OT - Thinking of Moving South (from Upstate NY)

[mousescene]

After living our whole life in Upstate NY, my DW and I (and DD, age 3) are finally reaching the breaking point in regards to the long, cold, snowy winters. Each year we dislike it more and more. So, we are ready of a change of scenery and are seriously thinking of moving somewhere much warmer. We dream of moving to Hawaii, but just don't think we could be that far away from family (both sides live in Upstate NY). So, our next best option seems to be down South!

Does anybody have any areas that they would suggest looking into? We have only vacationed in South Carolina and Florida, so we don't have a great feeling as to what options exist, but feel that there has to be places that would be a good fit!

We would like to be close (1 hr or so) to a major airport, have a great grocery store nearby, have a wide array of children's activities (like a good children's museum), and of course have little to no snow! An area where we could enjoy the outdoors year-round would be nice.

We would like to have the conveniences that living in the suburbs brings -- close to stores like Target, etc. But, it would be nice to find a place that has a little slower pace of life.

Understandably, I'm sure that wherever we end of moving, we'll face a bit of culture-shock at first! What have other people that have made a similar leap found?

 

[mjmoon]

My parents moved us from upstate NY (Oswego) in 1978 and they never looked back. We settled in the suburbs of Houston (NASA area). If you're looking for warm climate you'll find it here.

Having said that, it's not nearly as beautiful down here as it is where you're from. The seasons don't change much, not like up north. You won't have to worry about snow and if you don't mind 98 degrees with 100% humidity several months out of the year you might consider it a good place to spend a lot of time outdoors.

My mom loved Houston. I think my heart is still on Lake Ontario.

 

[ColoradoLime]

It's not south, but you could move to the Denver area. We have more sunny days a year than Florida and every winter we have lovely little blasts of warm weather. 60 degrees today!

 

[hoosiergirl7]

I just moved to Atlanta. I'm from the Midwest and looking to get back because I can't live without my family but I know the winters there aren't quite as bad as upstate NY. Atlanta has a huge airport - is only about 7 hrs from WDW by car. There's so much to do here and pretty much anything you want to buy is at your fingertips. Traffic isn't that great during rush hour and there are areas where it's always pretty heavy but you get over it. Atlanta has a good zoo, World of Coke, the largest aquarium in the world I believe, Six Flags amusement park and so much more.

 

[longing2Batdisney]

My family has always lived right outside of New Orleans (don't move here - you would trade snow for humidity).
But, my sister and her family moved to Canton GA right after Katrinia. she is about 30 - 45 min north of Atlanta and right outside the beautiful Blue Ridge mts. All in her family love it!! She said it was the best move they ever made. Public schools are decent (sent to private in LA), close to the city, lots to be involved in (she has three dgts all are involved in something different from music, gymnastics, to sports).

Good luck with your decision.

 

[MamaCoog]

I live on the Georgia/South Carolina border and have lived here most of my life. The Charleston area is very nice. Most of my family is originally from there. We try to visit the area at least once a year. They have an awesome childrens museum & a new huge aquarium, not to mention tons of other historical sites throughout the area. Most of my family lives in North Augusta, SC now which is lovely but may be too small for your liking. Columbia is nice or even Charlotte or Asheville in NC are great places. Good luck!!

 

[kellyg403]

Can either your wife or yourself transfer with your companies? My sis and her dh are thinking about moving to Raleigh, NC area and his company has openings in that area.

Raleigh/Cary/Charlotte are all big cities with alot of what you are looking for! Our winters are mild, though this winter has been a little colder than previous years. But, we have one of those every 4/5 years or so. Not a lot of snow but cold, windy weather. Summer time is warm and humid but overall I love the weather in NC. And the Raleigh area seems to get more of the 4 seasons instead of winter running into summer like we have here on the coast. Spring doesn't last long for us!

