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Considering a move from SF Bay Area CA to Littleton/Denver area. Would like to hear from others who've made the move and have settled in these areas. Specifically:
-Was the weather a hard adjustment?
-How do restaurants compare?
-How do schools compare?
-For those with kids, would you say it's been a GOOD choice moving them out of CA?
-Do you miss the diversity of the Bay Area?
-Are people friendlier or would your neighbors not notice if you dropped dead (sorry, that's the reality for me here in the Bay...)?
-Are you happy you made the move?
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area?
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time?
-What, if anything, do you wish you had known prior to making the move?
-What advice would you give someone like me who is considering leaving the Bay Area for the Denver area?
I'm sure I have more questions but I think these will do for now.... :-)
What other places are you considering? Is there a reason why you are moving? To be honest your questions are kind of hard to answer. Some people will take to colder and hotter weather (Denver has both relatively speaking) and some people will find diversity important or unimportant. Same thing with restaurants. I think it gets back to thinking more about why you are moving and what your other options are in deciding if you will make the right choice in Denver.
I lived elsewhere after the Bay Area, but did put in 5 years in the 90s and still have family there. I kind of hated the Bay Area to be honest, the traffic, the hopelessness that comes with the high cost of living, the crowding for simple stuff like going shopping or to the movies, etc. If you really like the Bay Area and are moving because of work or cost of living, you probably will miss it a lot. If you were like me and just thinking its time to get out of here you probably will like Denver just fine. The Bay Area is just so different than almost any other place. Only area I could say you could move without having too much of a culture shock would be Seattle.
Considering a move from SF Bay Area CA to Littleton/Denver area. Would like to hear from others who've made the move and have settled in these areas. Specifically:
-Was the weather a hard adjustment? No but I grew up in the midwest. I'm also generally happy where ever I am. It is a bit too sunny here and very dry, especially in the winter. Bay area has better weather.
-How do restaurants compare? They don't. Food was alot better in SF.
-How do schools compare? NA
-For those with kids, would you say it's been a GOOD choice moving them out of CA? NA
-Do you miss the diversity of the Bay Area? Yes I did and still do 20 yrs later.
-Are people friendlier or would your neighbors not notice if you dropped dead (sorry, that's the reality for me here in the Bay...)? People are the same. I liked them in CA and I like them here. Have good friends both places.
-Are you happy you made the move? Yes. The cost of living is cheaper. I bought a house almost right away and could only afford a condo in SF. Crime was less. Access to hiking, one of my favorite outdoor activities, was easier. Loved the $1 movie theaters. They aren't that price any more. They are $2.50 and $3.50 but when I moved here I marveled at that after the bay area prices. Loved having disposable income after high prices in bay area. Loved a store called American Furniture Warehouse after dealing with bay area furniture store prices. Love a store called Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage that provides access to quality food and supplements that they pre-qualify based on eliminating unhealthy ingredients.Love the news not sticking microphones in grieving parent's faces (this was a midwest thing that always bugged me). Love that people are live and let live here. Not trying to control others, press their ideas on them or have alot of prejudices/stereotypes. Love the educated population.
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area? Diversity and food.
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time? Absolutely not. Love Denver. CA has it's positives but the quality of life is much better here.
-What, if anything, do you wish you had known prior to making the move? My move was pre-internet and to my knowledge no one, including me, did the level of research people do now before a move. You moved to where you had a job. I looked at house affordability and availability near work as my main criteria.
-What advice would you give someone like me who is considering leaving the Bay Area for the Denver area? You need to describe more about why you want to move in order to get answers that are applicable to your situation. For me I like everything about Denver better than the bay area except the lack of diversity and food. I do miss my friends from that area. We stayed in touch at first but after about 10 yrs lost contact. There are more people like me here. I especially liked how everyone was so into their outdoor sports. It made it easy to try alot of different things because the fanatics ran out of people they knew who wanted to do their specialty and were looking for fresh blood. Not sure that being surrounded by people like yourself is a good thing as it isn't good to lose the flexibility that comes with interacting with many different types of people. Not fond of the insular thinking that tends to sneak up on you and settle in.
I'm sure I have more questions but I think these will do for now.... :-)
We aren't considering any other places. We left CA for AZ 10 years ago, came back (due to hubby's transfer) and now have the option of leaving CA again for Littleton area. The only thing holding me back from leaving the state again is all my friends and family are here and not really wanting to go through another huge adjustment (learning a new area, not knowing anyone, etc.) It's easy to stay here, emotionally speaking. Financially, however, we could never get ahead. Hope this makes sense. Thanks for your input!
