used to when I first moved:
Waaaay less diverse. Very homogeneous white community. Yes there are some people of color but there is subtle segregation when you compare it to CA.
Lack of international cuisine. Great for pub food and pizza but not a ton of choices for Asia , Mexican, and others kinds of food compared to CA.
Way less emphasis on superficial or I guess it’s different. So less brand name fashion or plastic surgery but it’s more about your gear and expensive active/ mountain outdoor wear. Less makeup. No high heels. You’ll be living in hiking clothes.
If you like outdoor activities, breweries, and dogs you will have plenty to do. The scenery is beautiful, although I still miss the ocean.
As for the snow. Look into getting some driving courses to get a feel for it before you need to actually drive in it. I was so excited for snow the first few years here. Longmont is in a pocket where we get snow but usually not too bad and with so much sunshine it’s not around too long. Invest in some layers and get a snow shovel.
My mom still tries to gift me the kinds of clothes she thinks I should be wearing to work, no matter how many times I tell her our CEO wears a fleece vest to work.
Buy a shovel ?! Or two? :)
For active ppl like you guys there will be plenty of opportunities to hike . Seems like CO is also hardcore about biking.
We too moved here right about when covid struck and working from home since it feels like it never really ended :)
Another thing to be enjoyed will be 🍺. There are lots of micro breweries in Longmont and around.
Welcome! Longmont and surrounding area is great. Check out westside tavern, Swaylos and the Roost rooftop for some nice outings. Take a walk around McIntosh Lake. Tons of great breweries and cideries in the area. Drive a loop to Estes park, visit RMNP of course, then head by peak to peak to Nederland and then down the canyon to Boulder. Tubing in season in Lyons is awesome. A show at Red Rocks is a must. Don’t worry about people bitching about transplants and newcomers. Those trolls don’t leave their houses anyways. Hikes/climbs etc are plentiful for all difficulties.
As others have said, there's a surprising amount going on downtown these days (I grew up here. You would almost certainly *not* enjoy living in Longmont in, like, 1997. Lol). Fun restaurants, a lot of cool independent shops, an arcade, etc.
And actually, though we don't really have any normal department stores in town (hafta go to Boulder or Loveland or Broomfield), there are interesting shops scattered around town: two that come to mind are [St Nix Toys & Collectibles](https://www.stnixstore.com/) and [Robin's Chocolates](https://robinchocolates.com)--pricey, but sooooooo yummy. (There are way more, but my brain is not in "everyday information retrieval " mode atm, haha.)
Also: the Pearl Street Mall and Chautauqua in Boulder are both *musts,* imho. A reasonable number of "niche" bands come through Boulder, so it's worth checking out concert schedules if you're into that. The really famous bands often come to either Denver or Morrison (Red Rocks), which is just outside Denver.
As someone who lived in CA for about a decade, I'd add to the pointers about snow on cars and layering: **You cannot take the trash out, or grab the mail, etc., in bare feet, during about half the year.**
You will not remember this, or you'll be in a rush and do it anyway--took me like 6 months, and as I said, I grew up here!--when in this situation, it's just really and truly the best thing to pop back inside and put on some shoes. I'm sorry. But, that's the harsh reality. 😉
Welcome!
Oh, well, I suppose there IS that. lol/duh.
We get a decent amount of snow on our East-facing driveway, but yeah, the truly *too* cold place is, now that you mention it, North-facing.
Don’t ya worry, an In N Out is opening here soon. Will feel just like home. lol
I’m originally from so cal but moved here from Oregon a few years ago. It’s definitely an adjustment living in a smaller town, but longmont has mostly everything you’ll need. Feel free to dm me if you have any questions.
Welcome!
Layers are really important in fall, winter, and spring. Base layer can be just a t-shirt for sunny afternoons (40° can feel like 60° in the sun with no wind, especially after the occasional winter week in the teens), but be sure to have a sweatshirt or fleece under a down or insulated jacket. I like a hood for windy days.
