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At one time I was considering both and leaning towards Tucson. At this point with the cost of gas and Arizona being so car dependent with miles and miles of driving each day it has lost its appeal. I really do feel many people will have to reconsider living in the car dependent areas mentioned, or others as the gas problems become even more severe in this country and world.
Lets see... do you take the Hellspawn, never-ending, blast furnace heat in PHX, coupled with a few decent burbs and a bunch of crappy ones, with more amenties than Tucson? Or do you take shady old Tucson, which is a bit cooler and less white-collar, that has less to do and isnt very appealing in most areas.
Hmmm. Tough call.
My answer? Shoot me in the face with a bazooka. lol
I could handle a place like North Scottsdale or Carefree, maybe even a little Fountain Hills or Cave Creek thrown in, thats about it. I also wouldnt mind Jerome or Winslow, but definitely NOT Phoenix OR Tucson... gag me with a spoon.
If your job gave you the opportunity to live in Phoenix or Tucson, which city would you choose to live in?
I first visited Tucson with my grandparents, many, many years ago. We had been staying at the Biltmore in Scottsdale and came through here to go to the border. I remarked that I thought it was beautiful. My grandmother said, "Maybe someday you'll live here." I never really considered that until 2000. My partner and I came down to stay at the Westward Look for a long weekend. We returned every winter just after Xmas for 4 years, at Ventana, until we moved here. Previously we had gone to Scottsdale and although some of the resorts there are nice, the area itself didn't compare to Tucson for beauty or air quality. Tucson is rated in the top 5 best in the USA. Phoenix is near the bottom.
We settled in Oro Valley and have great views all around us. I've lived in Beverly Hills, La Jolla, Seattle, NYC, Mexico City and Sydney. I have never loved an area more than this one. We have great privacy here and the area is quite safe, in the sense of lack of crime.
Yes, it's hot in the summer, but we are totally air conditioned and swim at least twice a day in the pool which cools us also. The evenings are warm and tranquil for outdoor dining.
It's no wonder that two of the top 10 spas in the world, Miraval (about 5 miles from us) and Canyon Ranch are both in Tucson. No other American City can boast that... plus a host of world class resorts, like Ventana, where we used to stay, La Paloma and the Ritz which is being built about 5 miles from us also.
We are very involved in the Arts and Tucson has, for its size, a very vibrant art community. We go to the Symphony and Opera, which are both acceptable. They are of course not of the caliber of NYC or SF, but we can travel to either when we wish and LIVE our lives here.
Because of the University, the social climate is quite diverse and interesting, almost the equal of Berkeley.
It isn't for everyone,but if you can take the time to enjoy the beauty and tranquility here, it's wonderful.
Superior climate, especially during the monsoon season. If you have never experienced a monsoon rain in Tucson you are truly missing out on life!
Superior mountain views all around, much more dramatic sense of place within the southwest.
You can actually see the stars at night. Hey... if that's not important to you, then why bother living in the southwest at all?
Absolutely gorgeous Sonoran desert landscaping incorporated everywhere in the city. Tucson is, IMO, the #1 city the southwest for incorporating xeriscaping.
A lot of unique hole in the wall independent businesses and restaurants around town-- you just have to explore the nitty gritty to find them.
Nicer, more laid back people.
Less people, less crowding (although traffic in Tucson can be surprisingly bad) than in larger cities. Sometimes Tucson is defined as much by what isn't there as what is there.
IMO, Tucson is what living in the southwest is all about. Phoenix takes all the fun away from living in the southwest.
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