Left Southern California? Where did you go? How's it going? (houses, schools)

[ImmerLernen]

If you've relocated outside of Southern California, I have a ton of questions for you...all related, but here goes:

What part of SoCal did you leave (work & home)? Where did you go and why? How long have you been in your new location? How is it going for you/yours?

What are the best & worst part(s) of your new location? What did you leave behind that you miss?

Would you consider returning to SoCal (assuming that was a possibility)? What would bring you back?

How would you describe your current stage of live (young & single; married with kids; empty-nesters; etc.)?

Looking forward to your feedback.

[Zambon]

I lived in both Venice Beach and in Redondo Beach before I left Southern California.

I originally took a post overseas in Phnom Penh, which was a blast. I left CA for the adventure of living in East Asia and getting to experience a developing country, where life was still simpler. I was also tired of a 10 mile commute taking me almost 90 minutes in the evening as well as the cost of everything in LA.

I currently live in St Petersburg, in the Tampa Bay area in Florida. St Pete is, for all intents and purposes, the Santa Monica of Florida. It is tough to say what the best part about living here is.

The pros include 10 months of summer, Some of the best beaches in the world down the street, The great food scene, Affordability, and fun nightlife in a booming downtown.

The main downside to living here is the absolute insanity of drivers on the road. Some people honestly drive with a death wish.

Salaries aren't as high here, but it is offset by the lower cost of living. I got a 3 bedroom house by the ocean for less than my 1 bedroom in Venice Beach cost every month. Here, I get to be a homeowner.

The one thing I miss that I wish I could bring with me is the surf. I miss the waves. The East Coast of Florida has good surf, but the Gulf Coast not so much.

I would probably not move back to California unless I got a very very good job offer that would allow me to live someplace like Malibu or Santa Barbara. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be worth it. If I want to surf, I can cruise over to the east coast for a weekend. It is like 3.5 to 4 hours by car, which is a terrible drive by Florida standards, but by California standards isn't that bad.

I'm in my early 30s now and married with a 4 year old. If I were young and single I probably still wouldn't go back to CA. I would go abroad again. Maybe to Brazil this time or Thailand. Feel free to ask me anything else you are curious about. Either on this thread or by direct message.

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by ImmerLernen

If you've relocated outside of Southern California, I have a ton of questions for you...all related, but here goes:

What part of SoCal did you leave (work & home)? Where did you go and why? How long have you been in your new location? How is it going for you/yours?

What are the best & worst part(s) of your new location? What did you leave behind that you miss?

Would you consider returning to SoCal (assuming that was a possibility)? What would bring you back?

How would you describe your current stage of live (young & single; married with kids; empty-nesters; etc.)?

Looking forward to your feedback.

I left Southern California after college, having grown up in Orange County. I lived in Boston after going to school there,and then to Chicago, where I lived in the Lincoln Park area and now the Western suburbs. I love Chicago; I married a Chicago girl and have Chicago children.

The best part of my location is living in a beautiful suburb with some great houses, every one individual and not like the tract housing I grew up with in Orange County (no offense Shea homes ). My kids attend top notch schools, which give them tremendous opportunities. I take the train each day to a highrise with great views of a great city. I like Chicago people, real and seldom pretentious.

I miss growing up in the hills and biking with friends, staying out in great weather until tired, and the beach where I spent summers in Balboa. I had an idyllic childhood in a growing county; today it has changed and is more crowded and less attractive in my opinion. I would consider a snowbird situation to S.C., but it would be in the south OC area or north SD County, where there is still some breathing room.