Moving from CA to Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa City: apartment, to rent, university)

[uuss]

I have accepted a job office in Mascatine and planning to move to Quad Cities (Davenport IA, Moline, IL) and commute to Mascatine. Need your help in deciding which place to live.
I have spent 5 years in CA so I am sure that the weather would be a BIG challenge for me. But I guess I will manage.

Other questions that I have:

- How is the driving in winter? I have a rear wheel drive and would be driving close to 30 miles every day.
- Is there any place in Quad Cities, that I need to stay away from?
- What is the best place to live? I would prefer living in some lively place.

Thank you and appreciate your time.

[golfgal]

Why not live in Mascatine?

[lurtsman]

Been to Muscatine? I'd imagine that Muscatine is the reason he is looking to not live there.

Darn it. See post below. I thought it was Muscatine but I decided to just accept that everyone was calling it Mascatine

Worse yet, if you google it you get auto corrected and it shows the city, so if you're doing this while being sleepy you'll think it confirmed Mascatine...

[jmgg]

I didn't know there was a Mascatine Iowa. I'd check out Muscatine.

[uuss]

My bad ... ... Muscatine, IA

[atler8]

No problem there with your misspelling. It's been done a million times before & certainly a tricky spelling for sure. You may have guessed that it is a name derived from American Indian origins. I've heard some interesting pronunciations of it over the years!
I have relatively little experience with Davenport & Bettendorf so I will leave it to others who can better describe living conditions there.
But, if you do decide to commute down to Muscatine from Davenport, the largest & westernmost of the actual cities that make up the Quad Cities, you will have a good 4 lane road for your drive.
One comment I can make is that Davenport has readily embraced it's connection to the Mississippi River & it's historic culture. To me, this is a positive thing as compared to cities that have actively turned their back to the river.

[uuss]

Thanks alter8

Any suggestions for apartment(1 or 2 BR) to rent? I am confused between Davenport and Moline.

[Dport7674]

Single? Kids?

They're doing a number on downtown Davenport lately. That's where I'd pick to live. Plus it's a straight shot across the centennial bridge to 'The District' in downtown Rock Island, which is the liveliest place in the QCA.

The area around St. Ambrose university near the strip of taverns on Harrison st. is a good spot if you like to get drunk and be within walking distance of home.

The occasional blizzard makes driving a pain in the ass, but that only happens every few years.

My advice changes if you have a family/kids.

[smpliving]

I agree with Davenport. While I don't personally know the area very well, several of my co workers in Iowa City enjoy the river front with its bike trails and festivals. Seems very popular. I've been to downtown Rock Island at night and it's quite lively with many taverns/bars. Kind of gritty, but in a good way ... authentic.

[Christinerica]

I would recommend Low Moor Iowa as a splendid place to call home.