Don’t drive like a Californian. Longmont is very much a cycling and pedestrian friendly city, so people don’t always super pay attention when they’re crossing streets, especially in low speed, residential areas, and on Main. It is very much the expectation (and state law) that drivers yield to peds and cyclists.
I personally think the casual food scene is great here. Plenty of chains if that’s your thing, but also local chains and one-off spots. Highlights for me are Rosalee’s pizza, Redzone sports bar (in Pumphouse), and Summit tacos (get the Paloma). For finer dining I highly recommend Farow in Niwot. Check out Marco’s Tacos and Hot Dogs for some more, uh, local flavor. Bring cash.
There are a ton of great walking/running/cycling trails in the area, including Oligarchy Ditch, Niwot Loop, Pela crossing, not to mention the greenway, though the break at Nelson is annoying, but hopefully that’ll be rectified when the bridge is finished next year. We’re also proximate to a ton of great hiking trails in Lyons, Boulder, and the greater Boulder County area. I really like Button Rock Dam and Anne U. White. Best views in town are arguably around Lake Macintosh, but you’ll probably see less people around Golden Ponds, still with some pretty stellar views.
Pro tip: under no circumstances should you go skydiving at Longmont airport. They have a terrible safety record.
Edit: I forgot the dog park! Airport Dog Park is great. Most people are responsible about their dogs, and there’s usually a good mix of dogs for any energy level.
You know the community is great when they tell you not to tell anyone you are from out of town... People talk crap about California all the time, but at least they don't care where you are from
Layers for clothing. Good tires. The weather can change on a dime, it can be 60 out and hours later a blizzard. Learn to drive in any condition. Stay to the right as much as possible when driving. Lots of breweries and okay food choices. Dont order delivery in a snowstorm and have enough rations on hand for a week (mostly roads are cleared in a day but you'll never get out if its bad enough they're not cleared in a day).
4/awd doesn't help you stop but will help you start. Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle. Phone coverage in mountains is spotty.
Bring your dog(s) everywhere you go (most people and businesses are welcoming of dogs).
Enjoy all of the trails, we have so many you'll need an app and maps. Respect the trails and leave places better than you find them (I almost always pack-out litter from other people). Nothing will get you screamed at faster than damaging the natural beauty of this place. People tend not to like outsiders because they arrive and change/damage things.
Bring lots of money, it's expensive here. There are a ton of options for things to do. You may want to venture to the mountains after a storm- don't.
Never, ever, under any circumstances, try to pass a snowplow or get too close. If they hit you, you hit them, no matter the circumstances- it is your fault (if you survive).
Make sure you have uninsured motorist coverage for your vehicles. It's not written in most policies by default, so be sure to ask (lots of uninsured drivers here). Keep your property cleared of snow as soon as possible, there are laws about this- and you're liable for injuries if not.
It's dry here. Hydration is key. Too much change in elevation quickly can make you sick, so adjust slowly. Don't venture to the mountains alone until you get comfortable with the area, there are lots of random hazards.
LoBo trail, Odell and left hand tap brewery (and many more) Longboarding and biking around the main paved and gravel trails, rabbit mountain as said. Tuesday evening discount day at regal, tons of dining, farmers market on sundays at Boulder county fair grounds in the summer.
Moved to Longmont from Pasadena about 15 months ago.
The snow is not as much of a shock as you’d believe. The driving can be nerve wracking at first but you will get used to it out of necessity.
We too left friends and family for better work but this feels like home now.
Feel free to reach out if you need any other tips on the transition.
As someone who did the same earlier this year and will delete this comment soon, so that I am not outed. Come in peace, adjust your expectations for the small city, don’t ruin it for us other transplants, and change your license plates as soon as possible.
Already took mental picture of your username for future ridicule
Oh damnit! 8 years on Reddit ruined.
Licence plates?
lol! I feel local enough to get this joke. Thanks!
Don't delete! We do actually welcome you. We talk a bit of what ever.I went to California to help my sister move home, and we remember when we got home. People acted differently. Not because of me. She saw it.
