Cad
scientia potentia est
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Obviously the mediterranean climate is only those places colored in green on that map. The band highlighted is everywhere between 30-45 degrees latitude.
Best place to live
- Thread starter Arden
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Famm
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It may sound strange being that its by far the least cosmopolitan place on your list but I'd have to think Raleigh best fits your bill and its put over the top by the family thing. Especially if your love of outdoorsy activities is one of the more heavily weighted aspects. Beach, some of the best surf breaks on the east coach, mountains for MTB/hiking/camping, rivers and shit for paddling, and world class whitewater. Its pretty much everything you're looking for except culture. Take a trip to DC or NYC every once in a while though and you're good. I'd imagine cost of living is decent too.
The Asheville recommendation might be solid too. Then you've also got Wilmington and Chapel Hill. Raleigh just seems like it would be a good centrally located hub to take off from for everything else in the state. I guess a lot depends on your ability to get work at these places?
The Asheville recommendation might be solid too. Then you've also got Wilmington and Chapel Hill. Raleigh just seems like it would be a good centrally located hub to take off from for everything else in the state. I guess a lot depends on your ability to get work at these places?
Quineloe
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Having actually been to most of those countries in the Summer, I can tell you it gets way hotter than 30? Celsius there. Big P is spot on about this.
Arden
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I'd expat to Spain, but I heard it was expensive, plus I think it's pretty hard for Americans to get jobs there.
Vaclav
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I thought your job allows you to move pretty flexibly? Just talking fallback in case the job evaporates at some point?
fanaskin
Well known agitator
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Cad
scientia potentia est
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Arden
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I'd have to switch jobs to move out of the U.S. It's possible, but like I said, more difficult. Plus, some places are easier than others. I'd be with the Federal Gov wherever I go, so a lot of my limitations depend on the government's presence in whatever location. I have pretty much free reign stateside though
Born and raised in San Diego. Can't recommend it enough based on your criteria, but cost of living and traffic will always be an issue. If you want to be within 20 minutes of the beach, 350k won't buy you anything in some places (Carlsbad), and won't buy you much in others. Living closer to the 15 might be a better bet. San Marcos and Vista are both good options. Escondido if you don't mind being further inland (downtown Escondido is kind of a cesspool now, but the outskirts have tons of nice communities). Poway is nice but again cost will be an issue. I'm not super familiar with the towns closer to downtown SD, but I work near Mira Mesa and there are a lot of nice looking suburbs mixed in with the less nice ones. Currently I'm living in Oceanside. Oceanside is weird, because there are very nice areas (Rancho del Oro) mixed in with some ghetto areas (Oceanside Blvd offshoots), but if you live in one of the upscale neighborhoods you can almost trick yourself into thinking it's Carlsbad.
I also lived for 4-5 years in Lexington, KY. As someone else mentioned, this city is amazing. Besides the unpredictable weather, it hits a lot of key points on your list (I can't overstate how awesome the gorge is for hiking and just sightseeing), and being surrounded by rolling grassy hills gives the city a unique feel. Additionally, it's about 1/3 the cost of living compared to San Diego. My wife and I would love there again in a heartbeat if our industry had a presence there and we weren't so attached to the beach. You really can't go wrong with either city. But Lexington can certainly get ice storms and snow and torrential rain, and you're going to deal with freezing temperatures in winter and relatively hot, humid summers. In SD I lose track of the season sometimes because 90% of days are warm and sunny.
I'm traveling to Lexington for a wedding soon and writing this has me all pumped up now. It's a great place to call home. Just figure out how much value you place on the beach and the temperate climate, because those are probably the best selling points for southern California. If you can live without those things, it's probably not worth it.
I also lived for 4-5 years in Lexington, KY. As someone else mentioned, this city is amazing. Besides the unpredictable weather, it hits a lot of key points on your list (I can't overstate how awesome the gorge is for hiking and just sightseeing), and being surrounded by rolling grassy hills gives the city a unique feel. Additionally, it's about 1/3 the cost of living compared to San Diego. My wife and I would love there again in a heartbeat if our industry had a presence there and we weren't so attached to the beach. You really can't go wrong with either city. But Lexington can certainly get ice storms and snow and torrential rain, and you're going to deal with freezing temperatures in winter and relatively hot, humid summers. In SD I lose track of the season sometimes because 90% of days are warm and sunny.
I'm traveling to Lexington for a wedding soon and writing this has me all pumped up now. It's a great place to call home. Just figure out how much value you place on the beach and the temperate climate, because those are probably the best selling points for southern California. If you can live without those things, it's probably not worth it.
Arden
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I definitely researched it. Rent/mortgage is as expensive as SoCal but my pay would be less. Food/gas is even more expensive than SoCal. Plus it would be twice as far from family. Plus I have heard some disconcerting things about the locals and their friendliness.
I mean, it's still paradise, but it rates lower than other awesome places like SoCal, Boulder/ etc
If he's considering Lexington why not check out Nashville as well? Seems to help out with his desire for culture as well.
Until the sea level raises enough, then you'll be living in the water. RIP Miami.
I've only visited Hawaii twice so I was pretty much isolated to Waikiki area but everyone seemed fairly nice. Probably because I was a tourist with money. I did drive inland and did some food/shopping there and people were still pretty nice.
Vaclav
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Not sure among adults but I hear on Facebook reasonably often about a ~12 yr old half-blooded kid getting picked on often for not being "pure Hawaiian" in school for sure. [There was some lingo term for it that got mentioned a few months back, but I'm too lazy to scroll through her 4-5 posts a day of non-serious stuff looking for it]
[And before - "LOL Vaclav family!"-shit. Yes, wife's cousin's baby momma that he's no longer with that we still are friends with... Weeee.... I know shit about the culture normally, but I know Isaac gets raked over the coals reasonably often and feels alienated at school because it comes up alot and plays directly with the "friendliness" comment. Outside of his experience I've heard nothing but good things though - it's a weird duality]
Lost Virtue
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I may live in Louisville, but I can say Lexington is very nice. Personally however, if given the choice, I'd say Indianapolis would be another great location over Lexington. Lots to do, decent climate, inexpensive, have great sports teams, and short drives to Chicago and scenic areas around Indiana.
Arden
Blackwing Lair Raider
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"Haole" is one term I think. Obviously tourist areas are relatively free from that type of stuff but living in Hawaii is probably a different experience.
Arden
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Full disclosure I worked for Sigil in Carlsbad and lived right off the 101 in Encinitas. It was absolutely amazing coming from VA. I would never had left Encinitas, but we all know the parking lot story. Living in the SD area making 30k was hard enough, and I had no cushion for finding new work after Sigil collapsed. So I went back to VA.
I'd love to get back and that's why SD was on my short list, but it is brutally expensive and even though I make a lot more now, buying property would still be tough. I like the San Marcos idea- that's the area I went shopping in when I lived in Encinitas.
I honestly just wanted feedback from people on the board on other locations before I pulled the trigger on a move. Like I said in my original post, this community is a phenomenal resource for first-hand, non-shill info on virtually anything. I've traveled/lived around a bit, but I'm not a fool enough to think I would have nothing to gain from getting opinions/info from the community- which I am really appreciating btw.