Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi! Well, as you can tell by my user-name..... I am searching for my paradise. I am having a mid-life crisis I guess I recently lost my house and my job so I'm ready for a fresh start! Problem is, I have never been out of Oregon I figure that since I can't afford to drive all over the US, what better way to learn about the world beyond my four walls than to put a post on City Data and see what the wise, world travelers have to say. I would really love your opinions..... can I see the world through your eyes?
I am fully aware that there is no "perfect" place, but if there were a PERFECT place for me ( my paradise ) it would be: WARM, I'm so tired of this Oregon rain! I need more sun, but I don't like HOT. Around 80 is good I don't want humid, don't want tornados and hurricanes, don't care for 'gators. I like mountains.... not for hiking/rock climbing/mountain biking, but more for the beauty! Just not interested in flat, desert terrain. Love trees ( Palm Trees are a plus! ) I have to be near water. I live on the coast now and I LOVE the beach ( when on occasion it is warm here in Oregon ) Love rivers, lakes, streams. I want to live in a small, friendly town. I love the small town community feel. A nice little downtown area with some great pubs where you know just about everyone in there. Not into freeways and big city life, BUT I would like to be close to a larger city. I'd like to take a short drive to shop at a mall or for good health care services. I want LOW crime, great schools, involved community. I'm not racist, but I don't wan't my kids to be the minority, or to be harrassed. ( We are white ) I thought Maui was my paradise, but my kids are Haoles AND it's just way too expensive there! I suppose the economy is going to be terrible everywhere. I will need to find a job, so I need a little town that's holding it's own.....
I guess I've rambled enough. Just wanted to give as much info as possible. Now I would LOVE to hear your suggestions!!!
Last edited by Bo; 04-01-2009 at 10:12 AM..
Reason: Mod note: On-topic for General US.
Until you got to the end, I thought you might be describing a little town on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii. Somewhere that you could easily drive into Kailua Kona. I don't know about the schools and the Haole bit, but the rest of it sounds like what you want.
Hi! Well, as you can tell by my user-name..... I am searching for my paradise. I am having a mid-life crisis I guess I recently lost my house and my job so I'm ready for a fresh start! Problem is, I have never been out of Oregon I figure that since I can't afford to drive all over the US, what better way to learn about the world beyond my four walls than to put a post on City Data and see what the wise, world travelers have to say. I would really love your opinions..... can I see the world through your eyes?
I am fully aware that there is no "perfect" place, but if there were a PERFECT place for me ( my paradise ) it would be: WARM, I'm so tired of this Oregon rain! I need more sun, but I don't like HOT. Around 80 is good I don't want humid, don't want tornados and hurricanes, don't care for 'gators. I like mountains.... not for hiking/rock climbing/mountain biking, but more for the beauty! Just not interested in flat, desert terrain. Love trees ( Palm Trees are a plus! ) I have to be near water. I live on the coast now and I LOVE the beach ( when on occasion it is warm here in Oregon ) Love rivers, lakes, streams. I want to live in a small, friendly town. I love the small town community feel. A nice little downtown area with some great pubs where you know just about everyone in there. Not into freeways and big city life, BUT I would like to be close to a larger city. I'd like to take a short drive to shop at a mall or for good health care services. I want LOW crime, great schools, involved community. I'm not racist, but I don't wan't my kids to be the minority, or to be harrassed. ( We are white ) I thought Maui was my paradise, but my kids are Haoles AND it's just way too expensive there! I suppose the economy is going to be terrible everywhere. I will need to find a job, so I need a little town that's holding it's own.....
I guess I've rambled enough. Just wanted to give as much info as possible. Now I would LOVE to hear your suggestions!!!
Hmm, there are some coastal cities in central/southern CA that might fit the bill. To be fair, I'm not up to date on the current economic conditions of these (haven't visited them since the crash) or the state of their education systems (though I'd imagine it's pretty good). One you might like is Morro Bay. It's one my favorite places along the coast.
