amusing81

Pitchs IS a great restaurant to go to. The neighbhorhood itself is filled with cute little houses that would be great for any starting couple (cheap, yet still nice). When I visited, there was a lot of construction that made manuvering to any of the bars quite hard, but the people generally seemed friendly and easygoing. Parking isn't always easy here.

N Old World 3rd Street is a haven for those that love to grab a quick drink after work, or those that love the nightlife. It used to house Visions Nightclub, but ever since that closed down a couple of years ago, it has lacked a lot of the luster that it used to. Some of the areas have cheaper housing rentals just off the main street; however, I would caution that it isn't an area I would recommend, especially due to a high volume of traffic, and a lot of nighttime noise.

I'm trying to think of the best way to describe the paradox that is W Wisconsin Avenue. All different people from all different walks of life, different ethnic food shops, banks, churches, etc. Planned Parenthood isn't too far from a local church on this road, and you always see a few stray picketers outside of PP. Never any commotion, just quiet protest. Further down, there are a couple of different fast food restaurants to chose from, and hotels such as the Holiday Inn.

E Elm Road is home to some of the most beautiful houses I've ever seen, namely by Woodland Golf Course. It seems to be a very well maintained neighborhood. I don't know if it's very pet or child friendly, as the last few times I've driven through, I have yet to see a single child or pet outside playing. However, the homes are well maintained and I would imagine crime is non existant.

N Jean Nicollet Road is always busy. Always. Mostly because Cardinal Stritch Univesrity is just off of it. I would avoid it at all costs from about 8-10 am, as most of the kids are arriving for their classes then. There are some really good deals to be found in housing rentals in the area, but most of the time, the college students get them. With patience and persistance (and if you don't mind music blasting at all hours of the night), living in this area can be really cost efficient.

East Capitol Drive has some wonderful, quaint little houses on it, and as you go west in the city, it borders the Esta ( a beautiful park). There's a shop called Lena's that I highly recommend going to, as it's sort of a old day supermarket; they bag your groceries, and it's rather small and the cashiers/stockers tend to know everyone's names. There is a slummy area to the road east, however; not slummy so much as worn down. Lots of younger couples bought cheap houses in this area, but overall, the road is still a great place to see people from all walks of life.

I love this street. There is a house on this street with a GORGEOUS stained glass viewing room window noticeable from the road as you drive by. The houses are mostly older, but well kept, and the property value seems to be reasonably well maintained as well. There aren't houses for sale often here, as many of the residents are older people, but the neighborhood is quiet and safe.

This is where I grew up. You couldn't ask for better neighbors. As a kid, it was great living by Riverside Park. It's a wonderfully well kept park that's alongside a track and a baseball diamond. It gets pretty chaotic at Riverside during the summer, however. I'd avoid Bartlett if possible in the evening, as the street gets pretty congested with people going to baseball and soccer tournaments/games.

This was where a friend of mine lived for years, and I visited her house often. This neighborhood is filled with a mix of old, rustic and newly rennovated/build houses. All of them are beautiful. Everyone here is friendly, and most of the houses are older, and therefore very close to one another. The neighborhood seems closely knit. I really enjoyed it here, and I felt safe to let my kids play outside.

N Van Buren is usually a fairly busy street. When I visited, it was quite congested, as they were filling potholes. I'm not sure if they are still working on the street or not. There are a lot of pedestrians around, as a parking ramp isn't too far from here, and it links to two of the major streets that leave the city. There are always (ALWAYS!) cars parked along the sides, so be careful of people entering & exiting their vehicles.

Anoka is a wonderful city to live in. It's a small city with a long history. Some of our buildings in Downtown Anoka date back to the 1800s. It's a riverfront city, and some of the views from the many parks are scenic and breathtaking in the fall.
We don't have a lot of trouble with crime, though there is a rehab center just outside of downtown Anoka. There are several fast foot restaurants, though no real "nightlife" outside of the occasional kids crusing main street. There are a couple of schools that, while small, have provided EXCELLENT education to my kids. I feel truly safe to have them in school. There are many parks, and a even a park that includes a skate park. Rentals range from small and cheap to large and expensive. Few apartments seem to offer pets. There are many houses in the residential areas for sale. Some of the newer models along the river sell for almost a million dollars, yet there are several older, cute houses that are far more affordable to the average person.
There is a busline that runs through the middle of downtown Anoka. There are several cute little shops downtown as well, as downtown Anoka loves to try to capture that "small town" feel. We have cafes and bars tucked to the sides, only blocks away from the Courthouse and banks. It's truly a unique and wonderful place to live.