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So we are looking to relocate at some point in the near future, so I've decided to begin researching.
Here is what would be pretty close to paradise for us. If anyone has suggestions that meet at least *most* of the criteria, I'd be happy to hear it! If there's anything I left out that would be useful when making a recommendation, please just let me know!
* Weather - would love to find a place that had as close to only three seasons as possible... quick spring, nice long summer, nice long autumn (our two favorite seasons are summer and autumn). Summer can be hot as the devils kitchen and I wouldn't care - we spend most free time in the summer in the swimming pool. Humidity isn't necessarily a bad thing for us, as DD has eczema and the humidity usually keeps it at bay. Frequently sunny year round would be a perk, but I do love me some good thunderstorms every now and again. Would prefer to not have to bundle up in winter coats and boots and gloves and hats and scarves and... you get the idea. Snow.. eh, could do without it. Though a couple of times a winter is liveable, if I HAVE to! Would love an autumn with nice daytime highs for fun outside, cool evenings for a fire in the fireplace. And to be able to get through winter (hopefully quickly!) with mostly just a sweater/sweatshirt. Maybe a scarf and gloves for me (since I am ALWAYS cold, even in the warmer weather! LOL)
* Schools - I believe that the school system is only partly responsible for my daughters education and that she will only get out of it what she (well, "we" at this point... she's only 5!) put into it. That said, I would like a decent school system for her.
* Neighborhoods - We have no kids DD's age in my neighborhood right now. Zero. Zilch. Would love a place where playing outside beat out xbox. She is very active, and loves being outdoors. She doesn't need huge crowds of kids - she's actually pretty shy. But a place where she can make a few good friends in the neighborhood would be awesome. Would love to have a really nice, quaint, walkable downtown. Don't mind driving at all, but would really love to be able to walk to a few places, within a mile or so where we won't get killed on some major interstate or something - small grocery store, movie, aforementioned downtown, stuff like that.
* Employment/Higher Education - While this is not deal maker or breaker, I would like to be near - commuting distance, anyway - a major university for me... I am continuing my education in the healthcare field, so a place with either a PA degree, DDS/DMD degree, or MD/DO degree school would be great (nope, I haven't decided yet what I want to be when I "grow up"... but I'm keeping my options open! LOL). DH will be self employed from home, so no worries in his department.
* Activities/Weekends - Farmers market. I would LOVE to be near a farmers market! LOL... we don't have one here! And lakes. We'd love to be near lakes. We like to pull out the rowboat and DD and DH fish.
* Politics/Religion - Not really a concern, I guess? We generally don't walk around publicizing or discussing our political leanings. If it's important, I guess we do tend to lean towards being liberal republicans. Or maybe conservative democrats. (LOL Do those designations even exist?) And religion... we don't really practice at the moment, but we would probably like to at least have one Episcopalian church nearby... just in case.
* COL - ummm, well I guess anything cheaper than NYC would be lovely....
Great schools, pretty friendly area. Low cost of living. All 4 season but the winters are really mild (good for you, bad for me...I like snow ). I've always thought the humidity was a bit uncomfortable. Not really horrible..but uncomfortable (I come from an area where humidity is pretty much a nonissue) but it may be good for you.
You would be commuting distance (20 minutes or less) to VCU (largest school in VA) which has a pretty good (and well ranked) medical school and employment through the VCU HealthSystems.
Has a farmers market but I honestly can't say how active it is. But there are plenty of activities pretty much year round during the week and weekends (festivals, shows, concerts, parades, marathons etc).
You would be near the James River (not sure if thats what you're looking for...its more 'rafting' than rowboating..lol. There is also Boat Lake and Swan Lake, Shields Lake and Maymont Park Pond (all in Byrd Park). There's also 2 small (6 acre each) lakes in Bryan Park. Then you have Swift Creek Resevoir, Lake Chesdin...well..I can't name them all, just suffice it to say there are lakes..lol. You're also a couple of hours from Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area, as well as DC. Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens theme parks are all day-trips away should that ever interest you.
