What are some cute, more unique towns/ areas in Maricopa county? (California college grad recently moved to Gilbert) (Phoenix: homes, middle school)

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

When it comes to towns in AZ, it's best to keep your expectations relatively low. Sedona is a bad tourist trap (with nice scenery), Kierland is a mall, old town Scottsdale isn't very dense or urban, and Flagstaff is okay, but not quite as vibrant as you would think/hope. Tempe is booming, but it's still primarily a college area. There is literally nothing in all of AZ to compete with places like East Carson in Pittsburgh or State St in Santa Barbara, South Street in Philly or Washington St in Hoboken. That kind of street scene just doesn't exist in AZ.

Ever been to RoRo on First Friday? I can't imagine a street scene much larger than that short of shutting down LV Blvd on New Years Eve.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Quizillla

Thanks so much! Out of what I've visited, I've liked Old Town Scottsdale, Old-Town Gilbert (or is it Downtown?? I can't remember, lol), and Mill Avenue. I definitely agree those places have the best nightlife/ artsy shops. Downtown Chandler (near Chop-Shop) was very cute too.

Arizona definitely has a lot to offer, I just think it's very different from how San Francisco is set-up and it's definitely been a bit of a shock. I also just about went crazy from the summer 120 degree heat! How do you all deal with that?!

LOL it never got to 120 here this summer, but it did get HOT! I, personally took the short drive up north on quite a few weekends and spent time a lot of afternoons/evenings in the pool on weekends I was in Phoenix. Actually, this summer didn't seen bad at all now that I think about it... My bones are still chilly though, from the 5-year stint in the Northeast I just got done with. I appreciate the heat now.

[Maroon197]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

Have you actually been to any of those places?!?

Yes. Have you?

[Finger Laker]

Of course - they aren't all that special or unique and there are plenty of districts within the Phoenix metro that provide a lot of what they have to offer

[Quizillla]

Thanks everyone! I'm definitely struggling a bit in AZ but I'm trying my best to make the most out of it. I'm traveling to Prescott/ Flag this weekend so hopefully that will give me a bit of the nature that I have been craving so much!

It's hard to go from California Bay area views to the desert, but they both certainly have unique beauties of their own.

[Juram]

Originally Posted by Quizillla

Thanks so much! Great advice. I realized I kind of approached it in a weird-way comparing two VERY different cities. San Francisco is obviously much more urban and compact/ less spread out. I guess it's just kind of a culture shock. I miss the nature around San Francisco, but I agree that Phoenix is definitely growing and that if you look, there is plenty to do. Maybe I've just noticed less people out because Phoenix is so spread-out and doesn't really have a central area.

Thanks again. I appreciate the advice.

You're going to have to get out of the area for some of that. You can take daytrips to places like Payson, Flagstaff, Prescott....etc if more nature is what you're seeking. There are a lot of hiking spots in the Maricopa county area though, you just have to get out there and explore. I lived in the Napa Valley so I know some of the stuff you're talking about, it was a big shock when I first moved here but there's a lot to like and appreciate as well. You might like Jerome if you've never been there.

[Quizillla]

Originally Posted by Juram

You're going to have to get out of the area for some of that. You can take daytrips to places like Payson, Flagstaff, Prescott....etc if more nature is what you're seeking. There are a lot of hiking spots in the Maricopa county area though, you just have to get out there and explore. I lived in the Napa Valley so I know some of the stuff you're talking about, it was a big shock when I first moved here but there's a lot to like and appreciate as well. You might like Jerome if you've never been there.

Thank you! I actually lived in Sonoma and Rohnert Park before moving to Gilbert, I spend most of my time in Phoenix though, as I live and work there.

As a recent college grad (i've been out 1 yr). the job market there is TOUGH. Tougher than Phoenix. Here I've gotten a lot of interviews for 35k-40k jobs but a lot of my friends that stayed in Sonoma county are still working in retail due to lack of jobs :/

That area is BEAUTIFUL. There is something about seeing green whenever you drive on the freeways. It's just so DRY here. It's a different kind of beautiful, for sure. I'm not denying that the desert is beautiful. The sky here is vast and the sunsets are AMAZING. I'm just comforted by the ocean, by the forest, by wine vineyards..... because that's what I grew up around. It's been a big shock, but I've felt better going to Flagstaff/ Sedona. those areas are BEAUTIFUL and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you can go from a desert climate to a forest/ snow/ mountain town in 1.5-2 hours. It's AWESOME. You can't do that in California!

