[JiminCT]

CT has better pierogis...lol.

But no Cincy chili...which is actually quite tasty for those who havent tried it.

Imagine a state full of suburban places like Pepper Pike, Shaker Heights, and Gates Mills for burbs. Our cities arent as gritty (no hard core blue collar cities like Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland...our towns that are anything remotely similar are all like 60-80,000).

Walleye fishing will suffer here...Lake Erie is hard to beat.

[JayCT]

Had to travel up to New Milford this evening and I must say, the trip was beautiful. Driving through Southbury, Woodbury, Roxbury, Bridgewater and New Milford was great. Very charming and beautiful landscapes. Funny I lost my satilette radio in a couple of places. Not sure if it was the tree cover or the hills. If you really want to sell your wife, take her through the hills of Litchfield. She will love it. Jay

[maestro]

so skytrekker, on the low end if I'm making 60k, that should probably suffice? I'm nervous about the taxes-taxes-taxes I keep hearing about RE: Connecticut.

[jeremeyk482]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Had to travel up to New Milford this evening and I must say, the trip was beautiful. Driving through Southbury, Woodbury, Roxbury, Bridgewater and New Milford was great. Very charming and beautiful landscapes. Funny I lost my satilette radio in a couple of places. Not sure if it was the tree cover or the hills. If you really want to sell your wife, take her through the hills of Litchfield. She will love it. Jay

This is one of my favorite drives in the state - up route 67. Another nice drive is up Route 37 through New Fairfield along Candlewood Lake, into the charming downtown area of Sherman, then past a vineyard on your right and a spectacular view on your left. Like 67, route 37 will bring you to Route 7.

[wanderintonc]

Originally Posted by maestro

so skytrekker, on the low end if I'm making 60k, that should probably suffice? I'm nervous about the taxes-taxes-taxes I keep hearing about RE: Connecticut.

It's the housing that's going to hurt, on that income. I saw the scenario of housing that Skytrekker posted below, using 60k-be aware that he was being REALLY conservative on the amount for property taxes. You might want to find a couple examples of a house you'd buy, and look them up on Zillow to find the exact property tax amount-that would give you an accurate idea. That way you're not going on hearsay. Check on the homeowners insurance cost too-while it IS low in CT, I always paid more than his example, and my home was worth much less than his example one.

Folks CAN live on one income in CT-we did for years while I had babies-but we found from real-life experience, that it's the housing that hurts. If you can find a housing option that works for you, moving here could work out very well. I'd look in Central CT, on your budget.

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by maestro

so skytrekker, on the low end if I'm making 60k, that should probably suffice? I'm nervous about the taxes-taxes-taxes I keep hearing about RE: Connecticut.

Yes,

maestro, the minima is 60K- and as Wander said above the taxes may be on the low end. A 1100 square foot home in Vernon that sells for 200K will have around $2500 a year in taxes. A larger or new home in some other town may be much more, I have a friend with a 4 bedroom colonial in town, 2000 square feet that pays $4000 a year.

Central CT in towns like Manchester and Vernon -east of the river will have better taxes. My taxes went up this year. I was paying here in Vernon $2045 A year on a 1991 built 1100 square foot townhouse- it jumped to $2307. And that is after the towns people voted down a request for an increase from the town counsel.

I pay $192 a month for taxes, $16 a month for homeowners and A Condo fee of $121. I have no mortgage on the property now.

[maestro]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Hi again Maestro

welcome and enjoy your little vacation. The wife still unconvinced?

Downtown Hartford is on the Move; Take her to the riverfront area- very nice, there you will see the new and iconic science center going up.

Try just south of downtown, and make a trip to the Wadsworth Atheneum -oldest art museum in the nation. Drive over to Bushnell Park, see the Famous Bushnell Memorial Auditorium- and the Sate Capital. The west end of the city on Farmington Av also has the Mark Twain house/Museum and next door almost the Harriet Beecher Stowe house. Also nearby is the Hartford Children's theater.

Driving west on Farmington Av-into West Hartford Center- she and you will love it.

Driving south on I 91, then route 9 visit the lower CT river towns of Chester and Essex- charming.

New Haven also is fun, see the historic green, churches and of course Yale University and the Peabody Museum.

Looking toward the east, along the state beaches; Hammonassett in Madison, and Rocky Neck in Niantic. Traveling further east from here on I 95 visit Mystic Seaport and the nearby Aquarium.

In 2 plus days you may be hard pressed to gt the full flavor of the state-

I recommend the CT State website for more suggestions.
Visit Connecticut - State of Connecticut Office of Tourism - Official CT Tourism Site

I'm heading there this weekend; I'll definitely take this advice (and the advice of others posting here). By the way, that CT Tourism Site is fantastic. So many great ideas.

[skytrekker]

Yes that is a good site maestro

it does a good job at explaining the states 5 regions. I met a couple for dinner a few weeks ago from the Washington DC area- they fell in love with eastern CT (Tolland county) and have a deposit down on a home to be built.

[maestro]

On that tourism site, I saw some interesting things to do, including:

-- Nathan Hale House
-- Rose's Berry Farm for Sunday brunch.

Any thoughts here?

Also, any ideas of specific things to do/see in the Litchfield Hills area?

[mels]

Rose's Berry Farm does a fantastic brunch, if you are around Glastonbury then definitely check it out.