What made you fall in Love with Phoenix? (Tucson, Sedona: houses, buy)

[AliveandWell]

Hello everyone,

I think that my curiosity has really gotten up to a high level, so much so that I decided to start this thread. For lifelong Phoenix residents and those that moved to Phoenix from other places, what made you fall in love with the city and the metro area so much that you decided to stay? Phoenix seems to be a place that people either love or hate. But for those of you that love it, what are some of the reasons? Is it the hot weather? Is it the desert feel? I'd like to get input and feedback from some of the residents as to what it takes to love this place. I'm still in the process of researching my next city to live in at some point(I won't be moving anywhere now). Yes, I KNOW that PHX has VERY hot summers that is obvious. And my final question is that is it possible to enjoy other things about PHX other than the weather? I ask because IMO the weather of a place is not the only factor to take into consideration.

[fcorrales80]

The warmth of the sun on your skin, the sun, the sunsets, the urban renewal and the ding of the light rail down Central Ave, those cool winter nights when it rains and the next morning the sun is out in its brilliance, jumping into the water at midnight feeling the chill and warming up next to your significant other (July & August of course) and jumping in again when you warm up, walking the streets downtown where relatives did the same 100, 80 years ago (now next to new and historic buildings as some of it is gone), taking the train to a D-Backs and Suns game but especially to a D-Backs game from May-September when so many others are donning their Sedona Red, climbing up a massive peak that gives you stunning views of the city, taking in the new art and restaurants especially during First Fridays, and so much more...

Oh, and enjoying a brew/cocktail/concoction at one of the many rooftop bars as they can be enjoyed 9 months out of the year even for those not liking the heat (Clarendon, San Carlos, Wyndham's Adult Swim Rooftop Pool Bar (year round) and the Star Swim (during the summer months when nights are warm), Sky Lounge, Bar Smith, etc.

The food and smell of the food as Sonoran cuisine is supposed to be made with a bountiful "palate" of color and seasonings and chile!!!

[azdr0710]

THE DRY AIR!!!....well, at least for ten out of twelve months....

I remember when we moved here from the humid midwest....I was a kid in 1975 and, on a May day, we flew into Sky Harbor to look at houses...old terminal 2 before it was remodeled...no jetways....I stepped out of the plane and was blasted with the driest and hottest air I'd ever experienced....

felt incredible....

[Howard Roark]

I had a girlfriend and we both moved to Phoenix from Tucson. When you are with someone you love, the geographical location is the best place to be. These days it's just a place to hang my hat. But that's how it is with any other place.

[cap1717]

Easy. . . on my first trip to Phoenix, I was driven the length of the Apache Trail by friends that lived here. It was spring, and the desert was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen! Swore to myself that when job and personal situations allowed, I would move here. . . I did, no regrets.

[SpeedyAZ]

Moved here when I was 19 and attended ASU, I'm going on my 10th year of living in Phoenix this summer! My family always took trips to visit relatives in Phoenix (I'm originally from Iowa) and I fell in love with it. I love getting up in the morning around 6:30, making a pot of coffee, and sitting out on my patio facing the water and thinking how wonderful life is. Seeing the sunshine hit the blue water in the morning makes everyday worth living to me, there is no place else I'd rather be.

I also have an aunt and uncle that snowbird out here for 3 months as do my parents and I have another aunt and uncle that here full time as well as one of my siblings. I'm a family man, I enjoy having family around as much as I can.

Phoenix may not be for everyone but I call it home. The city is big but not too big as to where I am overwhelmed. I enjoy the suburban setting more than I would an urban setting where I'd feel claustrophobic. The desert scenery is beautiful in the morning and evening, it's a site to behold.

Life is good .

[notmuch69]

It was the Nov - Apr weather, the much smaller city, and the social life, when I moved here in the 80's.

[AliveandWell]

Well, so far I've seen some interesting replies. I've always thought that most people who move to Phoenix do so primarily because of the heat and sunshine. And then there are others who describe Phoenix as a "hellhole" or a place that is dirty and has no culture. In a sense, there seems to be mix of love and hate for the city. So SpeedyAZ, what is it about Phoenix that makes it pretty compared to where you are from? Is it possible for a person to acquire a taste for Phoenix? What I'm asking is is it possible for the city to grow on a person over time?

[DewDropInn]

Go outside at night in the summer when the wind is blowing. The sky is full of stars. The desert smells like a perfume you can't buy in any store but you wish you could bottle and carry with you for the rest of your life.. Maybe there's an electrical storm off in the distance and you can see the lightning flashing across the sky. The coyotes are howling. There's a warmth against your face.

Those moments are like this giant gift and you can't unwrap it anywhere else in the world.

[shiphead]

Less racism than California
Job availability is better than California
Cost of living is better than California
Friendlier women than California

See where im going with this?