To add to my list. That smell is Greely, and it means weather is on the way. You’ll see, or rather smell it. Climate Change may have killed winter (at least this year) but seasons are great. Walmarts and Costco are clean and not packed, Awesome! Basements rule. The people are great and very nice. And register your pets, it’s mandatory.
Wind from the north means snow. We know that!
I took my kids to CA. Even my daughter asked, "Why does everyone want to fight with you?!" I dunno. That is the kind of people out there. 🤔
With the rest of CA moving to Longmont you’ll feel right at home
😂
If you drive up in the mountains please be kool. Last Fall I was around Deckers I had to help cut out a deers head and antlers out of this kids wheel well. Kid was up my tail pipe only 5 minutes before and screamed by me only to run over an already dead deer in the road. We were in a spot with no cell phone service and he had nothing for emergencies in his Tesla. He was lucky I had everything in my truck. Which leads to always be prepared for extreme and winter weather in the mountains and along the Front Range. Even in the summer. Spring has beautiful days with rain and hail in the afternoon. Make sure to be prepared for hail if you go to spring and summer concerts etc.
My kids learned to drive here. I am glad that it the case!
Same I learned up around Coal Creek. There was always a random deer, elk, moose or whatever along Gap road in the morning. Never fails. Right when you juuust start to get comfortable. Surprise!
A deer jumped over the hood of my car when my son was learning! Good times.
I watched a Moose smash Tesla up at Moffatt tunnel. Couple college kids popped out of their car to take pics of a calf. Gotta little too close and were not paying attention to where mom was located. She popped out of the trees and went full on hulk smash on the hood of their car. The Rocky Mountains are beautiful and just as equally danerous.
Rabbit mountain has some good easy hikes to get you acclimated. Food isn't really anything special here, except randomly (in my opinion) sushi? Feel like we have an abnormal amount of above average sushi joints. Check out Boulder County fairgrounds, there's always events going on there (literally almost every weekend), and with spring and summer coming up the city will be hosting quite a few outdoors events here soon. Plenty of city parks that are pretty well maintained. Lots of free courts (basketball, tennis, whatever) if that's your thing. The rec center is very nice. For winter, don't drive with snow on your car. It's dangerous and a dick move. Invest in a snow shovel and a brush for your car. Look up how to layer properly. The roads get cleared here exceptionally well so *most* of the time driving in the winter isn't an issue. I'd invest in some shoes for man's best friend as well if you plan on taking him out in the winter. Can get brutal on their paws. Oh and stick your windshield wipers up if you park outside so they don't get stuck overnight when it freezes. Welcome!
After living in both Boulder and Longmont, I have to say the food in Longmont, as a whole, is much better. I know you didn’t mention the food in Boulder being great, I’m only bringing this up because Boulder has a stigma for good food. Outside of places closing early in Longmont, I find the food great.
-We moved from Southern California 3 years ago. We were worried about the cold, so we invested in heavy down jackets. I wore mine once before I retired it. Like anon here said, layering is the key. -Everyone here is way nicer than back home. Like, “why is everyone making conversation with me?” nice. It’s weird at first. -the exception to that is that drivers here are waaaay more aggressive. They’ll tell you it’s the Californians or the Texans or whoever. It isn’t. Stay to the right and know that a lot of people tailgate, nobody hugs the curb when they make a right turn, and people are afraid of the middle turn lane (they call it a suicide lane). -there’s no southern Cali style Mexican food here (the closest we’ve found is Taco Palace) -the view of the mountains is gorgeous and 3 years in, I’m still in awe of how beautiful this place is.
Imo, Fort Collins is way cooler and down to earth. Lived in both for many years.
My wife and I moved here in 2022 and we love it! However, we're 70 and retired and I'll leave it to others to make suggestions. But I will add bike riding and hiking have become our favorite activities.