Sacramento, CA or somewhere in the outer Bay Area suburbs I think would be a good fit. They have 3 seasons (Spring, Summer, and Fall) with no real winter. Summer is long and HOT but dry. Winter is rainy and cool but not cold and still relatively sunny. Both areas fit all of your other criteria too Sacramento is near some really nice mountains and lakes as are parts of the Bay Area too. Sac is much cheaper than the Bay Area overall though but only 90 minutes away.
Anywhere in low land California. Our seasons:
1) Wet and cool (sort of a blending of the fall and spring of a 4 season climate)
2) Slightly wet (or not) and mostly warm (the spring and early summer of a 4 season climate)
3) Dry and warm (except at the immediate coast) (the summer of a four season climate but with no rain)
So we are looking to relocate at some point in the near future, so I've decided to begin researching.
Here is what would be pretty close to paradise for us. If anyone has suggestions that meet at least *most* of the criteria, I'd be happy to hear it! If there's anything I left out that would be useful when making a recommendation, please just let me know!
* Weather - would love to find a place that had as close to only three seasons as possible... quick spring, nice long summer, nice long autumn (our two favorite seasons are summer and autumn). Summer can be hot as the devils kitchen and I wouldn't care - we spend most free time in the summer in the swimming pool. Humidity isn't necessarily a bad thing for us, as DD has eczema and the humidity usually keeps it at bay. Frequently sunny year round would be a perk, but I do love me some good thunderstorms every now and again. Would prefer to not have to bundle up in winter coats and boots and gloves and hats and scarves and... you get the idea. Snow.. eh, could do without it. Though a couple of times a winter is liveable, if I HAVE to! Would love an autumn with nice daytime highs for fun outside, cool evenings for a fire in the fireplace. And to be able to get through winter (hopefully quickly!) with mostly just a sweater/sweatshirt. Maybe a scarf and gloves for me (since I am ALWAYS cold, even in the warmer weather! LOL)
* Schools - I believe that the school system is only partly responsible for my daughters education and that she will only get out of it what she (well, "we" at this point... she's only 5!) put into it. That said, I would like a decent school system for her.
* Neighborhoods - We have no kids DD's age in my neighborhood right now. Zero. Zilch. Would love a place where playing outside beat out xbox. She is very active, and loves being outdoors. She doesn't need huge crowds of kids - she's actually pretty shy. But a place where she can make a few good friends in the neighborhood would be awesome. Would love to have a really nice, quaint, walkable downtown. Don't mind driving at all, but would really love to be able to walk to a few places, within a mile or so where we won't get killed on some major interstate or something - small grocery store, movie, aforementioned downtown, stuff like that.
* Employment/Higher Education - While this is not deal maker or breaker, I would like to be near - commuting distance, anyway - a major university for me... I am continuing my education in the healthcare field, so a place with either a PA degree, DDS/DMD degree, or MD/DO degree school would be great (nope, I haven't decided yet what I want to be when I "grow up"... but I'm keeping my options open! LOL). DH will be self employed from home, so no worries in his department.
* Activities/Weekends - Farmers market. I would LOVE to be near a farmers market! LOL... we don't have one here! And lakes. We'd love to be near lakes. We like to pull out the rowboat and DD and DH fish.
* Politics/Religion - Not really a concern, I guess? We generally don't walk around publicizing or discussing our political leanings. If it's important, I guess we do tend to lean towards being liberal republicans. Or maybe conservative democrats. (LOL Do those designations even exist?) And religion... we don't really practice at the moment, but we would probably like to at least have one Episcopalian church nearby... just in case.
* COL - ummm, well I guess anything cheaper than NYC would be lovely....
Thoughts???
College Station Texas is perfect for you
Texas A&M University is right there (obviously a great major university), the temps are hot in summer and mild in the winter.
The schools (A&M consolidated ) is pretty good and the area is low in crime. Many kids seem to be running around outside there.
It is close enough to Houston for big city vibe and culture if you need that.
Lake Summerville is about 20 miles away (great for small boats)
So we are looking to relocate at some point in the near future, so I've decided to begin researching.