Long term, after I turn 24 and finish grad school, I'm going to leave Arizona.... the summers are just TOO hot and the desert isn't for me. But I agree, I need to make the most of it now

Thanks so much for everything. I'm visiting Prescott this weekend!

[mauiwowie]

Originally Posted by Quizillla

Thank you! I actually lived in Sonoma and Rohnert Park before moving to Gilbert, I spend most of my time in Phoenix though, as I live and work there.

As a recent college grad (i've been out 1 yr). the job market there is TOUGH. Tougher than Phoenix. Here I've gotten a lot of interviews for 35k-40k jobs but a lot of my friends that stayed in Sonoma county are still working in retail due to lack of jobs :/

That area is BEAUTIFUL. There is something about seeing green whenever you drive on the freeways. It's just so DRY here. It's a different kind of beautiful, for sure. I'm not denying that the desert is beautiful. The sky here is vast and the sunsets are AMAZING. I'm just comforted by the ocean, by the forest, by wine vineyards..... because that's what I grew up around. It's been a big shock, but I've felt better going to Flagstaff/ Sedona. those areas are BEAUTIFUL and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you can go from a desert climate to a forest/ snow/ mountain town in 1.5-2 hours. It's AWESOME. You can't do that in California!

Long term, after I turn 24 and finish grad school, I'm going to leave Arizona.... the summers are just TOO hot and the desert isn't for me. But I agree, I need to make the most of it now

Thanks so much for everything. I'm visiting Prescott this weekend!

We moved to Phoenix from Santa Rosa. Funny thing is my wife is AZ native and found it never got enough there. It is beautiful. The drive from Calistoga to the ocean along river road is stunning. Not to beat up Phoenix, but few places can match that scenery.

[Quizillla]

Originally Posted by mauiwowie

We moved to Phoenix from Santa Rosa. Funny thing is my wife is AZ native and found it never got enough there. It is beautiful. The drive from Calistoga to the ocean along river road is stunning. Not to beat up Phoenix, but few places can match that scenery.

That's lovely! And I completely agree. The ocean is what I really miss the most. I know its' more of a quality of life thing and that I CAN live without the ocean, but it's hard. I miss it a lot! I grew up with it from elementary school to the end of college.

I am happy to hear from someone who made the same move I did. Santa Rosa is a beautiful city I love the changing of the leaves and how foggy it gets there. I think that's just because I grew up there, though. I would LOVE to move back to California, but it's hard to afford Cali. as a 22 year old recent college grad. Phoenix is ALWAYS sunny, which is great for driving conditions etc. and it's a growing city... It obviously doesn't compare to SF. but it's great in it's own way. Are you planning on staying in Phoenix long-term?

[mauiwowie]

Originally Posted by Quizillla

That's lovely! And I completely agree. The ocean is what I really miss the most. I know its' more of a quality of life thing and that I CAN live without the ocean, but it's hard. I miss it a lot! I grew up with it from elementary school to the end of college.

I am happy to hear from someone who made the same move I did. Santa Rosa is a beautiful city I love the changing of the leaves and how foggy it gets there. I think that's just because I grew up there, though. I would LOVE to move back to California, but it's hard to afford Cali. as a 22 year old recent college grad. Phoenix is ALWAYS sunny, which is great for driving conditions etc. and it's a growing city... It obviously doesn't compare to SF. but it's great in it's own way. Are you planning on staying in Phoenix long-term?

Northern California is hard for lots of people to afford, even many professionals. Even more decide the COL is not worth it.

We are planning on staying long-term. Phoenix works well for my career and my wife loves the desert. It does get too hot for me in the summer, but cooler temps are relatively close by. I just think that Phoenix has a lot to offer for most people. The traffic is great for a large city. It offers a lot of what is available in CA, but at a much lower cost. The abundant sunshine and great weather 7-8 months of the year works well for us. It is also possible to have a home with a large lot and still be close to amenities. In Santa Rosa we basically had no yard.

Sure there are some things we would like to change, but I think the positive attributes of Phoenix make it a very desirable place to live. We like to think of it as just being an easy place to live. It is easy to get around provided you have a car and just a pleasant place to live. It is much faster paced than the rest of AZ, but still quite laid-back compared to SF and the east coast.