Has anyone moved from CALIF to Indiana? INPUT PLEASE (Kokomo: apartments, to rent)

[TraderJack]

You know, the one thing I really miss is a good old fashion DINER! Good ol' comfort food! I can't seem to find that here???

[redhd7]

We are ,moving from So Cal to Indy in 3 weeks and coudn't be happier. Granted we haven't lived there yet but we have visited and listened to my fathers stories since he moved to Peru 2 1/2 years ago. We love the small town feel of the places we have visited. Kokomo seems to big to us. With all the things to do in Cali, we do very few of them, we would rather sit around with our neighbors and watch our kids play. We want human contact and in Cali we have yet to be able to find that. Most of our friends we met in high school because our neighbors don't want to get to know anyone new, and frankly beacause they speak different languages. I want my kids to play outside and know that there is more to life then sunny weather. I want them to learn to use there imaginations and not rely on movie theaters and malls to keep them occupied.
When we go to a park my kids might start playing with the other kids there but the parents never mingle. I had to join 4 different mommy's groups to find ONE new friend that didn't judge me the first time she met me. Small town is the life we wish to live and I think that if you really want to make something work you will look for and find the good in any place you live. We could in Cali but we don't want to. I want cool falls and cozy, cold winters, springs were life renues and Summers where we can go outside instead of sitting in a air conditioned apartment, because even though it looks beautiful out side, it can really be deadly.
I just think that if you keep an open mind you can be happy in a place that is different from where you are used to.

[domergurl]

Welcome to Indiana redhd. Let us know how your transition goes.

[PhillyIndy]

Originally Posted by ocexpo

I find some of these posts to be hard to believe. Hamilton County has an average household income EXCEEDING Orange County, the epitome of culture/the beach. I seriously doubt Hamilton County residents are "blue collar" considering how affordable the housing is and how much their average income is. For some reason, I cant picture some hillbillie scratching his hairy belly on the front yard of his majestic Carmel estate. It just...doesn't seem like a true representation. I was looking through some very nice subdivisions (Lakeside Park, and others) because I am moving from California (Newport Beach) and I saw a lot of activity...moreso than I see in my Newport Beach neighborhood. Kids are playing in their driveways or at the park, the community pool was bustling, some women (and men) were talking, garages were open....it just felt like a neighborhood...not an abandoned graveyard filled with cooped up poor people like the posters suggest.

Yes, it will be a culture shock, we know that. However, what we use is here. They have a supermarket, they have a mall, they have parks, they have everything we do except water. I mean seriously, most of those people who are moving from a beach community live in a culturally dull SUBURBAN community; much like Indianapolis. They dont come from bustling cities. And honestly, I can do without a few museums or theaters. I dont visit those anyways. Im fine with a city where the streets roll up at 5pm, in LA you only wish the streets rolled up at 5pm because thats when the gangs come out.

I am excited about moving to the region. I love snow....I love weather. I love people, and am hoping the people will be more approchable than they are here. I love a laid back lifestyle....I dont like running and running without a break. A slower pace can be good for everyone. It shows you whats really important....your family. And I am ok with giving up diversity. Most of the people who are "diverse" here live in their own communities in distinct areas so I dont interact with them much anyways.

I dont see why people have such negative views of such an amazing place. Indianapolis seems to be a place where people truly realize what matters....something the phony people of OC seem to forget.

Correction; there is ZERO culture in Orange County. There is a beach.

[ocexpo]

I have a couple questions about Indianapolis

1. Do you get winds?
2. Is downtown Indianapolis an "interesting" place to be with shopping, dining, etc like other big cities?
3. I have heard that the city is farther along than other rust belt cities. Is that true? Is this city moving away from 80's manufacturing?
4. Are summers pleasant, hot, or downright unbearable?

[Michelle Morris]

yes, we get winds. Sometimes light breezes, sometimes rip the roof off kind.
Downtown Indy is very interesting, shops, restaurants, theaters
I don't know what you mean by "further along", so I can't help you here
Summers- Air conditioner required, but not unbearable
Try Indianapolis Downtown Inc.
Indy.com | Indianapolis Entertainment

[BU191433]

One good thing about the summers here is rarely do we have any extended heat waves. We might get 4 or 5 days straight over 90 degres, but then a cool front will move in and it will be 85 and less humid for 3 or 4 days before is slowly heats up. (that is pretty much the patten from about June 10th through the end of Augest.

[TraderJack]

I don't know if this is normal weather, since I've only been here since last June, but it seems to me to be a month behind this year?

Feels like we had March weather in April? Now it feels like we're having April weather in May? I wonder if anybody else senses that?

[PixiStix]

I used to think IN summers were yucky- but then I had never lived anywhere else to compare it to. Then we moved to SW Florida & let me tell you, I DREAM of Indy summers now! The summer in south Florida qualifies as unbearable. Indiana is not bad, trust me Can't wait to move back home~

[BU191433]

Originally Posted by TraderJack

I don't know if this is normal weather, since I've only been here since last June, but it seems to me to be a month behind this year?

Feels like we had March weather in April? Now it feels like we're having April weather in May? I wonder if anybody else senses that?

This seems very normal to me. Actually the last part of April was very nice this year. May has been a little iffy - but that is very typical - we usually get a lot of rain. Even though statistically May and September should be the same weather wise - September is much nicer, much less rain and more sun.

I always figure the "summer weather" doesn't kick in until around June 10th. Until them we can have rainy days and highs in the 60's quite often. But by June 10th highs will be in the 80's (at least) every day for almost three months straight.