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BBMM - I'm curious where you're at now. Are you and your wife still contemplating if and where you should move or have you made your decision?
Weve decided to pass on Phoenix. We’re definitely still undecided we haven’t started a job search due to COVID and our lease not being up until next May...
We’ve basically eliminated Phoenix because it too vast and doesn’t seem to have quite enough Black culture to make us feel comfortable coming from the urban northeast. I also don’t like that there’s a viable red streak.
We’ve replaced it with Sacramento. There’s a reason I haven’t been back to this thread-honestly we’re back to the drawing board.
-Sacramento seems nice and like a more complete city than Vegas but a bit sleepy if anything. I like the indie movie theaters , sense of place, climate and diversity. That being said Vegas is cheaper and I have many long time friend in LA, including one whom I consider a brother and is close with both my wife and I. Proximity to LA for day trips is far preferable to SF for me.
-Las Vegas sounds ultra suburban but in a modern, dense ways I sort of like it. Diversity is good and the home prices are 10-15% cheaper than San Francisco. I love the desert surroundings. I do worry about it’s economy though, seems way too volatile and they have figured out how to diversify yet. Maybe its just impractical for an aspiring urban planner and educational consultant.
-family want m back in Boston/Providence. They want to be involved in my sons life and I like that. I’d move back in a heartbeat if it weren’t for cost. My fathers retiring and wants to travel/sell his home. Both he and my mother have offered to have us come up there for a while until we get settled. I don’t want to live with family even temporarily . And it’ll be a slog to secure housing and the wife wants something fairly nice not a rickety triple decker. That being said she prefers Boston over Providence-which is much cheaper so I don’t know what to do. As young new parents family help would be great and me being familiar with the area would make it a bit easier to raise my child..I think.
-Baltimore is nice but we do worry about raising our son here. It’s either bland suburban with none of the things I like about Vegas or Sacramento or living in a nice rowhome in a better part of the city near downtown. The latter is a viable option but it depend on who am wins this next Baltimore mayoral election. Right now it look like hey might re elect a convicted mayor. If I can’t have any confidence the city is going to improve-it’s not fair to my son to raise him here.
Weve decided to pass on Phoenix. We’re definitely still undecided we haven’t started a job search due to COVID and our lease not being up until next May...
We’ve basically eliminated Phoenix because it too vast and doesn’t seem to have quite enough Black culture to make us feel comfortable coming from the urban northeast. I also don’t like that there’s a viable red streak.
We’ve replaced it with Sacramento. There’s a reason I haven’t been back to this thread-honestly we’re back to the drawing board.
-Sacramento seems nice and like a more complete city than Vegas but a bit sleepy if anything. I like the indie movie theaters , sense of place, climate and diversity. That being said Vegas is cheaper and I have many long time friend in LA, including one whom I consider a brother and is close with both my wife and I. Proximity to LA for day trips is far preferable to SF for me.
-Las Vegas sounds ultra suburban but in a modern, dense ways I sort of like it. Diversity is good and the home prices are 10-15% cheaper than San Francisco. I love the desert surroundings. I do worry about it’s economy though, seems way too volatile and they have figured out how to diversify yet. Maybe its just impractical for an aspiring urban planner and educational consultant.
-family want m back in Boston/Providence. They want to be involved in my sons life and I like that. I’d move back in a heartbeat if it weren’t for cost. My fathers retiring and wants to travel/sell his home. Both he and my mother have offered to have us come up there for a while until we get settled. I don’t want to live with family even temporarily . And it’ll be a slog to secure housing and the wife wants something fairly nice not a rickety triple decker. That being said she prefers Boston over Providence-which is much cheaper so I don’t know what to do. As young new parents family help would be great and me being familiar with the area would make it a bit easier to raise my child..I think.
-Baltimore is nice but we do worry about raising our son here. It’s either bland suburban with none of the things I like about Vegas or Sacramento or living in a nice rowhome in a better part of the city near downtown. The latter is a viable option but it depend on who am wins this next Baltimore mayoral election. Right now it look like hey might re elect a convicted mayor. If I can’t have any confidence the city is going to improve-it’s not fair to my son to raise him here.
As for being close to LA, just because Las Vegas is close in miles, doesn't mean it's close in driving time. Likely, the drive from Sacramento could end up being the same time or shorter, especially on holiday weekends. The 15 between LA and LV gets packed with hours long delays regularly. The 5 is casual Sunday drive either around Sac itself and especially once you get to around the Grapevine. But don't just assume it will ALWAYS be a longer drive from Sac to LA than for LV to LA.
