Winter and spring, in Charleston, summer and fall in Nantucket: ) By date? 11/01 to 6/01 Charleston, 6/02 to 10/30 Nantucket. Marry a weatherman for more accurate dates ! ?

You plan is better, Jan. As a former Massachusetts girl I know how amazing fall is on Nantucket. Now I just need to win the lottery for my expensive taste...

Love, love,

love Bonita Springs, Florida. Wake up looking at the Gulf and palm trees - nothing better............BUT make sure you're retired and don't have kids in school (pay is horrible and schools not the best.)

ah Nantucket, nothing like it. but we couldnt afford a second home there, instead bought in coastal RI, which is the same topography and the same beaches (and same weather) for 1/4 of the price. and no ferry to get there. whats bad: less twee shopping, and i do like some twee shopping.

.

Anne, love the "Nuisance." That's going to stick with me. ;-)

In general, college towns have incredible advantages for any age/family. Family out on the west coast, but the Midwest is affordable and the cold weather is good for your spirit! Staying put.

Bunny I have never been to Sonoma Valley but I have always heard the area is very beautiful as well as Monterey as Jhmarie mentioned. The property prices are so high for a pretty home though from what I’ve seen as well as maybe the taxes?

As far as the problems that CA is experiencing, in both of your views is it mostly the Los Angelos and San Francisco areas? Maybe the rest of the state has escaped them barring natural disasters.

Talaveran just saw your edit. I will definitely be checking those links out. I have heard from a friend years ago that New Mexico was wonderful. To be honest really haven’t given it much thought so will check it out! Thank you.

Clt3 that is also an area I not at all familiar with, NE Ohio. Sounds lovely. Think I would have a hard time with my husband though because of the winters which by the way I don’t have a problem with. Also Canada Mramsey, as gorgeous as it is. :)

As far as a place in Charleston and Nantucket, having had two properties for years and all that comes with that, don’t think I would want to go through it again unless we had staff of course. Haha

Never heard of Bonita Springs mizsusan. Will also check it out even though not for my husband may be a little too hot for me. :).

I am learning so much here. Having said all this there is a good chance I wont be going anywhere for many years and to be honest I hope so. Because I can’t see leaving my elderly father and I hope he lives to over 100. :). But as Artistsharonva said it makes for great travel plans to go and check out some of the places mentioned.

I would move back to South Texas in a minute!

Bunny was referring to the problems with the homeless and the supposed miles of tents? I obviously haven’t seen it so maybe these are lies? I have not been to CA for years. Used to have to go very regularly for business but I have no first hand experience since then.

I have a very good friend in London that has a twin that lives in LA and she is of that same blue persuasion but have heard stories from my friend about problems. Maybe these problems are isolated in certain areas of LA and SF?

Well maybe best to not go into it here. :). It’s a shame because outside the fires the state experiences at times, it seems such an idyllic location. It probably still is for people with enough money to isolate themselves from the problems that ordinary people may have to put up with. But really didn’t know if the problem existed statewide or just in those cities. Very sad.

There's no place like home.....Montana...... small town Montana. We moved from another town that more than doubled to 8000. A bedroom community of a much larger growing one I used to call home. We retired to a town of less than 2000. No traffic, no traffic lights, no hassle, mountains, 4 seasons, wildlife. I can't live in a city. Avoid them as much as possible. Love to visit oceans, beaches, other countries but..... there's no place like home.

Cheryl, I just sent you a private message. I'd love know more about where you live.

Beth are you considering leaving Cal?

Cheryl never been to Montana but does look beautiful. Is there any area of Montana that you would recommend that has all the facilities nearby like restaurants, shops and good hospitals and medical facilities. The reason I ask, it does appear there are some really gorgeous wild rural areas that may not suit us. Great to be nearby though.

wmsimons,,my husband wants to leave in a few years. I would be happy staying, but I'd have to move to another city. The traffic around the OC/LA county border towns are just out of control, just like everywhere else in SoCal. You just can't drive anywhere without it taking an hour or more.

Beth, I am glad you are here to share your experience and truth. I feel your frustration. California 50th in quality of life is truly shocking.

