Life in Show Low area (Phoenix, Tucson: to rent, hotel, house)

[Eagle2]

Hello, we are trying to decide where to move. One of us is from Arizona and the other from Washington State and we love things about each area. We have considered living in the Show Low area and wondered if anyone could tell us the pros and cons. We need access to good medical care, which we would have in Phoenix, and we like to be outside in the fresh air. We also don't like too extreme cold or hot temperatures. Living here in Bellingham is expensive and I don't know how it compares to Show Low. Anything we can find out would be helpful.

[Low Roller]

Hi,

I lived there in the late 70's to early 80's, when it used to be a little Mormon-controlled cowboy town - and my mother and brother still live there (so I visit often) - so I'll help you as much as I can.

Unless you're a hermit wanting to get away from civilization, it's MUCH better now that it was 20-30 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!

They now have some good restaurants, a decent community college, three theatres (two of them in nearby Lakeside) showing current films (when I lived there, there was one theatre showing six month old films) - and it's quickly becoming a major retirement area for the Phoenix crowd, with new housing developments going in, and they're expanding the golf course there into a major country club.

I can't tell you what home prices are (or what rents are, if you're looking to rent,) but I would bet it's considerably less than Bellingham (I lived four years in Portland just awhile back.)

It now has a first class hospital (with evac helicopters) about four miles from the center of SL, so there should be no concerns for good healthcare.

It also has a Wal-Mart Superstore, Longs Drugs and Home Depot right across from the hospital. There is also the usual collection of Pizza Hut, Burger King, Col. Sanders, Denny's, etc. around the area.

Two excellent restaurants in the area are "Licano's" - a very nice Mexican restaurant (on par with most big city Mexican restaurants) on the west end of SL, and "Jake's BBQ," which is between SL and Lakeside.

"Pat's Place," in the middle of SL, is nothing to look at - but has very tasty breakfasts; as does "Darby's, which is between Lakeside and Pinetop.

There is also the Hon Dah Indian Casino about a 30 minute drive away. It's the nicest Indian casino I've ever been in (which is not saying overly much.) It has a very decent restaurant, and a nice looking (I haven't seen the inside of the rooms) hotel connecting with it.

There is a very nice ski run about a half-hour beyond Hon Dah.

Show Low is one of three nearby towns that constitute the main area of the White Mountains. It used to be the lesser, cowboy town, of the area compared with Lakeside - and especially Pinetop, which was where the rich folks gravitated to in the olden days.

But now Pinetop-Lakeside have incorporated together, creating one large "town," and has been growing and improving by leaps and bounds since then.

Show Low has also quickly grown into a very competitive rival for Pinetop-Lakeside, with the aforementioned improvements.

Show Low gets into the high 90's in the summer, and can have considerable snowfall in the winter - though often that is just for a day or two, then it melts off. So it's very tolerable weather.

There is definitely a change of seasons in SL unless there is a dry period, but all in all the weather is usually pleasant there (if you don't mind occasional snow.)

There are lakes around for fishing and boating, so all in all it's not a bad place to live - especially if you are retired.

Keep in mind that it's 6,500 ft there - so if you have any kind of breathing problems, you might have a problem with SL. (I've heard of more than one couple who moved there - and then had to move back to a lower altitude because one or both of them had trouble breathing in the thinner air.)

Anyway, it's not at all a bad area - and is getting more and more expensive by the year - so if you're thinking of moving there, do it soon!

I hope this helped you.

Rich

[and the]

I liked Munich Haus restaurant when we were there (Lakeside). I thought Charlie Clark's was over-rated. I was afraid to take my little kids into the Pasta House. They had a sign that said something like "If you're kids don't behave, we'll kill them and eat them". Saw lots of elk. People were very nice. Even invited me, a perfect stranger, (or perfectly strange) to their house for drinks and to show me the area. If they weren't elderly, I would have been afraid it was a set up to rob me!! Call my cynical!!

Theater was nice. And at the fast food places, the food they gave you actually looked like the pictures on the menu.

All in all, we liked the area.

Best part was the trails through the mountains/hills. You can drive to Pinetop/Lakeside from Show Low and never leave the woods/trails.

Just east of Show Low is Springerville/Alpine/Nutrioso/Escudilla Mountain. Very nice places. And Sipe Wildlife preserve is cool too.

[rutha1105]

Thanks, Low Roller, wonderful review.

[RedChile42]

Hi..well you have someone here that lives here now. I have lived here for about 10 years coming from Tucson, Arizona.

I am happy the Lowes is coming..I am retired from Costco out of Tucson, but I did put in almost 20 years there.

I think I would like to do a management position.. I love PineTop-Lakeside, just about 5 miles from the new Lowes.. You will like this area. But there are no large shopping malls here. If you have children, it is an excellent place to raise them (PineTop-Lakeside), not Showlow school district!

My son got a full ride scholarship out of the BlueRidge School District and now is finishing up his 4.5 yrs degree on a full ride!

Write me back if you want.. I love it here and I think you will enjoy it here..

Patty

[FunkyPioneer]

I don't know about the hospital. I gave birth there 2 years ago and it was down right scary, blood stains on the floor, very poor staff, and they have to med vac out anything more than a paper cut. If your not into nightlife etc, then its fine, there not much to do besides a movie theater and a few chain places to eat at. Shopping is divided between Walmart or Kmart. Show low Schools are NOT GOOD (but then none of AZ schools are)

[Low Roller]

As for the hospital, they just spent millions adding on a new wing and upgrading it in general, so it's bigger and more modern than ever.

I have not had need for it, thankfully, so can't tell you how good it is as to care - but would bet it's better than it was two years ago.

As for "nightlife," there is definitely very little. About the only thing to do after having dinner (other than what Funky mentioned) is to go to the Indian casino. It does have entertainment groups come in on some nights.

But the Show Low-Pinetop-Lakeside area has never been known as an entertainment mecca - which is why I haven't lived there in over 25 years.

If having places to go and things to do at night is important to you, then you'd be pretty bored in the Show Low area - which is why I'm now thinking of moving to Laughlin, NV.

[pat.bz]

Originally Posted by RedChile42

Hi..well you have someone here that lives here now. I have lived here for about 10 years coming from Tucson, Arizona.

I am happy the Lowes is coming..I am retired from Costco out of Tucson, but I did put in almost 20 years there.

I think I would like to do a management position.. I love PineTop-Lakeside, just about 5 miles from the new Lowes.. You will like this area. But there are no large shopping malls here. If you have children, it is an excellent place to raise them (PineTop-Lakeside), not Showlow school district!

My son got a full ride scholarship out of the BlueRidge School District and now is finishing up his 4.5 yrs degree on a full ride!

Write me back if you want.. I love it here and I think you will enjoy it here..

Patty

We are closing on a house on September 14th 2007 and couldn't be more thrilled. We currently live in a small city in CA (Ridgecrest) and like the idea of a small city but without the high heat of the high desert. We really thought we'd never find a place we liked and could afford in the Western part of the USA.

[country pride]

I had a friend who lived there for many years, it was so serene and they loved it. Ive been there a few times and yes, have to agree, its nice. But they moved to S Dakota and say theyve found their 'piece of heaven' there, and dont plan on moving again.

[sunnyola]

Hi, are there any Russian speakers in Show Low ? I am from Ukraine and my husband is American. Our son,3 y.o. speaks both languages. We`are moving to Show Low from Indiana and looking for russian/ukrainian friends, adults and kids.