Commute from Edmond, OK to Vance AFB (Oklahoma City, Tulsa: amusement park, home)

[MsMilene]

My husband is AD Air Force and has received orders to Vance AFB. We will be relocating from Tampa, FL. Have been doing a little research and was looking into moving to either Stillwater or Edmond, due to the availability of better schools for my children, and work for me (I work in Higher Ed). What is the commute like to Vance from Stillwater/Edmond? Which area is better for children, shopping, restaurants, things to do. TIA

[swake]

Commute from Edmond to Enid? That's a new one. They are not close.

[StillwaterTownie]

The commute to Enid from either Stillwater or Edmond would be 4 lanes all the way with Stillwater being somewhat closer. I would suggest living on the west or southwest side of Stillwater, in order to get out of town faster. Stillwater has daily air passenger service to Dallas, so that might be a plus to you. Stillwater has sports camps for kids during the summer.

However, if more and better shopping and other big city things are very important, then living in Edmond would be much better. Attractions that aren't far away are Quail Springs Mall, one of the biggest enclosed malls in Oklahoma, a great zoo, horse racing, a casino, several museums, and Frontier City, which is Oklahoma's biggest amusement park. And, of course, a greater variety of restaurants. With Edmond being one of the largest Oklahoma suburbs, there's surely more things for kids to do. By the way, it's not as big as OSU, but there is Central State University in Edmond.

Also, I seem to recall in the past that someone else asked the same question and concluded that living in Edmond would be better, because it offered so much more than Stillwater, which is basically just a college town with a few manufacturing plants and Eskimo Joe's thrown in. Stillwater would be close to an hour's drive to where those attractions listed are. Tulsa, Oklahoma's 2nd biggest metro, is also about an hour's drive away, or a little more, if going to the airport or the biggest mall, Woodland Hills.

[SluggoF16]

I went to Vance for UPT; one of my classmates was on a joint-spouse assignment to Tinker while he was an instructor pilot at Vance, and they split the difference, more-or-less. He drove the daily commute and when I ran into him a few years ago at a reunion he stated "never again". He was on the western side of Edmond so he used OK 74 to Hennessy, OK 51 to US 81. The schedule was the killer; those 0400 or earlier show times and night weeks sometimes meant staying at a friend's place or billeting on-base, but the kicker was the black ice accident he was in on OK 74 near Crescent. It's about an hour and a half from Edmond to Vance; understand that a commander has the option of denying a service member that length of commute, many restrict the drive to an hour or less. Since a Vance assignment doesn't carry a mobility position with it, except for air traffic controllers, security forces or civil engineers, that may not be enforced.

Also, the university in Edmond is the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO)... my niece goes there.

[StillwaterTownie]

If the distant commuting would be hard to tolerate, I'd go with Stillwater, but it's not much of an improvement. Or live with Enid. It's not a tiny town. While it wouldn't happen often, bad winter weather would eventually be a problem as was pointed out. Several years ago, as designated driver, I had to cancel driving Stillwater friends to their company Christmas party in Enid, because a snow storm made the highways too slick. Would have had started the trip with the snow still flying. (No, they didn't commute to Enid as workers. They worked at the company office in Stillwater.)

Speaking of "never again", that's what I said after driving through a heavy snowstorm one night from Oklahoma City to Stillwater. Having to drive much slower and unable to see stripes on the road was mighty aggravating and stressful. It must have been a white out. Conditions got so bad that I-35 was closed shortly after I got off it. I made it home okay, but "never again." Been there and done that.

I don't know if Enid has been replacing its old elementary schools with new ones like Stillwater has. If not, Enid must have felt that erecting the most awesome new community and event center in the state was more important than education. By the way, the two new elementary schools in Stillwater are sure awesome and modern looking. Work on a new elementary school to replace the last remaining old one starts soon.

[KayneMo]

^ I believe at least one elementary school was replaced by a new one in Enid, and a completely new elementary school was recently built. Enid now has 11 elementary schools.

[MsMilene]

My biggest concern with Enid was the lack of a good high school. Elementary schools seem to be pretty good throughout, but a good high school is top priority, and there won't be work for me in Enid I work in Higher Ed.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by MsMilene

My biggest concern with Enid was the lack of a good high school. Elementary schools seem to be pretty good throughout, but a good high school is top priority, and there won't be work for me in Enid I work in Higher Ed.

Then if Enid must remain out, then go take a drive of Stillwater and Edmond and decide from there where you would rather live. Edmond from being of suburb of Oklahoma City would be a lot more like Tampa.

[eddie gein]

I'd say if you live in NW Edmond you could get to Vance in maybe 70 minutes. Maybe a little less if you live right by HWY 74 and North of say Covell road. That would put you in Deer Creek School System.

[MsMilene]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I'd say if you live in NW Edmond you could get to Vance in maybe 70 minutes. Maybe a little less if you live right by HWY 74 and North of say Covell road. That would put you in Deer Creek School System.

Thank you, this is very helpful! Anyone have any information on the military community in Edmond? Is there one? Seems like the military FB groups for Vance are non-existent or not very active