5 Reasons Grand Junction is a Great Place to Live, and 5 Reasons Why it Isn’t

Every coin has two sides, and the living in Grand Junction coin definitely has two sides.

You know how two people can experience the exact same thing, but yet the interpretation and memory of the event can be completely opposite. That's kind of how it is when people talk about Grand Junction.

There are lovers of Grand Junction and there are haters - and they're probably both right. Let's take an honest look at western Colorado's biggest city's. I've got five reasons why Grand Junction is a great place to live, and five reasons that may cast a bit of a shadow on the happy celebration.

Reason #1 to live here: You just couldn't ask for a more beautiful setting for a non-mountain town. From the Monument to the Mesa, to the Bookcliffs and Mt. Garfield - and don't forget about the river - it just doesn't get any better than this in Colorado. You never get tired of the views.

Reason #1 not to: It's a long, long way to Denver - especially in the winter. Whether you're trying to get to the big city for a ballgame, a concert, a family visit, or business- it gets extremely frustrating dealing with I-70 closures and delays due to rockslides, avalanches, and accidents - never mind the four-hour drive.

Reason #2 to live here: The weather generally is great in Grand Junction. Usually, we get mild winters with bearable temperatures, small snow amounts, and a long outdoor season that can stretch from March all the way to November. The weather here is so much better than on the front range.

Reason #2 not to: Let's face it. The typical Grand Junction summer is hot and dry. Some would even call it brutal - and those are the probably the ones that have swamp coolers. It also includes the group that sits out at Country Jam under the blazing hot sun for four days in June.

Reason #3 to live here: There is a small town feel to Grand Junction, but yet, it seems that we have a ton of restaurants and shopping options. Sure, driving down Patterson or North Avenue during rush hour isn't the most fun you'll have, but, you're still going to be home inside of 20 minutes. We don't know what rush hour is! We also have an awesome downtown area.

Reason #3 not to: For all that Grand Junction has to offer, there are plenty of features we are missing whether it's Dave & Buster's, In-n-Out,  SNOOZE Eatery, Costco,or Cracker Barrel. And while we do get some amazing concerts here, you still have to go to Denver to see the really big ones.

Reason #4 to live here: We have great people in Grand Junction - kind-hearted, hard-working, generous, involved, and community-minded. They make you want to get involved, too, and inspire you to be a better person.

Reason #4 not to: For all the hardworking people in Grand Junction there is a sizeable number who would rather stand on a street corner and hold a sign. (and I'm not talking about people who have genuinely fallen on hard times and are trying to get going) It certainly does not add to the attractiveness of the city.

Reason #5 to live here: This is the most obvious one. We have so many great recreational opportunities in and around Grand Junction. Whether it's hiking, biking, golfing, fishing, camping, softball, pickleball or attending a local concert or stage production, or local sporting event, there's never a shortage of things to do.

Reason #5 not to: All of those fun things to do around Grand Junction are drawing a lot of people here and it's getting more crowded. More people are coming not only to visit but to live here. We hate the front range because of all the people, and we don't want to follow suit. We know the value of tourism in the Grand Valley,  but, if we're being honest there are plenty of people who would prefer to keep Grand Junction a well-kept, less-crowded secret.