I would say somewhere a little bit inland in Northern or Central CA. There are places in SoCal that would work but it has less trees than Northern CA and is more desert like; little towns in the San Diego County mountains might be worth a look like Ramona, Julian, Alpine. Check out Mendocino, Sonoma, and Lake Counties in Northern Ca. Lots of small towns, most places are within an hour of the coast (although its not a warm coast, similar to OR), lots of trees, lakes, rivers, within an hour or two of San Francisco and the Bay Area. But it can get kind of hot in summer (90's) farther inland.
Thanks so much you guys. I have been thinking the Central/Southern coast of CA, too. Sav858, I will look into the towns you suggested. I do like San Luis Obisbpo area, but thought it might be expensive ( like Santa Barbara? ) Thanks for suggestions...... keep 'em coming
I share alot of the same feelings. It's kinda hard to find a warm place that at the same time has alot of vegetation (trees etc) without having humidity, storms etc. The east coast states will all have humidity. I agree that so cal is the closest state to fit what your looking for. It's near the water and has a dry sunny climate. I would move there but the cost of living you know is sky high and my friend there tells me the economy is REAL BAD. However, you may have the right skills to do alright. If you do have them I would seriously consider San Diego county. I'm from NY so I could deal with LA. But I would prefer San Diego. I think anything north of LA and it starts getting cooler
Hi! Well, as you can tell by my user-name..... I am searching for my paradise. I am having a mid-life crisis I guess I recently lost my house and my job so I'm ready for a fresh start! Problem is, I have never been out of Oregon I figure that since I can't afford to drive all over the US, what better way to learn about the world beyond my four walls than to put a post on City Data and see what the wise, world travelers have to say. I would really love your opinions..... can I see the world through your eyes?
I am fully aware that there is no "perfect" place, but if there were a PERFECT place for me ( my paradise ) it would be: WARM, I'm so tired of this Oregon rain! I need more sun, but I don't like HOT. Around 80 is good I don't want humid, don't want tornados and hurricanes, don't care for 'gators. I like mountains.... not for hiking/rock climbing/mountain biking, but more for the beauty! Just not interested in flat, desert terrain. Love trees ( Palm Trees are a plus! ) I have to be near water. I live on the coast now and I LOVE the beach ( when on occasion it is warm here in Oregon ) Love rivers, lakes, streams. I want to live in a small, friendly town. I love the small town community feel. A nice little downtown area with some great pubs where you know just about everyone in there. Not into freeways and big city life, BUT I would like to be close to a larger city. I'd like to take a short drive to shop at a mall or for good health care services. I want LOW crime, great schools, involved community. I'm not racist, but I don't wan't my kids to be the minority, or to be harrassed. ( We are white ) I thought Maui was my paradise, but my kids are Haoles AND it's just way too expensive there! I suppose the economy is going to be terrible everywhere. I will need to find a job, so I need a little town that's holding it's own.....
I guess I've rambled enough. Just wanted to give as much info as possible. Now I would LOVE to hear your suggestions!!!
Yeah, you're pretty restricted to SoCal, anything east of the Mississippi River is going to be too humid in the summer for your liking or just not warm enough to begin with in the northern US. Although, couldn't tell you much about the quality of schools in that region, and you'd likely be the minority as much of Southern California is Hispanic.
Truthfully though, your asking for a Utopia with all of your requests, and this side of heaven, just don't think that exists anywhere!!
Are you asking which city/state could use another jobless/homeless person who doesn't mention in their desires, a place where they could most likely find a job?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I recently lost my house and my job so I'm ready for a fresh start! Problem is, I have never been out of Oregon 
I figure that since I can't afford to drive all over the US, what better way to learn about the world beyond my four walls than to put a post on City Data and see what the wise, world travelers have to say. I would really love your opinions..... can I see the world through your eyes?
I don't want humid, don't want tornados and hurricanes, don't care for 'gators. I like mountains.... not for hiking/rock climbing/mountain biking, but more for the beauty! Just not interested in flat, desert terrain. Love trees ( Palm Trees are a plus! 
) I have to be near water. I live on the coast now and I LOVE the beach ( when on occasion it is warm here in Oregon ) Love rivers, lakes, streams. I want to live in a small, friendly town. I love the small town community feel. A nice little downtown area with some great pubs where you know just about everyone in there. 
