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Old 11-07-2007, 10:24 PM
 
Location: Rye, NH
26 posts, read 98,934 times
Reputation: 17

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Hi,

After hours of research and forum-reading; I'm trying to narrow down where to move for the winter (I'm a 24/f single from New Hampshire looking for a WARM climate, an exciting young scene, and job opps). I have never visited my three top choices: San Diego, Phoenix, and Austin. Preferably, any advice from anyone who's lived in all three, or at least lived in two maybe and visited the other? Whereever you say, I'm going! Thanks so much!
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Old 11-07-2007, 11:17 PM
 
Location: Slaughter Creek, Travis County
1,194 posts, read 3,973,903 times
Reputation: 977
Visited San Diego and Phoenix (a lot) and live in Austin. If you can swing it, live in San Diego. Phoenix has Tempe, which could be OK except the town is like LA East to me and is in the desert. If your looking for an affordable community with high humidity in the summer with a lot of great music and some pretty cool community events, you should consider Austin.

You need to decide for yourself and pick the summer to do it. A lot of folks can't stand the humidity we have in South Texas. Me on the other hand, I like sweating in the summer but have a hard time tolerating the dry desert heat of Phoenix. And there is no such thing as a bad weather day in San Diego.
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Old 11-08-2007, 07:22 AM
 
Location: Austin TX
1,207 posts, read 6,278,452 times
Reputation: 420
I live in Austin, lived 4 years in Phoenix and also lived a year in Orange County, so spent some time in San Diego. I would agree with Car957 that if you can afford San Diego, it's the best choice. Lots of job opportunities with high tech especially; the best weather around, and a very vibrant nightlife. Plus you are close to ocean AND mountains, you can road trip to Las Vegas very easily and a lot is accessible to you.

Second choice would be Austin. I wouldn't recommend Phoenix at all. The weather, IMO, is miserable in Phoenix compared to Austin. The nightlife is marginal there. There are a lot of good job opportunities, however. I felt really cooped up in Phoenix the whole time I was there. I love Austin in comparison!
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Old 11-08-2007, 09:01 AM
 
Location: La Crescenta, CA
418 posts, read 1,734,090 times
Reputation: 335
I think I agree with the sentiment here, ranking the places:

1. San Diego, if you can afford it, wonderful weather and geography, city's undergoing a renaissance
2. Austin -- hip, vibrant, but a little small and wretchedly hot in the summer
3. Phoenix -- sprawling, like LA without the glamour/hipness/weather
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Old 11-08-2007, 02:26 PM
 
11 posts, read 65,517 times
Reputation: 14
I also agree with San Diego! Best of all 3!
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Old 11-08-2007, 05:59 PM
 
110 posts, read 523,508 times
Reputation: 44
For your particular situation, I'd agree with the ranking of SD, Austin, then Phoenix. If you want to raise a family, however, I think the priorities shift due to schools, crowding, and crime, putting Austin first, then SD second.

It's a decision I have been struggling with for over a year; we live in SD now and it's been great for the first 10 years of our children ... but with middle and high school looming, the significantly better schools and larger (& higher quality) homes/lots in Austin make the debate a lot closer. I believe that Austin is a better place to raise a family, and yet it's still a great place for singles.
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Old 11-08-2007, 11:06 PM
 
112 posts, read 682,857 times
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I lived in San Diego and I live in Austin now. If you are single and want to have fun and if you don't mind sharing an apartment with a roommate, choose San Diego. There are always things to do and cool places to visit. Before I came here, I heard a lot about Zilker park. The first thing that I did when i got here was to visit that park. I got bored in 10 minutes and left in half hour. Nothing compares with La Jolla Beach and hippie La Jolla village.

But you are up there in age and want to settle down for a family and you also want to afford the main caregiver to stay home, Austin is then a better choice. Everything really depends on what you want and the stage of your life you are in.

I don't know about Phoenix except the suffocating heat when my flight was transiting from San Diego to Michigan in June.
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Old 11-09-2007, 03:55 AM
 
3,247 posts, read 9,047,815 times
Reputation: 1526
SD
Austin (if it still has the same atmos phere it had 10 yrs ago)
Phoenix
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Old 01-24-2008, 10:48 PM
 
2 posts, read 6,897 times
Reputation: 10
Default San Diego

Is the best. I went to school in Tucson (terrible) and was in SD, LA, and Phoenix every other weekend. I went to Austin new years it is set up pretty sweet too. I also lived in Miami which is OK but it just seemed like an expensive Mexico. The west is the best!!! If Phoenix had water it would be the best city ever in my eyes. I haven't experienced a summer there though but the humidity in Miami (which is also in Austin) in the summer seemed way worse then dry heat in the desert. Which city u think has the hottest girls???
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Old 01-25-2008, 06:50 PM
 
Location: Dripping Springs, TX
15 posts, read 54,433 times
Reputation: 22
What a great adventure! I went to college in San Diego and lived inland of La Jolla about 10 miles. I LOVE San Diego. Some of my best partying memories are of San Diego, Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada, Mexico. You're only a short commute into Mexico and some of the best lobster around [Ortego House].
I now have two teenagers and we live west of Austin. I LOVE Austin as a mother. I would not raise my kids in San Diego. Too congested and no elbow room. Plus SKY HIGH real estate prices. My guess is you'll pay a lot more for rent in San Diego.
So, for your circumstances, I'm in agreement with the others:
1. San Diego
2. Austin
3. That other place which doesn't merit being in your top 3 choices

Have a great adventure!

Last edited by Trainwreck20; 02-03-2008 at 06:48 PM..
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