Soquel, Scotts Valley

[Wisteria]

Thomasw98: Interesting to know. I had already scratched them off my list. Soquel mainly for being too expensive for my budget. But Scotts Valley for being too rugged (landslides, floods, fires, famines, etc.). Maybe I will give Scotts Valley some more thought in terms of the suburban areas you mention.

Scotts Valley is much more suburban, so if you're looking for that, I'd check it out. There are more woodsy areas there, but I always think of Scotts Valley as a suburb. I guess if Santa Cruz has suburbs, Scotts Valley would definitely be one of them. It doesn't seem rugged to me, at all. I consider it our nearby suburb. It's small, but clean, and many stores. There is also a new Cabrillo College satellite there for classes. It's also very close to Hwy. 17 for quick access to San Jose or San Francisco.

Good luck!

[jaynetarzana]

Thomasw98, Did you get to check out Scotts Valley. I was hoping that someone might be able to give me some insight. DH and I are tree hugging, liberal, fashionable, ethical vegetarians and parents of two little girls in our mid 30's. We grew up in Detroit, moved to San Diego after our wedding where we lived for 10 years and then moved to Santa Cruz for 3 years. This past summer we moved to Chicago for DH's job, and we're completely miserable. We miss California something terrible, especially Northern California because it is so lush and green with the Redwoods etc. We are planning to move back in March. DH will be working in Salinas and Santa Cruz is out due to the fact that gang activity was getting worse, the downtown is full of junkies, the boardwalk was scary, the public schools aren't great and the people were almost too hippie. So we have been thinking about Scotts Valley because the schools are good, but we are concerned that it might be too conservative as it has a reputation for being so. I'd love to hear from other about their experiences with Scotts Valley. Thanks!

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Thomasw98, Did you get to check out Scotts Valley.....

I visited there briefly recently but just to do some shopping. I was not really seriously considering it because I had already decided to move to Oregon. Anyways, the shopping area of Scott's Valley is OK, but nothing special. A little too many national chains (yeah, I know it is hard to avoid them nowadays). But the overall feeling was still ok. I did not look at the residential areas at all. Sorry.

[jaynetarzana]

Congrats on making a decision on a place to relocate. Where in Oregon did you decide to move?

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Congrats on making a decision on a place to relocate. Where in Oregon did you decide to move?

I am renting in Eugene now, but writing this email from a hotel in Portland where I am currently scouting this area as a potential spot to live. Final decision in a few months.

[jaynetarzana]

Please keep us posted. I have close friends who moved from Santa Cruz to Bend, OR for cheaper living.