The weather is fine for me, but I'm another one who was born in the Midwest, so snow is old hat. I think the winters are much nicer here, but it's all in your perspective. On another note, it's dry, but you'll adjust.
I'm happy with our school district (CCSD), and I think it is much better than our district in California.
I would go back in a second...after my kids are grown.
I miss the diversity and the ocean, but the Rockies are lovely.
Things you should know before you move: live close to your place of work, make sure your driveway faces west or south, purchase a good homeowners insurance policy and make sure you keep your deductible liquid (a major hail storm took out my roof yesterday), and do not get suckered into a large yard in a community with water issues.
Finally, houses are getting expensive here, even by Bay Area standards. Rentals are in short supply and also very expensive. Prepare for sticker shock. You should have moved to Colorado in 2005, but better late than never.
-Was the weather a hard adjustment?
No, but bring a good attitude and better tires.
-How do restaurants compare?
Ethnic food not as varied or as good, IMO. Fine dining is fine either way. Fewer choices, some ingredients harder to get, so (maybe) not as fresh. The thing I miss most food-wise is fresh produce, seafood (crab!) and ethnic food markets.
-How do schools compare?
Better in CO I think, but it totally depends on district --> school ---> teacher ---> kid/parent
-For those with kids, would you say it's been a GOOD choice moving them out of CA?
YES - 100%. Kids don't worry about things like weather, thai food, school ratings, blue/red politics, etc… and it's great to be able to raise them in an area that's much safer, slower-paced and closer to nature than where I came from. (Note that I live in the 'country' south of Denver though, which is much different than Denver metro)
-Do you miss the diversity of the Bay Area?
Yes, but not when I'm in line at a busy supermarket.
-Are people friendlier or would your neighbors not notice if you dropped dead?
Friendlier because I'm in a small town, the people are essentially the same in both.
-Are you happy you made the move?
Yes, but not everyone would be. It has to be the right fit.
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area?
Ask me now and I'm inclined to say 'produce' or 'crab'; Ask me in April and I might say 'mild weather'.
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time?
No. It was not an impulse decision and it has worked out as well as or better than we hoped. Our kids were born here, many family/friends are here and it's truly home now.
-What, if anything, do you wish you had known prior to making the move?
More about the other neighborhoods around me and/or other parts of the state. We like where we ended up but it would it would have been nice to consider a broader area since work does not tie me to any one place.
-What advice would you give someone like me who is considering leaving the Bay Area for the Denver area?
You need to evaluate your motivations and consider more than just personal whimsy. Do NOT sacrifice work, family, spirituality or other more important things for greener pastures. That said, if circumstances line up and you feel like moving, move. The move alone can be a really enriching experience even if you ended up moving back at some point.
Last edited by otterprods; 09-30-2014 at 03:10 PM..
My wife and I both went to college at Berkeley and now live in Littleton/Highlands Ranch. Answers to your questions appear below, but let me preface them by saying that the Bay Area and Denver are *very* different locales IMHO. Denver (esp Littleton) is much much more suburban, less diverse, and more laid back than the Bay Area. It's a rather large adjustment.
-Was the weather a hard adjustment?
Generally not. You'll get more sunshine here than in the Bay Area, but the weather will be colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. I personally *hate* the thunderstorms. Winter can get a little tiring.
-How do restaurants compare?
Not even close. Bay Area takes this in a landslide. Littleton is generally a chain restaurant wasteland.
-How do schools compare?
N/A
-For those with kids, would you say it's been a GOOD choice moving them out of CA?
N/A
-Do you miss the diversity of the Bay Area?
Racial diversity or economic diversity? If you're talking racial diversity, then sometimes yes. Economic diversity? Nope...I don't miss panhandlers on every freeway offramp.
-Are people friendlier or would your neighbors not notice if you dropped dead?
I don't think people are necessarily friendlier but the pace of life is more laid back here. This leads to less stressful people overall...less of a "dog eat dog" mentality than in California. This is one of my favorite attributes about CO vs CA.
-Are you happy you made the move?
Yes. The quality of life is better here. Much better.
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area?
Around SF and Berkeley? I miss the good restaurants. The diversity of activities. The views of the Bay! The weather.
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time?
