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I am planning on relocating my family to the Pocatello area and transfer to the Costco there. California is horrible and even though i was raised here, I'm not proud to say it and i do not want to raise my children here. Everything is to damn expensive and the idaho lifestyle is just our style. I'm more interested in if there's any Costco Employees out there and how they like it. How there medical is and where they go. All and all how life is around Pocatello. My family and i feel that we would fit right in with the love for the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and anything outside and wanting a slower pace of life. We are traveling to the area mid June for a week to look at the Costco and to look at homes.Thanks for the help.
Don't worry about the medical. Idaho is just as good as anywhere else in that regard.
Just be aware that moving by itself is not the answer to your discontent. As a native, you will probably find yourself missing things that to us Idahoans, might seem strange or minor trifles.
The thing about life here is… Idaho is not a state for just anyone. Those who move here come to either love it or can't wait to get out. Which way you go will all spend on whether Idaho's realities fit your real expectations, not whether Idaho fits whatever fantasies you have.
What you will find for sure is a little less expensive life, and one that is probably a bit less intrusive. You will also find us friendly but very self-sufficient, and the two often can contradict themselves. You are going to take many societal things for granted that we do not at first. We will also have a different view on some things you may expect us to agree with. Self-sufficiency and individual freedom go hand in hand out here, so we all learn to agree to disagree about lots of stuff.
You probably aren't ready for our state's extremely varied and wild natural beauty- that's always a shock at first, or it's extremes in climate, or it's vastness, or it's lack of ever present humanity surrounding you. Another thing you will have to get used to is how paid back we are here. When journeys are estimated by hours, not miles, time takes on a different meaning here than it has in other places. When you can spend days at a time without ever seeing a stranger, friendship becomes re-defined. We aren't ever in much of a rush here, but that doesn't mean we are not industrious or lack ambition. What it does mean is learning to savor the moment, and there will be many moments to savor here.
The more you take your family out to experience what's here, the quicker you'll know if you made the right decision or not.
Wrong or right, the thing to prepare for is time in. You won't know in a year if Idaho was a good or bad move unless you really immerse yourself into life here with as few comparisons to life there as is possible.
By the end of your second year here, you will know a lot more than anyone can tell you in a few words in a forum.
By the end of your 3rd year, you'll know if you made the right choice or not. Old Mother Idaho holds her children close, and shakes all others out of her apron with fair dispatch.
From a native's view, Pocatello is a pretty good place for a newcomer to adjust to life here; better than some other places, and worse than a few others.
But that's coming from a guy who isn't comfortable any more anywhere in a city that has a population of 100,000 or more, so take it for what its worth. I could move to Poky and still feel at home there a lot easier than moving to any place in California.
But I can say the same about any other state I've ever visited as well. Idaho is simply my home, and that's that. Obviously, I like life here just fine and dandy.
Last edited by banjomike; 06-05-2015 at 03:38 AM..
Thank you for the in depth comment. I do completely understand that going to another state because i do not like california is no reason to leave. I guess i did not completly explain in detail. Honestly the main reason for leaving california is fire my two little boys. I want to be able to give them a better life that i can't give them in California. That's the absolute main reason. I know, the climate change will be a change for us for sure, and itll be new to use to live in the country, but at the same time that is what we want. My wife and i are not meant to be in California. We love our free land, we love our freedoms, we love our guns also. Thats another big thing for me, my biggest hobby is firearms and in cali that really doesnt work.
As for missing things in California, my wife and i have been talking about this for about 3 years and evaluated what we would miss. The main thing would be our families because almost all of them are in cali, but other than that it would probably the beach for my wife and deep sea fishing for me. Other than those we are very simple minded. With my job at Costco i have to be somewhat closer to town so we have been looking on the outskirts of Pocatello and in Blackfoot. As long as were within 45 mins of Costco and a Walmart than we're pretty good. We do not like the California city life, fast paced, rude, in a hurry lifestyle. Im hoping for something totally different and hope that it is indeed that. Of course its not always 100% greener on the other side, but i sure hope so.
I can't speak for Costco; haven't been in one since I lived in TN. Don't have the years of experience in ID, like Mike, but I have been in Chubbuck now for a whole whopping 8 months.
Never lived in CA, but have lived in NY, GA, MI, TN, UT and a few other unmentionable places in the world. But used to have quite a few friends who USED to live in CA, but now they have all moved, ether across the border to NV, AZ, or back home to TX.
Your reasons for moving to ID area different than mine were. I was retiring and wanted to move closer to high altitude campgrounds in the pines, and wanted to move back to have four distinct seasons; unlike southern UT. So ID was logical move. Chubbuck was chosen due to it being just large enough to have most basic necessities, good healthcare, and within hours of MT, WY and the ID mountains. Plus, the surrounding area around Pocatello is quite nice with the low mountains in the background.
Where I live in Chubbuck it is five minutes to the local grocery, maybe 10 to Walmarts, Lowes, Home Depot, Pine Ridge Mall (but honestly, not much left in the mall...my opinion). I'm guessing Costco is probably about 12 minutes. These are actual times due to traffic and the traffic on Yellowstone ave and the intersection of I86 that can get busy at times. Map shows actual mileage from my place in Chubbuck to Costco is 3-miles and 7 minutes.