I'm not Beth, but I can tell you that when I was growing up here in Los Angeles, specifically the San Fernando valley, and Edmund Brown, father of Jerry Brown, was governor our California schools were the envy of the nation and the world. Education was paramount and it showed. That was probably the last of the golden age era for this state.

I would probably want to live in the pacific northwest, Am now in Texas, fourth generation Texan, so it would probably be too hard to move.

Want to live under a democratic governor. Am liberal unlike most of you.

Did not really expect politics to come up in a houzz discussion.

You can't get too far away from it in California, teresale2013. It shows up constantly in people's lives by the homeless, immigrants, drivers' licenses, health insurance, taxes, schools, crime and many other issues that affect all of us, every day in every way. I think whether you are liberal or conservative or middle-of the road or even some of both matters less than the constant reminders of them all around you affecting your own life deeply. It's sickening and exhausting and frustrating. Some of us just want to get out and tell our native state to screw itself. When the non taxpayers begin to outnumber the taxpayers--because, hey, free stuff!--then, maybe, things might change. But I am not counting on it.

I have lived up and down the state in California -- San Diego, Orange, LA, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties and love San Diego most of all. It is hard for me to imagine living anywhere else since my preferred temperature window is 71-78 year round. But I have always thought it would be fun to spend a summer on a warm, lightly populated lake. Not sure where that lake might be.

Tersale, in all fairness it hasn’t in general but maybe unavoidable when discussing people that already live or the possibilities of living in California. It has had such an impact apparently on the quality of life there. It doesnt seem to matter in most of the other states so it hasn’t been discussed.

If posters feel free to gripe about local politicians, here is my take:

There is nothing more horrifying than our current president

we aren't griping about politicians, per se, only the impact that one or two have had on the state of Calif, and why (for the first time ever) more people are moving out than are moving in. It came up when discussing why living in a certain state is good or bad.

It's stuff like this, day in and day out, that will be the death of this state.

A man from El Salvador in the U.S. illegally who sued San Francisco after police turned him over to immigration authorities in violation of the city's sanctuary law is set to be awarded $190,000, his attorney said Thursday.

Hey Bunny, this is your guy you voted into office. How about we take that money and fund it for our own citizens and veterans? Healthcare is a human right, but not when I'm the one paying for it. Notice the word 'more'. Because apparently all the free stuff they get now isn't enough.

Newsom wants $260 million to extend Medicaid to more illegal immigrants in California, January 10, 2019

Teresale, whether or not I agree with you is not in alignment with this thread's focus. We are discussing where to live, where to move, whether to stay, and what you love and/or loathe about where you live now and where you might want to live some day. Exploration possibilities. In this state, as others have pointed out, state and city politics have vastly more influence on individual lives than probably many or even most other states. The political state dominates lives to a disproportionate degree and so, when people talk about coming here, staying here or leaving here it is likely due to the overwhelming ramifications of politics. This state has a very interesting political history, moving from extreme conservatism to extreme liberalism. Good biographies of the Brown family (Pat, Jerry and, to a lesser extent, Kathleen) and the Otis/Chandler family of LA Times fame are very interesting to read, and you'll get a good feel for the state with them.

I like living in Columbus OH, still I think about where I might enjoy living more once my obligations are over.

The climate here is pretty moderate, not as hot and humid as farther south in the state (although this year was an exception); doesn't snow a lot or get horribly cold for long periods. Housing is reasonable as are costs for food and utilities. Columbus is a great town for restaurants and music, the state has some great recreation trails for biking and hiking and good metro and state parks. It is just lacking great landscapes in the immediate vicinity -- hills and Lake Erie are 2 hours away.

I was at a conference a couple of years ago and was chatting with a couple of women from "very blue" northern CA. They asked my how I liked living here and expressed surprise when I told them that it was a very good place. "But what about your government?" they asked, "All that voter suppression and stuff?" They were kind of dumbfounded when I explained that we could both register to vote and vote by mail, that we had a month to vote by mail or in person and didn't need a photo ID or any official ID at all -- an envelope from a utility with the address is sufficient.

