[jsouth1]

My wife and toddler son are planning on relocating from Baton Rouge, LA in the next year and need some advice on where to relocate. We've lived in Dallas for a few years and loved it, but relocated to Louisiana for our job and for family. However, we're tired of the bugs in Louisiana, the two seasons, very hot and not hot, and Baton Rouge traffic which is way worse than Dallas.

We're considering Rockwall, TX, Fayetteville, AR, or Nashville, TN because they are within 6 hours of my wife's family. We would love to hear what you have to say about the places. We enjoy scenery, sporting events, running, outdoor activities (fishing, hunting, boating), music, and would like to be in an area with good school system, not private schools. Also, how is the health care system in these areas? Is alternative medicine accepted? How is the weather in these areas? Traffic? Can you sit outside without a thermacell (mesquito repellent) at night, or will you be swarmed? How are the restaurants? Culture?

I'm hot, stuck in traffic, bored, and in the wrong culture in Baton Rouge...please help!

[Bail_Khan]

First off I've never been to Rockwall Tx but Nashville is just a little bigger than Fayettville.
Yes I think alternative medicine would be accepted, Fayettville is known for being liberal. In fact if you find a good traditional Chinese medicine practicioner let me know please.
Traffic can be pretty bad when there is a football game or other big event but if you are used to traffic that is worse than in Dallas I wouldn't sweat it.
If you enjoy scenery, sporting events, music, and outdoor activities then Fayettville sounds like the place for you.

[bagelw]

I'm not sure how you could compare Rockwall and Nashville to Fayetteville. Fayetteville is puny in size to Dallas or Nashville. Fayetteville would have pretty much everything you're probably looking for but it will be nothing like Nashville or Rockwall.

[jsouth1]

Thanks for the information. I realize you can't quite compare the size of the population, I wasn't asking about population. One more thing, how are the bugs? Can you sit outside in the evening without being swarmed or covered in repellent?

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by jsouth1

Thanks for the information. I realize you can't quite compare the size of the population, I wasn't asking about population. One more thing, how are the bugs? Can you sit outside in the evening without being swarmed or covered in repellent?

Bugs in northwest AR are not too bad. Mosquito population is pretty small compared to the flatter parts of the state.

[joebaldknobber]

I imagine Rockwall will have a lot of skeeters being by Lake Ray Hubbard with the Dallas heat. The City of Dallas used to spray in some neighborhoods to kill skeeters. This was always in the poor neighborhoods, and some folks thought the city was trying to poison them.

[bizbiz3]

I was born and raised in Fayetteville, AR. I moved to Rockwall, TX after I got married and have lived here for 20 years. Fayetteville is mountainous with lots of trees and well rounded seasons. If you're into camping and hiking, then you'd love it there. They don't have fire ants like in Rockwall! Rockwall is flat, with scrubby trees. The climate is basically 8 months of summer with a few cool spells now and then. We have monster sized roaches and mosquitoes! If you like city life then you would be happy because Rockwall is so close to Dallas only 30 minutes away. Rockwall schools are about the same as Fayetteville ones, maybe a bit better. We don't like it here in Texas but my husband's job keeps us here. My aunt lives outside Nashville, TN. I love that area. Very similar to Fayetteville so I would move there in a heartbeat!

[TN-rox]

I dont know anything about Rockwall, but I know Nashville has pretty bad bugs. Worse than Fayetteville, but not too bad. Nashvilles in more rolling hill country and has the fastest growing metro in the state of tennessee. Fayetteville is of course smaller, and more rural.