We talk about this often. The quality of life is better in Colorado, specifically Littleton, for us. It's not even close, really. I suggest that you stay in CA if you like having LOTS of people around all the time, economic diversity, value "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants, etc. Basically, if you're the type of person who LOVES NYC and think of SF as a West Coast version of it, then Denver is not for you. We personally like the affordability of Denver, the quality of the schools (we're in Highlands Ranch), the laid back attitude, and the closeness to nature/trails that Denver affords you vs SF.
-What, if anything, do you wish you had known prior to making the move?
Do your research regarding neighborhoods/school districts.
-What advice would you give someone like me who is considering leaving the Bay Area for the Denver area?
See above.
-Was the weather a hard adjustment?
Nope simple and I actually think it is better here... . I like the sun and the BayArea was too cloudy for me.
-How do restaurants compare?
They do not compare. SF Bay crushes Denver on all fronts except burgers.
-How do schools compare?
SF you have to pay 1mill or live in dull Fremont to get good schools.
Denver you can find good schools almost everywhere in everyones price bracket.
-For those with kids, would you say it's been a GOOD choice moving them out of CA?
It's been a great choice. With the COL I can do anything in Denver and live in a great neighborhood... not so in SF Bay.
I do miss the vast amount of learning opportunities in the Bay... so many options for museums.
-Do you miss the diversity of the Bay Area?
YES
-Are people friendlier or would your neighbors not notice if you dropped dead (sorry, that's the reality for me here in the Bay...)?
I think the people are about the same here...aloof.. not easy to talk to,*but nice on the surface.
-Are you happy you made the move?
Yes although I miss a lot of things about California in general... but the COL easily makes up for it.
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area?
Geography, Beaches, Big City, Mass Transit, Multiple enclaves with their own character. Multiple cities with their own museums and zoos.
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time?
Yup I would go to SoCal.
-What, if anything, do you wish you had known prior to making the move?
Nothing really, it is exactly what I thought and has met my expectations. I truly love Denver.
-What advice would you give someone like me who is considering leaving the Bay Area for the Denver area?
Make sure your family is fully onboard. Obviously don't even consider moving if someone doesn't like winter or is second guessing living in it.
-What do you miss the most about the Bay Area?
Geography, Beaches, Big City, Mass Transit, Multiple enclaves with their own character. Multiple cities with their own museums and zoos.
-Would you come back to California or not have moved in the first place if you could go back in time?
Yup I would go to SoCal.
Interestingly, I've never listed Beaches among the things I miss about the Bay Area. It was a long, aggravating drive from the South Bay (Sunnyvale/SC) to some crowded and often cloudy beaches so we rarely went while we lived there. I've always said that I left the beach when I left San Diego in the early 90's. And I'm pretty sure I get to the beach more NOW because we have family/friends in San Diego, Silicon Valley and Hawaii and travel to at least one of those places each year. And we always make it a point to get to the beach a lot during those trips… Probably more beach time then I'd get all year as a resident because of the hassle so I'd just go jogging by the bay or to a reservoir with my canoe or something like that instead. (I think I miss those reservoirs more than the beach, honestly…we have some great ones in CO, but most are pretty far for us, and often very windy (or frozen))
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach50
Obviously don't even consider moving if someone doesn't like winter or is second guessing living in it.
I have to agree with that too. If you get more serious about planning a move and red lights like that start going off, listen to them. That's not to say that you won't have any anxiety or uncertainty (or even some 2nd guesses maybe) leading up to the move… I'm just talking about obvious red lights, like... someone in the fam goes into a total funk every time it drops below 70° ...kinds of things. :-) Some people just can't handle crazy weather well, and CO is definitely one crazy weather state (not Denver as much as other parts, but still). I personally think it makes you a little tougher, and overall happier as a result. But some folks just really have a tough time with it for various reasons, especially when it's late May and you're thinking summer! and it's 50 mph winds and hailing or snowing or whatever. Honestly, there are times when I do want to move away from the weather but it's not all the time and I quickly find ways to feel positive about the rest of my lifestyle again. (I live > 2k feet higher than most of Denver proper is though, so take that with a grain of salt -- I know this kind of turned into a ramble, sorry)
I miss the beaches. We lived north of the city, so they were accessible and beautiful, though windy and cold, so it was more of a wading experience than a swimming experience. Plus, sharks!
As for the food, hands down, it was better in the Bay Area. No question about it. And you'll probably cry the first time you see what passes for a produce department in a Colorado grocery, but they do the best they can.
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