Good Luck with whatever you do! I lived one year in the Lake George area of New York and that was all I could take. I am a southern girl at heart and I just couldn't imagine living year after year in that type of weather. The first snowfall for me was beautiful, after that just a big pain in the rear. Plus, learning to drive in it, for me, was a hassle. I was too dangerous to be on the road because I was paranoid about it.

Kelly

 

[noahdove]

I agree with getting tired of the cold and snow...unlike the person that moved from Oswego, I don't like the cold or snow, but..I can't imagine living anywhere else except in this beautiful area...good luck to you no matter where you decide to move..

 

[snoopy5386]

we are in MD. Not too far south but far enough that you can wear shorts from May until the beginning of October, still have 4 seasons and some snow. We get about 3 or 4 "storms" aka 2-4 inches of snow a year. We are in central MD, within 1.5 hours or less from gettysburg, hershey pa, baltimore, washington DC. About 2 hours from philly. We moved here a couple of years ago and really like it.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

I was born & raised in upstate NY as well. When we were 22, DB now DH, decided to leave NY & try someplace new. So we moved to Raleigh. We've been here for 11 yrs. now, & just love it! We wouldn't dream of moving back to NY. Both of our families still live there, so we go up several times a year and that is enough for us! Raleigh has lots to do. You'll love it!

 

[Rylee]

I agree with getting tired of the cold and snow...unlike the person that moved from Oswego, I don't like the cold or snow, but..I can't imagine living anywhere else except in this beautiful area...good luck to you no matter where you decide to move..

HI!

What area of the Finger Lakes are you in?

I'm between Skaneateles and Cayuga, closest to Owasco. The winters are too long but it is beautiful here!

 

[chemysterygal]

Having lived in Florida and Syracuse, NY, I'll take the NY winter weather any day over the ho-hum no-change-of-seasons that was the Space Coast.

If you can't take the winters, there are tons of choices. Right now, the biggest factor in my mind, were I looking to move, would be the job situation in whatever area you want to move to. I know some areas are suffering more than others with respect to employment numbers.

Good luck!

 

[luna99]

all I have to say is you are lucky to move! I am in CNY (been here about 3-1/2 years) and miss the south! I was living in Austin Texas before I moved here which is a GREAT city! so much to do, lots of parks and outdoor stuff, lots of culture, great music scene, and it's a big city but has a small town feel.

good luck!

 

[liznboys]

After living our whole life in Upstate NY, my DW and I (and DD, age 3) are finally reaching the breaking point in regards to the long, cold, snowy winters. Each year we dislike it more and more. So, we are ready of a change of scenery and are seriously thinking of moving somewhere much warmer. We dream of moving to Hawaii, but just don't think we could be that far away from family (both sides live in Upstate NY). So, our next best option seems to be down South!

Does anybody have any areas that they would suggest looking into? We have only vacationed in South Carolina and Florida, so we don't have a great feeling as to what options exist, but feel that there has to be places that would be a good fit!

We would like to be close (1 hr or so) to a major airport, have a great grocery store nearby, have a wide array of children's activities (like a good children's museum), and of course have little to no snow! An area where we could enjoy the outdoors year-round would be nice.

We would like to have the conveniences that living in the suburbs brings -- close to stores like Target, etc. But, it would be nice to find a place that has a little slower pace of life.

Understandably, I'm sure that wherever we end of moving, we'll face a bit of culture-shock at first! What have other people that have made a similar leap found?

Sending you a pm...

 

[ToddyLu]

I live along the MS Gulf Coast. 110 miles to the east of New Orleans and 110 miles to the west of Pensacola. Yes, we do have humidity and the grass turns brown in the winter. There several Universities in this area. There are always events for families on the weekend. I would suggest Mobile, AL. Decent airport, lame pblic schools--great private schools. Mobile College, the University of South Alabama, Springhill College. One hour from Gulf Shores--near I-10 and I-65. Gulfport MS is also nice--large airport. yes the Katrina Recovery Continues but the area is so nice. You will have to get adjusted to how much slower everything moves down here. It is a very industrious and educated part of South LA, MS and AL. So I recommend us!!

