Colorado or Arizona.....

[cwhanes]

Originally Posted by famlife

Wow, thank you for the great info, guys! excellent!

As much as I love Colorado, I'd hate to do something that I know would not work out in the long run. I don't mind the cold and snow, but my arthritis is to the point where it's almost debilitating in the winter. The humidity of the Great Lakes region doesn't help either. I'm pretty sure that the desert is just where I need to be. Well, at least I'll be closer to Colorado for vacations hehe

Thanks so much for the help.. Great info!

If you have body pain ie Arthritis STAY AWAY FROM COLORADO! Besides the cold the high elevation makes those ailments worse.

[froggin4colorado]

Where Josseppie? This is her area? Why don't you DM her?

I too think Pueblo is more up your ally, or Pueblo West too. In fact, Pueblo even has some cactus, rattlers, and scorpions. I used to live in Kearny, AZ and have visited various parts of AZ. Pueblo reminds me a bit of a mild AZ. Worth checking out...

[phetaroi]

I'm new to Colorado...been living here just since June...a retiree. I'm in Colorado Springs and love it. There are areas in and around Denver that seem quite nice...and other areas that don't. I'm not at all impressed with Pueblo...actually thought Canon City had a nicer feel to it, despite all the prisons. SW Colorado...well, maybe Durango...but I found Cortez pretty isolated and rinky dink.

Before retiring I also traveled to Arizona to see how I might like that. Not for me. Started out in Flagstaff, where everyone was petrified of forest fires. Then a 2 hour drive -- with nothing in between -- to get to Phoenix. Then another 2 hour drive -- with nothing in between -- to get to Tucson. I felt like it would be living on an island with no place to go for miles.

You might consider some of the areas north of Denver, depending on your feelings about weather. Loveland, for example.

[chessgeek]

I have visited relatives (aunt/cousin) in Arizona and a friend in Colorado. I prefer Colorado. It has always amazed me that southern Arizona with the brutal 100+ temps for five months straight (May-Sept and longer some years) is the overwhelming population center of the state with greater Phoenix and Tucson. I prefer northern Arizona.

Colorado provided me with a better experience. Traffic in Denver is not as bad as Phoenix. I took in a number of attractions in or near Denver (Red Rocks Park/Ampitheater/Restaurant; Coors Brewery tour;Denver: LoDo; Coors Field;16th Street Mall; Boulder...it was too brief though...should have spent more time and Rocky Mtn National Park). Then spent one day in Colorado Springs area where my friend lives. Garden of the Gods is gorgeous and so is Manitou Springs.

I did not see quite as much in AZ and still have not been to Scottsdale which is one of its best cities. At the same time I have not yet been to Aspen, CO either so a comaprison can be made. In fact my relatives seem to prefer to go to Las Vegas and Laughlin, NV for their getaways. It does not say much for AZ other than it is not too far away. They are not the outdoor people they used to be..I would prefer the Grand Canyon. Kudos to AZ for that.

I think Denver also is more influential in Colorado than Phoenix is to Arizona. One example: all four Colorado pro teams play in downtown Denver where as two Arizona teams play in downtown Phoenix and the other two play in suburban Glendale 15 miles north. Phoenix sprawls considerably more, but Denver has a little, too. I am no longer a skier (last time was mid-90's), but skiers will obviously love CO more.

I think higher wages in the Denver metro probably cover the slightly higher living cost in many cases.

There are good things to say about both, but if you do not like hot temps, stay away from southern AZ.

[lurtsman]

As a note to the last post. Nursing pay in Denver is lower than in many areas. I was really shocked when we looked at the different job offers.

I appreciate the info about Phoenix. Planning to visit there at some point. I love geography and the Southwestern part of the U.S. has some of the most interesting geography. Those high temps in phoenix were a factor in our choosing to live in Colorado.