Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Alright, I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. currently I am in the military so in the past few years I have lived in Texas, Boise Idaho, and The east Bay California (travis afb) living in Vacaville
I am researching some possible areas to move in the next 1-2 years. I am extremely drawn toward the PNW (specifically Portland/Seattle) because of the greenery, amazing outdoors, etc. However my wife is very concerned about the amount of rain through the winter and spring as well as constant overcast.
I work in the Medical Field (in the Laboratory) I will be sure to find employment prior to moving of course, but it seems as though these jobs are in a higher need than others in California.
Anyways, how does it compare there to Places like Newport and Irvine? I have been to the OC area probably hundreds of time and always loved the atmosphere, scenery, etc. I am just unsure if I want to live in Southern California at this point, or near LA. Also, It seems like San Jose might have more job opportunities in my career field.
My wife and I also took frequent trips while stationed at Travis to Walnut Creek to the outdoor mall and both thoroughly enjoyed the area. Just not sure what the neighborhoods are like around there. We would just move back to Vacaville, but would like to be a little closer to Santa Cruz/Monterrey, and also would like to be around a more green/hilly environment.
Not sure if this is the area for us, but we are doing our homework.
Oh BTW: some info about us. Both in our mid 20s. One kid, 2 dogs, love being around the city, but also like taking frequent trips to Lake Tahoe for snowboarding. Also enjoy hiking and various other activities. Trying to find a 3br house/townhome to rent with hopefully a small yard if it is feasible. I know that its more difficult to find rentals with dogs so hopefully we can find a private rental. We have great renting history with no complaints. Not quite sure on the rental budget yet, I am still researching the approximate income i should expect. We were renting a place in Vacaville for around $1600 last year 3br home with a yard. But Cost of living might be less in that area.
OC is overall a better planned region with better scenery than San Jose (not SF), but I think it is hit harder during the recession and San Jose is indeed in a better position for jobs. Also OC does have better shopping, entertainment, etc, if that is important to you or your wife and kids.
Quote:
Originally Posted by enigmadsm
Alright, I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. currently I am in the military so in the past few years I have lived in Texas, Boise Idaho, and The east Bay California (travis afb) living in Vacaville
I am researching some possible areas to move in the next 1-2 years. I am extremely drawn toward the PNW (specifically Portland/Seattle) because of the greenery, amazing outdoors, etc. However my wife is very concerned about the amount of rain through the winter and spring as well as constant overcast.
I work in the Medical Field (in the Laboratory) I will be sure to find employment prior to moving of course, but it seems as though these jobs are in a higher need than others in California.
Anyways, how does it compare there to Places like Newport and Irvine? I have been to the OC area probably hundreds of time and always loved the atmosphere, scenery, etc. I am just unsure if I want to live in Southern California at this point, or near LA. Also, It seems like San Jose might have more job opportunities in my career field.
My wife and I also took frequent trips while stationed at Travis to Walnut Creek to the outdoor mall and both thoroughly enjoyed the area. Just not sure what the neighborhoods are like around there. We would just move back to Vacaville, but would like to be a little closer to Santa Cruz/Monterrey, and also would like to be around a more green/hilly environment.
Not sure if this is the area for us, but we are doing our homework.
Oh BTW: some info about us. Both in our mid 20s. One kid, 2 dogs, love being around the city, but also like taking frequent trips to Lake Tahoe for snowboarding. Also enjoy hiking and various other activities. Trying to find a 3br house/townhome to rent with hopefully a small yard if it is feasible. I know that its more difficult to find rentals with dogs so hopefully we can find a private rental. We have great renting history with no complaints. Not quite sure on the rental budget yet, I am still researching the approximate income i should expect. We were renting a place in Vacaville for around $1600 last year 3br home with a yard. But Cost of living might be less in that area.
I would compare San Jose with Portland before I compared it to OC. I really think there is no comparison. San Jose is a fairly boring, mostly suburban town with very little to do in the downtown area. Folks go to Santana Row, some other areas, or they will go up to San Francisco for entertainment. You mention interest in the OC, but you don't say what you like about it. The San Francisco area is pretty nice, and it's great to be close to Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz, etc.
I just like the proximity to the beaches like newport and Huntington, i like all the local smaller shops and the variety of scenery. the hills green plants everything seems clean etc.
Comparing san jose to portland sounds promising. Portland seems like a really nice place other than the weather (i don't mind it but my wife does).
Honestly not really sure what i think is so great about OC i just felt comfortable in a lot of the areas. however I didn't like how everybody was so money conscious.
When i lived in Vacaville i also took frequent trips to San Fran and Tahoe etc. So i guess i should have titled my thread differently lol. How does the south bay/San Jose compare to the East bay?
Cities like Palo Alto (Stanford!), Cupertino (home to Apple!), etc., are probably much more educated than comparable cities in the OC. And unfortunately, zitsky's right, most people will head up to SF for 'real entertainment'.
