I guess to start this off, when it comes to the city, I've always compared/modeled it after Buffalo, New York for various reasons. One, if the city were as popular as somewhere like New York City or Hollywood, there wouldn't be as much room for the mystery, nor for the variety of places within the city (Woods, Bars, Clubs, Boardwalk, etc.) in such close proximity. Two, for those who don't live on the Northern East Coast, the atmosphere is more suitable; night falls a bit heavier in the mountainous areas, the weather is a touch more extreme, but the splendor of the wilderness is both breath-taking and commanding. Lastly, a location such as Buffalo affords two things, that being for more sociable characters, access to the many cities that dot the coasts of the U.S. for expansion into urban settings, and on the other side, being situated right on the very edge of where the populous coast gives way to the vast, scarcely populated Appalachians. That sort of location would make more sense for hosting such a wide varied group.
(Image of Buffalo skyline for visual aide.)