What's good about living in Memphis? (Germantown, Collierville: house, neighborhoods, good schools)

[sb-gal]

It looks like we're temporarily (6 mos to ???) relocating to Memphis from Santa Barbara, Ca. Obviously there is no comparison, especially for a born and bred Southern Californian. Finances and situations out of our control (i.e. house burned down in wildfire and we were under-insured) has made this an option I never, ever thought possible.

We need to live somewhere more affordable. DH's family all live out that way and... well I got the short straw (Oregon's is off the list).

Enough of that though. I've read all that there is wrong about Memphis tell me what's right about it. Sell me on living there (please).

Thanks!

[Pearlbob]

This has been discussed many times before, you can search this forum.

Or, this thread is the same: http://www.city-data.com/forum/memph...t-memphis.html

[sb-gal]

Thanks Pearlbob.

What about outdoor activities. Coming from CA we spend alot of time outside biking, walking, sports etc. Are there any parts of Memphis that are walk / bike friendly?

We just got back from Germantown and it seems so unfriendly to pedestrians and bicycles. I would prefer to not have to drive everywhere.

[jnr4411]

Is Germantown where you are moving?

[sb-gal]

Originally Posted by jnr4411

Is Germantown where you are moving?

We simply don't know right now. My husband's parents are in Germantown and his brothers are in Cordova. He has a brother in Marion so that's not out of the question either.

[JoeCartpath]

Well, at least you won't have to worry about wildfires, mudslides and earthquakes. Oops....scratch "earthquakes" from that list

As far as being able to bike or walk to everything....forget it. Memphis covers a very, very large area - especially if you include the suburbs like Germantown and Collierville - and there aren't really any places that are close enough to a large variety of amenities. Some places in Midtown might fit the bill to a degree but, for the most part, you'll have to decide what you want to be within walking distance of and what is less important.

I thought Californians drove everywhere anyway!

[Pearlbob]

Memphis is definitely a car city, whether you like it or not. Like has been said, things are very spread out and even in the "inner" city (downtown, midtown, east Memphis) things are not within walking or biking distance. You may be able to walk some places, but generally speaking you need a car for everything. How do you get groceries if you don't drive? What if you need to go to Target, Walmart, or some other big store for items?

I think Germantown is pedestrian/biker friendly. Obviously not on the major roads, but Germantown has a lot of neighborhoods where you can walk around and get some exercise. But again, you're not going to see people in Germantown walking to the grocery store to get items for dinner (And...it's in the 90's and over 100 degrees in the summer, with over 90% humidity. Not the weather for a leisurely walk.)

[jnr4411]

Well, Germantown may be cheaper than Santa Barbara, but it's pretty pricey for around here. Cordova should be less expensive. If you have kids, you may want to look at Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland or Arlington for good schools. If schools are not an issue, you might want to look downtown. It is really growing and seems like a cool place to live.

[joninclay]

Sell me on living there (please).

Uh...well, the BBQ is world class. So there's that.

(Don't flame me, I'm just messin' around!)

[sb-gal]

I'm not one of those that bike or walk to the grocery store (unless all I need is milk or bread). I do commute to work on a bike but I guess the heat would stop that anyway. Sounds like Germantown would be OK for recreational riding when the weather cooperates.

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

Memphis is definitely a car city, whether you like it or not. Like has been said, things are very spread out and even in the "inner" city (downtown, midtown, east Memphis) things are not within walking or biking distance. You may be able to walk some places, but generally speaking you need a car for everything. How do you get groceries if you don't drive? What if you need to go to Target, Walmart, or some other big store for items?

I think Germantown is pedestrian/biker friendly. Obviously not on the major roads, but Germantown has a lot of neighborhoods where you can walk around and get some exercise. But again, you're not going to see people in Germantown walking to the grocery store to get items for dinner (And...it's in the 90's and over 100 degrees in the summer, with over 90% humidity. Not the weather for a leisurely walk.)