10 Reasons Not To Move To Tucson (Phoenix, Payson: sale, unemployment rate, camping)

[haaamean]

Originally Posted by horatiodreamt

The city's name isn't pronounced the way it's spelled. It should be pronounced "Tuck-son", but it's not. I won't live in a city that can't properly pronounce its own name.

Oh really? It was originally named Tuquison so it wasn't Tuck-son.....ever. Maybe Tooq-son but still, that's a funny quirk to have about places to live.

You should also avoid Los Angeles, or any other city in America with a Spanish name because they're almost ALWAYS pronounced wrong, and it gets even better with French names. Good luck with that.

[twojulybabies]

Originally Posted by horatiodreamt

The city's name isn't pronounced the way it's spelled. It should be pronounced "Tuck-son", but it's not. I won't live in a city that can't properly pronounce its own name.

Hmm, funny. Now that's exactly why I am moving there. So I can say Tuxsin, tuxsin, tuxsin!

[Marcy1210]

I've been lurking on this thread today and have enjoyed reading all the posts on the reasons to move to Tucson or not. We started visiting Tucson in March 1993 when our Colorado Rockies started Spring Training at Hi Corbett. Every year, we loved Tucson more and more.

We've stayed out East at the former Smuggler's for several years and loved the Tanque Verde area; at the Sheraton on Grant, at the Windmill at River and Campbell, and at the Riverside Suites at Limberlost and Campbell last year. We've liked all areas we visited.

Where we live in Colorado would be very similar to Summerhaven. For example our high today will be 68º which is colder than Tucson's predicted low. And Colorado Springs, our closest big town is an hour away, with the same water, crime, unemployment, military, etc., problems Tucson has, only it's extremely conservative with Focus on the Family, New Life Church not to mention all the military bases and the Air Force Academy.

We have rattlesnakes, but no bugs. We can't garden up here as summer is about 80 days and our 9200 ft. elevation is too cool. Up here in the mountains, if you want to do any outdoor activities in the summer, you need to get them done by 2:00 p.m. because that's when the clouds roll in, the rain/hail falls and the temps drop 20º From 75ºto about 50º-55º. Evenings are cold. We have an unparalled view of Pikes Peak, but we also get monsoon rains in July and August. We have forest fires--we had the Hayman Fire, and AZ has huge fires.

Colorado Springs has murders, rapes, robberies, car jackings, home invasions and other crimes just like any large city has. It has drugs (it's on the I-25 drug corridor from Las Cruces/El Paso), gangs, and organized crime. So, every town/state has its issues.

We finally decided to do the snowbird thing last year, as my husband's job can be done telecommuting as easily as when he's actually in the office, so, we bought a condo at Pusch Peak and Oracle in Oro Valley We stayed there from Nov-May this year and loved it. Winters are chilly in Oro Valley, (it's not Hawaii) but not cold, snowy and icy like the winters here. By March, it starts warming up. And if we miss the snow, we can always go to Mt. Lemmon, or make a quick trip to our home in Colorado.

We're actually looking forward to spending a week at the condo this August so we can experience a true monsoon. I see us slowly spending more and more time in Oro Valley to where we hardly come here anymore. I only hope I don't experience a sewer bug or a flying cockroach. I could probably handle a rattlesnake or a scorpion, though I'd rather not see one! I'm hoping since we're on the 2nd floor, I won't. This year we left right after the snakes came out, but if we're there in August...........

[actinic]

Originally Posted by actinic

5 day weather forcast tells it all.

For those younger viewers out there what healthy outdoor afternoon activities
other than swimming are you doing?

Ouch! One week later and no relief seen from near record highs.

Glad I'm not there now.

[Subie]

i think you could find 10 reasons not to move ANYWHERE if you really tried. Even loving Tucson, I could find 10 reasons. In a 'paradise' like Hawaii I could too. Just depends how realistic and/or negative you want to be. The big thing for me is "do the positives outweigh the negatives?"

[jvanmetre]

Originally Posted by haaamean

Oh really? It was originally named Tuquison so it wasn't Tuck-son.....ever. Maybe Tooq-son but still, that's a funny quirk to have about places to live.

You should also avoid Los Angeles, or any other city in America with a Spanish name because they're almost ALWAYS pronounced wrong, and it gets even better with French names. Good luck with that.

