OT: Do you love where you live?

[Dolphan]

If yes, please tell me why and what the area has to offer.

DH and I are looking to relocate, and don't have any idea where to go. After many years of being tied to our current location due to school/job committments, we are finally free to escape. We have lived in ND and MN all our lives, and are ready to leave winter behind. Therefore, we would prefer somewhere that does not have snow. Or if it snows, that snow is gone in a few days, rather than months.

If it were up to the kids, we'd be moving to Orlando. On our trip in May, DD5 decided that she wants to live at Magic Kingdom, and that she won't be happy unless we can. I don't know if I could handle living in FL, as I'm not a big fan of those nasty little lizard creatures. I also don't think I could handle the heat and the threat from hurricanes.

We have 3 children under 6, so a good school district is our biggest concern. Right now, the district we are in is one of the most funded in the state. We also have a high income with a low cost of living, which enables me to be a SAHM. Relocating may mean that I'd have to go back to work much sooner than we'd planned, but is something I'm willing to look into. We are hoping to come up with several different areas, and then begin a job search. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!

I didn't know where to post this, so if this fits better somewhere else, please move. Thank you.

 

[YellowXterra]

I live in Middle Tennessee, I know lots of people who have moved here to this area due to low crime, low cost of living, etc.... We have 4 seasons and aslo have Flat land in the west Hills in the middle and Mtns in the East. Just a great location and only 10 hours to the mouse

 

[jcriket]

I really like where I live. We are an hour and a half from Disney, 10 minutes from some of the nicest beaches in the state, lots of nice parks, we have good schools, and have school choice, if you know of a school you like, and it's not in your zone you can request it. We are more of 10 - 15 smaller cities so close together you don't really know where one begins and another starts, so any one city or town is nice and your close to all the others. We pay an extra penny county sales tax to be used for roads and recreation, and it shows. There are always lots to do, and Tampa is close, if for any reason you would need a bigger city. If you do a search look for Pinellas County, City of Largo, City of Clearwater, City of St.Petersberg There are other cities and towns but that could get you started.

 

[vicki_c]

I have lived in the WNY (Buffalo) suburbs, coastal central Florida (Space Coast) and now near Annapolis, MD. They all have the benefits and drawbacks. WNY = snow, Florida = too hot, MD = too expensive.

I think this location might be my favorite (we have the best neighbors, great schools, tons of things to do all the time being so close to DC/Baltimore/Annapolis). 2nd would be Buffalo, because it's "home". Dead last would be Florida. Very nice from November - March and very close to WDW (both big positives) but we didn't like much more about Florida. There's so many different places to pick from in the US, I'm not sure you will know until you try.

 

[nhl66pens]

I have lived in Maryland all my life, and although our state motto is "If you can dream it, we can tax it" we are called America in Miniature because we have mountains in the west, a bay in the center and an ocean in the east, farmland in the south and we have 4 seasons. It gets very humid here in the summer but I live in Howard County which has one of the best school sytems and is centrally located. We are about 45 minutes from Washington DC, 15 minutes from Baltimore, 90 minutes to Philadelphia and 3 1/2 hours to New York City.
Now, if I were able to move anywhere, I'd probably either move to Flordia or Arizona. But then again, I've only visited those areas and cannot speak to what it would be like to live there. Its different when you are there for a short time either on business or vacation.

 

[Andromeda9mm]

One vote for Utah!

It's true, that up North, there is snow in the winter, but it's not unbearable and it's definitely not like the midwest or new england. We have four seasons here and it's dry, not humid.

Down South (Utah's Dixie) it's actually quite hot and *rarely* snows, but then is melted in a few hours.

We have very low crime and great schools. Salt Lake has an international airport. Salt Lake City is very diverse... and if you're looking for Mormon territory, you can go to Utah Co (where I live). Even though I'm not Mormon myself, they are some of the best people you could find... so don't let that scare you off.

Actually, I'm partial to most places out here in the west. DH is from San Fransisco area, and I was born in Nor. Cal.

