Where's the BEST place to live?

[ben parrish]

With Rloop moving to Boston or Atlanta, McLovin thinking about Jacksonville and WolfeMcleod moving across town, I started thinking. Where is the BEST place for me?
I've lived in the south most of my life. Raised in south GA, lived in Statesboro, then Savannah. Moved to North GA in my late 20's. Transferred to Charleston, SC and traveled up and down the East coast for a couple of years. Transferred to Colorado in 2000; left with a wife and small daughter in 2004 to go sailing. Lived in the Bahamas for 2.5 years on a very small island. Moved to the mountains of North Ga 3.5 years ago to have our second daughter. I don't like living in the mountains here, too hillbilly. I cannot stomach the thought of my daughters falling in love with a "local"; too many cousins and not enough genetic diversity.

I love the south because it's home; mild winters and friendly people. Great state for many reasons. I love the coast but don't like the heat unless I am on the coast.
I like Colorado because it's..well..Colorado. My beautiful wife if is from there and the lack of humidity is GREAT...but..I hate the snow except for skiing and snowmobiling.
The Bahamas were great. I missed driving in the 911 but sailing, diving and water skiing were awesome.

Soo, I want to move again. Need a place that has a small town feel but good mix of culture and activities.

Colorado would make my wife ecstatic...the islands would suite me as long as there were decent driving roads. Florida's west coast has intrigued me..Tampa/St Pete/Mary Ester; also like St. Augustine.

Where would you live if you could just pull up and go? Why?

[patssle]

Where would you live if you could just pull up and go? Why?

The funny thing about it...I CAN pull up and go...and I've thought about. But there is no perfect place to live. I'd love to live in California...

Texas has a good economy, sensible state laws, cheap standard of living, friendly people, but horrible weather, overweight people, and pathetic geography.

California has a crappy economy, crappy state laws, stupid politics, insanely expensive, but great weather, slender attractive people, and tons of things to do outdoors.

So I also love to live in Texas. As a single guy who is not a southern baptist - I really hate Houston. But as a single guy with money and aspiring to run my own business, I really love Houston. I guess it's just what is a priority?

[72doug2,2S]

Tough call, but interesting question. There are definitely places I would not want to live in.

Are you interested in landscape, people, amenities?

I like the landscape and weather of the piedmont region of Virginia, the people in the northern Midwest, and the amenities of an urban city.

Small towns can be doable with a vibrant University. I've come to appreciate a lack of diversity in small towns, they work incredibly well.

Another factor is food. Some Americans seem to eat anything.

[Rick Lee]

The best place to live is a well-kept secret. I love living here, but I hope everyone else hates it and I love reading bad press about AZ. Stay away.

[Monza_dh]

In North America I'd have to say Vancouver, Seattle, or Boulder

what about some city state\tax free haven like the Isle of Man, Cayman Islands, Monaco or the Channel Islands?

[patssle]

In North America I'd have to say Vancouver, Seattle

Each to his own. A Canadian friend of mine immigrated from Vancouver to Houston - and won't go back. The taxes and cost of living are insane.

Seattle...the lack of sun isn't appealing to everybody.

[Rick Lee]

I was in Seattle earlier this week for the fourth time in two years. No thanks. Couldn't pay me to live there. Vancouver is nice, but makes Seattle look cheap and, obviously, much worse gun laws.

[ben parrish]

I actually did an online "test" and Boulder/Longment/Ft Collins was high on the suggestion list. I lived in Boulder about two years and liked it a lot.....there is still the snow thing and the cost of housing was a little steep. Wonder where it is now?

[LakeCleElum]

Lake Cle Elum - Cle Elum Lake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Dantilla]

I really like the Southwest. Northern Arizona or Colorado maybe. I will stay west of the Rockys to avoid the humidity of the Eastern half of the country.

I have a thing against California. Gorgeous scenery and weather, but too crowded, rediculously stupid tax structure, and wierd culture.

I have had quite enough of the Seattle area's grey sky. Can't touch it here when the sun comes out, but that's only six or seven days a year. As soon as we get three days over 70 degrees, people start complaining about heat, and say we sure could use some rain. Idiots.

[SIR70T]

with loving family

[Schumi]

My plan if things go tits up:

Somewhere in the Pacific Islands. Find work doing something with my hands, go somewhere where people don't know me nor could ever find me. Samoa, Guam, the Phillipines, the Carolines... etc.

