Any Orange County CA Transplants in CS? Thoughts on Moving to CS? (Denver: rental, how much)

[excelly]

My wife and I are considering a move to CS for our family of four, including our children, ages 9 and 12. All of us have lived in Orange County, CA, our entire lives. Many in Orange County are unfriendly, stuck up, and fake. Most here live beyond their means, and everyone is constantly "keeping up with the Jones." Don't get me wrong, there are also a lot of nice people here, but we're ready to try something new.

Here are my questions, and I appreciate everyone's feedback. Moving to a new area with no relatives or friends concerns us. Overall, do you find most people in CS to be friendly? With young kids, do you think it will be easy for them to meet new friends? We're considering the Flying Horse area of North CS. What are your general thoughts on this area for young families, in particular the Village of Calistoga if you're familiar with it?

If you've lived in the OC, and now CS, which did you like best and why?

Thanks in advance to everyone for your responses.

[beezle1]

I came from OC about 15 years ago. I know exactly what you mean about the 'keeping up with the Joneses' thing - nearly everyone I know was buying a new house every 2 or 3 years to just get bigger and better. We, like you, did not have family or friends here, just liked the area and wanted to get out of Orange County before our daughter started school there. She did not have any trouble finding friends here. I think most people here are friendly. We live in a rural area and everyone waves at each other when driving down the street - in California, people would just look the other way and pretend they did not see you!
We miss some of the shopping opportunities in OC, and diversity of restaurants, and other amenities, but we don't miss the traffic at all! We would never move back to California.
As far as the area you are thinking about, I don't know much about it specifically, but I drive by that area on my way to work every day. Looks to be very nice. Good Luck on your future move!

[Amery523]

I am also a So Cal transplant and would highly recommend the north part of CS for you. I think you will find the housing similar in style to what you had in CA, just with a much lower price tag, less traffic and nicer people. D-20 is a very good school district, particularly on the north side where you are considering. Although I live in the southern part of D-20, my street is older homes, lots of trees, all my neighbors wave at me when I drive down the street and the neighborhood kids all play outside riding bikes, skateboards, etc. (It's a Very residential area.) I miss a lot of the ethnic restaurants that were prevalent in So Cal, but there is just about every type of ethnic food here, just not in mass quantity that you are used to seeing in Cali. Just 45 mins. north of here is Park Meadows Mall in south Denver, which is a HUGE complex built by a So Cal developer. So the styling of the mall and surrounding areas is very So Cal-looking. And if you truly want the mega-city stuff, Denver is 45 mins. away.

The only thing I caution people who are moving from warm places, esp. if they lived only there, is that yes, we do get snow and yes, it does get cold. I think mentally if you are prepared for this, you will do fine with the snow. You'll have a learning curve of driving in the stuff, but truly, this is not like Chicago or the Great Lakes area where the snow stays on the ground for weeks or months at a time. It may dump 4 inches and the next day be uber-sunny and by 3pm, it's all melted. It is warm here during the summer because we are higher up in elevation. Learn to enjoy some snow sports if you can, and take advantage of it! I've been here 7 years now and like the other poster, no intentions of moving back to Cali at all!

P.S. I've visited Calistoga (in CA) before - lots of spas and lots of GOOD restaurants!!

[FunBunch7]

WE are moving from Arizona but just like everyone in AZ we moved from LA about 14 years ago...we would NEVER move back to Southern CA...WAY too expensive...400k for a crack house...I don't think so.

But like you, we won't know anyone either...my main concern is that the kids do okay with it in finding new, accepting friends.

Sometimes you just got to take the plunge!!!!

[treedonkey]

This sight is nearly overrun with these sort of, 'should I move to our neighborhood, will I like it there?' posts, which is understandable because it's easy and free to ask such unanswerable questions on here. I'm never quite sure how to respond to this and similar posts because...

On the one hand I'm a CA transplant (most recently from the bay area but lived in OC for 5 years before that). I can say that I really hated it where I went to college in OC and Long Beach, and I really like it better here in almost every way. I certainly do find it easier to get along with the averag Joe here, mainly because I have more in common with the down to earth outdoorsy types that would choose to live over moving to a crowded beachside city in LA.

But on the other hand, expecting that the general populace will be free of materialism, status-mindedness, and general aloofness here or anywhere else is highly unrealistic. If you move for the right reason, and with the right attitude, you'll likely do well here, if not, you won't find any real happiness by simply relocating your body.

In any case, make sure you have adequate job and housing prospect lined up beforehand and visit a AT LEAST once. Such exploratory visits are most effective when they emulate the mundane prusuits of daily life, as opposed to just being a big vacation.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by treedonkey

In any case, make sure you have adequate job and housing prospect lined up beforehand and visit a AT LEAST once. Such exploratory visits are most effective when they emulate the mundane prusuits of daily life, as opposed to just being a big vacation.

Definitely true. The more trips one makes, the better picture they'll get of an area. Often times, the first impression of a place is inaccurate, whether too positive or too negative. And like watching a movie more than once, you notice things the second or third time through you may have missed before.

