Calling All City Dwellers! (Santa Fe, Peralta: crime, houses, neighborhood)
Santa FeSanta Fe County
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I'm thinking about retiring in SF. I have some questions for those of you who live in the city.
1. Are the tourists overwhelming in day to day city living?
2. Do you find yourselves walking a lot rather than driving?
3. If you had to do it all over again, would you live outside of town?
4. What do you like best about living in the city?
5. What do you like least?
First off, we responders should probably specify just where "in the city" we live. It could be anywhere from "Walking Distance to the Plaza!" to Airport Road.
I live in the Casa Alegre neighborhood, which I think of as sort of "mid-town". Off Osage, between Cerrillos and Agua Fria. 3.2 miles to the Plaza, 3.5 miles to Santa Fe Place Mall.
1. Are the tourists overwhelming in day to day city living?
No. Unless you're trying to park somewhere near downtown during the high season (IME May-early October and then Thanksgiving-New Years). Try to avoid needing to park somewhere near downtown. I've also lived in a beach community, and the Santa Fe tourist hassle is much, much less than the gridlock and bedlam you'd experience in a beach community.
2. Do you find yourselves walking a lot rather than driving?
No. But that's based on where I live. If I didn't have a car, I could walk/bike to groceries, post office, etc. The truly walkable areas are those within/near the Paseo de Peralta "loop" and those within walking distance to the Railyard area or perhaps the shopping area around Trader Joe's.
3. If you had to do it all over again, would you live outside of town?
I enjoy living in town. I like being able to hop in the car and run an errand or go to a restaurant without much hassle. I might like living a TINY BIT further out, just to get a little bigger lot. But I'm talking maybe the area around 599 -- not Eldorado or La Cienega or somewhere way down 14.
4. What do you like best about living in the city?
Convenience. Reliable utilities and services.
5. What do you like least?
I'd like a little more room for my dogs. My husband would like a little more room for workshop/projects.
Unless your errands involve the restaurants, museums, offices and shops (and courthouses) right around downtown, parking isn't really an issue. The rest of Santa Fe is just like every other town -- grocery stores, drugstores, etc. with big parking lots. I will warn you, however, that the Trader Joe's parking lot seems to bring out the worst in everyone.
I'm thinking about retiring in SF. I have some questions for those of you who live in the city.
1. Are the tourists overwhelming in day to day city living?
2. Do you find yourselves walking a lot rather than driving?
3. If you had to do it all over again, would you live outside of town?
4. What do you like best about living in the city?
5. What do you like least?
Thank you for all of your help!
1. No, except for on the big art market weekends in the summer: Indian Market and Spanish Market.
2. Walking? That's not practical unless you live near downtown.
3. No.
4. It depends on what part of the city. But it's nice to be within an easy drive of various entertainment venues, and close enough to attend the various events that take place.
5. Traffic is getting worse (the city is outgrowing its streets--higher density tends to do that), and some areas get more crime than others.
Unless your errands involve the restaurants, museums, offices and shops (and courthouses) right around downtown, parking isn't really an issue. The rest of Santa Fe is just like every other town -- grocery stores, drugstores, etc. with big parking lots. I will warn you, however, that the Trader Joe's parking lot seems to bring out the worst in everyone.
(Regarding the bedlam that is TJ's parking lot) I hadn't noticed this at all. How so?
It's a tight lot, seemingly populated by the most aggressive Subaru drivers I've ever encountered. I just don't find much courtesy there. Folks are focused on getting into their chosen space quickly, crookedly, and without regard for anyone who may be driving or walking in the vicinity. Ditto for backing out.
The trick is to go early in the morning, before the bulk of the myopic shoppers are out and about. Avoid weekends during the day and weekdays right after work.
It's a tight lot, seemingly populated by the most aggressive Subaru drivers I've ever encountered. I just don't find much courtesy there. Folks are focused on getting into their chosen space quickly, crookedly, and without regard for anyone who may be driving or walking in the vicinity. Ditto for backing out.
The trick is to go early in the morning, before the bulk of the myopic shoppers are out and about. Avoid weekends during the day and weekdays right after work.
I find this to be a very odd take on it. I've never had a problem there. It's a HUGE lot, there's plenty of parking everywhere. Maybe your problem is that you want to park as close as possible, so you're competing with others who want those coveted spaces right in front of the store? Or maybe you tend to be a little stressed generally? I haven't had any issues there, and I'm courteous to those backing out or driving in or out of the lot, etc.
Pro tip: in the hot summers, park on the far edge of the lot, parallel to Cordova, where there's tree shade. You won't be in anyone's way over there, and you'll get a shaded space. There's no red-painted curb indicating it's not allowed, and there's plenty of room between there and the bank of cars along the far wall.
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