What do you like/love about where you live?

[Walt34]

The cold weather and long winters was supposed to keep the riff raff out. Not working. Nort Dakoda den dere.

When I first started planning the move after retirement I searched for the state with the lowest population per square mile. That state (then) was North Dakota. Then I looked up the climate and saw why that was so. I hate cold weather.

So at least the climate kept this retiree out.

 

[oiseux]

Another perspective on an urban situation -- we are wintering over hear on the French Riviera, with today's high of 62F and the sea glistening in the distance. Traffic is irrelevant as we don't even have a car (we rent one as needed, for journeys into the countryside of the South of France and Northern Italy). Within 300 yards are 9 bakeries, three butchers, two cheesemongers, several produce shops, 3 pharmacies, numerous specialty markets and five grocery stores. Cafes, bars and restaurants from around the world, from takeaway to Michelin star. Within 10 minutes, anything service or product you might want is available. Also in that range, the main train station. In 20 minutes you are at the airport, with direct flights to 120 places in 43 countries. You can be in the ski slopes or hiking a National park in 90 minutes, or take coastal hikes or enjoy water sports. Even on public transit, it does not take long to be in a more rural situation.

On the downside, there are a lot of tourists in peak season, there can be heat waves, and you can encounter crowds during peak times on the trains.

 

[David1961]

Maryland has four distinct seasons, each lasting about three months.

 

[DJRR]

Northern Virginia for me. Funny that I have to designate "Northern" because the State is so diverse you have to differentiate between the carpet baggers and the rebels

What I like:
1. Weather. Grew up in Syracuse, so always amazed at the blue sky in Virginia. No major disasters.
2. Healthcare. My wife has ~ a dozen specialists and we have not been able to match that in another place we considered.
3. Kids and grandkids are here.
4. Diverse educated population. Lots of great ethnic restaurants, etc. If you want it you can get it.
5. Close to a lot. Mountains, beach, DC, Philly, NYC are all within a reasonable drive. International airport 10 miles away.
6. Money. Fairfax County has a lot of resources. Good schools, libraries, senior centers/programs, etc.

What I don't like:
1. Traffic. DC is 30 minutes or 90 minutes depending on time of day or willingness to pay $30.
2. Cost of housing. We have not built affordable housing which makes it difficult for my kids.
3. Car tax.
4. Car culture. I have moved to a more walkable area, which helps a lot but most people have to drive to get anywhere. See #1.

One other benefit for me is I live a mile from the National Reconnaissance Office so I don't have to worry about living in a post nuclear apocalypse. It will be quick for me

 

[Luvtoride]

What I like:

2. Healthcare. My wife has ~ a dozen specialists and we have not been able to match that in another place we considered.
3. Kids and grandkids are here.

DJRR, great summary and list but I think 2 & 3 are. The most important/ relevant to me!

My wife and I live in the town in New Jersey where we both grew up, graduated from HS, raised our kids and commuted to our jobs from our whole careers. Yes, it seems boring but it is home and close to our daughters and our grandchildren. Our People! It’s interesting to see the slow changes to our town/ area over many years but the familiarity is comforting too.
We have many friends from growing up around here that have moved away for various reasons…careers, family, climate (!?), cost of living etc. Fortunately, none of those things ever happened to us to give us reasons to move elsewhere. We do travel a lot and visit friends in other parts of the country, but as the saying goes “there’s not place like home”.

 

[steady saver]

I have so enjoyed reading through this thread, which I started over a year ago. It's wonderful to see new posts on this timeless topic.

For us, the move to our farm in Central Texas hasn't completely happened for a couple of major reasons, renovation-related and health related. Living here at the farm will likely not be feasible in the long-term so while we are still completing renovations, my mind is back in planning mode...
Please keep sharing what you love about where you live and it would be super helpful if you'd tell us where that actually is.

Wherever you are, enjoy the ride.

 

[PADan]

Love reading these posts.
Anyone in the Ardmore/Philadelphia area ?
If yes, would you provide us with an assessment please?

 

[richardsok]

Know the Ardmore area very well. Beautiful old homes with real character and established neighborhoods with enormous heritage trees; really the start of the old Philly Main Line which gets ritzier the more west you go on Rt 30. But as you go east from Ardmore, enviros get slowly less attractive until at last you get to "no-go" West Philly. Taxes irksome. Winters are indeed cold -- other seasons are good to glorious. Many wonderful restaurants and a real downtown. Traffic on 30 never lets up, though. You just live with it. Best if you work nearby -- commutes can be a bummer as the years roll by. No BIG negatives, but a lot to appreciate.
.
Good luck!

 

[PADan]

Know the Ardmore area very well. Beautiful old homes with real character and established neighborhoods with enormous heritage trees; really the start of the old Philly Main Line which gets ritzier the more west you go on Rt 30. But as you go east from Ardmore, enviros get slowly less attractive until at last you get to "no-go" West Philly. Taxes irksome. Winters are indeed cold -- other seasons are good to glorious. Many wonderful restaurants and a real downtown. Traffic on 30 never lets up, though. You just live with it. Best if you work nearby -- commutes can be a bummer as the years roll by. No BIG negatives, but a lot to appreciate.
.
Good luck!

Thank you ! Very helpful indeed.