As for being close to LA, just because Las Vegas is close in miles, doesn't mean it's close in driving time. Likely, the drive from Sacramento could end up being the same time or shorter, especially on holiday weekends. The 15 between LA and LV gets packed with hours long delays regularly. The 5 is casual Sunday drive either around Sac itself and especially once you get to around the Grapevine. But don't just assume it will ALWAYS be a longer drive from Sac to LA than for LV to LA.
I hear you- I don’t know the area at all so I’ve gotta take your word. Just seems Vegas is nearly 2 hour closer per google maps. Regardless whenever I travel I do it in the dead of night.10pm-3am type hours...An 8.5 hour Fung Wah Bus ride(sitting next to the bathroom) from Boston to New York during Thanksgiving weekend when I was 9 taught me that. Traffic shouldn’t be too much of an issue in those hours, I hope.
I hear you- I don’t know the area at all so I’ve gotta take your word. Just seems Vegas is nearly 2 hour closer per google maps. Regardless whenever I travel I do it in the dead of night.10pm-3am type hours...An 8.5 hour Fung Wah Bus ride(sitting next to the bathroom) from Boston to New York during Thanksgiving weekend when I was 9 taught me that. Traffic shouldn’t be too much of an issue in those hours, I hope.
Las Vegas to Los Angeles is roughly 3-4 hour hours with no traffic (roughly the time it can take from Boston to NYC).You should be able to make that during the night, but keep in mind once you leave Victorville, there's really nothing between there and Barstow. Then there's the hamlet of Baker, and then there's Vegas. Driving in the barren desert definitely has its challenges compared to driving in the East where there's typically a town every 15-30 miles. If you see a sign saying "next services 100 miles" take heed. Being stuck in the desert is no fun at all. Driving between the two cities during Thanksgiving weekend between the two is its own special version of hell. I remember it taking at least 7-9 hours back in 1993 coming back down to Southern California back Sunday after Thanksgiving with half of us ill with stomach flu.
This will give you a good idea of what the drive is like:
Also, I know you said you prefer Los Angeles over San Francisco. Sacramento is about 90 minutes from San Francisco in no traffic, and San Francisco is about as dense as an Eastern City and has that feel with a California twist. It may be less of an adjustment for you if that's important to you. You'd also be pretty close to Oakland as well (about an hour and twenty minutes), which is the center of Black culture in Northern California, although a lot of Black Oaklanders have relocated to Sacramento.
Just for kicks, here's the drive from Sacramento to Los Angeles. You'd mostly drive through the Central Valley, and the Grapevine/Tejon Pass right before you get into Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley:
Los Angeles is a lot denser than people think - but its one huge behemoth of a city that was a collection of towns that grew into each other over the past 100 years. It's not as dense as your average Eastern city, but more dense than the sunbelt darlings of DFW, Houston, Atlanta, etc. Also, although Las Vegas has its own identity, it's extremely tied to Southern California. Even moreso than say, Providence or Worcester are tied to Boston. The vast majority of people who have relocated there are from Los Angeles or San Diego, and the attitudes and outlook are somewhat similar. Considering the city has only grown for the past 20-30 years, Vegas seems like its still trying to find its own identity outside of the party atmosphere of the Strip.
I hear you- I don’t know the area at all so I’ve gotta take your word. Just seems Vegas is nearly 2 hour closer per google maps. Regardless whenever I travel I do it in the dead of night.10pm-3am type hours...An 8.5 hour Fung Wah Bus ride(sitting next to the bathroom) from Boston to New York during Thanksgiving weekend when I was 9 taught me that. Traffic shouldn’t be too much of an issue in those hours, I hope.
It's pretty hit or miss. On a holiday weekend it doesn't matter when you leave. It can easily be a 10+ hour drive. Even Vegas.com highlights that it can up to 12 hours depending day/time you drive. https://www.vegas.com/traveltips/top...m-la-to-vegas/
How can a place that can be a 10 hour drive from another place be more closely connected than Boston to Providence. Feels like I’m getting some conflicting information. I’ve always figure Vegas To LA is about the same as Boston to NYC
As far as the desert drive it’s something I’ve thought about a lot already, I figured I would fill up before I leave, Fill up again once in Barstow or Victorville, and carry a spare gas can in the car. Hopefully it’ll be preferably than traveling the densely populated i95... I’ll give those videos a look see.
I spent 25 days in the Bay Area with my cousin when I was 17(2011) I liked Oakland but have no reason to go there. I did not like San Francisco as a place to live but it’s pretty and I might have more reason to go there. Still I have many friends from High school And earlier in LA.
How can a place that can be a 10 hour drive from another place be more closely connected than Boston to Providence. Feels like I’m getting some conflicting information. I’ve always figure Vegas To LA is about the same as Boston to NYC
As far as the desert drive it’s something I’ve thought about a lot already, I figured I would fill up before I leave, Fill up again once in Barstow or Victorville, and carry a spare gas can in the car. Hopefully it’ll be preferably than traveling the densely populated i95... I’ll give those videos a look see.