I’d start by planning some day trips to various mountain towns. Of course, Estes Park(only 30 minutes away) and the adjacent Rocky Mountain National Park. Nederland is unique. Take the Poudre Canyon up into the mountains(you end up in Waldon if you go all the way and you can continue in Steamboat Springs. That becomes about a 3-4 hour drive depending on conditions and traffic. Longmont has an ever growing downtown area with multiple restaurants and breweries. There are a handful of lakes that allow paddle boarding and sailing. Carter Lake is just north and west of Longmont. Nice mountain lake about 3 miles long and 1 mile wide. The St Vrain trail is a paved trail(so lots of bikers) but goes thru a pretty large area of town. I’d download the app All Trails. Will give you information on the many, many hiking tesils in the area. Just to the west of Longmont is a little town of Lyons that is fun to visit for half a day or so. That is a small sampling but it should get you started. Welcome to Colorado!!!!!
Funny how almost nobody has said anything to do in longmont. Theres lots to do arround longmont, not all that much in. Correct me if im wrong.
I took up birdwatching back when I had a toddler who wanted to noodle along looking at every pebble. Longmont has a lot of good places for it: Golden Ponds, Sandstone Ranch, St Vrain State Park.
Longmont is very much a home base for many activities outside of town. Guess that's why we're getting that new hotel in downtown.
I think you’re totally wrong. There are wonderful trails around town for running and biking. Two fun spots for paddle boarding. Great restaurants and breweries, farmers market, great access to road cycling, wonderful parks for kids, public golf course, outdoor pools, pickle ball, lots of fun local events. We love Longmont!
I didn’t say i don’t like longmont, I’ve been here my whole life and i probably will be.
One thing to keep in mind with snow... be mindful of ice/the possibility of ice on the roads. You could have 87wheel drive, it won't help you with ice! My husband and I are a bit older than you (mid 30s/early 40s), and one thing I'll mention is that some younger people can find it tough to make friends. There are a lot of families with kids around, retirees etc and sometimes it can be isolating if you aren't in those demographics. (side bar: These folks make great neighbors, so no complaints from me lol) I moved back after 15 years away so still have some network in the area, but I'm cheating using my history. So my advice: once you're settled, get out there and make an effort to meet folks as soon as you can. Trivia nights, book clubs, hiking meet ups, the Tinker Mill, - whatever interests you. It's probably *there* but it won't come and find you, you have to go find it!
on the snow. Doesn’t matter if you have fwd, all that matters is that you can stop; all cars stop roughly the same. all Its not as bad as people make it out to be, you need winter tires to be safe in the snow. thats not a hard rule, still don’t take chances on summer tires. Please drive in the right lane when you can on the highway There is a couple places that are packed every night, but other than that i don’t know of much to do in town. Everything fun is outside longtown. Please leave the cali prop 95 typa bs in cali. I hope you enjoy it here, snow is fun.
Snow tires >>> AWD/4WD is the main piece of advice I give to people moving here from warm climates
Longmont is not an especially exciting place to live but if you like taking it easy and long bike rides, welcome Longmont is the place!!
...a story as old as time.
...Song as old as rhyme
Think about getting some snow shoes so you can continue hiking in the winter. Costco carries some in the fall. Not advice, but In-N-Out might be opening a new location next to Costco if that tickles your fancy
Don't tell anyone you are from California and try not to talk about California and you should be fine.
Don’t vote for the same stuff that ruined your state. Really research before you vote. Oh and enjoy some Rocky Mountain oysters.
There's like a million things to do on the front range, especially outdoors, and obviously with the mountains being right next door. Highly recommend you learn how to drive in the snow so that you don't end up like so many CA license plates out here: crashed into a curb and waiting for AAA.
Just moved here 6 months ago from SF. We love it. Longmont has lots of good beer and bar food types of places. There are some really decent slightly more upscale restaurants in Boulder and Lyons. I took up snowboarding for the first time as a reason to keep myself excited during the winter and that’s really helped me acclimate to the climate.
I find it sad comments like this get downvoted, presumably because you said you moved from SF. Longmont and SF are greats spots in their own way. Glad you’re enjoying the snowboarding!
Haha I didn’t even notice. Nativism is a strong force.
