San Diego vs South Florida (Los Angeles, Escondido: insurance, hotel, vacation)

[L-88]

So Cal..no bugs, no humidity...when it gets hot, you simply get out of the sun out here. In Florida during the summer you have to run from air conditioner to air conditioner...no hurricanes here either.

[305guy]

A little background: Currently live in Miami-metro area and I frequently visit San Diego as I have a timeshare there.

Pros in Miami: 1. World-class nightlife and more of a energetic vibe,
2. weather is great but the humidity in July and August can get a little rough if you're not used to it
3. Beaches- water is blue/green and is warm

Pros in San Diego: 1. Weather is superior as it isn't humid

2. People are generally easier to get along with (laid back)

Cons to both places are : Expensive housing and traffic

I've looked into moving into San Diego and the only reason I didn't make the move is just simple math. San Diego is more expensive and although the home prices are going down, they are going down in South Florida too. But if I had to pick one to live in I'd pick San Diego barely edging out South Florida.

To the op: Don't think that everyone in Miami is as unhappy and as miserable as that forum suggests. That forum only attracts Xenophobes and malcontents.

[Huckleberry3911948]

305 guy
xenophobic
fear of foreign or unknown.
the behavior in miami is not foreign or unknown to people that is why they don't like it.
but you are right about malcontent. if they were content why would they type 20 hrs a week on cd forum, pathetic. how much do you type on CD forum by the way?

[Tony from Europe]

San Diego !!!!!!!!

[305guy]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

305 guy
xenophobic
fear of foreign or unknown.
the behavior in miami is not foreign or unknown to people that is why they don't like it.
but you are right about malcontent. if they were content why would they type 20 hrs a week on cd forum, pathetic. how much do you type on CD forum by the way?

Thanks for the vocabulary lesson Pops. The miami forum is full of xenophobes because IMO they fear the foreigners that live in Miami and they just bash the city. And I don't know why they are malcontents but if by your definition typing alot on here is a malcontent then you are the most miserable person alive today. I obviously don't post a fraction as much as you do.

[planetsurf]

To me San Diego is too 'nice' in a fakey/flakey way and BORING. After the first year we were here, we had done it all. But some people love the way of life here. It's slower, people are very into fitness, walking, the beach, etc. BUT it's chilly much of the year near the coast (buy a hoody) and traffic sucks there too and it's even more expensive than Miami!
It is NOT diverse (unless you're from Idaho) and people tend to be a little WASPy/bland and provincial ("We are NOT LA!")

Food-wise, Miami wins HAND DOWN. No contest, except in Mex food (which is only truly good at a few places in SD). People wouldn't know really good food in SD if it hit them in the forehead.

The problem most have with Miami is because either A - they didn't get it is a big city, B - they didn't realize how ethnic (esp Hispanic) it is (yes, xenophobic), or C - it has changed from the MY-AM-A days of 20 years ago.

Miami is like LA, the rest of SoFla closer to a cross between SD & OC, and needs to be compared to other big cities -- Not San Fransisco/New York/Chicago (more expensive, more congested, but better in many other ways ie food & arts) but Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, etc. SD is more like Tucson or Vegas.

Most of the negative points of each are toss-ups or close to it. Hurricanes vs earthquakes & fires. Summers in SoFla vs winters in SD. Hills with some mountains in the background and pretty but cold ocean/bay vs beautiful warm, blue ocean/bay and flat. Traffic vs traffic. Really high housing costs vs. high housing costs, crime vs crime, etc..

The thing I will miss most from SD (besides our friends) is the weeknd trip potential ... you can be skiing in 2.5 hours, great skiing in 6-7, desert, Baja (dangerous though), LA, etc.

Personally, I prefer Miami, specifically many of the big city aspects that others dislike, and we're moving back there soon FROM SD.

I love ...
The ocean and bay.
The weather October-April.
Going out for dinner at 10pm and having to wait for a table (yeah, I'm weird).
Hot women in bikini's rollerbladding past Chasidic Jews on South Beach.
The best tapas in the country.
Tied for the best seafood in the country (sorry, SD isn't even close).
Rum drinks on the deck of some bayside restaurant.
Standing on the east deck of the arena during halftime of a Heat basketball game.
Being able to be ANYWHERE in 4 hours from MIA.
Walking on Lincoln Road.
Hearing French, Spanish, Portugues, in addition to English, being spoken EVERY DAY.
Roti, jerk chicken, arroz con pollo, ceviche, etc etc etc (yeah, I like food).

I dislike ...
Having to speak Spanish in 25% of Miami-Dade (not hearing it, but, for example, buying gas from people who just don't speak English)
Traffic.
Finding parking almost EVERYWHERE.
The superficiality of a lot of the people there.
The people who seem to think it's OK to complain about Miami, but not actually DO anything about what they dislike/are complaining about.
Every other aspect of MIA than where you can go.
Not having 'real' seasons.

I hate ...
The weather May-September.


In OUR experience, the neighbors we had in Miami were better. People in San Diego say hi, but NEVER get to meet you, talk, etc., too superficial? Too caught up in their own lives? Who knows.
In Miami, 2 of our neighbors are now 'part of the family', a few others were very friendly (though in a strict neighborly way) and a few others we never met. (Just our experience but seems like friends have had similar experiences in both places.)

I've lived in a few other comparable cities -- Atlanta notably. Traffic sucks EVERYWHERE! Parking sucks EVERYWHERE! Crime sucks EVERYWHERE! People are superficial EVERYWHERE! You just have to find the right balance of what is important to you -- whether vacationing or living. You don't move somewhere because of details like the airport is nicer (SD) or because you can make a left turn without a green arrow (SoFla).


Summary? SD is a nice, bigger town. It's ok. There are many nice things about it, a few really nice (the view from La Jolla is to die for).
Miami is nearly a world-class city. CITY, with all the negatives associated with it.

Miami is not everyones cup of tea, but for my money, I'll take Miami every time.

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by planetsurf

Miami is not everyones cup of tea, but for my money, I'll take Miami every time.

Please do...far, far away!

San Diego, hands down!

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

I was floored one day when I went hiking/walking on a trail and had the mountains to my left and the ocean to the right.

Awesome sight, isn't it?!

The first time I came out here, my SO took me to the beach. I was awestruck! I looked out over the ocean and could not for the life of me figure how people can see the view and not believe in God's existence! Truly breathtaking!

[LookingtoLeave]

I'll take SD anyday over Miami. I went there for the first time last summer and don't get the hype. It wasn't nearly as pretty imo and I didn't at all dig the S. Beach scene with all the 80's neon. It was dirty and it looked like a bad scene from Miami Vice. Then again, other people look for different things in a city. I prefer beauty over food. So I'll take being able to look at mountains and the ocean at the same time over eating the best cuisine out there. I also prefer great weather, which Miami doesn't have. I have found the people in Miami to be just as superficial with all their silicone fake boobies. I'm sure Miami has it's redeeming qualities, but I've yet to see any on my vacation there, yet when I was in SD there were right in my face.

[LookingtoLeave]

Originally Posted by SanAntoQT

Awesome sight, isn't it?!

The first time I came out here, my SO took me to the beach. I was awestruck! I looked out over the ocean and could not for the life of me figure how people can see the view and not believe in God's existence! Truly breathtaking!

I have no idea where my initial post went but yea I had heard about it from a friend that was once stationed there. Even I have to admit seeing is believing and there's nothing like experiencing it in person!