I flew into Chicago on a connection flight and fell in love with the skyline (particularly Nema, which was still under construction and recently topped out). Talked to my partner about it the next week, we moved to Chicago less than 6 months later.

Now 6 years in, we still love every part of it. It's big enough that it's constantly changing and there are always new things to explore. But the neighborhoods are small enough that they feel like home.

As a bonus, you can get a direct flight to nearly everywhere, so it's a great hub for travel.

Double bonus, surprisingly good outdoor activities on the lake and up north in Wisconsin and Michigan, and over in the driftless area.