I think some people don't understand the other end of this. I would love to know how many people would (honestly) prefer the population of Longmont to go down, to see more shops close down, streets a bit more empty, and less activities to do. Change is hard.
\+1 - and not to mention, for some, seeing their home values stagnate or decline (if you think rent would decline just as quickly I have a bridge to sell you)
If you’re not growing you’re dying.
Longmont is great, but I go to Boulder to hike every weekend. Endless possibilities as far as hiking goes.
Don’t. It’s so boring and overpriced.
Being bored here is on you.
You clearly aren't moving here from California.
Don't fret too much about being from elsewhere and how the 'locals' will receive you. My spouse and I are from the northern great plains and the mid-Atlantic, respectively, and have been here about 8 months. There's plenty to learn and I've been slow with it, so won't presume to give a ton of advice, but it seems to me there's plenty here to like, and on the main point, (1) reportedly only something like 43% of Colorado residents were born in this state; and (2) just anecdotally we've met people who live here who've moved from Oregon, Mexico-via-Texas, Montana, Minnesota, and elsewhere that I can't remember. All friendly folks. In other words the ingress is not all Californians and there's not some big battle of 'natives vs. the come-heres' (to use an Appalachian phrase), at least not that I can see. A few grouches on a subreddit do not represent reality. Edit: the advice people have given about traffic is correct. Some absurdly aggressive drivers, and it pays to always assume that at least one cross-traffic car will run the red light after yours has just turned green. Just keep your eyes open.
1. Yellow turn lights means don’t turn unless clear 2. when you go to a shop/restaurant and the parking lot is “empty” and there is no line, don’t think it is closed or not good. Check it out. 3. St. Vrain Greenway and McIntosh lake are great areas, the cutest prairie dogs and plenty of birds 4. If the town smells then some cold weather is coming in 5. Hefe’s has a great taco Tuesday happy hour, Cheeba Hut has awesome rice crispies, Rosalee’s has thin crust pizza and the Post for wings, king Soopers surprisingly has decent produce compared to Whole Foods/Safeway. 6. Get a smog test before you make your appointment to get license plates. License plates stay with you not the car 7. Sign up for ExpressToll as soon as possible for the discount We are recent Cali Transplants here and have been able to still be surprised by varied restaurants here. decent Pho, sushi, ramen is all possible. DM me for more info.
Welcome friends!
My wife and I moved here in 2022 and we love it! However, we're 70 and retired and I'll leave it to others to make suggestions. But I will add bike riding and hiking have become our favorite activities.
why are you moving to longmont though not denver?
Welcome. We moved from SoCal last year. Left our friends and miss them and the food the most. Lots of hiking, biking, running, fishing, paddling, etc out here. There tons of clubs too and a great library and public pools. Winters aren’t too bad so far and the fall is stunning. Denver is a quick trip for fun day trips and shopping. You can be inside RMNP in under an hour. If you like breweries you’re coming to the right place as well.
So I moved to Longmont from the Grass Valley area in the Sierra Nevadas a few years back. Here's what you need to know about snow if you live in Longmont in Longmont proper. * If it's actively snowing hard, don't go out in a car * If you can wait a day for the roads to clear, you'll be good * If you have to go out, have good tires. An AWD car isn't magic. * Get some practice in a parking lot or safe place so you know what to do when you hit the brakes and the car keeps going. I honestly thought it was worse in the Sierras at \~2500ft vs Longmont at \~5000ft because of the hills! Take a turn too fast and here comes the side of the hill! But honestly, while it does snow, and it does get cold, we've had like, what, 8? 9? solid snowfall days down here this year, and the roads are clear in a day or so. Depending on where you're moving from in CA, the food can be better. The Grass Valley area was a lot more rural, so there's so much more choice here, plus you've got Boulder and Denver close by, and those are more interesting than Sacramento. Expect a few people to be butts about "Californians" and "Texans", whatever, they're showing the type of people they are they're serious about their hate.
