North American Van Lines Blog

Indianapolis is known as the “Crossroads of America” because of its centralized location and close proximity to the major cities of Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis. Also known as the racing capitol of the world, it boasts the Indy 500 as well as the Brickyard 400.

With under a million inhabitants, Indianapolis is a big, small town. The downtown can be maneuvered without a car, as there are skywalks to many major hotels connected to an urban four-story mall. Nearby are the attractions include the Indiana State Museum, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, and the Indianapolis Zoo.

If you are interested in nightlife, check out the six cultural districts. These are revitalized neighborhoods throughout Indy with some of the best dining and shopping in the city. During the day, some places to check out are the downtown canal walk, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s contemporary art park, the largest of its kind in the nation.

*Photo taken by Flickr account user @indywriter, under the free cultural works terms.

Are you thinking about moving to Chicago, the third largest city in the United States? The metropolitan region known as Chicagoland, extends into Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Its position beside Lake Michigan makes the summers cooler and the winters warmer. There are 29 public beaches, as well as Lincoln Park, a 5.5 mile long park along Lake Shore Drive.

You can’t miss Navy Pier for entertainment, shopping, dining and events. Visit the Museum Campus including the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. For upscale shopping and a quintessential Chicago experience, walk the Magnificent Mile. Go see the White Sox or the Cubs play, or attend Lollapalooza, an August festival of over 100 popular bands on over 100 acres.

Chicago is also known for its art, with outdoor works by Chagall, Picasso, and Calder. The River North neighborhood plays host to the most contemporary art galleries in one place outside of New York City.

Most of all enjoy the summers, live in close proximity to your work (to avoid commuting traffic) and check out all this amazing city has to offer!

As the capital of Canada’s province of Quebec, this city is the second largest city in the area next to Montreal. The city is largely Francophone, with over 98% of the population claiming French as their native language. In a strong effort to keep its French heritage alive, the city offers traditional food, culture and entertainment unlike any city in the world. If you’re thinking about moving to Quebec City, it’s important to take the below information into consideration.

• Population: 491,140 (July, ’06)
• Population Increase: +3.1% (from ’01 to’06)
• Unemployment: 5% (Feb ’11)
• Climate: humid continental – four distinct seasons.
•  Religion: 90% of the population is Roman Catholic

This beautiful city also plays host to multiple festivals throughout the year including: Winter Carnival, The Summer Music Festival and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. If you were to move to Quebec City, you could also take advantage of some of the areas biggest tourist attractions including Montmorency Falls, Mont-Sainte-Anne Ski Resort and its world famous Ice Hotel (or Hôtel de Glace).

Known for its touristy hot spots, San Antonio has quickly become a place that offers more culture, history and attractions than many other Texan towns. If you’re thinking about moving to San Antonio, you’ll want to consider a few things pre-move. Here’s our breakdown:

Population: 1,373,668 (July, ’09)

Population Increase: +20%

Median Resident Age: 31.7 years

Texas Median Age: 32.3 years

Median Income: $42, 513

Texas Median Income: $48,259

Mean Price in 2009 for All Housing Units: $139,683

Median Gross Rent in 2009: $754

*Data from http://www.city-data.com/city/San-Antonio-Texas.html

So, overall the population is growing, the median age is younger than Texas’ average – which means a lot of younger families. The median income is about 12% lower than Texas’ average, but the housing and rent costs could make up for this disparity as housing is fairly cheap.