If the best that can be said for a city is that you can leave quickly, then …
You’ve got it backwards. The best of both worlds is to live rural/small town and visit cities! Actually, I believe one should live where you enjoy the most, and visit what you enjoy somewhat less.
For example, I have a 10 minute commute by car. I pay $1100 a month for a 2700 sq ft home with .37 acres. I am a two mile run, scenic run from park with spectacular rock formations, a similar distance from a similar sized park through which I can mountain bike, or run, for a commute and it is right outside my office building, a short drive from Pikes Peak, etc. You get the picture. I can probably afford to attend more Broadway plays than most NYC, because it is so much cheaper to live here, I could just fly and stay in a nice hotel for less than the cost of living difference, and I’ve got way more time.
Look up the US marathon trials, CO placed more people than any state other than CA. Some of my friends did quite well. But, not the guys that do a 40 mile run. They run on trails, because it is fun. Running on pavement/sidewalks is not as fun, safe, or healthy. (Trail runners rarely get sore knees. Running down Pikes Peak during the Pikes Peak, an 8000 foot drop over 12.7 miles, does not bother my knees. 1 mile on concrete does.
:dubious: I can catch the Broncos and the Aves. Outside of the Eagles and Flyers what other world class sporting events are there? What do you do for world class sports?
Museums - DC has my vote, although I fondly remember the NY Natural History Museum.
Countryside? Upper NY is gorgeous. PA is pretty. CO is spectacular. What would I look at near NYC?
I do miss the beach - even the Jersey shore has nice beaches. But a few other cities have them too. I understand there are cities in CA, HI, and FA.