San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.

Greeley

Greeley is northern Colorado's ag city, sitting on the South Platte River with cattle feedlots, sugar beets, and the University of Northern Colorado. The annual Greeley Stampede every July is one of the bigger rodeos in the country. It's an honest, wide-sky kind of town with deep ag roots. Cheaper than Fort Collins, with mountain access still under an hour away.