[madonna_ann]

My husband and I just talked about the possibility of only needing one car. That's hard to imagine! I'm eager to hear his impressions of the area. I'll keep all of you posted.

[madonna_ann]

Well, he went on his interview but it was a whirlwind day. He saw the highway and insides of offices. So no insight yet!

[ctgirl36]

CT is such a small state that even if you were not living right on the beach you can get there easily. I live in Southbury which is in Western CT but I can get to Fairfield beaches in 30 minutes and Westport beaches in 40 minutes. Other beaches are no more than one hour. That is what is so nice about living in this state. I can get to Boston in two hours and NYC in one and a half hours. I can hike one day and hit the beach the next. You can't go wrong. Not to mention there are several beautiful lake beaches such as Lake Quassapaug inland.

Good luck to you!

Originally Posted by madonna_ann

With more research, it looks like Branford would be a long commute. So I-95 is one of the busiest stretches of highway in the country? Ouch. That makes it look like Milford, Orange and Woodbridge would be the most feasible options so far. I read in other threads to check out rental houses at reavis.com, and that has been helpful. Are there any other areas with a decent home for the price, but also a decent commute? If we get a serious offer to consider, I look forward to travelling up there so I can get a feel for beach vs. wooded areas of CT. My husband will be going there next week, not sure if I'm going yet.

Does anyone have an opinion if the more expensive beach living is worth it? It sounds pretty exciting to a girl from Missouri. We are active, and I think we would get good use out of the beaches. I've never boated or kayaked, but it sounds fun!

[stewarthaas]

Branford is a nice town, it offers a nice historic center, quaint beach town feel, and has good shopping options. Guilford next door is even nicer but that would extend your commute. The commute from Branford to Milford can be done in 20-25 minutes with a car, it's really not that bad if you really like it over here ( been doing it for 2 years now) Another area that might appeal to you is the valley area, but that can be pricey. But if interested, Oxford and Beacon Falls are semi rural and have a nice historic New England feel to them and via Rte.8 aren't too far away.

[katfish13]

hey. sorry to jump on this bandwagon but i just got a job in milford and was wondering about where to live as well.

i'm single, outdoorsy, have a dog, in my early 30s.

i was originally looking at new haven and found a cool place in the oyster district. not sure if the commute will be too horrendous. i am looking in new haven because it is close to a university and thought that my chances of meeting people my age might be better. i don't go out a lot but have been in university these past few years and i am leaving a large group of friends.

any comments? suggestions?

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by katfish13

hey. sorry to jump on this bandwagon but i just got a job in milford and was wondering about where to live as well.

i'm single, outdoorsy, have a dog, in my early 30s.

i was originally looking at new haven and found a cool place in the oyster district. not sure if the commute will be too horrendous. i am looking in new haven because it is close to a university and thought that my chances of meeting people my age might be better. i don't go out a lot but have been in university these past few years and i am leaving a large group of friends.

any comments? suggestions?

West Haven is affordable, between Milford and New Haven, and has easy access to the highway, buses and the train. It has a super beach as well as being the home of The University of New Haven and Yales West Campus.

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by katfish13

hey. sorry to jump on this bandwagon but i just got a job in milford and was wondering about where to live as well.

i'm single, outdoorsy, have a dog, in my early 30s.

i was originally looking at new haven and found a cool place in the oyster district. not sure if the commute will be too horrendous. i am looking in new haven because it is close to a university and thought that my chances of meeting people my age might be better. i don't go out a lot but have been in university these past few years and i am leaving a large group of friends.

any comments? suggestions?

West Haven is affordable, between Milford and New Haven, and has easy access to the highway, buses and the train. It has a super beach as well as being the home of The University of New Haven and Yale's West Campus.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by madonna_ann

Wow, mkiv808, thanks for all the helpful information! My husband will be there tomorrow. I've never been much of a city person, but I tend to enjoy myself anywhere I go. I love to travel, hike, visit historic spots, and EAT! I'm a big parks enthusiast. You make it sound wonderful. I'm interested in hearing about the winters there. How cold does it get, how long does it last, and how much snow accumulates?

Thanks again to everyone for being so helpful!

Winters are variable. I remember some Decembers in the 50's and 60's and others in the teens for a cold wave. Being on the coast helps as the water moderates the temperature and it's at sea level. I used to live up north and commute to Westport on the shore and the difference in the 20 miles I drove was big. It was the difference between snow and rain in many cases. Not much snow accumulates on the coast as it tends to melt in a few days. We do get noreasters now and then which can dump a foot or more, but again - the coast usually gets less. It's fairly cold from early Dec into early March. Depends on what you're used to though. How are your winters there?

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by ctgirl36

CT is such a small state that even if you were not living right on the beach you can get there easily. I live in Southbury which is in Western CT but I can get to Fairfield beaches in 30 minutes and Westport beaches in 40 minutes. Other beaches are no more than one hour. That is what is so nice about living in this state. I can get to Boston in two hours and NYC in one and a half hours. I can hike one day and hit the beach the next. You can't go wrong. Not to mention there are several beautiful lake beaches such as Lake Quassapaug inland.

Good luck to you!

That's not accounting for the traffic in New Haven.