If you had a chance to move anywhere in the US...WHERE WOULD YOU GO? (established neighborhood, tornadoes)

[jeff201865]

Originally Posted by amongwildflowers

Hi, we are a young family currently living in the Hudson Valley of NY with an opportunity to move anywhere in the US...we like snowboarding, the beach, gardening, may want to start a wildflower farm, good schools, safe environment of course, beautiful climate (not too hot, not too cold) trying to get away from 7 months of cold out of the year

The Hudson Valley of New York State is NOT cold "7 months of cold out of the year". Unless you have a very, very low threshold in regards to temperatures -- but then why did you previously live in truly cold New England, as you wrote?

[wrcousert]

If I could, I'd go back to Huntington Beach. But as a non-driver, I need to be in a place that has a really good transit system.

[smilinpretty]

Central Coast of California.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by amongwildflowers

Hi, we are a young family currently living in the Hudson Valley of NY with an opportunity to move anywhere in the US...we like snowboarding, the beach, gardening, may want to start a wildflower farm, good schools, safe environment of course, beautiful climate (not too hot, not too cold) trying to get away from 7 months of cold out of the year, EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE...WHERE WOULD YOU GO? Lived in Utah, Vermont, all over the Northeast...checking out Palm Springs areas of CA, Arizona, New Mexico for a change of scenery. Thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated. Michelle

Palm Springs is not thought of as a family community and the summers are unbearably hot, but the winters are heaven. You wouldn't be near the beach that is for sure. NM is nice, would offer much of what you want except not the beach either. There are places in NV that might work as well.

Of course the central coast of Calif (if money isn't an issue) would have to be considered. Except for the humidity there are lots of cities in Texas that might work as well. \

Nita

[vintage_cal]

My two favorite places are Avalon, CA and Laguna Beach, CA

[MissLariss]

I would say San Luis Obispo, CA or the surrounding area. Everything grows there, you are near great beaches, not too far from snowboarding, not too crowded, beautiful scenery, great weather, perfecet little downtown, etc.

[kinesis]

Anywhere in CA besides Riverside & San Bernardino Counties.

[lrmsd]

New Mexico is gorgeous, but IMO unless you have family there already and have a reason to move there, it is not the best locale to raise kids.
Grass Valley CA comes to mind; foothills of the Sierras, winters not too cold, a few hours from the coast, not far from Tahoe for skiiing. Wildflower country, in my mind.

Otherwise, Sonoma County, CA is gorgeous. Check out Healdsburg,Sonoma town itself, and the surrounding unincorporated areas. I would live there if I could, or Marin County, CA. Currently, I am in San Diego, and it's not too shabby, obviously on the beach, a few hours from Big Bear Skiing, and Carlsbad is a major flower grower/exporter.(: Fallbrook would be a place to find land in SD county for a wildflower farm.

But still...I would pick Sonoma-about an hour to san francisco and all the amenities of marin and the bay area are right there, plus sonoma has it's own amazing culture and resources. Great markets, local products, unique communities...and a great place for raising a family, IMO. You would have to drive a few hours at least for snowboarding in Tahoe, but you are still close to the beach, albeit not a swimming beach at all.

Without the beach factor, I'd put you squarely in Boulder, CO area. Besides sonoma/marin, it has the excellent quality of life factor. (And winters are not insanely cold at all-lots of sunshine and snow melts quickly.) I have lived in CO, MT, CA north and south, and am originally from the NE. I know cold and weather, and Sonoma is my call for you. (:
Would not suggest AZ at all. The only communities that would rank for quality of life, maybe, are north in the mountains-flagstaff, prescott, etc. meh. you can do better than them if you have the whole country to choose from. And, there's always Hawaii.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by jeff201865

The Hudson Valley of New York State is NOT cold "7 months of cold out of the year". Unless you have a very, very low threshold in regards to temperatures -- but then why did you previously live in truly cold New England, as you wrote?

Um, it most certainly is cold 7 months a year, depending on your personal definition of cold.
They don't want winter or any winter like conditions for 7 months per year.
True, you may have a few of those months with warm, sunny days, out of the blue, but it's sporadic and unpredictable. Versus somewhere in AZ or CA, where the weather patterns are very consistent.
I think that is the OP's point; I did not see it as a personal attack on the hudson valley, but c'mon, weather *can* be cold there at any given time, for 7 months per year. July, August and part of September, and usually part of june, are your only guaranteed warm months. May and Oct. are very iffy,and November-April you know is normally cold and with some snow. That's 6 months for sure right there. geesh. I can't believe I am even replying to this,but it was a ridiculous comment to the OP's post.

[amongwildflowers]

Thanks everyone for all of your comments...will definitely take all into consideration...on a whole looking like central CA area (which I have checked out a bit since my original post)...what about the whole earthquake thing, mud slides and wildfires...should I not be worried????