I’m going to be moving to Michigan soon (not my choice, husbands job alas).
I am a Pacific Northwest girl (more specifically an Olympic Peninsula chick . For me that means a healthy feeling of suffocation around dense populated areas, a love of nature, wide open highways with few cars, and a thrill of shopping at funky unusual eccentric stores that haven’t been gobbled up by the commercial ones out there like Wal-mart. I know nothing of Michigan. I’ve visited twice and my husband and I have vastly different feelings about the place.
He saw: Lovely almost New England type houses and quiet neighborhoods and pretty countryside with modern conveniences.
I saw: Sprawling suburban nightmarish clusterfleck reminiscent of Edward Scissor hands. Nothing original, everyone a cookie cutter of their neighbor. TOo many people!

MY QUESTION IS:
Is there anywhere in Michigan that is not urban Sprawl? Where is a good place for me to live?

Is there anywhere in Michigan that is a med-small size town (pop 12,000 -18,000 or so) with low crime rates, a commuter train/bus that goes into larger cities (about 30 mins or so away) , near a body of water (doesn’t have to be the great lakes, rivers and oversize ponds are ok. )? I’m hoping for somewhere that has a higher quality/more money invested into the town. Where the people are a little bit more… sophisticated. Somewhere that well-off people might go to do their Christmas shopping because they just adore "random name town" or where people might love to look at the neighborhoods on a tour, because the houses are so nice. One of those quaint eclectic towns with a bustling holiday season, an active Artisan community, and always has something going on for bored minds to do (art fairs, and seasonal festivals, improv theatre, plays, musicals etc) and also a healthy dose of scenic woodlands, hiking/biking trails, and low traffic. Quaint little teahouses/coffeehouses is also nice. (Wouldn’t say no to a good Indian/Thai restaurant as well!)

I get all of that currently from the area surrounding my town. I’m going to be sad to leave, this is going to be rough.

I’m going to be moving to Michigan soon (not my choice, husbands job alas).
I am a Pacific Northwest girl (more specifically an Olympic Peninsula chick . For me that means a healthy feeling of suffocation around dense populated areas, a love of nature, wide open highways with few cars, and a thrill of shopping at funky unusual eccentric stores that haven’t been gobbled up by the commercial ones out there like Wal-mart. I know nothing of Michigan. I’ve visited twice and my husband and I have vastly different feelings about the place.
He saw: Lovely almost New England type houses and quiet neighborhoods and pretty countryside with modern conveniences.
I saw: Sprawling suburban nightmarish clusterfleck reminiscent of Edward Scissor hands. Nothing original, everyone a cookie cutter of their neighbor. TOo many people!

MY QUESTION IS:
Is there anywhere in Michigan that is not urban Sprawl? Where is a good place for me to live?

Is there anywhere in Michigan that is a med-small size town (pop 12,000 -18,000 or so) with low crime rates, a commuter train/bus that goes into larger cities (about 30 mins or so away) , near a body of water (doesn’t have to be the great lakes, rivers and oversize ponds are ok. )? I’m hoping for somewhere that has a higher quality/more money invested into the town. Where the people are a little bit more… sophisticated. Somewhere that well-off people might go to do their Christmas shopping because they just adore "random name town" or where people might love to look at the neighborhoods on a tour, because the houses are so nice. One of those quaint eclectic towns with a bustling holiday season, an active Artisan community, and always has something going on for bored minds to do (art fairs, and seasonal festivals, improv theatre, plays, musicals etc) and also a healthy dose of scenic woodlands, hiking/biking trails, and low traffic. Quaint little teahouses/coffeehouses is also nice. (Wouldn’t say no to a good Indian/Thai restaurant as well!)

I get all of that currently from the area surrounding my town. I’m going to be sad to leave, this is going to be rough.