The second point is a great one too. Get out there and drive the major commuting roads at 5pm. Go to Costco on a Saturday afternoon. Go to the grocery store at 7pm. Try to do as many things as you'd do in your normal life and see how they work in your prospective city.

[sds1350]

We moved to CO several years ago from AZ. Our kids were accepted quite warmly. D20 (the school district for Flying Horse) teaches character education which helps the kids accept each other. We almost bought in Flying Horse but we are relocating out of state. We absolutely loved the subdivision and all it has to offer. There are some great deals if you buy from the builder (cheaper than the resales). Lots of walking/biking trails, parks, etc in the subdivision. Lots of families with old and young kids. The pool and spa there make a great social centerpiece to meet neighbors and for the kids to see friends from their school (in the neighborhood). I grew up in Northern CA and though Colorado Springs is a small town in comparison, the people here are so much more REAL. Not snobby, cliquish and not trying to constantly out do one another. There is plenty of shopping and conveniences and when you cant find what you need, south Denver is 40 minute drive from Flying Horse (nothing compared to SO. CA driving, right???!). By the way, Discovery Canyon is a great school and the whole complex goes from K-12 (or will within the next yr or two). That was a big draw for us wanting to move to Flying Horse. If you decide to move, you need to make sure you have job security. Depending on your profession, it could be a tough job search if you get downsized. Oh, and the only other big shocker if you move here from CA is the altitude and dryness. The humidity in the air (or lack of) is a HUGE shocker if you are used to coastal CA.

[Americana1st]

I, too, am amazed at how many people are simply wanting to pick up their lives they have now and transplant them here in Colorado. What? Why? How fun is that?

The absolute best reason to move to Colorado is for the CLIMATE! Embrace wool, fur, boots, mittens, faux fur, and all sorts of other fuzzy stuff--you'll have a blast! Leave humidity behind if you have it! Get ready for 300 sunny days per year, fabulous mountain sunsets, and the bluest skies you've EVER seen! Summer is warm, even gloriously hot at times, and dry, dry, dry! Gotta love that! Water is not abundant, and it's even rationed at times, privately owned at best, but you'll appreciate it a lot more. (The only thing I consistently hear from people who "miss" anything about either coast or Florida after moving here is the ocean. P.S. We don't got one here. But truly, oceanwise, evaluate how much you really use that big ol' body of water, and if it's tons, you better stay there. If you can do w/ visiting it once in a while, bring your best and come join us here. We need good people!

CoSpgs is quaint, diverse, tolerant, conservative (don't kid yourself--it really truly is -- think 'Focus on the Family has its own freeway sign'), patriotic and military oriented, and has a surprisingly very wide variety of housing and lifestyles. Northern part is the, shall we say, latest and greatest. G-map out stuff like Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers (a Colorado company that you just simply have to patronize), Whole Foods, TJ Maxx, Target, etc. There's no really fancy shopping, but head on up to Cherry Creek mall in Denver or Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree if you really need to buy a $400 pair of silk pants. Trust me--they've still got them there. Better yet, just e-shop for it. Garden of the Gods is fabulously mysteriously beautiful, is free, and never gets old visiting there! Manitou "Keep-Manitou-Weird" Springs is just minutes away -- and weird it is. But you'll love it.

As far as dine-out food, get clued in: Colorado's restaurant food -- in a word -- sucks! And many, many foodies will tell you this. Don't really know why, but it's absolutely atrocious almost everywhere you go. My best advice is learn to love COOKING AT HOME! Isn't that what all those so-called gourmet kitchens are supposed to be for? My hubby and I have exquisite palates, and it's RARE to find something that we would actually go back to. Food shopping: You just have to get adventurous. You can find almost anything you want here--just think 'treasure hunt.' Example, we buy huge bags of frozen wild-caught Argentinian (anywhere but China please) sea scallops, which are fabulous, at Safeway of all places.

Yeah, visit first, but (1) have a job, (2) line up at least a rental home, and (3) live adventurously!

CoSpgs two best 'freak attractions,' at least right now: Home of the new "Apple Dumpling Gang" who are investigating the 49 murders of (1) America's most prolific serial killer, Robert Browne. (2) Home of the 14,000-member New Life mega-church, over which the now infamous Ted Haggard formerly presided, and which church was the subject of an assault by a former member just last year, who, sadly was killed in the process after he killed several teenage members. Scared yet?

Oh yeah, and we like guns here: US Air Force Academy, military base, conservative gun-toting, clinging-to-their-religion, card-carrying CCW types! God and Guns since 1776! I think I'll suggest it for the new city motto!

[roastedbeans]

27 year OC native, 8 years in COS. Keeping this short as I've posted on this subject before. However, key point: If you love the ocean, you will always miss it. The food situation is absolutely deplorable--and sadly mom n' pops and places that are original or ethnic lose ground to the newest "Jack" drive-thru. All in all, a fairly vanilla place to live.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by roastedbeans

27 year OC native, 8 years in COS. Keeping this short as I've posted on this subject before. However, key point: If you love the ocean, you will always miss it. The food situation is absolutely deplorable--and sadly mom n' pops and places that are original or ethnic lose ground to the newest "Jack" drive-thru. All in all, a fairly vanilla place to live.

Shall I ask the obvious question?