PLACES TO LIVE SORT OF LIKE SD BUT NOT REALLY- give me suggestions!!! (San Diego: schools, income)

[drewnick]

Charleston and Greenville are the only two cities in SC that will come close to meeting your expectations, and I think you said you were turned off by Charleston. I would def go checkout *downtown* Greenville. More topography and less humid that the coast, but still easy access to the beach for weekend trips, etc.

[Kmanshouse]

Note that Savannah, while charming and a nice place to visit, is riddled with gangs, way more than any city of that size should be. I was talking to locals when I was doing business in the south, one guys was from there and said it was dangerous outside of the touristy areas. Visiting and living somewhere is very different. Just be careful.

While not by an ocean, my first thought for you was Nashville. Mild winters, a good size without being big, lot's going on. Shooting distance to your family in Ohio (or was that another thread).

I've also heard good things about Chattanooga, TN - a nice river runs through the city too. As others have mentioned, Raleigh might be a good choice, as well as Richmond, VA.

When I was in Savannah for a day, it was July, and we needed to duck into stores every 15 minutes due to how hot and humid it was. I would guess Florida would be like this in parts too. Coming from San Diego, be aware that the SE United States gets extremely hot and humid for several months of the year.

My take on Austin, TX - it's a nice city, I can see the appeal, but it's going through some growing pains, traffic is awful, and I feel the place is getting overcrowded fast, without the infrustructure to handle it. And there, you will get a lot of competition for men. The place is absolutely stacked with gorgeous women.

[caliguy92832]

How about Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington?

[Jdawg8181]

Originally Posted by 9kidsanddone

Loving this thread. Although I am from NJ and I don't like Florida due to the humidity and bugs! We are moving to California to get away from that and get away from this cold.
I think you may love NC, but it's not as hot as you would like. Austin may be your best bet though!

In the 80's the last 2 days in NY & NJ...

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

Note that Savannah, while charming and a nice place to visit, is riddled with gangs, way more than any city of that size should be. I was talking to locals when I was doing business in the south, one guys was from there and said it was dangerous outside of the touristy areas. Visiting and living somewhere is very different. Just be careful.

While not by an ocean, my first thought for you was Nashville. Mild winters, a good size without being big, lot's going on. Shooting distance to your family in Ohio (or was that another thread).

I've also heard good things about Chattanooga, TN - a nice river runs through the city too. As others have mentioned, Raleigh might be a good choice, as well as Richmond, VA.

When I was in Savannah for a day, it was July, and we needed to duck into stores every 15 minutes due to how hot and humid it was. I would guess Florida would be like this in parts too. Coming from San Diego, be aware that the SE United States gets extremely hot and humid for several months of the year.

My take on Austin, TX - it's a nice city, I can see the appeal, but it's going through some growing pains, traffic is awful, and I feel the place is getting overcrowded fast, without the infrustructure to handle it. And there, you will get a lot of competition for men. The place is absolutely stacked with gorgeous women.

Yes my family is in Ohio so there is a draw to being closer to them (anything less than 6 hrs by plane is an improvement- I do not need to be super close to them)

It seems like I need to research the following areas-
Raleigh nc
Wilmington nc
Virginia beach va
Nashville tn
Chattanooga tn
Asheville nc
Greenville sc
Jacksonville FL and perhaps a few other places in fl??

Where the heck do I begin?! I have limited vacation time and the cost of visiting places adds up.

Are there certain ones that rank better than others?

Cities I have loved have been with towns that seem tucked away, such as Ventura, Ca or Ocean beach san francisco- sleepy towns that have a bit of character and have a few bustling dive bars where the regulars go. More open space.

My top needs are-
1. Weather where I can go decompress after work outside with my dog (at the beach, along a river, hiking...on a walking path in a park etc!!)
2. Access to an area (maybe the next city over even) that has commercial building construction work happening
3. Available men

I do not want to live in a "downtown" area but a smaller neighborhood with less traffic outside of the general hustle and bustle

Can i cross any off my list with this info?? I really have no idea how to start seeing all of these places

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by caliguy92832

How about Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington?

These places no longer interest me. Expensive, pretentious and too far away from my family.

But they did cross my mind years ago

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by drewnick

Charleston and Greenville are the only two cities in SC that will come close to meeting your expectations, and I think you said you were turned off by Charleston. I would def go checkout *downtown* Greenville. More topography and less humid that the coast, but still easy access to the beach for weekend trips, etc.