When I lived in north San Diego county I enjoyed many of the advantages of the area, especially the weather, but I didn't enjoy having my home burglarized 8 times, my vehicles stolen twice (recovered down by the border but trashed).

The more popular the more populated. One of the reasons I hide away in small town America. One of the problems with that is people move to less populated areas to get away from the problems at home making the place they move to larger and bringing some of the things they are running from with them. Even me moving to a town a quarter of the size In my own state. On the subject of politics one person one vote in a state like Montana means we never have a say. The reason for the electoral college. Also my biggest problem with illegal immigration. Montana population just peaked 1 million in 2012. (Yes the whole state) Illegals have been coming in numbers larger than that. how can that not hurt my state AND my country? We need to be using common sense not political correctness and enforce OR change the laws currently in place. No excuses.

Cheryl, absolutely (re:electoral votes). Without it , what, Calif, NY and Fla (I may have left out one) would be the deciding states in elections!? The rest of the nation would be twiddling their thumbs since none of their votes would mean squat.

Gee, how nice for the blue team (Which is why they want to ban it. and why they want no ID for voting, lowering the age limit, and allowing non-citizens a right to vote!! SMH. anything to garner more votes. Disgusting)

I live Oregon but hate what it’s becoming. One of the most moved to states, property taxes are horrendous in my town, mean housing cost is 450k for a town of 100k, and state income taxes are really high. It’s changing a lot, and unfortunately as a local, I’d say for the worst. We will move to MT one day.

Not one place, I am Canadian and love where I live.

"A man from El Salvador in the U.S. illegally who sued San Francisco after police turned him over to immigration authorities in violation of the city's sanctuary law is set to be awarded $190,000, his attorney said Thursday."

Beth, isn't that special!? Just thinking...what a shame we can't ask Kate Steinle what she thinks of it all.

I lose my mind over this stuff. I often to look around to see if Rod Sterling is standing in the corner.

I'm not American, but my choice would be Alaska!

Rod Serling...perfect...I just laughed out loud!

Mary Ellen I know Alaska is meant to be so beautiful. For those looking for cold weather and seclusion, it would be perfect. Whereabouts are you located?

Mary Ellen, you may be interested in this old thread from Ask A Manager. The OP was asked by her company to move there for a client's benefit and a lot of responders either lived there, had lived there or were currently living there. Interesting!

https://www.askamanager.org/2013/01/company-wants-me-to-relocate-to-alaska.html 

Waves Hi To Talaveran: I've got the same view from the front yard of Paisano's Roost.

I'd move to North Carolina!! Inland, not near the coast (not interested in being blasted by full force hurricanes LOL!!!).

In my ideal world, I would have two homes. In reality I am also in Columbus, OH. I have lived as a working adult in MN, IL (Chicago) and OH. MN is way too cold, Chicago is also really cold and the state is virtually bankrupt and totally corrupt at both city and state level. OH has a balanced budget, billions in a rainy day fund, allows anyone over 60 to attend a state college for free (including Ohio State), and is pretty close to lots of places both south and east that are an easy drive...DC is a 6 hr trip, Charlotte is 6, Chicago is 6. I retired in IL and then built a home here and moved. Aside from money, as it costs me half of my Chicago expenses, I am here due to family and friends. Without somebody to play with, I would not be happy no matter how beautiful the place was. But I can travel! And this home is my 9th house, first new build and I love it. Detached condo, 2300 sq ft, so no maintenance either.

At 9:00 a.m. Saturday, December 15th, annual rainfall in Wilmington, NC officially reached 100 inches! 2018 is the wettest year in Wilmington's history.Dec 3, 2018

Seventy six miles INLAND : )

Wilmington's wettest year was due to Hurricane Florence, 23" of rain was dumped on Wilmington between September 13-16, 2018. The normal yearly rainfall is 58".

Wilmington is not 66 miles inland more like 10 miles.

Wettest year in Columbus, also. Even though we are many miles and a mountain range away, the hurricanes do affect us.

If there were jobs that paid a living wage, I would've never left Ashland, Oregon. California weather, beautiful old homes, gorgeous scenery and a very relaxed, laid-back lifestyle.