If it's proximity to beaches you want, you must stick to southern CA, especially if you want those beaches to be sandy and somewhat swimmable year round. If it's proximity to the Sierras and Tahoe you want, then the Bay Area will be okay, and Sac will be considerably closer. I'm not sure what you mean by 'better shopping' in OC or elsewhere... there are a zillion different stores in any urban metro. There are plenty of towny little niches in and around SJ that offer more locally owned shopping, but it may take some time to figure out which ones you really like. And as for entertainment, what are you looking for: Movies? Pick a theater. Pro Sports? Head to SF and Oakland for Football, baseball and Basketball or just head to downtown SJ for Hockey. Theater? San Francisco gets most of the big broadway shows coming through but San Jose and the peninsula has plenty of less mainstream fare that is really quite unique and good. Symphony? The SFS comes to Cupertino several times per year, also there are lots of smaller classical acts throughout the south bay and the peninsula. Concerts? Shoreline, HP Pavillion, Colleges and other venues get as many of the bigger acts that SF does. As for local music, obviously SF can't be beat, but there is a lot of that in the South Bay as well even though people seem to think it's limited to whatever happens to be going on at Santana Row, it's not. Bottom line is, San Jose is a city of over a million people and although it does not have the style and history of SF it really is no more sterile and boring than any place in OC and it has a better proximity to things like forests, mountains, rocky coastline and SF.
I know what the SF area and east bay have to offer, i have never been through San Jose though. What areas are some decent/affordable ones to keep an eye out for?
I think most of the points are directed to what I had posted, so I would explain some of my thinking. As for shopping, I think South Coast Plaza in OC really tops anywhere in the whole Bay area, let alone San Jose, and most of the nation for that matter. Of course I am talking about mainstream shopping, not local shops. It is very difficult to compare local shops. For entertainment, OC has Disney, Universal, etc. I know they get bad reputation on this website, but you can't deny that they are world class and kids love them. As for sports, the Bay area has all the teams but none of them play very well. It is good to root for your team but you do get a little disappointed going into the playoffs.
But I would agree that San Jose is a big city with many people so as you live longer here, you will eventually find what you like and be satisfied with what the city can offer. I just want to remind the OP that on a grandeur or let's say more superficial scale, San Jose is not as glamorous as OC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by treedonkey
If it's proximity to beaches you want, you must stick to southern CA, especially if you want those beaches to be sandy and somewhat swimmable year round. If it's proximity to the Sierras and Tahoe you want, then the Bay Area will be okay, and Sac will be considerably closer. I'm not sure what you mean by 'better shopping' in OC or elsewhere... there are a zillion different stores in any urban metro. There are plenty of towny little niches in and around SJ that offer more locally owned shopping, but it may take some time to figure out which ones you really like. And as for entertainment, what are you looking for: Movies? Pick a theater. Pro Sports? Head to SF and Oakland for Football, baseball and Basketball or just head to downtown SJ for Hockey. Theater? San Francisco gets most of the big broadway shows coming through but San Jose and the peninsula has plenty of less mainstream fare that is really quite unique and good. Symphony? The SFS comes to Cupertino several times per year, also there are lots of smaller classical acts throughout the south bay and the peninsula. Concerts? Shoreline, HP Pavillion, Colleges and other venues get as many of the bigger acts that SF does. As for local music, obviously SF can't be beat, but there is a lot of that in the South Bay as well even though people seem to think it's limited to whatever happens to be going on at Santana Row, it's not. Bottom line is, San Jose is a city of over a million people and although it does not have the style and history of SF it really is no more sterile and boring than any place in OC and it has a better proximity to things like forests, mountains, rocky coastline and SF.
Southern CA = Work to Live
Bay Area = Live to Work
Not that either approach is any better or worse than the other, but the culture of each area is somewhat based on the general premise.
San Jose is a very hungry place and almost everyone there seems to know someone who has done very well in a start-up and/or established company in the region. Academics and career success seem to drive all forms of primary discussion/thought in this area. It's a place where some of the best and brightest people around the globe flock to in search of the American dream. When people here get laid off for extended periods of time, they build new companies. That mindset just drives most social aspects of the local landscape and has made it such that the area has remained a job creation powerhouse for most of the last 3 decades. Aside from the professional aspects, it is home to Sonoma, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and many other places that are among the best CA has to offer.
Socal is different in that people seek this area out for all of the creature comforts it has to offer and will often work well beneath their abilities just to experience those comforts.
As for shopping, I think South Coast Plaza in OC really tops anywhere in the whole Bay area, let alone San Jose, and most of the nation for that matter. Of course I am talking about mainstream shopping, not local shops. It is very difficult to compare local shops. For entertainment, OC has Disney, Universal, etc. I know they get bad reputation on this website, but you can't deny that they are world class and kids love them. As for sports, the Bay area has all the teams but none of them play very well. It is good to root for your team but you do get a little disappointed going into the playoffs.
I'll have to agree that if a big open-air mall is what you want for shopping and Disneyland/Universal Studios is what you want for entertainment, then SoCal is a better fit. It's true that all the Bay Area sorts teams have been mediocre at best for the past several years. If you really want a 'home' team that always wins, you'll have to move to New York and follow the Yanks... but even they have had down-years.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
