* Wildlife? Think forests, mountains, deserts. Places like:
* Yellowstone National Park area, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho: Bears, elk, wolves, bison, and more.
* Glacier National Park, Montana: Grizzly bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep.
* Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina: Black bears, deer, wild turkeys.
* Arizona/New Mexico deserts: Coyotes, javelinas, desert tortoises, roadrunners.
* Domestic Animals? Maybe rural towns with farm animals, or cities with dog parks and lots of pets. Places like:
* Rural areas of the Midwest: Lots of farms with horses, cows, pigs, chickens.
* Dog-loving cities like San Francisco, Portland, Denver: High pet ownership rates, lots of dog parks and pet-friendly businesses.
* Zoos and Aquariums? Some cities have amazing animal attractions. Places like:
* San Diego, California: San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld.
* Atlanta, Georgia: Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta.
* Washington, D.C.: National Zoo, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
To figure out the best place for you, consider:
* Your lifestyle: Do you want a rural or urban environment?
* Your budget: Housing costs vary drastically depending on location.
* What kind of animals you're interested in: Do you want to be near wildlife, or surrounded by pets?
* Your tolerance for insects and other critters: Some places have more bugs and snakes than others.
Once you have a better idea of what you're looking for, you can start researching specific locations online and talking to people who live there to get a feel for the animal scene.