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ListenBy Marcia Travelstead June 2, 2026
Finding the right job is important to happiness, success and overall well-being. However, what you and your family enjoy outside of work and school can be just as important as well. If you love the great outdoors, and are looking for the best cities for physicians who love the outdoors, there are numerous cities across the country that […]
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By Marcia Travelstead June 2, 2026
Finding the right job is important to happiness, success and overall well-being. However, what you and your family enjoy outside of work and school can be just as important as well. If you love the great outdoors, and are looking for the best cities for physicians who love the outdoors, there are numerous cities across the country that would make great relocation opportunities.
Take Abingdon, Virginia, for example. There’s an abundance of outdoor activities within reach and in the surrounding area. In Asheville, North Carolina, there’s hiking, biking, kayaking and golfing to name a few. If a stunning lake with all of the outdoor activities that come with that is more your style, check out Duluth, Minnesota. And in Boulder, Colorado, you can find small city charm with a strong connection to the great outdoors.
THERE’S LOTS TO LOVE ABOUT THE GREAT outdoors in Abingdon. Located in Southwest Virginia in Washington County, Abingdon has four distinct seasons and is surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains.
Located off of Main Street is the Hall of Fame Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile rails-to-trails biking and hiking trail.
Abingdon has an abundance of outdoor assets within an hour and a half from downtown. Some of the highlights are Grayson Highlands State Park, Whitetop Mountain, Clinch River State Park and the Fish Blue Ridge.
Another draw to Abingdon is the Barter Theatre, which is the state theatre of Virginia. It is a repertory company of resident artists dedicated to serving others by creating a world-class theatre in the heart of Appalachia.
History buffs will enjoy strolling the tree-lined brick sidewalks. The 20-block historic district has architecture spanning from two centuries and everything from Abingdon’s oldest to classic small town American storefronts. There is shopping, art galleries and numerous local restaurants. In fact, Abingdon has a wide range of contemporary and traditional eateries.
Chad Brown is $55 for Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems and an Abingdon resident. He mentions, “There are many outdoor activities and a lot of festivals in Abingdon and some unique antique stores as well as top rated restaurants. We have really nice, what I would consider, four- and five-star restaurants.”
Andrea McClintic, DO, director of pediatrics for Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, also lives in Abingdon. She says, “It’s a big area with a small-town feel. I love all of the historic homes and buildings that have been so well preserved. It gives the town so much character. Abingdon has very nice restaurants and shops to visit as well.”
McClintic has lived in Abingdon since 2018. She graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, West Virginia, in 2003. Previously, she had her own private practice in Daniels, West Virginia, for 12 years.
Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems consists of a group of nonprofit Community Health Care Centers with integrated medical and behavioral health
services. It was established to improve access to health care services by providing comprehensive, patient-centered care to the communities it serves. Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems originally began as one site in 1979, the Saltville Medical Center. Since that time, additional sites and services have been added to provide comprehensive primary care to residents in the area. Locations include Meadowview Community Health Center, Saltville Community Health Center, Tazewell Community Health Center and Bristol Community Health Center.
McClintic works at the Bristol Community Health Center, a 17-minute drive from her home in Abingdon. “Our clinics in southwest Virginia offer primary care health
services to all ages, birth to elderly regardless of one’s insurance or ability to pay,” she says. “We have migrant health services to ensure that non-English speaking patients are assisted with their appointments. Patients across all of our facilities are welcome to use any of these services. We have urgent care facilities as well. The staff is great to work with. We also have flexibility in scheduling, which is an added bonus.”
Brown mentions that Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems makes a difference in their patients’ lives. “We live in a part of the nation where we see a lot of poverty, so we have the privilege of being able to serve a lot of those people in our healthcare setting with our primary care and other services.”
If you’re looking for a location with rich history, fantastic food, charm and great outdoor access, Abingdon might be the right choice.
SURROUNDED BY THE beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a haven for outdoor adventure. From hiking trails that lead to the mountaintops or taking a Jeep tour, you’ll find a huge variety of things to do. In addition to hiking, there’s biking, birding, camping, fishing, kayaking, golfing, tennis or horseback riding to name a few. If you like national and state parks, you will find them near Asheville. There’s the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway,
Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forst, Chimney Rock State Park, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell and Gorges State Park.
The city has a population of about 95,000 and nearly 14 million tourists visit annually. In addition to outdoor activities, Asheville is also a popular tourist destination known for its art scene and culinary experiences.
You can explore places such as Asheville Art Museum, the Folk Art Center and the River Arts District. Enjoy the downtown shops and unique restaurants, food markets and local breweries. The city also has unique, diverse architecture.
Speaking of architecture, you’ll want to visit the Biltmore Estate, which at 250 rooms is America’s largest home and Asheville’s most celebrated landmark. It has 8,000 acres and also has the nation’s most visited winery.