I'm currently living in Northern California and while it has its downsides (as a few have mentioned, but really that's EVERY urban area up and down the West Coast at this point due to the lack of affordable housing and a lack of mental health services), I love that EVERYTHING is accessible. The beach, high-end shopping, the Napa Valley, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe are all only an hour or two away. The weather is pretty fantastic, and I love my 1930s Spanish Colonial Revival home.

Sure, you can wish and hope and dream about living somewhere else, but I hope everyone here is choosing to make their own happiness.

Elizabeth Forrest Lambert


Ashland is wonderful I have lived there and love the Shakespeare festival. I have also lived in Northern California and loved it to the proximity to the forest for hiking and the beach is perfect. You are so correct people need to weigh a long list to find the best fit for them. For us it is no cold and snow, need to be close enough to visit the ocean and the mountains. For us an inclusive community is also a must.

Hi wms! Been thinking about you and wondering if anyone has found your townhouse/condo to rent? Maybe now that the Super Bowl is over, and weather keeps improving, more folks will be looking. Hoping for the best for you.

I am a pnw native, If I could afford it Maui comes to mind

I would say Arizona for me! No major natural disasters, close to the ocean and snow. Affordable living is a plus!

AZ is close to the ocean??

@Beth H: The closest ocean to landlocked AZ is Puerto Peñasco, Mexico or in English Rocky Point. It's about 3 and a half hr drive depending where in AZ you begin - about 212 miles. You can get to San Diego Cali in about 5-6 hours which is 355 miles from AZ or head to L.A. in about 5-6 hours but don't try it on a Sunday or Friday! LOL

@Destiny Jensen: If you think AZ has no major natural disasters - think again: Most frequent disasters are severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, drought and dust storms (ya haven't lived until a dust storm comes through town). Three years ago, a wildfire burned a half a million acres. Bring some marshmallows when ya come to stay. If you don't included Cali's wildfires last year, AZ is the 4 state with the highest dollars spent thanks to disasters - all natural. If you want a safe state, try Vermont, Main, Minnesota, Utah, New Hampshire, Connecticut or Rhode Island, Hawaii, Massachusetts or Washington for safe from most disasters - top 10.

So, if I could live anywhere, where would I live? Well, right where I am now in the great nation of Texas. I like the rural life and the south yet be a day's drive to lots of places to take a fast weekend, hike, raft down a river, see the mountains - hit Mexico or Louisiana or OK, or AR or NM. Could even make MS or GA and panhandle of FL in one day's drive. Yea, and I can take a trip to see friends in Guadalajara in a couple hours or fly to see a friend in Granville Ferry and take in the Celtic festival in Cape Breton. No matter where I roam in this world, I always get a "high" when those wheels hit the great nation of Texas. Yeah, I'm home.

northeastern alabama or south eastern tennessee that's not even looking at taxes, income, healthcare, or politics of anykind, mostly the weather and beautiful country....

@zipply1 Just make sure you have a safe underground or a safe room in your house for tornadoes if you want to live in NE Alabama or SE TN. Alabama is noted for their EF 5 rated Tornadoes. The state ties with OK on the highest number 7 - Texas (my state along with Kansas is 6 for EF 5s. TN is second in tornado deaths nationwide, Alabama closely follows. More than 1200 tornadoes hit in the US each year. Of course, not all are EF5s.

Here in the great nation of Texas, I was driving down a rural road when a storm cloud came at me and dropped a small tornado, probably an EF 0.. It hit the road right in front of me then dissipated. Yeah, I was shaking like a leaf as I slammed on my brakes. Another time, the sky went green grayish and I knew.... my doggie just had a litter, so I ran to get all 8 of them, mama, papa and another dog into my safe room (a closet surrounded by plumping pipes and grabbed a couple quilts and sofa pillows. As I closed the door, I saw a funnel cloud dropping down between my neighbor's fence and mine. When it was over, it took off my bar roof (none of my horses were hurt), then hit the small shopping center building in my small area of less than 1000 people. It ripped off the roof and dropped it in the road, then it was gone. It was probably a EF 1, maybe EF2.

So just be prepared no matter where you live - live smart and live knowledgeable and yo'll be right fine.

Bump up this thread. Great for reference. Will post later.