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Moving to a spot where everything I need is close by is preferable. I'm not sure I'm fond of a sprawling concrete jungle anymore. Back when I was busy, working, and mobile I could drive to a park and go for a long run. Crescent City sounds beautiful. I have a friend who lives up near there. She's considering moving because she can't find a doctor.
Chico/Paradise does much better there than Crescent City.
Arcata has pretty comprehensive medical care though through St. Joseph's. Bit far from Crescent City if you're regularly going to the doctor, especially if driving is difficult. It would also be better if you're looking for compact. Gorgeous location. Crescent City itself though is more ugly and depressing than beautiful. Lot of the same problems in both places as the economy is terrible. Poverty rate in both is double the state average, not many opportunities. Arcata has Humboldt State and more tourism. Crescent City gets some people passing through but they're generally not spending money on anything more than stocking up on camping/backpacking supplies and getting out of dodge. Driving up Oregon feels the same at times. All beautiful areas but they're barely hanging on. Basically fishing and whatever is left of the logging industry which isn't much. Then you had the tsunami in 2011. I haven't been up there since around 2009. They did rebuild and the disaster relief money helped keep the economy from completely stalling once it did arrive.
Coos Bay up in Oregon has done better than Crescent City. Might be worth a look as well although it isn't as compact. Oregon coast for whatever reasons has generally done better than the Lost Coast has. Partly logging is still more alive, partly there's more tourism which outside Mendocino there isn't much of. Whatever the reason, they've made the jump to the post-logging/fishing economy better. They're still trying to figure out what to do with the lumber mill in Fort Bragg for example. Huge piece of property, maybe 1/3 or 1/4th of the entire city. Probably the best visual reminder of how important logging was to the region and now that it's mostly gone there's little left. They're as close as we get to rust belt in California, that and some old mining towns.
Not a hard diccission if you have the money. Paradise really has very little to offer compared to Solvang and the Central Coast. Rich folks live around Solvang for a reason, your other two locations not so much.
Not a hard diccission if you have the money. Paradise really has very little to offer compared to Solvang and the Central Coast. Rich folks live around Solvang for a reason, your other two locations not so much.
Yes-I love the central coast. I got my Ph.D. there. I see you are from Carpinteria? I really like that town. I have a great opportunity to move to Solvang but the apartments (senior tax credit property) is an enclosed building with no balcony. I, unfortunately, have a chronic illness and had to spend most of my savings on medical expenses. Sometimes I'm unable to leave the house so I'd love a an outdoor space. But I can't let go of the idea of living in that area. I'd love to be nearer to my alma mater as well as the ocean.
Not a hard diccission if you have the money. Paradise really has very little to offer compared to Solvang and the Central Coast. Rich folks live around Solvang for a reason, your other two locations not so much.
"if you have the money"
For those with the money, then I would imagine based on what I have learned and heard about Solvang, for the vast majority Solvang would the choice. In Redh's case, based on Redh's various posting, income going forward will be rather modest. The only place currently available in Solvang that would fit Redh's budget is a apt complex built for lower income, 55 yr + individuals. Although the place is new, Redh has indicated having a balcony would be important to him/her. The Solvang apt bldg. lacks that feature.
The lower income senior apt complex in Paradise has balconies. Redh's posted that correspondence with the manager of the Paradise apt complex has given Redh the impression the apt complex is well managed. Finally, Paradise is approx. 1/4 less the distance from Redh's current location....likely resulting in considerable lower moving costs for Redh
If Redh is able to arrange the one day scouting trip to Paradise, that would undoubtedly help the decision making process
We spent more than two weeks last August in Paradise, in a motel, and we had to run the A/C all day and all night. Our room had no shade or adequate cross ventilation and it had a small wall unit for the A/C. Nasty.
On Sept 1st we were able to move into our house. Huge difference. Trees all over, big windows. We seldom used the central air before 4 PM in the month of September, which is usually the hottest in California. Our house has ceiling fans all over. On a really hot afternoon, with the fans on high and the A/C off, I need to grab a jacket.
