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Just remember, everywhere you go, there you are. . Though sometimes a fresh start is needed.
I live in OC, CA. I'd say I'm an 8 but I'm hard to please. I love that it's got a strong Asian community. It's also very scenic. What I don't like is it isn't very seasonal, is pretty cookie cutter, the water is too cold to swim in and restaurant quality and diversity are severely lacking.
Seattle is a 9 for me. Big metro, good walkability/bikeability, tons of interesting people, culture fits me better than almost anywhere else, very safe compared to a lot of bigger metros, and I enjoy the sense of progress and optimism here. There might not be anywhere in the country that's better for me, I just have a few minor gripes: the culture is a bit generic because of all the transplants and the PNW being settled fairly recently; being closer to other cities would be nice; it sucks how early everything closes; and the light rail coverage isn't great (even after all the Link expansions, a lot of the city won't be covered).
My wanderlust is a 10. I've explored all over my state (been to every county in WA, and all but 4 in OR) and most major US cities. If there were any practical and affordable way for me to constantly move from city to city (or country to country) while holding onto my friendships, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm planning to try out digital nomading at some point soonish, once I can get a 100% remote job and the international travel situation is a bit more predictable (i.e. no lockdowns or quarantine periods happening).
I guess I think of cities like foods. I can have a favorite one while still wanting to sample others.
I basically agree with all of this. I've found that the PNW suits my preferences the best of anywhere in the US. Minor gripes aside, I think the only thing that would stop me from staying here long term is if the COL keeps rising to a level where home ownership seems unattainable.
Also, impressive that you have been to all but 4 counties in WA & OR. I'm curious which ones you haven't been to yet?
I lived most of my life in Central and North Florida, and have lived in South Alabama for over 12 years now.
Growing up in Florida, I explored the state extensively and have visited all but two counties (Collier and Monroe). It's strange because my parents weren't this way. They seemed happy to just stay in our town and never travel more than an hour from it except to visit relatives occasionally - never just to visit, vacation, or explore. Pretty much all of my travelling has taken place since I've been able to drive myself.
I'd rate my satisfaction with where I live now to be a 9 or 10, especially at this stage of my life where I'm raising children.
I break your hypothesis though, because my desire to travel is also about a 9 or 10. I've always loved visiting different places, and that hasn't changed no matter where I've lived.
I'm currently planning a camping trip for this coming fall. It's in a state I've visited, but in a region of the state I haven't.
I live in suburban Atlanta and am generally very pleased with the area, so I'd rate it a 9. There are four seasons, an abundance of greenery and water, plenty of opportunities for work and recreation, diversity in many respects, and an optimistic civic culture that the area has promising days ahead. The traffic congestion and often disorderly sprawl are my major complaints, but it suits me better than the other two areas in the US where I've lived for a significant amount of time.
In addition to Atlanta's own positive attributes, I appreciate the area's connectivity to other locations across the US and beyond. During the pandemic I have traveled very little and mostly drove to destinations in the Southeast region. As long distance travel is (hopefully) now becoming less cumbersome again, I'm looking forward to branching out more but will likely stay within the US until the world gets back to more of a pre-Covid state.
Even if I live in Atlanta for the rest of my days, I doubt I'll ever make it to every county in Georgia since there are 159! But I've probably visited about half of those, plus at least a third in each of Georgia's neighbors. There are a lot of hidden treasures to explore in many of those counties.
I am very happy where I live but I've always been happy where I live - right now I live in NE Texas in a mid sized metro area (except for when I lived in Fort Hood, TX - that SUCKED and I hated it there). I am not from here but I've lived here a long time, since I was in my early 30s. Anyway, since I am single and I enjoy traveling alone, I am planning on traveling alone again this next vacation - I just have to decide where to go. Honestly, it's easier for me to travel alone than it is to travel with family, so I really like it. I have never gone on a trip with friends but it seems like it could involve a lot of frustration and a lot of money.
I have a lot of wanderlust but I am happy overall with where I live. However, the summers are awfully long and hot and I don't like them, though I do love around November through May so that is half the year. I wish I didn't have to wonder whether or not I'm going to be wearing a T shirt on Thanksgiving, but then again, I don't like icy weather so I guess it's a trade off.
Anyway, I love to travel and I do every chance I get (several times a year), but I'm also happy here. I plan to move wherever my daughter settles in a few years though - I really have no idea where that will be but so far, she really likes Ohio, which is sort of underwnelming to me though it's beautiful and does have some undervalued cities (and good real estate prices). I don't care for the icy winters but I guess most places are a trade off if you want weather events, which I definitely do want.
My favorite state of all is Virginia - and it does have mountains AND the ocean, and it has four pretty evenly spaced seasons, with some ice and snow but not for months on end like Ohio can get.
....... Just wondering if someone who truly thinks where they are is "heaven" might be less likely to want to get out and see some other places, vs. someone who only has a medium or low appreciation for the place they actually reside in........
I'm guessing that it has a lot more to do with curiosity, the desire to see and learn new things, and wondering what is over the mountain. That would have nothing to do with dissatisfaction with where you live.
I'd think that hating where you live would most likely have you looking for a place to move to, not a good place to take a week's vacation. Although people who can't leave a job might be looking for a nice place to relax on their vacation, so I'll concede that point.
I live on the outskirts of Richmond, VA amidst the tall loblolly pines and red cedar (technically juniper) forests of the eastern piedmont. I'd rate it a good 8 or 9 in terms of scenery and outdoors related stuff to do. I'm 30 minutes from downtown Richmond and a little under 2 hours from Lynchburg, Va. I head into Richmond to do whitewater kayaking often, how many other cities give you that option?
Very little desire to see new cities or parts of the country I haven't been to yet (like the West Coast or Northeast). I've been out West to the mountain states many times and have enjoyed them -- NM, MT, WY -- but the South is where my heart is. I will live in and die in the South. Although I did get married in Santa Fe, NM many moons ago.
Likewise, I haven't been to much of New England or Upstate NY nor have any real a desire to.
Yes, I have seen many areas of the country that I would prefer to live in once I'm retired. Otherwise I would need to win the lottery to live in my absolute preferred location right now.
9+ where I live. 8 to travel, but not as much abroad as in the past. I’ve loved traveling all over Europe several times and a little in Asia but these days I prefer to explore almost all corners of America.
Air travel is increasingly tedious- all the more so on long international flights - I can generally zone out pretty well for 5-6 hours but never really sleep so those 11 hour flights to Europe or Asia are rough. I like to plop in an urban area for several days and walk all over the place to check out what makes it tick from museums and galleries to dive bars, ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods. If I can avoid being in a car as much as possible while getting all over a city I’m happy. We are going to Vancouver BC in a couple of weeks for the first time, looking forward to that.
When I was younger big cities and the beach were perfect
Now I am older and would prefer to be in a small midwestern metro which will be possible when retirement hits in a couple decades.
The Mid Atlantic is ok, has everything I need but so do parts of Kansas.
We follow the best paying, most secure jobs right now and DC has that.
If i was a zillionaire, Id split time among Europe, Mideast and Far East bc I could travel on my own jet. I last flew domestic 6 months ago and although there were not incidents, some fellow flyers are pretty selfish so travel isnt fun but now endured.
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. Though sometimes a fresh start is needed.