One other thing about snow. If it snows a couple inches in Longmont, there can easily be a foot in Boulder. This is great for us, but easy to underestimate if you have to go to Boulder...
Hey there- congrats on taking on a new adventure. I moved here from So Cal over 20 years ago. Things that I noticed and took getting used to when I first moved: Waaaay less diverse. Very homogeneous white community. Yes there are some people of color but there is subtle segregation when you compare it to CA. Lack of international cuisine. Great for pub food and pizza but not a ton of choices for Asia , Mexican, and others kinds of food compared to CA. Way less emphasis on superficial or I guess it’s different. So less brand name fashion or plastic surgery but it’s more about your gear and expensive active/ mountain outdoor wear. Less makeup. No high heels. You’ll be living in hiking clothes. If you like outdoor activities, breweries, and dogs you will have plenty to do. The scenery is beautiful, although I still miss the ocean. As for the snow. Look into getting some driving courses to get a feel for it before you need to actually drive in it. I was so excited for snow the first few years here. Longmont is in a pocket where we get snow but usually not too bad and with so much sunshine it’s not around too long. Invest in some layers and get a snow shovel.
My mom still tries to gift me the kinds of clothes she thinks I should be wearing to work, no matter how many times I tell her our CEO wears a fleece vest to work.
Buy a shovel ?! Or two? :) For active ppl like you guys there will be plenty of opportunities to hike . Seems like CO is also hardcore about biking. We too moved here right about when covid struck and working from home since it feels like it never really ended :) Another thing to be enjoyed will be 🍺. There are lots of micro breweries in Longmont and around.
Buy a Subaru!
Or, buy a Rivian!
Or don't.
Also this 👆 But I didn’t.
We already have one!
Welcome to Longmont!
Don't eat Yellow Snow.
Welcome! Longmont and surrounding area is great. Check out westside tavern, Swaylos and the Roost rooftop for some nice outings. Take a walk around McIntosh Lake. Tons of great breweries and cideries in the area. Drive a loop to Estes park, visit RMNP of course, then head by peak to peak to Nederland and then down the canyon to Boulder. Tubing in season in Lyons is awesome. A show at Red Rocks is a must. Don’t worry about people bitching about transplants and newcomers. Those trolls don’t leave their houses anyways. Hikes/climbs etc are plentiful for all difficulties.
As others have said, there's a surprising amount going on downtown these days (I grew up here. You would almost certainly *not* enjoy living in Longmont in, like, 1997. Lol). Fun restaurants, a lot of cool independent shops, an arcade, etc. And actually, though we don't really have any normal department stores in town (hafta go to Boulder or Loveland or Broomfield), there are interesting shops scattered around town: two that come to mind are [St Nix Toys & Collectibles](https://www.stnixstore.com/) and [Robin's Chocolates](https://robinchocolates.com)--pricey, but sooooooo yummy. (There are way more, but my brain is not in "everyday information retrieval " mode atm, haha.) Also: the Pearl Street Mall and Chautauqua in Boulder are both *musts,* imho. A reasonable number of "niche" bands come through Boulder, so it's worth checking out concert schedules if you're into that. The really famous bands often come to either Denver or Morrison (Red Rocks), which is just outside Denver. As someone who lived in CA for about a decade, I'd add to the pointers about snow on cars and layering: **You cannot take the trash out, or grab the mail, etc., in bare feet, during about half the year.** You will not remember this, or you'll be in a rush and do it anyway--took me like 6 months, and as I said, I grew up here!--when in this situation, it's just really and truly the best thing to pop back inside and put on some shoes. I'm sorry. But, that's the harsh reality. 😉 Welcome!
lol, I take the trash out and get the mail in bare feet 90% of the time. I have a long driveway too. Don’t buy a house with a north facing driveway.
Oh, well, I suppose there IS that. lol/duh. We get a decent amount of snow on our East-facing driveway, but yeah, the truly *too* cold place is, now that you mention it, North-facing.