Good luck with your plans!

Meredith in Utah

 

[Alye]

I live in Jacksonville Florida and love it here. It can get hot during the summer, but the beautiful falls, winters and springs make up for it. I'm about 2.5 hours away from Orlando, so most trips are a breeze with a perfect 'mini' road trip. The beach is also extremely easy to access. Where I live, in an apartment near the suburbs in the south of the city, there are a ton of 'family' style restaurants. The schools are all rank A or B and we have one public university, two private universities and a plethora of community colleges. We have several shopping centers and even some high-end dining. We have a higher crime rate than most places, but that's only the 'bad' parts of the city that are easily avoided. I'd say we are a good mid-level city; not too huge yet not too small.

 

[Praying Colonel]

We've lived in Louisville for 13 years and love it. DW and I both grew up in rural areas of Kentucky, where there's a strong anti-Louisville bias. It's perceived as the "asphalt jungle" where it's not safe to be out after dark. We moved here for a job --we figured we'd stay a couple of years and then move on to someplace nice. But it's like a collection of small neighborhoods that have their own feel. We just couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

Having said that, as I get older I like winters less and less. I love the idea of living someplace where it's warm year-round. We lived in the Caribbean for 3 years when I was in the Navy, and I missed the change of seasons. But I think now I prefer warm weather to the change. Nothing against Louisville--if we could put Louisville in Florida or Arizona, we'd have the perfect place.

 

[Mrs. D]

We live in N.C. and I really like it. The winter is pretty mild, we can drive to mountains or beaches...We're 10 hours (driving leisurely) from Orlando, 6 hours from Ga., 6 from the MD/ DC area. The schools in my town are great...I've lived in DC, ATL, N.O., NYC, and VA...I really like NC now that I'm married w/ kids...

 

[cwf1028]

We live in NE Georgia and love it. Although Georgia doesn't always make the top of the list for education, North Fulton and Gwinnett Counties are excellent school systems. There is so much to do in Atlanta, the beach is only 5 hours away and Disney is only about 8 hours away. Traffic and humidity would be a drawback, but every place has negatives. Traffic isn't bad for us because I teach and my DH's commute is opposite of the traffic flow.

 

[Metro West]

I've lived in Orlando for four years now and wouldn't move back to Virginia for all the money in the world. I like being close to WDW and Universal...not crazy about the traffic...but you have to take the good with the bad.

 

[3mickeys&me]

We live in Jersey, we love it hear but its getting very expensive to live here. Housing is expensive, taxes are high. We have really nice beaches here (Ocean City Fan) Alot of people are moving out of our state though because its becoming unaffordable.

 

[myprinceandprincess]

Lived in New York City my whole life. I absolutely love it. Very fast paced, and kind of expensive, but I guess I've gotten used to it. It is a very cultural place for the children. And WDW is a great vaca getaway!!!

 

[meowmarie]

I live in Austin, TX and I love it! I have lived in the San Francisco area, Oklahoma, Florida panhandle and even did a 4 year stint in Idaho of all places, and I can honestly say that there is no place else I would rather be than RIGHT HERE It's a decent size city that isn't TOO big with a low cost of living and lots of stuff to do. We are far enough inland where we don't get hurricanes, and far enough south where tornadoes are pretty rare. We are the live music capital of the world so there is always some kind of festival or something going on with music. There are lakes around us so lots of boating and other outdoor activities as well. We live in the burbs which is only 10 miles from central Austin and got a great house, 2100 square feet on one story for under $200k, new construction. We aren't just a bunch of cowboys here, not to worry. There are more hippies in Austin than cowboys I assure you LOL. Good luck with your search, I know how hard it can be! But don't count Texas out, I'm sure not ALL the stuff you've heard is true

 

[tim17]

I know this thread is really for people in the US but what the heck!

We moved to France from England three years ago and love it here. There's near zero crime, no traffic, everybody speaks to each other and helping your neighbour is a national pastime.