I visited Solvang. Beautiful, expensive, and flat. In Paradise most streets are going up or down, because we are a mountain town, but we don't have the treacherous twisting roads like in Big Bear near Orange County.
This was our first winter here. It rained a lot. The way our streets are laid out (mountain town) there was no flooding like in Chico or Oroville. In-between the wet windy and cold days we had plenty of nice warm sunny days and I could walk our Airedale wearing jeans and a shirt in January or December.
We considered Grass Valley but we hated the traffic, and the cost of groceries. Here in Paradise a 15-minute drive is always a 15-minute drive, wherein in the OC or in LA it has a chance to become a 60-minute drive. Grass Valley is not there yet, but definitely worse than Chico or Paradise.
Our highest gas/electric bill was $ 250 in January, and $ 100 in September, for a 1700 sq.feet house. We like to keep it around 72 when heating it.
I could walk to about a dozen good restaurants from our house if I'd be more athletic and less lazy. Getting a medical appointment is a 2-minute phone call, for the next day, much quicker than waiting weeks for an opening at Kaiser in the OC.
Most of the time when going to a store or the dentist I take the longer route, for the simple reason that our town is so lovely that I enjoy the drive, the longer the better. And that comes from a man who spent 35 years in Orange County and hated to drive anywhere unless it was a necessity.
You see, I learned to hate TRAFFIC while living in Germany, where a 3 kilometer drive can take an hour on a Friday afternoon and people play chess or cards on the autobahns, yes, they play chess on the median until they can move another quarter mile in the summer vacation season. I had seen it with my own eyes and learned to leave for any vacation at midnight. Here, where we live now, heavy traffic means two cars ahead of me waiting for a left turn.
Last edited by mgforshort; 03-28-2016 at 04:03 PM..
We spent more than two weeks last August in Paradise, in a motel, and we had to run the A/C all day and all night. Our room had no shade or adequate cross ventilation and it had a small wall unit for the A/C. Nasty.
On Sept 1st we were able to move into our house. Huge difference. Trees all over, big windows. We seldom used the central air before 4 PM in the month of September, which is usually the hottest in California. Our house has ceiling fans all over. On a really hot afternoon, with the fans on high and the A/C off, I need to grab a jacket.
I visited Solvang. Beautiful, expensive, and flat. In Paradise most streets are going up or down, because we are a mountain town, but we don't have the treacherous twisting roads like in Big Bear near Orange County.
This was our first winter here. It rained a lot. The way our streets are laid out (mountain town) there was no flooding like in Chico or Oroville. In-between the wet windy and cold days we had plenty of nice warm sunny days and I could walk our Airedale wearing jeans and a shirt in January or December.
We considered Grass Valley but we hated the traffic, and the cost of groceries. Here in Paradise a 15-minute drive is always a 15-minute drive, wherein in the OC or in LA it has a chance to become a 60-minute drive. Grass Valley is not there yet, but definitely worse than Chico or Paradise.
Our highest gas/electric bill was $ 250 in January, and $ 100 in September, for a 1700 sq.feet house. We like to keep it around 72 when heating it.
I could walk to about a dozen good restaurants from our house if I'd be more athletic and less lazy. Getting a medical appointment is a 2-minute phone call, for the next day, much quicker than waiting weeks for an opening at Kaiser in the OC.
Most of the time when going to a store or the dentist I take the longer route, for the simple reason that our town is so lovely that I enjoy the drive, the longer the better. And that comes from a man who spent 35 years in Orange County and hated to drive anywhere unless it was a necessity.
You see, I learned to hate TRAFFIC while living in Germany, where a 3 kilometer drive can take an hour on a Friday afternoon and people play chess or cards on the autobahns, yes, they play chess on the median until they can move another quarter mile in the summer vacation season. I had seen it with my own eyes and learned to leave for any vacation at midnight. Here, where we live now, heavy traffic means two cars ahead of me waiting for a left turn.
It's nice to hear from someone who lives in Paradise. My main concern is the amount of rain as well as the number of grey days. Does it feel like a lot of rain? Are there a lot of grey, gloomy days?
I've been going a bit stir crazy with all the rain here lately and it gets 3x less rain. There's a lot that appeals to me about Paradise. Maybe I'd eventually get used to the rain. No traffic, a beautiful area, good air quality all sound wonderful.