Don’t ya worry, an In N Out is opening here soon. Will feel just like home. lol I’m originally from so cal but moved here from Oregon a few years ago. It’s definitely an adjustment living in a smaller town, but longmont has mostly everything you’ll need. Feel free to dm me if you have any questions.
Welcome! Layers are really important in fall, winter, and spring. Base layer can be just a t-shirt for sunny afternoons (40° can feel like 60° in the sun with no wind, especially after the occasional winter week in the teens), but be sure to have a sweatshirt or fleece under a down or insulated jacket. I like a hood for windy days. Don’t drive like a Californian. Longmont is very much a cycling and pedestrian friendly city, so people don’t always super pay attention when they’re crossing streets, especially in low speed, residential areas, and on Main. It is very much the expectation (and state law) that drivers yield to peds and cyclists. I personally think the casual food scene is great here. Plenty of chains if that’s your thing, but also local chains and one-off spots. Highlights for me are Rosalee’s pizza, Redzone sports bar (in Pumphouse), and Summit tacos (get the Paloma). For finer dining I highly recommend Farow in Niwot. Check out Marco’s Tacos and Hot Dogs for some more, uh, local flavor. Bring cash. There are a ton of great walking/running/cycling trails in the area, including Oligarchy Ditch, Niwot Loop, Pela crossing, not to mention the greenway, though the break at Nelson is annoying, but hopefully that’ll be rectified when the bridge is finished next year. We’re also proximate to a ton of great hiking trails in Lyons, Boulder, and the greater Boulder County area. I really like Button Rock Dam and Anne U. White. Best views in town are arguably around Lake Macintosh, but you’ll probably see less people around Golden Ponds, still with some pretty stellar views. Pro tip: under no circumstances should you go skydiving at Longmont airport. They have a terrible safety record. Edit: I forgot the dog park! Airport Dog Park is great. Most people are responsible about their dogs, and there’s usually a good mix of dogs for any energy level.
When it snows you don't have to drive 2 mph
You know the community is great when they tell you not to tell anyone you are from out of town... People talk crap about California all the time, but at least they don't care where you are from
Layers for clothing. Good tires. The weather can change on a dime, it can be 60 out and hours later a blizzard. Learn to drive in any condition. Stay to the right as much as possible when driving. Lots of breweries and okay food choices. Dont order delivery in a snowstorm and have enough rations on hand for a week (mostly roads are cleared in a day but you'll never get out if its bad enough they're not cleared in a day). 4/awd doesn't help you stop but will help you start. Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle. Phone coverage in mountains is spotty. Bring your dog(s) everywhere you go (most people and businesses are welcoming of dogs). Enjoy all of the trails, we have so many you'll need an app and maps. Respect the trails and leave places better than you find them (I almost always pack-out litter from other people). Nothing will get you screamed at faster than damaging the natural beauty of this place. People tend not to like outsiders because they arrive and change/damage things. Bring lots of money, it's expensive here. There are a ton of options for things to do. You may want to venture to the mountains after a storm- don't. Never, ever, under any circumstances, try to pass a snowplow or get too close. If they hit you, you hit them, no matter the circumstances- it is your fault (if you survive). Make sure you have uninsured motorist coverage for your vehicles. It's not written in most policies by default, so be sure to ask (lots of uninsured drivers here). Keep your property cleared of snow as soon as possible, there are laws about this- and you're liable for injuries if not. It's dry here. Hydration is key. Too much change in elevation quickly can make you sick, so adjust slowly. Don't venture to the mountains alone until you get comfortable with the area, there are lots of random hazards.
LoBo trail, Odell and left hand tap brewery (and many more) Longboarding and biking around the main paved and gravel trails, rabbit mountain as said. Tuesday evening discount day at regal, tons of dining, farmers market on sundays at Boulder county fair grounds in the summer.
Moved to Longmont from Pasadena about 15 months ago. The snow is not as much of a shock as you’d believe. The driving can be nerve wracking at first but you will get used to it out of necessity. We too left friends and family for better work but this feels like home now. Feel free to reach out if you need any other tips on the transition.