As for Pocatello...I like the area. Traffic is not bad, even on Yellowstone Ave, the main drag through town and the road Costco is located. Appears to be fairly clean. I have walked throughout the old-town area, as well as the area west of Old-Town over by the court houses, and have never encountered any problems. (But I would not live down there; just my preference.)
Cost of living was a factor, and the prices of homes, especially when compared to southern UT, is great. Property taxes are fairly low, streets are good (remember, I lived in MI; noted for the worse roads in the USA, .
As for guns, yea, this is a great state for gun ownership that's for sure. And plenty of places to head off to shoot, and even a few inexpensive ranges in the area. One I just heard of just a few miles north of Pocatello, just east of Chubbuck. (Although the three times I have gone shooting while living here, it has been down to UT.)
Thanks for the input. That's another thing that we are going to miss abd going to have to find new of, campgrounds. We started tent camping years ago and then had kids so we bough a camper and know we camp either on the ocean or in the moutains where i hunt. Itll be nice to find new camping sites for my family.
My ideal plan is to buy some property on the outskirts of town and not be directly in town. Sell my house in cali and use that money to buy something up there. I know plans never 100% work out like you want them to but thats why im trying to get as much info as possible.
As long as stuff is within 30 mins of us than im ok with it. We are looking at a house on Inkom and a house in Blackfoot, but we'll probably stay in our camper in a rv park until we get a home, prolly be cheaper that way.
Plenty of campground within hours of Pocatello....
Stanley Lake area and the Sawtooths about 4 hours
Grand Teton NP about 3 hours
West Yellowstone 2.5 hours
Cody WY 5.5 hours (lots of camping between East exit from Yellowstone to Cody (very heavy grizzly area)
Red Lodge MT 6 hours via Yellowstone and the Beartooth Parkway
Glacier NP 7 hours
And my old playground; Moab UT 6 hours
But no oceans nearby....
Have you visited the area, yet? I highly suggest you visit these cities, but it is your decision.
f5's comments are all accurate, lukefam. We know each other, and he's looked this territory out more widely than he mentioned.
For sure, moving here to give your children a different life experience will come true in ways you probably don't expect.
The really big difference is out here, people as individuals still count. You and your kids will find friends out here who will last for a lifetime, and they will always be there when you need friends the most.
There will definitely be some differences you'll notice right off the bat. Drivers here very often stop to let a driver who's been waiting for a long traffic line get in the line. It happened to me just a few minutes ago, as I was returning home after picking up a few things I needed, driving around town. It's so common I forgot it until reading this thread.
While I was picking up my vacuum after some repairs, I spent far more time catching up with a former neighbor who works at the shop than the errand itself took. We were only acquaintances when he lived across the street, but we're friends now. That's the way life really is here. It gives us all a good set of roots and a strong sense of place.
It's an honest kind life for most of us. Once a person gets to know you whatever the differences are between two people are always less that what we all share alike out here. Your kids may need some time to adjust to a simpler, slower lifestyle, but if they already like the same things you like, they will come to love it here. Fishing, hunting, camping, and going shooting are all so easy here, and there is an endless variety of completely different places to explore in all directions.
I think you will fit just fine. You couldn't have picked a better time to come visit- Old Mother Idaho is showing off again, and she has wildflowers in her hair that are just beginning to bloom. There is no more magnificent place to be than summer in Idaho, I swear. Just be sure to pack something warm, as Idaho nights can be cool, even in summer.
I'll also back f5 ' s knowledge of Camp Grounds, and other back country areas.
My one concern is about you living in a camping trailer or camper until you are in a house.
How far in advance can you request a transfer from Costco? How long would a transfer take, for Costco to transfer you and how long to get moved? I think you said both families live in CA, could you have family sell your house and if needed, live in a rental? Or how about an extended stay motel? I probably don't really understand what you are thinking and that is okay, but know I think you should check ordinances wherever you think you'll be camping/living while searching for a home. I am concerned about the limitations of what you can do in that setting with a family, while working for a while.
I know moving can be expensive, but I'm not sure you can do certain things with children that one adult could do. Just check so you don't start your ID experience with work or living hassles.
I wish you the best of luck deciding what is right for you.
I understand that living in a trailer/rv for a little while while searching for a home isn't ideal, but compared to signing a lease at an apartment or anything like that it seems like the better and cheaper idea. I have looked into Cowboy campground in pocatello and they say it is around 400 a month for extended stay. If it comes down to that i think my wife and kids might stay here in cali while i travel up there and work. I have already put in my transfer for costco, but depending on if they have openings itll probably be a few months.
I have reseached many options and came to either renting something month to month or staying in our trailer. I plan to buy asap, but depending on what we find in the area affects that. We have already found a few homes we're interested in so hopefully everything works out.
Im always open to advice and ideas from everyone so dont be afraid to share input. I 100% understand that no matter what i do it is going to be complicated and expensive to move and figure things out, but in the long run i am confident that it will be better for my sons
Thank you
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