I first visited Tucson with my grandparents, many, many years ago. We had been staying at the Biltmore in Scottsdale and came through here to go to the border. I remarked that I thought it was beautiful. My grandmother said, "Maybe someday you'll live here." I never really considered that until 2000. My partner and I came down to stay at the Westward Look for a long weekend. We returned every winter just after Xmas for 4 years, at Ventana, until we moved here. Previously we had gone to Scottsdale and although some of the resorts there are nice, the area itself didn't compare to Tucson for beauty or air quality. Tucson is rated in the top 5 best in the USA. Phoenix is near the bottom.

We settled in Oro Valley and have great views all around us. I've lived in Beverly Hills, La Jolla, Seattle, NYC, Mexico City and Sydney. I have never loved an area more than this one. We have great privacy here and the area is quite safe, in the sense of lack of crime.

Yes, it's hot in the summer, but we are totally air conditioned and swim at least twice a day in the pool which cools us also. The evenings are warm and tranquil for outdoor dining.

It's no wonder that two of the top 10 spas in the world, Miraval (about 5 miles from us) and Canyon Ranch are both in Tucson. No other American City can boast that... plus a host of world class resorts, like Ventana, where we used to stay, La Paloma and the Ritz which is being built about 5 miles from us also.

We are very involved in the Arts and Tucson has, for its size, a very vibrant art community. We go to the Symphony and Opera, which are both acceptable. They are of course not of the caliber of NYC or SF, but we can travel to either when we wish and LIVE our lives here.

Because of the University, the social climate is quite diverse and interesting, almost the equal of Berkeley.

It isn't for everyone, particularly the provincial who get hung up on the pronunciation of the city's name.

Such a person would also have to give up on the entire state of Illinois or New Hampshire.

[azhiker]

Originally Posted by jvanmetre

...
It's no wonder that two of the top 10 spas in the world, Miraval (about 5 miles from us) and Canyon Ranch are both in Tucson. No other American City can boast that... plus a host of world class resorts, like Ventana, where we used to stay, La Paloma and the Ritz which is being built about 5 miles from us also.

Great post, fellow OV resident jvanmeter!

I agree 100%. I am always astounded by people that say "ugliest city in the west", and threads like this one detailing reasons not to move here. I say good. It's growing fast enough as it is.

I was just on that road that goes by Miraval and Sierra Tucson just today, all the way up to Saddlebrook. What a spectacular day it was after the rains stopped. Really cooled things down nicely, and made for an excellent hike at Catalina State Park. The views from Saddlebrook are just stellar. Plus it's a little cooler up there too.

[sickofIL]

I agree too! I think Tucson is beautiful.

I don't like living in the Chicago suburbs or midwest in general. I could easily say that it can be ugly or there are reasons not to live there, but the reasons I have are mine. Others may not agree.

We love Tucson and cannot find any reasons to keep us from our planned move other than the current difficulty selling our house here. If it were just a choise of moving, we would already be there.

[ZonyPony]

Tucson? Born here. Educated here. Married and had children here. Totally grew up and lived here with the exception of living in Flagstaff for nearly 10 years, but then moved right back here.
Flagstaff reminded me of what Tucson was like back in the 50's and 60's. In the meantime Tucson has grown to a million people. Phoenix and Tucson are always at odds regarding sports things (UA vs ASU).
To me, Phoenix will always be one big hot sprawling serpentine-like freeway with golf courses wedged in between, and full of Capitolists who believe that Arizona is all about them.
Tucson is a freeway-hating Border Patrol station full of NIMBYness, but a place where Auntie Em and I could always call home.
Urban sprawl? Yes. Mountain to mountain annexation? Yes. Overpriced housing? Yes! Too much traffic? Yes! Trying to become another Phoenix? NEVER!
Ten reasons not to move to Tucson? Can't think of that many, but if asked, I would say the following 10 times:

I think we have way more than enough people here already!

[milliebfit]

ZonyPony...Tucson has my son, so you have to put up with 3 more people moving there in 12 days. He loves Tucson. With all my visits over the last 2 years to see him I too have fallen in love with Tucson. Ten reasons not to move to Tucson? I can list one reason why I am moving.....and I can't wait!