Where to go in the UK?

UK student going to study abroad in the US, where should I go?

• I study Biology at University and will be studying in America for a year. I have no idea where to go as I have never been to America before. California is not an option, but I can go anywhere else within the US. I have to decide within the next few weeks. I would quite like to go somewhere with areas of natural beauty e.g. mountains or deserts. I don't mind if I'm near a city or not but want plenty of things to do. In terms of climate I much prefer summer. Im not a fan of winter in the UK - it's generally rainy, grey and dull, though it could be good to go somewhere where it snows (in winter) as we don't get much snow here. Though I dont deal too well with extreme cold weather. I don't have any specific hobbies - I just keep fit by swimming and running and enjoy spending time with friends. I am pretty open to new things and want to try new activities e.g surfing, skiing, hiking e.t.c. I would really appreciate if anyone could suggest any Universities and/or States.

• Answer:

  Give Denver, Colorado a look. The State itself is beautiful with the mountains and there is so much to do here all year round, you can find everything from: hiking, mounting biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, caving, rafting, canoing, fishing, hunting, golfing and there are plenty of ski resorts such as Aspen, Winterpark, Loveland and Breckenridge. If you love the outdoors you will love Colorado. Not only that but you have the hot springs, national parks, amusements parks, zoos and museums. There are also plenty of historical and heritage sights to visit. If you enjoy watching sports then there are 4 major sports team, all of which are located in the heart of the city. Broncos (Football), Rockies (Baseball), Nuggets (Baseketball) and the Avalanche (Ice hockey). There is also plenty of other entertainment to keep you going such as concerts at Pepsi Center and Red Rocks Amphitheater, which is an extraordinary venue. If you like performing arts (theatre, opera, ballet etc) then there are shows all year round at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. There is even a comedy works to laugh away a few hours. Just think of coming home from school and within 30-45 minutes you could be in the mountains. The weather is also really great, here you get all four-seasons, warm summers and although it can become quite cold during the winter months, this is usually very mild and nothing like the awful winters back home in the U.K. Another plus point is that there is practically no humidity, which is a bonus when you are out and about enjoying all of those outdoor activities. Colorado also get it's own fair share of snow. There are also plenty of universities to choose from, the main ones would be University of Colorado (UC) at Boulder, UC at Colorado Springs, UC of Colorado Denver and the University of Denver (UD). Others places to consider based on your description: - Seattle, Washington - beaches, mountains - University of Washington - Portland, Oregon - Beautiful city and a very scenic state - Portland State University, Oregon State, University of Oregon. Minnesota - Nice state but does get extreme winters i.e. very cold. Any of the New England states fit your description also - take Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island - these states have a lot to offer and are close to major cities such as New York, Boston and even Philadelphia.