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

[BBslider001]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

I did the reverse of you. I have a ranch in E Colorado, probably not far from yours. I just couldn't take the winters anymore. That said, we are looking to be out of here some day as it's lost a lot of charm with so many people here. We'll probably still winter here but I need me some of that open space again.

I feel your pain on both fronts. I was just checking surfline this morning so I could watch the Harbor in real time. I shouldn't do that to myself. I love our life choice and wouldn't change it, but I'll always miss home.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by BBslider001

I feel your pain on both fronts. I was just checking surfline this morning so I could watch the Harbor in real time. I shouldn't do that to myself. I love our life choice and wouldn't change it, but I'll always miss home.

Honestly, I'll probably fish more after we move. Right now I just can't find time to surf or fish. My Kayak just sits on the side of the house and my sticks are stacked in the garage with all my fishing gear.

Ya'all good on rain so the wheat should do good this year?

[BBslider001]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Honestly, I'll probably fish more after we move. Right now I just can't find time to surf or fish. My Kayak just sits on the side of the house and my sticks are stacked in the garage with all my fishing gear.

Ya'all good on rain so the wheat should do good this year?

We have received some good rain and really good wet snow that got into the ground pretty deep. The grass is already sprouting up nicely. The cattle and pasture horses will be happy.

[Jdawg8181]

Originally Posted by divagotstyle07

OK, so I've lived in San Diego for 5 years now and it's been great! But I'm ready to move somewhere else. I'm young and have a degree that will allow me to move pretty much anywhere after I find a job in said location.

I'm hoping the people of this board will be able to give some suggestions because I know there are plenty of people here who have traveled and lived all over the US. I have not really traveled and have not lived anywhere except Ohio, Pennsylvania, and San Diego.

Things I am looking for: DREAM LIST, obviously I don't think I can get all of these but this is what I'm aiming for!!!
--Warm weather for 8 months out of the year or more (60s or higher)
--NO snow or very rarely snow
--Nice people (I find some people in SoCal flaky and hard to connect with on a deeper friendship level- superficial types but yes you can have this anywhere. Just seems a greater population here)
--Close to water, either beach, rivers, lakes... I go to the beach with my dog every single day. I need this unwind time (or maybe an amazing park covered in greenery and plants can also do the trick?? hmmm)
--DOG FRIENDLY!
--Green stuff around me!!! I want plants! And trees! Enough of this brown dead desert! LOL
--Not rain all the time but a place that rains more than SoCal.
--Access to a city where there is culture, arts, entertainment but does not have to be IN THE CITY (prefer it wouldn't be actually)
--Not crowded roads and beaches. Yes, San Diego is a bit too crowded for me.
--Alternative Medicine type doctors and lifestyle- yoga, acupuncture, vegan/gluten free food options (does not have to be the default, but having an option would be nice)
--A bit of a slower pace of life
--Would love a walkable neighborhood
--More affordable than SoCal
--A population of gentlemen that are in their 30s to date/ find one to marry LOL
--Rentals that have yards or patios outside for me to let the dog run around or even get another one
--Less liberal, less regulated than California but this isn't an absolute necessity.

Would prefer East Coast/Midwest due to my family being in Ohio and easier ability to visit them but I am not counting any location out, including the west coast!

More details that may be helpful:
I am a 28 year old single female and don't intend to have children so I'm not really concerned about schools or child friendly places. Income is 80k to 6 figures+ (regardless of location, for the most part).

I work in the commercial construction/engineering/HVAC industry.

I currently live in OB and ADORE IT. But I need more green plants in my life and more affordable housing.

Also, as I'm sure people may wonder, I do not regret moving to San Diego at all 5 years ago and I'm so happy I did!! I went thru a breakup 6 months ago and I am just ready for something new, after I gave myself plenty of time to figure out what I really want out of this next chapter (no rash moves!!). I would love to live in several places over the next few years!!! I am open to travel, open to living in Hawaii, and also open to leaving the US.

I am going on a road trip in 2 weeks to Sarasota, Florida, as well as Savannah, Georgia and then Charleston, South Carolina.

I am making 2018 my year of travel to figure out where to go from here, so feel free to pass along your suggestions to me!!!!

I am truly looking for me and the fur child to call home Thank you!!!

The Midwest gets a lot of snow. That is probably not what you want.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by BBslider001

it's also tough because Oceanside has changed quite a bit int he last 10 years. We have that too consider as well. the "golden times" of Oceanside are long gone.

This is much of the reason I left. I grew up in SoCal and if you put me back there 20 years ago, I'd never leave, but a lot has changed. It has gotten so crowded and crazy that I just didn't recognize it anymore.

[elel336]

Living in the south makes you a little more weary and tougher in my opinion. Not any better or worse just with the history and culture and realizing a lot of people have guns and it's normal. Went to the Balkans in Europe and it was shotguns everywhere people hunting it was a big difference even from any place I've been in the states. To live in the south ( I don't consider Miami and Atlanta the south) is like living in another country if you've never left Southern California.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by elel336

Living in the south makes you a little more weary and tougher in my opinion. Not any better or worse just with the history and culture and realizing a lot of people have guns and it's normal. Went to the Balkans in Europe and it was shotguns everywhere people hunting it was a big difference even from any place I've been in the states. To live in the south ( I don't consider Miami and Atlanta the south) is like living in another country if you've never left Southern California.

Once you get out of large urban centers it's mostly country still all across the US. It's normal to "have guns" just about everywhere but large cities near the coasts. Even then there are far more than people think. S Cal 15 minutes from the beach and you'll see camo and lifted trucks like crazy.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Right now I just can't find time to surf or fish. My Kayak just sits on the side of the house and my sticks are stacked in the garage with all my fishing gear.

There’s always time if it’s important enough. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I’m not calling you out, just friendly reminder to find the time to do the things you enjoy.

[loveautumn]

I’ve never considered Texas the south either, more western (or even midwestern) than true southern.

[loveautumn]

I’ve always felt a lot of similarities with Florida and California....warm climate, oceans/gulf (lots of water), diversity, interesting politics, lots of transplants, lots of the same theme parks, casual vibe, people who move to Florida or California have a certain adventurous soul and “attitude”, lots of sports teams. People rarely do it but I think moving from California to Florida wouldn’t be a big cultural change...much less than “the south”.