found this article on Yahoo!, thought that since we have at least 4 items that these top cities have, we have a goal that we can strive for to get on this list

Love The Outdoors?
Live where others get away to in these 10 great towns
By Diane Benson Harrington

Big cities are nice, but they rarely have the down-to-Earth quality that many smaller towns possess.
"If you're looking for an outdoorsy environment, you're probably going to miss out on the big city experience, unless it's a place like Seattle or San Francisco," says Bert Sperling, author of Cities Ranked & Rated and founder of Sperling's Best Places.
Also know that when you favor the outdoors, you're choosing a lifestyle to go with it. "The kind of people who seek the outdoors gravitate toward towns with likeminded people. They tend to be 'green' towns, towns that are more progressive or liberal. That carries over into the kind of restaurants they want to have, the kind of community they'd like to have," Sperling says.
If biking and hiking are more your speed than museums and Broadway shows, check out these cities, ranked by Sperling as some of the best outdoor-oriented towns around.
1. Boulder, Colorado
It's hard to go wrong in Boulder -- unless maybe you're a Republican. A liberal, college town that's home to the University of Colorado, Boulder is famed for its downtown pedestrian mall and, of course, the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Biking, hiking and skiing are among the favorite activities of this liberal enclave.
5. Boise, Idaho
The Boise Foothills rise above Idaho's Capitol city and feature an 85-mile network of roads and trails, many of which are ideal for hikers and mountain bikers or dirt bike/ATV enthusiasts. The Boise River Greenbelt stretches 25 miles along the Boise River, connecting city parks and providing a place for everything from biking to rollerblading. If you prefer water, you can raft, kayak or fish the Boise River.

http://promo.realestate.yahoo.com/love_the_outdoors.html