I've definitely ruled out GV for similar reasons you mentioned so it's between Solvang and Paradise. Each has things that appeal very much to me and each have a non-negotiable (amount of rain in Paradise vs no balcony inSolvang). I'm realizing I'll need to make a big compromise so it's a matter of deciding which compromise is most live able in terms of quality of life.
My other question about Paradise is how open minded are people? Liberal/conservative? Open to lgbt people (or whatever the correct term is these days)?
"My other question about Paradise is how open minded are people? Liberal/conservative? Open to lgbt people (or whatever the correct term is these days)?" I couldn't answer this, we are in our late sixties, and other people's relationships are just a zero concern for us. There are many hippie types or mountain-men types around whenever we step out, and no one seems to care, so I assume it shouldn't matter.
Most of our neighbors are retired and from all over the US, so Paradise is not like an inbred, backward hole at all.
In the OC we had maybe 12-15 inches of rain a year. We got that much here in a month. We needed it, for ending the drought, to fill the lakes, for our own backyard with all the trees so I crossed my fingers and waited for the sun. It comes, always, and feels wonderful. But I've seen the locals walk their dogs, or their husbands without the leash, in the middle of the rain, only I'm not yet tough enough for that.
And there are winter pleasures:
Sitting next to the fireplace with a book, a hot cup of coffee and cookies.
Sitting next to the fireplace with a book and a glass of red wine... much, much better.
Walking out in the rain and the wind, and as I'm coming back in the house I appreciate civilization so much more than when we lived in Fullerton.
When I see the deer coming to the fence, waiting for a handout, in the rain, I realize we are fortunate with our electric blankets and everything else.
We spent our last 12 years before retirement driving all over on vacations to find the perfect place, in Oregon, California and Arizona, and Paradise came back as the very top, regardless where we went.
Bear in mind this isn't a tourist hangout like Sedona, Big Bear, La Jolla or Carmen. Paradise is a real blue collar town with no fancy phonies, even if the majority of the residents is retired.
It sounds really peaceful which is what I'm looking for. I don't need a tourist destination nor phoniness. I just want a safe, peaceful, beautiful place where I can enjoy nature. I do bird photography as a hobby. I also love to read. I love deer. I haven't seen one in a long time. But wow-that's a lot of rain in one month! I have relatives in Oregon. They don't get that much rain but get the long grey low cloud layers that always felt a bit claustrophobic to me. Maybe I just need to get some good rain gear! I love being outdoors which is why I'm hesitant about lots of rain. The apartment I found there is the right price and has everything I need (except a fireplace) so my next step is visiting to see how the area feels.
How is Internet and satellite tv (direct tv) reception? I can also ask the apartment manager. It's going to be an adjustment going from living in a house to an apt. I haven't lived in an apt in years. But it's why having a patio or balcony is important.
We pay $ 100 a month for Dish Network, 3 hi definition tv sets and all with their own recorder. Reception was interrupted 3 times in the last 6 months, the longest for 10 minutes. Better deals are available; Direct TV or Cable, but we had Dish for a long time and I love their great customer service, willing to pay for it.
Internet is $ 65 a month with AT@T landline phone, bundled, with a discount. Never went down, not yet.
Trash is $ 33 a month, we have 4 large containers, mostly for the yard waste.
Water is $ 37 a month but will go to $ 75 in the summer, all that irrigation.
For us winter is high cost, $ 250 for gas heat, gas fireplace, plus the electric, all in one bill. An apartment should be much less.
There is some sort of bus service, but a car is recommended. Even a small scooter would be satisfactory. Depending on how close the apt. is to the Skyway or Clark Rd, the town is walkable. For a town of 26,000 Paradise has every service or store with the exception of a Walmart, new car dealer or a Best Buy store; they are in Chico.
Groceries are higher than Orange County. Twice a month we drive to Chico to Food Max, best grocery store I've ever seen and very good prices. Truth is, we go there because it is a fantastic, 13-mile drive from our house, and it is one of the most scenic drives I experienced.
