We're moving, where's the best place to live?

[AreaCode707]

Due to circumstances beyond our control, our family is selling our beautiful house in heavenlike Mendocino County, Northern California. At the moment, my dad's applying for jobs in myriads of places all over the US. I may or may not move with my family, but the question stands. From DC to Seattle to AZ, where's the best place to live? Not a city, we're more geared towards small towns, and we need someplace our horses can live with us or nearby. Suggestions, and the reasoning behind your suggestions?

 

[yakko]

You can stay with me.

 

[RossMAN]

I would check out some small to medium sized cities in Oregon, sorry I don't have any suggestions.

 

[JC]

San Luis Obispo, CA. 'nuf said.

JC

edit: oh yeah, reasoning....beautiful weather, scenery, Cal Poly girls (you prolly don't care about that ) kinda pricey though.

 

[Pixelated]

from my experience, you don't want to get out of California. Especially if you've already lived here, you're going to want to move back if you leave the state. If you're looking for small, then there's plenty along the central coast of CA or even down towards San Diego.

I was up in Mendocino County a couple of years ago on a mini vacation. beautiful place.

 

[notfred]

I was going to say Northern or Central california. Between Napa and roughly Santa Barbara, but you're already there.

 

[AreaCode707]

Come on guys, encourage me that there's life beyond the West Coast, it's hard enough to leave as it is. *sniff*

notfred, wherever my family goes, I may spend a few years at grad school in Santa Barbara, then perhaps park myself back in lovely Mendo county, or between Mendo and Napa, somewhere along highway 128, it doesn't get nicer than that.

 

[Mulderizer]

I wish I could help you but I think I plan on parking my behind in CA for the rest of my life. I have a friend in Federal Way in Seattle. I hear that's pretty nice unless he's lying to me.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: HotChic
Come on guys, encourage me that there's life beyond the West Coast, it's hard enough to leave as it is. *sniff*

notfred, wherever my family goes, I may spend a few years at grad school in Santa Barbara, then perhaps park myself back in lovely Mendo county, or between Mendo and Napa, somewhere along highway 128, it doesn't get nicer than that.

Actually, I've been to a LOT of places in the US, and the only place I'd consider living outside of california is Boulder, CO. I still like CA better, though. I haven't been everywhere, but msot of the eastern seaboard sucks. The southwest seems to either be beatiful but desolate, or ugly crappy cities. Salt Lake City sucks. Florida Sucks worse. Virginia Seems kinda cool, but I haven't spent a lot of time there. Michigan was cooler than the east coast, but not particulary exciting, and almost as flat as florida. the plains states SUCK. New Jersey sucks....

Well, yeah, I like California.

 

[Piano Man]

Damn, I was going to say Northern California. What size do you mean by a small town? Then I'll give you an answer.

 

[AreaCode707]

I'm a sixth generation Cali, it's gonna take a crowbar to get me out of here.

 

[wfbberzerker]

er... whitefish bay, wisconsin?

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Piano Man
Damn, I was going to say Northern California. What size do you mean by a small town? Then I'll give you an answer.

Well, there's about 15,000 where we are now, and it's ideal, but I'd say anything under 30,000, at max.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
er... whitefish bay, wisconsin?

Let's here some more about it, what's it like, why do you recommend it?

 

[Miramonti]

Best Places to Live guide from fortune magazine.

It might be hard to find a place like napa valley where your dad can also find a job thats right. There's lots of beautiful places along the west coast but most won't have the same employment oportunities that the larger cities have. It may just be the time in life to expand the horizons and experience something somewhere very different.

 

[gopunk]

seattle's hella tight

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
I would check out some small to medium sized cities in Oregon, sorry I don't have any suggestions.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: jjsole
<a class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://money.cnn.com/best/bplive/" target=blank>Best Places to Live</A> guide from fortune magazine.

It might be hard to find a place like napa valley where your dad can also find a job thats right. There's lots of beautiful places along the west coast but most won't have the same employment oportunities that the larger cities have. It may just be the time in life to expand the horizons and experience something somewhere very different.

We currently live in Ukiah, ranked sixth on the best small towns list in the US and ranked first in California. It's hard to imagine anything to beat this. And job isn't the big problem right now, because of the line of work my dad may be going into.

 

[wfbberzerker]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
er... whitefish bay, wisconsin?

Let's here some more about it, what's it like, why do you recommend it?

well lets see... some of the best schools in the state, very safe neighborhood, very nice houses, right next to lake michigan, thats all i can think of right now.

although it does have some wacky weather (last year, i think the winter was down to below zero, and so far, the summer this year has been up to 100)

but its really a nice place.

check it out here.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: gopunk
seattle's hella tight

definitely, it has the feel of (the good parts of) LA county from about 10-15 years ago before it got quite so crowded and smoggy. And it has the laid-back West Coast feel. No nice warm-water beaches like in Redondo Beach where I grew up tho

Not sure about small towns in WA though, I'm in Bellevue which is more or less the east part of greater Seattle

Edit: University of Washington is also a great grad school, at least for computer science & engineering.

 

[Stark]

My top picks:

East Coast: Boston

Middle: Colorado

West Coast: Pismo Beach, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Culver City (if you have to live in LA), Huntington Beach

 

[thraashman]

Well since I've lived here in Atlanta my entire life, I can only really suggest Atlanta. I enjoy it here and will probably live here for a while after college. I can suggest places to NOT live based on my visits there. I'll even give reasons.

Alabama (anywhere) - I swear I've never met more stupid people anywhere.
Mississippi (anywhere) - Alabama people make fun of them, they gotta be bad.
Tennessee - that is unless you really like country music
Michigan (around Detroit) - too cold, and Detroit is one crappy city, I have family there and only visit when I have too.
Texas - unless you love shotguns, and own a couple yourself. Good place to learn Spanish though.
anywhere in the midwest - there's just nothing to do.
Miami, Florida - Nice to visit, wouldn't fit in living there since you're not gay or Cuban.

At some point I figure I'll try out living in California, Arizona, or further north here on the east coast. I really want to retire in Savannah, it's so nice there.

So, move over here, decent weather, lotsa job opportunities, a damn big airport, some good universities, too much freakin pollen in the spring though. And can't forget having the best Baseball team of the last decade.

Like it's really that much up to you anyway. Hope you like where you move to.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: jjsole Best Places to Live guide from fortune magazine. It might be hard to find a place like napa valley where your dad can also find a job thats right. There's lots of beautiful places along the west coast but most won't have the same employment oportunities that the larger cities have. It may just be the time in life to expand the horizons and experience something somewhere very different.

We currently live in Ukiah, ranked sixth on the best small towns list in the US and ranked first in California. It's hard to imagine anything to beat this. And job isn't the big problem right now, because of the line of work my dad may be going into.

Wow, if you have broadband there, I'll trade you. Not too many horses in chicago tho, unless you want to tote people around in carriages on the ritzy Michigan Avenue. (actually there are numerous stables outside the city.)

 

[RossGr]

Wingnut and Rossman are joshing with 'ya, Oregon sux. Stay the h@ll out of Oregon. 'less of course you like rain grey rain grey, even if you do like rain stay away from Oregon.

 

[MichaelD]

So, basically, you are moving from a horse farm out in the middle of acres and acres of land, where your nearest neighbor is only locatable via radio-telemetry and you're inquiring about where to move? The only logical answer is somewhere just like it. Hire a realator, make THEM do all the work. Bluntly, horses aren't exactly considered "small pets." You'll need lots of space for them. Seattle is out. So are 99% of all major cities in the US. Back to the Boonies for you, Boonie Girl.

Seriously, good luck to you and your family.