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05-26-2021, 07:10 PM
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41 posts, read 24,145 times
Reputation: 24
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Our family has been looking around for the perfect smallish town to settle in and call home. We have looked at other states but nothing really grabbed me. We currently live in Phoenix and we are not happy here. We have personal family reasons for wanting to leave Phoenix and start over elsewhere. I am an asthmatic and the dusty conditions together with excessive heat has made my condition worse. We prefer a “ cooler” place. I have teens who love the snow, so that would be a plus. My teens are currently home schooling and in grade 8 and 10. We are quiet people and would like a small, quiet family orientated community. Our oldest daughter is a single mom with a small children and will join us once we are settled. We are hoping for a town with a little mall, coffee shops and a movie house but do not mind traveling to another city once in a while to do all the mall, shopping and movie things kids like to do. We do not want to be in a place where earthquakes and tornadoes happen...I do realize weather happens everywhere but looking for an area with less risk. Anybody who can let me know if Hot Springs is close to what we are looking for I would appreciate. My husband has been doing some research and he really likes the sound of it but I told him I’ll ask the people who actually live there. We do own our own business and wish to rent first before buying our forever home. Looking forward to your replies!
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05-27-2021, 11:24 AM
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600 posts, read 403,306 times
Reputation: 2190
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We found the area we wanted to settle in, about five years ago, after spending 2-1/2 years traveling the eastern 2/3rds of the states. We seriously looked at the Black Hills, and even did some shopping with a real estate agent, looking at properties in the Custer area, Hill city, and the northern Hills.
We have been to Hot Springs, but it really held no attraction, compared to places like Spearfish, Hill City, or Custer. It has charming older buildings, and some activity from tourism, but overall it seemed to be a place that was slipping backward. Lots of empty retail downtown, worn housing stock, didn't see much in the way of younger locals out and about, and real limited access to things we are used to, like a big box home store, big competitive grocery stores, building materials, ranch supply, etc. Locals warned us that summers are much, much hotter and drier than the Hills to the north. It's not my least favorite place west river, but it's close.
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05-27-2021, 01:41 PM
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Location: Idaho
818 posts, read 550,432 times
Reputation: 1647
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There isn't much for shopping or kid activities in Hot Springs, other than outdoor activities. The snow is fun to play in, but doesn't last long enough to be good for skiing or snowmobiling. They have a historic indoor swimming pool called The Plunge. The Back Hills are right there for hiking, hunting, fishing, etc. Not sure if there are any local ATV trails. Golf is available in town. Some cool museums. The core downtown area has some coffee shops and small diners. Main city shopping and entertainment is a good hour plus away in Rapid City.
That's it. Your kids will need to be very involved in school activities to stay busy, and then community activities (4H, FFA, sports programs) in the summer. It's 4+ hours down to Fort Collins, CO for something bigger, and another 1 hour down to Denver.
Hot Springs is a pretty enough town, and you should visit to see if it meets your needs. It is just a bit isolated, and can be very isolated in the winter, and certainly very different from the Phoenix, AZ.
As mentioned above, Spearfish SD is very nice. There are other areas like Black Hawk, Piedmont, or even Sturgis, SD that could meet your needs and be closer to Rapid City. Heck, if you buy in Sturgis you could rent your house for two weeks in late July/early August each year and pay for a family vacation to somewhere like Disney. Another thought could be Douglas, WY., with its 45 minute drive into Casper, WY. It's a bit windy there though.
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05-28-2021, 08:02 AM
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Location: The Southern Hills
249 posts, read 179,901 times
Reputation: 577
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I moved to Hot Springs about 11 yrs ago and I am very happy here. I love the hot, dry climate and the clean air has caused my asthma to disappear. What it would do for your asthma seems to be questionable. If your families love for snow is a factor I would suggest one of the towns north of Custer. Most of the snow in Hot Springs lasts up to 48 hrs and that is about it. Hot Springs might be more suitable to a retired family than a growing one.
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05-28-2021, 08:12 AM
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223 posts, read 106,742 times
Reputation: 510
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The temperatures may not get as high here as compared to Phoenix but the humidity might make it feel worse.
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05-31-2021, 12:46 AM
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Location: High Desert of California
550 posts, read 1,511,027 times
Reputation: 425
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We have family from the Hot Springs area and I have visited it a couple times. The town is old and there isn’t much to do. Very little shopping and some residents go to Rapid for shopping. Spearfish is where I would be looking if it were me.
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06-14-2021, 04:02 PM
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Location: Houston, TX
8,829 posts, read 18,956,982 times
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Other than a super cute downtown, i found Hot Springs to be really trashy looking. Run down hotels and old dilapidated building dot the main roads. If you have allergies to trees, grass and weeds - think twice. I was there in april. Cleaned car on arriving. Next morning it was solid yellow with pollen and you could see pollen blowing in the air.
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06-14-2021, 04:17 PM
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27,957 posts, read 37,704,576 times
Reputation: 26197
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Quote:
Originally Posted by texas7
Other than a super cute downtown, i found Hot Springs to be really trashy looking. Run down hotels and old dilapidated building dot the main roads. If you have allergies to trees, grass and weeds - think twice. I was there in april. Cleaned car on arriving. Next morning it was solid yellow with pollen and you could see pollen blowing in the air.
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If pine pollen is what keeps this place from becoming overcrowded, excellent! The pine does that thing this time of year. Had the same thing happen in Denver this weekend. I washed my ride before heading down. The next morning it had a nice covering of pollen. That is normal this time of year.
Yes, Hot Springs is a dumpy looking town. It is an old town. |
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06-15-2021, 08:43 PM
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Location: Houston, TX
8,829 posts, read 18,956,982 times
Reputation: 6288
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It looks like meth heaven along a long stretches of highway 7 on either side of downtown. Don't know if it is or not but i definitely wouldn’t be comfortable stopping in those areas.
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06-15-2021, 09:12 PM
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27,957 posts, read 37,704,576 times
Reputation: 26197
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Quote:
Originally Posted by texas7
It looks like meth heaven along a long stretches of highway 7 on either side of downtown. Don't know if it is or not but i definitely wouldn’t be comfortable stopping in those areas.
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What’s “highway 7?” |
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