Here is what would be pretty close to paradise for us. If anyone has suggestions that meet at least *most* of the criteria, I'd be happy to hear it! If there's anything I left out that would be useful when making a recommendation, please just let me know!
* Weather - would love to find a place that had as close to only three seasons as possible... quick spring, nice long summer, nice long autumn (our two favorite seasons are summer and autumn). Summer can be hot as the devils kitchen and I wouldn't care - we spend most free time in the summer in the swimming pool. Humidity isn't necessarily a bad thing for us, as DD has eczema and the humidity usually keeps it at bay. Frequently sunny year round would be a perk, but I do love me some good thunderstorms every now and again. Would prefer to not have to bundle up in winter coats and boots and gloves and hats and scarves and... you get the idea. Snow.. eh, could do without it. Though a couple of times a winter is liveable, if I HAVE to! Would love an autumn with nice daytime highs for fun outside, cool evenings for a fire in the fireplace. And to be able to get through winter (hopefully quickly!) with mostly just a sweater/sweatshirt. Maybe a scarf and gloves for me (since I am ALWAYS cold, even in the warmer weather! LOL)
* Schools - I believe that the school system is only partly responsible for my daughters education and that she will only get out of it what she (well, "we" at this point... she's only 5!) put into it. That said, I would like a decent school system for her.
* Neighborhoods - We have no kids DD's age in my neighborhood right now. Zero. Zilch. Would love a place where playing outside beat out xbox. She is very active, and loves being outdoors. She doesn't need huge crowds of kids - she's actually pretty shy. But a place where she can make a few good friends in the neighborhood would be awesome. Would love to have a really nice, quaint, walkable downtown. Don't mind driving at all, but would really love to be able to walk to a few places, within a mile or so where we won't get killed on some major interstate or something - small grocery store, movie, aforementioned downtown, stuff like that.
* Employment/Higher Education - While this is not deal maker or breaker, I would like to be near - commuting distance, anyway - a major university for me... I am continuing my education in the healthcare field, so a place with either a PA degree, DDS/DMD degree, or MD/DO degree school would be great (nope, I haven't decided yet what I want to be when I "grow up"... but I'm keeping my options open! LOL). DH will be self employed from home, so no worries in his department.
* Activities/Weekends - Farmers market. I would LOVE to be near a farmers market! LOL... we don't have one here! And lakes. We'd love to be near lakes. We like to pull out the rowboat and DD and DH fish.
* Politics/Religion - Not really a concern, I guess? We generally don't walk around publicizing or discussing our political leanings. If it's important, I guess we do tend to lean towards being liberal republicans. Or maybe conservative democrats. (LOL Do those designations even exist?) And religion... we don't really practice at the moment, but we would probably like to at least have one Episcopalian church nearby... just in case.
* COL - ummm, well I guess anything cheaper than NYC would be lovely....
Thoughts???
Portland, OR. Springs are almost nonexistent here, so it always feels like winter "never ends". Summers are usually very nice, if short. Falls often hit with a bang (cool), but not always.
Anywhere in low land California. Our seasons:
1) Wet and cool (sort of a blending of the fall and spring of a 4 season climate)
2) Slightly wet (or not) and mostly warm (the spring and early summer of a 4 season climate)
3) Dry and warm (except at the immediate coast) (the summer of a four season climate but with no rain)
Not to sound like a complete geographical idiot (even though it's a good classification for me!)... what areas would be considered "low land California"?
Last edited by outtahere!; 10-10-2009 at 11:40 AM..
Reason: hmmm. can't spell either, I guess!
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Would love an autumn with nice daytime highs for fun outside, cool evenings for a fire in the fireplace. And to be able to get through winter (hopefully quickly!) with mostly just a sweater/sweatshirt. Maybe a scarf and gloves for me (since I am ALWAYS cold, even in the warmer weather! LOL)
). I've always thought the humidity was a bit uncomfortable. Not really horrible..but uncomfortable (I come from an area where humidity is pretty much a nonissue) but it may be good for you. 
