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.
I mean, if you are looking for a slower pace, you have to find a smaller town...but if you're used to DC amenities, then you'll have a hard time giving that up...I don't think "vacationing" somewhere will give you an idea of what "day to day living" is like...but if you have some cities in mind, then travel for "business" sort of speak, drive their rush hour...and so on.
We lived in Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Orlando, Tampa) for 10 years and missed what DC had to offer for example...last year we moved to Pittsburgh which is close enough to visit whenever, but not as expensive.
I agree wholeheartedly...That's how I feel about living here in Brasil. When people ask me, they're often think of how great life much be down here in Rio. And, although it is pretty amazing, 99% of the day-to-day struggles most foreigners don't see when they're visiting. For instance, most tourists stay in 1 strip of 1 neighborhood in the city (Ipanema/Leblon or Copacabana), but that's where the richest of the rich live. Then the extremely high cost of living (more expensive than NYC), yet the absurdly low salaries. Factor in the traffic being worse than DC, terrible public transportation (overpriced, crowded, no AC on the buses despite the summers reaching daily temperatures of 104 degrees) and you have a city that makes DC look like a paradise when comparing the complaints of everyone...Although the beach, natural beauty of the city, and overall outgoing lifestyle/people make up for a lot of the headaches that come with living here...
Funny you should mention South Florida. I considered relocating to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale when I move back, but decided it wouldn't be the best thing for my field (education-school counseling to be exact). Seems like the cost of living, while lower than the DC metro area, can get a little high, whereas the salaries are low, and overall job stability in Fla isn't looking too good.
We had no real "push" to move either. No job transfers or anything of the sort. In fact, we both left wonderful, high-paying positions in NoVA. But we were stressed out and paying through the nose to live comfortably but modestly. ...-SNIP...
Thanks! I actually lost this thread for awhile.. and then started to look for it in the FL sections....duh.
But yea - I guess the biggest issue is landing a job. Trying to see if I could just move without changing jobs..... Good to know that we're at least on the right track with St. Johns county if we do decide to put FL on the 'short list' as schools has always been the top priority. Even before kids... as it seems to be such a factor with resale etc..(at least here in the MD/DC/VA area).
I have lived in DC for over ten years. I spent the first two years exploring the city. I spent the next two years after plotting my escape because I felt miserable. But never found another place I liked as well. The more trips I took all over the country, the more DC felt like home. So now I can't ever imagine leaving.
Sure, this place loves to eat people up and spit them out but once you get back on the horse, it's not so bad. There's so much to do here and loads of people to hang out with and have intelligent conversation.
And for people trying to make a go of it here, my advice is to get rid of your car and use public transit. I found that once I stopped driving my attitude changed for the better!
I have lived in DC for over ten years. I spent the first two years exploring the city. I spent the next two years after plotting my escape because I felt miserable. But never found another place I liked as well. The more trips I took all over the country, the more DC felt like home. So now I can't ever imagine leaving.
Sure, this place loves to eat people up and spit them out but once you get back on the horse, it's not so bad. There's so much to do here and loads of people to hang out with and have intelligent conversation.
And for people trying to make a go of it here, my advice is to get rid of your car and use public transit. I found that once I stopped driving my attitude changed for the better!
I actually don't mind driving in the city. I hardly ever take the train and I'm in the city every weekend and usually at least one evening during the week. Now parking in the District? Oh brother, sister, father, and the mother!
Born and raised in the DMV, and if I were to move outside of the area someday (some of my high school friends are contemplating it as well), I would probably look into Atlanta, The Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill-Cary), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento (even though it's a long distance from here....), or if I had the money, either New York City (Brooklyn or Queens) or Los Angeles (I just hate that I'll be on the other side of the continent from friends and family if that happens).
I am planning on moving to Bogota. I think I will miss the free musuems and metro though. I would like to someday also try Portland Oregon. I had great luck with Portland Maine (loved it despite poor public transit) and would love to try the Western Portland.
i just turned down a great job offer in pittsburgh. the more i think about it, the more i regret it :/
You will not regret it unless you love Rust Belt decay, overcast skies, limited job advancement, nepotism, high taxes, potholes everywhere, terrible drivers, 18th century road system, and an insular culture that hasn't traveled into neighboring Ohio. That great job offer comes with a lot of downsides. Even the job itself may often have limited advancement opportunities.
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.