Kelsey Walsh, MD, is a neurosurgeon at Pardee NeuroSpine Associates and lives close to Asheville. Walsh attended medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina and did her internship and residency at University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Walsh is from South Carolina, and she and her husband moved to Asheville in June, 2025. Walsh sees patients out of Pardee NeuroSpine Associates in Asheville and performs surgery at the nearby hospital in Hendersonville. Pardee Hospital (4.$ Health) is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. 4.$ Health Pardee employs 1,800 employees and is the second-largest employer in Hendersonville County. 4.$ Health Pardee Hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds and has 366 physicians representing over 50 medical specialties.
“One thing that has struck me in the last couple of months since I’ve been here is that all of my colleagues seem to really care about the hospital,” Walsh says. “They are vested in taking care of their community. They enjoy where they work. It shows in how they interact with me and other colleagues and how they take care of other patients.” Activities in Asheville are something Walsh enjoys. “There’s a lot of running, cycling, kayaking, water sports and golf. There are a lot of golf courses especially around Hendersonville.”
If you’re looking for beautiful scenery, numerous breweries, a lively downtown, beautiful architecture and endless outdoor activities, consider Asheville.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A location that sits on the edge of a gorgeous lake with numerous outdoor activities that go along with that, take a closer look at Duluth, Minnesota.
Duluth is one of the most naturally stunning cities in the Midwest—and one of the most accessible, points out Haley Hedstrom, executive director of Visit Duluth. The city sits on the edge of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, and is surrounded by 129 parks, over 150 miles of natural surface hiking trails and more. Duluth has a lot to offer families. Its size makes it easy to get around, and most attractions are just a short drive or walk from one another.
Gretchen Karstens, MD, is an Aspirus St. Luke’s Clinic pediatrician who grew up outside Duluth. She graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts and attended the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her residency was at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin. She stayed in Milwaukee for the next seven years before returning to the Duluth area.
Aspirus St. Lukes’s Hospital is part of Aspirus Health, a network of 18 hospitals and 130 outpatient locations across northeastern
Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Aspirus St. Luke’s offers a Level II regional trauma center, heart and vascular care, cancer care and wilderness health.
Nimet Jackson and April Knapp are medical staff recruiters for Aspirus St. Luke’s. They both say that the people are the biggest reason they enjoy working there. “People are approachable. I get a lot of work done just walking the halls, running into the physicians and answering questions. Even assisting patients by helping them get from one appointment to another. I can walk and chat. There’s an energy from everyone who works here,” Knapp says. Jackson adds, “When I came here, I felt a deep level of connection. Even when we get students rotating between some of our specialty clinics, they feel welcomed as a part of the team immediately.”
Knapp mentions that Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital is a 267-bed acute care facility. She adds that they have a very large referral center. “We even get patients from Canada,” she says. “…Our providers have a lot of autonomy and get a lot of support from the administration. Our physicians are big drivers in seeing what their colleagues in other parts of the country are doing regarding new technology and medicine.”
IF YOU ARE SEEKING AN outdoor adventure scene with breathtaking views and all kinds of activities for both beginners and experts, check out Boulder, Colorado. You will find hiking and biking trails in addition to kayaking, rock climbing, cycling, paddleboarding, skiing, fishing, camping and so much more.
Boulder has a population of approximately 105,898 residents— including the 38,428 students at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Boulder offers big city amenities while remaining compact, walkable and community oriented.
There is the pedestrian friendly Pearl Street Mall, local museums, biking parks and Boulder Reservoir. Families enjoy seasonal activities such as farm visits, outdoor concerts and kid-friendly hikes. In the winter, families can sled, take snowy walks, go fat biking and explore downtown.
“Boulder blends small city charm with an exceptional connection to the outdoors, creating more than 200 miles of trails, extensive open space, walkable neighborhoods and family friendly activities throughout the year,” says Bailey Burrows of Visit Boulder.
Ginger Robitaille, PHR, is director of people and culture for Boulder Medical Center and a native of the city. “I love it here and think that is a big selling point for how we recruit,” she says. “There are a lot of people who want to live here.”
Allan Ruan, MD, is a pediatrician at Boulder Medical Center and attended medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. Ruan says that he knew he wanted to be a physician in high school and college. “My parents were both engineers. It didn’t seem appealing to me to work at a computer all day,” he says. “I enjoy talking, meeting and caring for people, and it seemed like a better setting to work in for me.”
Since 1949, Boulder Medical Center has remained committed to providing comprehensive care tailored to the healthcare needs of Boulder County and its surrounding areas. Boulder Medical Center is a large multi-specialty group with clinics. They have remained local, independent and physician owned.
“Physicians can come here and be an owner. They are able to vote and have influence with how the organization will move forward and support the community without the full burden of running a business,” says Robitaille.
“…Boulder Medical Center was that perfect mixture,” Ruan says. “It is a private practice, physician owned and largely physician run and directed.”
If scenic beauty with multiple outdoor activities and a healthy, balanced lifestyle interest you, Boulder needs to be on your list. •