 

[disprincessatheart]

Can either your wife or yourself transfer with your companies? My sis and her dh are thinking about moving to Raleigh, NC area and his company has openings in that area.

Raleigh/Cary/Charlotte are all big cities with alot of what you are looking for! Our winters are mild, though this winter has been a little colder than previous years. But, we have one of those every 4/5 years or so. Not a lot of snow but cold, windy weather. Summer time is warm and humid but overall I love the weather in NC. And the Raleigh area seems to get more of the 4 seasons instead of winter running into summer like we have here on the coast. Spring doesn't last long for us!

Good Luck with whatever you do! I lived one year in the Lake George area of New York and that was all I could take. I am a southern girl at heart and I just couldn't imagine living year after year in that type of weather. The first snowfall for me was beautiful, after that just a big pain in the rear. Plus, learning to drive in it, for me, was a hassle. I was too dangerous to be on the road because I was paranoid about it.

Kelly

I was born & raised in upstate NY as well. When we were 22, DB now DH, decided to leave NY & try someplace new. So we moved to Raleigh. We've been here for 11 yrs. now, & just love it! We wouldn't dream of moving back to NY. Both of our families still live there, so we go up several times a year and that is enough for us! Raleigh has lots to do. You'll love it!

After growing up in Rochester and college at Geneseo, I was ready for a move south! I wound up moving to Raleigh too. I've been here just shy of 9 years now and wouldn't think of moving back. I found the general scenery here - trees, lakes, etc - look exactly like NY. We get 3 full seasons and some years a really short winter - like this year. We had a big snow storm a couple weeks ago - 4 inches It is a big deal here simply because there's no equipment to handle it. This winter has been unusually cold, just like everywhere else, but this weekend it's 60's and sunny. Last January we had some 70+ degree days. I'd say start looking NC or farther south, and see where you can find a job. NC has fared well so far with relatively few job cuts, but I wouldn't want to leave a job now without something new lined up.

 

[NaplesRI]

Coming from Mass and RI, my DH and I always dreamed of winters without snow- no shoveling, no driving with crazies around us who forget every year how to drive in snow....

Well, we took early retirement and moved to Naples, Fl and this is our 2nd winter here. We love it.
We are less than an hr to the airport in Ft Myers, and there is so much to do here. Lots of beaches, great shopping, many supermarkets, good entertainmant, great restaurants!

We became Florida residents in 2007, and spend Oct-May here. We do go back to RI for June-Sept because we have all our families there plus we get the best of both worlds. We also go back to RI for Christmas- have to be with family! But there is nothing so fun as doing your Christmas shopping in shorts and being able to walk around the outside malls listening to carols in warm weather. We just love it!

I totally understand where you are coming from with your wish to leave- good luck in making your decision.

 

[Annabelleasb]

I live and grew up in upstate NY, near Albany, and "considered" moving south until a friend of mine moved to Florida and hated it. She said when your used to the 50 degrees during Halloween, 30 degrees during Thanksgiving and 10 degree weather at Christmas time, the feelings for holidays in general aren't the same. She missed the atmosphere of NY and couldn't get passed taking the kids trick or treating in shorts. As much as I HATE the winters here, I'm not sure if I could get used to hanging my lights on palm trees.

 

[brymolmom]

Hi. Good luck with your decision. I'm also in Upstate NY. You will likely find better weather and decent kids programs - but you WON'T find a grocery store like Wegmans anywhere except in NY, PA, NJ, VA and MD! And no other store compares IMO!

One thing that keeps me from moving south is that people do NOT know how to drive in bad weather. I think it's so funny all the drivers that pull off to the side of the road in rainstorms when I'm on vacation! If they only knew the blizzards we drive through without thinking twice about it around here.

 

[lastminutemom]

Can your job move with you?

South Carolina has nine percent unemployment and GA has nearly 8 percent. Even the old reliable (for the South) fields of teaching and law enforcement are drying up.