I spent 25 days in the Bay Area with my cousin when I was 17(2011) I liked Oakland but have no reason to go there. I did not like San Francisco as a place to live but it’s pretty and I might have more reason to go there. Still I have many friends from High school And earlier in LA.
In the most LA way of explaining things, they're connected spiritually also lol. So many Angelenos have family or friends that moved to LV. They've brought with them a similar vibe and lifestyle and the sports fanbase in LV is basically an extension of the LA sports fanbase. People put up with the drive for the nightlife and spending a long weekend there. Once you're at the resort, you're there. You have everything you need and can relax and/or party. So you put up with the traffic. Just try to avoid traveling on holiday weekends. A high speed rail is apparently approved, but who knows about funding anymore in this economy? However, now that Palm Springs has started trying to cater to the LA long weekenders looking for nightlife and pool parties without the gambling, there are many people going there instead of Las Vegas.
Like NYC and Boston are connected economically and geographically basically, but not really culturally. OTOH, NYC and South Florida are separate by distance, but is there any denying the relationship the two have to each other culturally and spiritually?
How can a place that can be a 10 hour drive from another place be more closely connected than Boston to Providence. Feels like I’m getting some conflicting information. I’ve always figure Vegas To LA is about the same as Boston to NYC
Las aVegas to Los Angeles is about the same distance drive-wise as Boston is to NYC...the 10-12 hours is the most extreme of traffic conditions. Avoid driving from Vegas to LA on a Sunday, and avoid driving during peak times during the holidays , it normally takes about 3-4 hours.
NYC and South Florida have a lot of ties and they're far more than a 10-hour drive between the two (they're not exact carbon copies, but there's obvious influence). Las Vegas is tied to Los Angeles/Southern California even moreso.
Last edited by biscuit_head; 05-26-2020 at 05:02 PM..
In the most LA way of explaining things, they're connected spiritually also lol. So many Angelenos have family or friends that moved to LV. They've brought with them a similar vibe and lifestyle and the sports fanbase in LV is basically an extension of the LA sports fanbase. People put up with the drive for the nightlife and spending a long weekend there. Once you're at the resort, you're there. You have everything you need and can relax and/or party. So you put up with the traffic. Just try to avoid traveling on holiday weekends. A high speed rail is apparently approved, but who knows about funding anymore in this economy? However, now that Palm Springs has started trying to cater to the LA long weekenders looking for nightlife and pool parties without the gambling, there are many people going there instead of Las Vegas.
Like NYC and Boston are connected economically and geographically basically, but not really culturally. OTOH, NYC and South Florida are separate by distance, but is there any denying the relationship the two have to each other culturally and spiritually?
I don’t agree with a lot of this.. NYC and South Florida are not culturally very similar despite many NYers moving there. I know those exact people-They move to Florida because it’s so different.
Boston and NYC shares much more in common. Physically, ethnically, pace of life, historically etc. having spent a good amount of time in all three-the spirit of NYC is far more prevalent in Boston than South Florida.
And Boston and Providence are more like SF-Oakland probably. At very least Seattle-Tacoma..Providence is the Boston CSA and is closer to Gillette Stadium than Boston is. Patriots are their team. Until this year they carried the Red Sox minor league club, the PawSox. They’re probably more closely related than Vegas and LA. Because in addition to moving back and forth, they have constant commuter rail service., actually the MBTA extends beyond Providence. It’s the busiest commuter rail line in the entire MBTA system.the busiest line of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority ends in Rhode Island..
Honestly I don’t need them to be that connected, that’s not what I’m looking for I just like being able to slide out somewhere cool on occasion.
For five years or so when we first moved to Las Vegas we kept our boat in Long Beach. And we would spend most holiday weekends in Catalina. We would make it to Long Beach in under 4 hours quite consistently. We simply traveled the day before the holiday and the day after. In general it can be a mess coming out of LA on Friday afternoon and in to LA on Sunday afternoon.
We had a friend who runs a business in both OC and Las Vegas. He would do a couple of days in LV every week. He would consistently make it in under 3 hours by driving it in the wee hours of the morning. Never got a ticket though he did total a very nice 80 grand auto. Got hit by a tire from an 18 wheeler. Ended up rolling over a couple of times but got nothing other than a couple of minor bruises.
I would also point out that the half hour drive between northern OC and El Segundo could stretch to 2 hours on a rainy Friday night. That would be unusual but any significant accident could stretch it psst an hour. When one of us in the car pool had an early meeting we would allow for an hour and a half to make the trip. Everyone in the carpool was at least a minor wheel so all tolerated it.
Last edited by lvmensch; 05-26-2020 at 05:46 PM..
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