Thank you. I am checking out Greenville on the web and it looks really promising!!! Eclectic but modern and plenty of nature!!!

[myhappyplace]

Originally Posted by divagotstyle07

Yes my family is in Ohio so there is a draw to being closer to them (anything less than 6 hrs by plane is an improvement- I do not need to be super close to them)

It seems like I need to research the following areas-
Raleigh nc
Wilmington nc
Virginia beach va
Nashville tn
Chattanooga tn
Asheville nc
Greenville sc
Jacksonville FL and perhaps a few other places in fl??

Where the heck do I begin?! I have limited vacation time and the cost of visiting places adds up.

Are there certain ones that rank better than others?

Cities I have loved have been with towns that seem tucked away, such as Ventura, Ca or Ocean beach san francisco- sleepy towns that have a bit of character and have a few bustling dive bars where the regulars go. More open space.

My top needs are-
1. Weather where I can go decompress after work outside with my dog (at the beach, along a river, hiking...on a walking path in a park etc!!)
2. Access to an area (maybe the next city over even) that has commercial building construction work happening
3. Available men

I do not want to live in a "downtown" area but a smaller neighborhood with less traffic outside of the general hustle and bustle

Can i cross any off my list with this info?? I really have no idea how to start seeing all of these places

I enjoy reading your posts about traveling around the country. I have been researching cities around the US and exploring them for almost 20 years, as I enjoy living in new places and trying to find the "perfect" place for me. I have lived in and have experience with cities across several states around the mid-Atlantic, southeast, California, Texas, and even Hawaii.

Regardless of whatever initial impressions you have and wherever you ultimately decide to move, what I suspect you will eventually come to find is that there is no place like San Diego outside of southern California.

You say that weather is your top need, but what are your parameters? San Diego has ideal temps of 55-75 most of the year. Florida (from Orlando south anyway) generally has a heat index over 90 degrees every day for six months straight from May through October. Is that something you'd like? I thought I did, but it turns out that you get sick of the heat, the beach gets boring after the 100th time in the sand, and you realize there's more to life than sunbathing and collecting sea shells.

North Carolina and points north get cold in the winter. Can you put up with 6+ months of below 55 degree weather? Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville get as hot as south Florida 3 months of the year and as cold as North Carolina for another 3 months of the year. Do you like extreme changes in seasonal temperature? That's what the entire continental, contiguous U.S. is like outside of California.

I'd say the biggest mistake you're making is visiting a place like Florida once in the spring and assuming it will be like that all year long. Go back several times throughout the year, and remember that no matter how many times you visit a place it is never the same as living there.

Also, the south, from Florida to North Carolina, is a VERY different culture than anything in California, regardless of whether you stick to the cities or not. Even if you find a place that you like weather-wise, you're in for a huge culture shock.

As I've said ad nauseum, I don't think there's any place in the U.S. outside of southern California that's even remotely like San Diego, but if I had to offer you suggestions based on weather alone I think you're on the closest track with these options:
- Hawaii (anywhere)
- Jacksonville, FL
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC

If you don't mind giving up proximity to the coast:
- El Paso, TX
- Austin, TX

[loveautumn]

I’d say eliminate Greenville and Asheville. Greenville skews older and lots of retirees. Asheville is in the mountains, very liberal/hippyish. If you want men, go to Alaska (just kidding!). I’d suggest whittling your wish list of needs down to the top 7 must haves and go from there.

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Me thinks OP is an a rush to find a man and also a piece of "paradise" at the same time, as it appears she is single and she is aware that that bio clock is going-going-going fast at 29. The elusive and non existent paradise location sought offers OP everything she wants, complete with lots of "non pretentious" people like she is used to from Ohio --- unlike Portland, Seattle, and the worst place on earth: OC. OP also wants career advancement yet there is that man finding thing...Now she wants to move to the Big Island(but there is an eruption there that is no doubt giving her pause). She is really is all over the place and very hard to take seriously in the least.

What are you still doing here, LuvSouthOC? Or do you have too much time on your hands sitting in traffic outside of yet another strip mall?

I want many things in life and dont believe it's all that hard to get. Or maybe things just come easily to me. That's fine too