Cozy Diner and Kalico Kitchen are our favorite restaurants on the Skyway. If you ever visit the best motel is the Ponderosa, but the Lantern Inn is OK and cost a bit less. Both are on the Skyway.
There are several garages for servicing a car but for warranty work one goes to Chico where all the dealerships are. Chico is a lovely college town, lots of trees, but it is completely flat. If we couldn't live in Paradise I'd move to Chico in a heartbeat.
The speed limit is 30-35 max. Due to the abundance of deer the speed limit must be observed, I had 2 close calls, and I don't speed anymore. The only place to speed is the road to Chico, 55 mph is the max. Excellent road.
The town 6 miles north of Paradise is called Magalia. Completely different experience, more trees, calmer, even less traffic, and also a bit too calm and dull, but extremely beautiful. They don't have natural gas in Magalia, and propane is more expensive. On the other hand the same house would go for about 40K less than in Paradise.
Magalia had maybe 3 days of snow this winter, but Paradise didn't get any. We had hail I think 3 times, for maybe 10 minutes, then the sun came out and all was well again.
Last edited by mgforshort; 03-28-2016 at 10:33 PM..
We pay $ 100 a month for Dish Network, 3 hi definition tv sets and all with their own recorder. Reception was interrupted 3 times in the last 6 months, the longest for 10 minutes. Better deals are available; Direct TV or Cable, but we had Dish for a long time and I love their great customer service, willing to pay for it.
Internet is $ 65 a month with AT@T landline phone, bundled, with a discount. Never went down, not yet.
Trash is $ 33 a month, we have 4 large containers, mostly for the yard waste.
Water is $ 37 a month but will go to $ 75 in the summer, all that irrigation.
For us winter is high cost, $ 250 for gas heat, gas fireplace, plus the electric, all in one bill. An apartment should be much less.
There is some sort of bus service, but a car is recommended. Even a small scooter would be satisfactory. Depending on how close the apt. is to the Skyway or Clark Rd, the town is walkable. For a town of 26,000 Paradise has every service or store with the exception of a Walmart, new car dealer or a Best Buy store; they are in Chico.
Groceries are higher than Orange County. Twice a month we drive to Chico to Food Max, best grocery store I've ever seen and very good prices. Truth is, we go there because it is a fantastic, 13-mile drive from our house, and it is one of the most scenic drives I experienced.
Cozy Diner and Kalico Kitchen are our favorite restaurants on the Skyway. If you ever visit the best motel is the Ponderosa, but the Lantern Inn is OK and cost a bit less. Both are on the Skyway.
There are several garages for servicing a car but for warranty work one goes to Chico where all the dealerships are. Chico is a lovely college town, lots of trees, but it is completely flat. If we couldn't live in Paradise I'd move to Chico in a heartbeat.
The speed limit is 30-35 max. Due to the abundance of deer the speed limit must be observed, I had 2 close calls, and I don't speed anymore. The only place to speed is the road to Chico, 55 mph is the max. Excellent road.
The town 6 miles north of Paradise is called Magalia. Completely different experience, more trees, calmer, even less traffic, and also a bit too calm and dull, but extremely beautiful. They don't have natural gas in Magalia, and propane is more expensive. On the other hand the same house would go for about 40K less than in Paradise.
Magalia had maybe 3 days of snow this winter, but Paradise didn't get any. We had hail I think 3 times, for maybe 10 minutes, then the sun came out and all was well again.
Thanks so much for the information. It's quite helpful. It's good to know about the speed limit (and the deer) as well as the garages for car repair. I need to get some work done on my brakes. I have an older Toyota van. Hopefully it can handle the hills in Paradise.
When I visit I'll look forward to trying out one of the restaurants you mentioned. It sounds beautiful. It's also good to know that Paradise has all the amenities (except for Best Buy, Walmart, and a new car dealership). There's a grocery store here called Food Source that has excellent prices. I'm always shocked when I shop elsewhere. It's surprising that groceries are higher there than Orange County. I wonder why? I like to cook from scratch so hopefully there are good farmer's markets in the area. And a good bookstore. : ) I have a kindle but there's something more satisfying about reading an actual book.
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