[jyl]

In North America, the Pac NW, Northern Cal or Central Coast of Cal, Boston, NYC (if you have the $), various parts of New England, coastal North Carolina. British Columbia.

I don't like living too far inland, otherwise parts of the Rocky Mountain states are very nice. Can't stand the heat in the Southwest. Texas and the South are way too hot and humid. Florida is kind of flat.

Overseas, various places I'd happily live if I had the language and knew people. But given my language limitations, only options are UK (dont know it well), Australia/NZ (me likey, very much), France (I'd like most parts), and possibly - a stretch - parts of China (not a fan of the weather and pollution in parts though), Hong Kong (eh), Taiwan (eh).

[EdT82SC]

Originally Posted by SIR70T

with loving family

+1

I live in California, and have all my life, but the state government is in a shambles. The term limits law we passed has resulted in a legislature that doesn't know what it's doing, and doesn't much care since they are lame ducks soon anyways. The shambles the state is in has made me think of moving elsewhere. But since family is here too there is no better place to be.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by ben parrish

With Rloop moving to Boston or Atlanta, McLovin thinking about Jacksonville and WolfeMcleod moving across town, I started thinking. Where is the BEST place for me?
I've lived in the south most of my life. Raised in south GA, lived in Statesboro, then Savannah. Moved to North GA in my late 20's. Transferred to Charleston, SC and traveled up and down the East coast for a couple of years. Transferred to Colorado in 2000; left with a wife and small daughter in 2004 to go sailing. Lived in the Bahamas for 2.5 years on a very small island. Moved to the mountains of North Ga 3.5 years ago to have our second daughter. I don't like living in the mountains here, too hillbilly. I cannot stomach the thought of my daughters falling in love with a "local"; too many cousins and not enough genetic diversity.

I love the south because it's home; mild winters and friendly people. Great state for many reasons. I love the coast but don't like the heat unless I am on the coast.
I like Colorado because it's..well..Colorado. My beautiful wife if is from there and the lack of humidity is GREAT...but..I hate the snow except for skiing and snowmobiling.
The Bahamas were great. I missed driving in the 911 but sailing, diving and water skiing were awesome.

Soo, I want to move again. Need a place that has a small town feel but good mix of culture and activities.

Colorado would make my wife ecstatic...the islands would suite me as long as there were decent driving roads. Florida's west coast has intrigued me..Tampa/St Pete/Mary Ester; also like St. Augustine.

Where would you live if you could just pull up and go? Why?

What do you do for a living? Prospect sounds nice but I guess it's pretty much out of reach if you have a regular job.

[sc_rufctr]

Adelaide South Australia!

Houses are cheap... Low unemployment.

Plenty of jobs in the IT industry and manufacturing... Low crime rate.

[azasadny]

St Augustine, Fl!!

[Paul_Heery]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Adelaide South Australia!

Houses are cheap... Low unemployment.

Plenty of jobs in the IT industry and manufacturing... Low crime rate.

I've thought about this many times. How are the house prices on the westside beach areas?

[ben parrish]

I worked in/ran and owned restaurants in my 20's. I sold my restaurant when I was 28 and then I worked in medical management/sales for years. Left that gig to go sailing and wound up running a resort in the Bahamas for a couple of years. I came back and built houses but saw where that industry was going so I went back into sales. Currently working in food distribution/restaurant consulting.
I excell in sales/management and my work ethic has allowed me to quickly advance in every position I've had. Basically, I am not concerned about work; you can drop me out of a plane and I will quickly adapt.
Family is important...My family is all in Ga..my wifes family is in Colorado but her father has a part time house in Ft. Myers, FL. Her mother will probably come live with us within the next few years. My main concern is finding a place that has the best quality of life for us. My girls are the primary concern and we need to find the best place for them..low crime, excellent education and the right mix of culture and outdoor activities.
I will probably open another restaurant so I need a place that has a tourism/college based economy. My wife is a master Massage Therapist/Yoga Instructor/Reiki Master so the tourist industry is good for her.

[Halm]

Having also grown up in the south, you might want to think about the stretch of I-64 starting with Richmond, VA on the east running west to Staunton. You have a bit of everything you might want. Nice sized towns in Richmond, UVa in Charlottesville, and a smaller town that has reinvented itself with Staunton. You run from the piedmont terrain to the Shenandoah Valley foothills. Education is great for the girls, taxes are pretty much middle of the road. Great places to live.