Reviews & Comments
Minneapolis, MN
Yeah, it's cold here - DUH! -
10/18/2007I'm a recruiter for jobs in the Twin Cities. Whenever I talk to someone who lives outside the upper Midwest, the only thing they know about Minneapolis/St. Paul is that it's cold here (which is true - for a few months out of the year). So, why are you people who clearly relocated here complaining about the weather?! Didn't you know beforehand that you're going to experience a more harsh winter than you're used to?? DUH - Just DUH - is all I can say to you! Also, the cold months are really only December-March. November can also get in the 30-degree range. October and April are mild. May and September are warm. June, July and August are hot. End of story about climate.
I moved here from a smaller city in Minnesota 3 years ago and really didn't know many people here aside from a couple college friends. Yes, it is cliquish here. People are nice on the surface, but it's hard to break into a group. However, YOU have to be willing to put yourself out there. I wasn't necessarily working with anyone I wanted to hang out with outside work, so I went to a bar by myself a few times for a couple beers and eventually started talking to a couple people I had seen there before. That led to meeting their friends...and their friends...and so on. So, in other words, you have to be willing to strike up a conversation with someone. I started with, "It's really hard to meet people in this city!"
Crime -- I've never seen or experienced any crime since I've lived here. Although my friend did get mugged - but he was in a bad neighborhood where he shouldn't have been in the first place.
Overall, I'm glad I moved here and really like it. Lots to do / fun!!
Rochester, MN
A good place - If you're married with 2.5 kids -
10/18/2007I grew up in this area and even spent several years after college in Rochester. Have a family? Great place to be! BUT -- It's really not a great place to be for young singles - especially if you are coming from a large metro area, you will be really bored! There is virtually no night life (unless you consider about 200 sports bars and/or a ghetto 1980s-esque club out of 'Miami Vice' to be nightlife). A lot of people who relocate from warmer climates can't take the winters. Also, if you happen to be gay, just keep moving north to Minneapolis/St. Paul, because Rochester is VERY unwelcoming to the GLBT crowd. The residents themselves are pretty nice, but the city / Mayo Clinic (they're one in the same) won't allow liquor license to anyone planning to open a gay bar - anything that might be considered offensive to the patients is highly frowned upon! The local drag queens perform in a hotel basement conference/ball room (seriously) about once every two months. It's pretty sad.