Next month we're visiting Orlando again and can't wait although the crowds, traffic and noise will take a while to get used to.

 

[fall08CP]

I love love love LOVE my hometown in Chicagoland, IL. I just moved to Orlando because I hate snow but the amenities back home were the best I've ever seen anywhere.

 

[disneysuncat]

Nope, I don't love where we live. And that's why we're relocating to Florida, just an hour away from DISNEY early next year! I cannot wait.

 

[Michelle67]

I absolutely love where I live. I live in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. I am actually on the Key Peninsula,something like 50 miles southwest of Seattle, if you care to look on the map for interest's sake. It is very green, it snows very little and the snow doesn't stick around more than a few days. Our temperature range is moderate (temps in the teens are rare and short-lived, same goes for anything over 90*), with winter temps usually above freezing and summer temps averaging in the higher 70s and 80s, and we do not have hurricanes/tornadoes. We do have impressive windstorms, which can and do take down 100 foot evergreens, but most of us are smart enough not to have those too near our houses anyhow. They mess with the power, but if you live in the cities it's usually a short-lived inconvenience. Where I live, we may be out of power for up to a week after a bad one. It's okay; out here we own generators.

From anywhere in Washington state, within a few hours' drive you can be in the mountains (REAL mountains, high and with snow most of the year) where there are excellent skiing and hiking opportunities if you're into that, or at the ocean, or even in the high desert (east side of the mountains). I can be at the beach in about ten minutes on the Sound. For divers, the Puget Sound has some of the largest octopi in the world to check out. Our beaches are not California, though; they are mostly rocky rather than sandy. Beach Blanket Bingo is NOT the image to have in mind. Employment rates are good here, real estate is higher than it used to be but not obscene. My husband's favorite trait is that anything you could possibly want for a computer is readily available, and usually cheaper than most other places we've been. Microsoft and Bill Gates live here, after all. Haha... Besides Microsoft, the area has several large, major companies such as Boeing and Weyerhauser, but is also very friendly to small businesses. The larger the city, the more big city problems you will find, but in general it is a safe and excellent place to raise kids. There are lots of museums, ballet, opera, theater, good restaurants, great coffee (yeah, stereotypical Seattle thing, had to say it, and might as well mention all the people drinking it while wearing their Birkenstocks with socks, my BIL from VA always has to make fun of that part) popular music venues, almost always live music that you will like---whatever your style---going on somewhere within driving distance.

It is not for everyone, though. On the down side, this region (and up into BC Canada) is a temperate rain forest. It can and does rain at any time of the year. A lot of people fail to take into consideration before moving here that it is so green and lush here for a good reason, and it gets to some people. I don't mind it. I've lived here for over 35 years, and I'm just accustomed to doing pretty much anything in a drizzle, possibly in a downpour. I think the beautiful plant life is worth the rain. My husband (Mr. Relocated from Long Island via Maryland) hates it. Rain most of the spring and off and on in the summer annoys him, and he says we lack real seasons---we don't get a dramatic east coast fall because the vast majority of our trees are evergreens, and we don't get a long, hot, dry summer. When we do, we freak out and ration water. The I-5 corridor is a mess at commuting time, but not as bad as LA, Chicago, or NYC through to Long Island (done all three...heaven help me and my frazzled nerves). Smart folks live closer to work or telecommute. Lots of opportunities for that here, too, if you're in a field that supports it.

Sorry for the book. You got me onto a subject near and dear to my heart.

 

[sarcasticblonde]

I live in Chicago on the Northside. The school systems around here (especially in the Glenview) are awesome. Chicago is such a cultural mecca. Everything you could want, you have: Museums, a sports team for every occasion, the beautiful lake shore, a restaurant for every taste. Its awesome.

 

[Lynn5700]

Umm heck no lol...I'm from New Jersey and hopr to move to the orlando area in the future...everytime we come back from Fl and get off the plane you smell the filthy Philly air..gross.