 

[Gary Smith]

The best thing that ever happened to me was purely by happenstance ended up in a small Mayberry type town in south central Kentucky near the TN border. That was 30 years ago. It was like going back in time and it still has that feel of being back in a different time/era, The people here are the most down to earth genuinely friendly people I have ever encountered. Maybe because of its roots as a farming area. Farmers are the real salt of the earth. For me though, who runs and hikes daily the biggest attraction is I have a 53,000 acre National Park but 20 minutes away. A place I have pretty much to myself on most days. I find more solitude there than I did when I lived in the Sierras or the mountains of western NC. Best of all everyone at the Park knows me. I am often asked to lead hikes in the backcountry during the winter. It is nice to feel relevant in old age.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Messed around with Gemini a bit to see if it would be more eloquent than my "St Pete is awesome" line... not too bad for only a couple prompts. Still missing a lot but this is pretty concise:

Living in St. Petersburg means being surrounded by a world-class arts scene that feels accessible rather than elitist. You can spend a morning marveling at the surrealist masterpieces in the Dali Museum or exploring the stunning Chihuly Collection, but the creativity spills out onto the streets, too. The city is famous for its murals, where local and international artists have turned entire building facades into an open-air gallery. For those who want to get hands-on, the Morean Arts Center and the Warehouse Arts District offer a gritty, authentic look at the city’s thriving community of glassblowers, painters, and sculptors.

The outdoor lifestyle is equally diverse, centered around the massive St. Pete Pier, which offers 26 acres of parks, fishing decks, and even a tilted lawn for lounging over the water. If you prefer a quieter escape, the Sunken Gardens provides a lush, century-old botanical sanctuary right in the middle of the city, while the nearby Fort De Soto Park offers miles of untouched beaches and kayaking trails through mangroves. Between the waterfront cycling paths and the constant presence of the bay, the city seamlessly blends its cultural identity with a deep-rooted love for the Florida sun.

If anyone is visiting, reach out. I love impromptu meet ups!

 

[richardsok]

Regarding small southern towns, I will agree with most of what Gary says. HOWEVER, those towns which are also their county seats -- those small towns with an infrastructure of courts and lawyers built around them have a TERRIFIC advantage. There you will find some prosperity and lovely neighborhoods. A small hospital inevitably follows which also boosts the economy -- but in other towns, life can be hit-or-miss if a major employer goes out of business.
Young people moving in find those towns unwelcoming for jobs -- the locals prefer to hire locally. Some towns try to find a gimmick to attract tourists -- you have your ski towns, casino towns, artsy towns. One famous Georgia town tried to re-make itself into a Swiss/German Alpine motif -- and the result is architecturally gawdawful. Other towns near interstate highways reach out with fast food, motels and cheap attractions to grab a slice of traveler money -- and an ugly sprawl is the result. Drugs, liquor and crime tempt young folks with nothing much to do on Saturday nights.
Again, what Gary saws is true -- there are many lovely, charming southern villages, preserved places you hate to leave. Others are not so lucky.

 

[CO-guy]

The best thing that ever happened to me was purely by happenstance ended up in a small Mayberry type town in south central Kentucky near the TN border. That was 30 years ago. It was like going back in time and it still has that feel of being back in a different time/era, The people here are the most down to earth genuinely friendly people I have ever encountered. Maybe because of its roots as a farming area. Farmers are the real salt of the earth. For me though, who runs and hikes daily the biggest attraction is I have a 53,000 acre National Park but 20 minutes away. A place I have pretty much to myself on most days. I find more solitude there than I did when I lived in the Sierras or the mountains of western NC. Best of all everyone at the Park knows me. I am often asked to lead hikes in the backcountry during the winter. It is nice to feel relevant in old age.

I've got to agree with the attraction of accessible outdoor recreation. We have that where we are but on a much grander scale. Over a million acres of public land right out our back door and few people.

 

[Gary Smith]

I've got to agree with the attraction of accessible outdoor recreation. We have that where we are but on a much grander scale. Over a million acres of public land right out our back door and few people.

Indeed you do. Colorado is next to none in the states when it comes to outdoor opportunities. The closest equivalent in the eastern U.S. is North Carolina but it pales to CO. I lived in the Reno/Tahoe area for 16 years. Still miss some of those epic adventures and waterfalls all over the Sierras.

 

[Diogenes]

Northern Virginia for me. ...

What I like:
1. Weather. Grew up in Syracuse, so always amazed at the blue sky in Virginia. No major disasters. ...

Spent some time in Fairfax County in the 1980s. It was a transitional time, as the county was growing rapidly, going from a sleepy suburb (at least, outside of the beltway) into a tech-powerhouse, a kind of Silicon Valley of the East. What were farms or woods in the more outlying areas in 1980, became subdivisions of townhouses or McMansions by 1990.

Never cared for the climate... hot-and-humid summers and very brief springs. Winters were mild by Midwestern standards (where I spent most of my years), but not exactly Southern-balmy.

Also never really cared for the family-oriented ethos. It was a very buttoned-down area, with people marrying young and starting families.... could have been related to the heavy military/government presence. It never had a college/Bohemian vibe. And while there is plenty of immigration from all over the world, there was never a NYC/Chicago/LA style of ethnic-enclave patchwork-pockets.

On the plus side, schools were top-notch, crowned by arguably the best public high school in America.

 

[goodtogo]

Live in Hot Springs Village Arkansas. Been here 8 years. Its a very peculiar place. The golf is pretty good. Weather is much better than up north. Very quiet and very clean. Taxes are low. Its gated. Lots of dollar stores, gun stores, and fundamentalist churches outside the gates. Don't think I would live here if there weren't any gates. It really is a poor, lowly educated state. The golf is really good though!