u/HousingFormal7025

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are relocating from the San Francisco Bay Area to Rochester this fall, and I’d love to hear from people who actually live here about what it’s like, especially for people in their mid-20s.

We’ve been doing our own research, but I feel like there are certain things you only really learn from locals.

A few things I’m especially curious about:

Where should we look for an apartment?
We’d ideally like somewhere that feels relatively lively/walkable or at least close to coffee shops, restaurants, parks, things to do, etc. We’ll have a car, so it doesn’t need to be perfectly walkable, but I’d rather not feel completely isolated in a residential area. Are there particular neighborhoods or parts of Rochester that younger people tend to like? Any areas or apartment complexes you’d avoid?

What do people in their 20s do here?
Favorite restaurants, cafés, bars, bookstores, music/art spaces, classes, markets, outdoor activities, community events, clubs, volunteering, random hidden gems — really anything. We’re not expecting SF nightlife, but I’d love to know where people our age actually hang out and meet people. Also is there any Latin food, we are south american and crave it often. (will drive further if we have to, would love the recs tho)

Artist residencies?
I've heard Rochester and Minneapolis are pretty art centered places, my partner is an artist and I'd love to know if anyone has experience with a residency or classes or something of the sort to continue her process. ( Writing, Painting, Sewing, Mixed Media.)

Cool places to take a 15 year old sibling? - I have a little sister and I really want to get her involved in community and I want her to have a good time in Rochester, literally anything a teenager would find remotely fun teenagers are difficult. 😓

And...how should two Californians prepare for a Minnesota winter? 😂
I know it’s going to be VERY different from the Bay Area. I’m less interested in “yes, it’s cold” and more in what you wish someone had told you before your first Rochester winter - clothes/boots, driving, cars, apartment stuff, how much winter affects your social life, things people still do for fun (adults and teens), etc.

We’re also queer, so I’d love any recommendations for LGBTQ+ friendly spaces, events, organizations, or places where queer people in their 20s tend to meet each other. We’re happy to drive to the Twin Cities for bigger events, but I’m especially curious about what community exists in Rochester itself. Also how safe do you feel in Rochester in general as a queer person?

TLDR: if you were moving to Rochester in your mid-20s and knew nobody, what would you want someone to tell you?

Thanks! :)

Hi everyone!

My partner and I are relocating from San Francisco to Rochester, MN, and I couldn’t find a Rochester-specific trans subreddit, so I’m hoping folks here might have some recommendations!

We’re both in our mid-20s and totally happy to drive up to the Twin Cities for events, meetups, and community, but I’m curious about what exists closer to Rochester too.

A few things I’d love recommendations for:

• Is there much LGBTQ+ community in Rochester, or do most people go to the Twin Cities for events/community?
• Are there any LGBTQ+ organizations, meetups, social groups, cafés, spaces, etc. you’d recommend checking out?
• Lesbian and trans-specific spaces/events would be especially appreciated!
• Are there any recurring events or groups that would be good for newcomers trying to make friends?

I’m also looking for resources for my little sister. She recently came out as trans and moved to Rochester with my mom from Georgia. She’s starting her first year of high school and has been feeling pretty lonely and struggling to find people she relates to.

Our family is supportive, and as her older sibling who has gone through my own coming-out journey, I’m trying to give her as much support as I can. But I also know there’s only so much family can provide — I really want her to have friends her own age and a community where she can just be herself.

Are there any trans/LGBTQ+ youth groups, teen events, community centers, or other youth-friendly spaces in Rochester that I could look into with her? Even events that aren’t specifically for teens but are PG/PG-13 and welcoming to families would be great.

She’s also really into taekwondo and running and is genuinely a fantastic runner. If anyone knows of trans-inclusive youth sports programs, running clubs, martial arts programs, or other activities where LGBTQ+ teens have had good experiences, I’d love those recommendations too. It definitely doesn’t have to be a specifically trans sports club - mainly somewhere she can participate and feel safe and accepted.

Rochester recommendations would be amazing, but we’re also open to things in the Twin Cities that might be worth making the drive for.

Thank you so much! I’d especially love to hear from trans people, LGBTQ+ parents/siblings, or anyone who grew up queer in Minnesota and knows whats up!❤️

Hi all!

I’m moving from 94901/Bay Area, CA to 55904 Rochester, MN around mid-September and shipping a 2021 Kia Forte. This is my first time shipping a car, and my biggest concern is finding a trustworthy company that will actually stick close to the price they quote me, I'm worried from all I'm hearing about bait and switches and quotes changing.

So far I’ve seen quotes from roughly $1,500 on the low end to $1,800 on the high end for open transport.

I’ve been looking at:

• Sherpa
• SGT Auto Transport ( read a lot of bad stuff)
• Navi Auto Transport ( mixed reviews)
• RoadRunner( mixed reviews)
• Hippo Haul, after seeing them mentioned here

Sherpa and Hippo Haul stood out to me because of their price-guarantee policies, though they were both on the high-end. The downside is that neither seems to allow additional personal-item weight in the car, and I may need that flexibility for the move (unsure right now maybe its not the best move?)

I’d really love to hear from people who have actually shipped a car, especially on a similar route:

• Which company did you use, and would you trust them again?
• How close was the final price to the original quote?
• What are the best companies for peace of mind?
• If you shipped belongings in the car, what company did you use and how did they handle the weight?
• Any companies to avoid?
• Anything else you wish you had known before shipping your first car?

I’m not necessarily looking for the absolute cheapest option, I’d rather pay a reasonable price upfront and know that it’s actually the price I’m likely to pay.

Also: The car has a huge crack on the windshield ( the crack seems pretty stable hasn't moved in like a year and he car is driven daily) has anyone had experience shipping a car like this or do you recommend I fix the windshield before hand?

Thanks!