I think the Bay Area and San Diego are fantastic, even when I was low on funds. Better, though, now that I'm past college and not low on funds...but that's generally true anywhere. My favourite places to live in the US are the Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle and Boston.
Denver is pretty ace, actually. I have a ton of family there, and my wife's from there, so we go back a couple times a year usually. Sunny 90% of the year, tons of outdoor activities, great sports city (they have a team in every major pro sport), beautiful scenery, decent real estate prices, easy to fly to/from, some excellent higher learning institutions, etc. -Pop
I love San Francisco. but survey says! Chicago: http://www.askmen.com/specials/2009_top_29/chicago.html
does livability = selling your shack to afford a mansion? the people I know who moved up did so because their dollar went a lot further, but they miss the sun. STOMP
I guess it depends on what one values. Personally, I couldn't live in Central Oregon . . . for me, Central Oregon is a great place for a second home but not primary residence. I'm big on diversity and entertainment. I want to be able to interact with many different cultures, have many choices of good ethnic resturants and have ample access to performing arts and sporting events. Bay area is top on my list when it comes to my personal criteria (couldn't do the NY thing, although love to visit). Not putting down central Oregon. I get why many want to live there (even people in poverty have a great view ). But the Bay area offers a lot that central Oregon does not . . . it is just a matter of what one enjoys for entertainment . . . besides, Tahoe is only 6 hours away.
Last time I was in the Bay area I was reading the paper and how local law enforcement couldn't even afford a home in their area because of housing prices. Some officers had to commute 1.5 hour each way to Palo Alto to work. I was staying with family Redwood City and couldn't believe the prices of homes or private schools. Clubs, golf courses . . .heck the overall cost of living can be so unbearable to some it takes all the pleasure out of living in the Bay Area. For a family of four on a national average income, I don't think the bay areacan be a struggle.
Lived in Vegas for 6 years. I really liked it; for the most part it was like LA or the Bay Area without all the traffic on the freeways. Suburban sprawl with convenient shopping and eateries. Didn't gamble much, but the shows were oustanding. The culture is really weird tho. Where most cities have opera or symphony or museums, Vegas has strip clubs and other vice. I think I saw license plates on cars from all 50 states there (plus mexico and canada) - a real mix of people from all over. The Southwest is downright beautiful. I live in San Diego now and like it a lot. I have been here numerous times on business. I leave work and it's 78 degrees outside, then drive 5 miles to the beach and the temperature drops to 68. When it's 75 here, it's really hot. I lived in the Bay Area for 15 years. Terrific scenery and nature, but really crowded. A lot of people driving around in BMWs up to their eyeballs in debt, yet millionaires. I was there during the Loma Prieta earthquake, which pretty much triggered a mass exodus to Oregon. People sold their dumps and bought mansions, but have to suffer with lesser weather. Raised in Chicago. It's a GREAT city, but it really needs to be picked up and dropped where Miami is. Speaking of which, I hear homes in Miami are really cheap these days.
Yep, totally depends on what you are looking for. Personally, I love outdoor activities: camping, hunting, snow skiing, fishing, hiking, biking running, golf, wakeboarding, etc, etc. I couldn't care less about ethnic restaurants, trendy cafes, clubs, etc. If you want to do any of those outdoor things I mentioned, while living in the Bay Area, you either a) have to drive a long, long way, b) have to deal with huge crowds while trying to be outdoors and away from things, which defeats the purpose, or c) both a) and b).
Interesting. I dislike the weather in the Bay Area, and would trade for Central Oregon weather anytime. I get tired of not having seasons, not cooling off at night, and humidity (compared to Central Oregon).
Yep. Most people here can't afford a "home". They can only afford: maybe a condo, possibly a townhouse, and rarely a detached home. In the Palo Alto or Mountain View area, if you want a, say, a decent, 40-50 year old, 1400sqft, 3bed, 2 bath home, on a small lot, you're looking around a low end of ~$900k, and they just go up from there.
Where I lived (Mountain View), it got near 100 on the hottest days, but the Bay cooled things down to 70 or so at night. Typically it was 90s and high 60s... And the winters were rainy and plenty long enough. It got cold enough to kill some of the landscaping each year. People who like outdoors activities typically drive to Tahoe or Reno for skiing or the lake, and there's all sorts of camp sites in the East Bay or it's a short trip to Yosemite, which is downright gorgeous.
Did my undergrad at UCSD. Lived in Del Mar for a year (I miss the track, where the surf meets the turf) and Mission beach for 2 (best 2 years of my life). I think San Diego has the best weather of any of the cities mentioned so far. But like the Bay Area, I find the cost of living to be too high compared to the going salaries.
I'm living in Mission Beach, 4 houses in from the boardwalk. Near the north end, close to Pacific Beach.
Central OR has far more restaurants per capita than the Bay Area, a massively lower crime rate, a thriving arts/entertainment community, actual clean air you can safely inhale, zero gangs, zero fleas, and the only asses you meet here are visiting from California. The Bend Elks are the biggest sports team 'cuz most entral Oregonians are too busy living the dream to sit and watch others play. And if you like Tahoe, it's only 7 hours away.
Wow. I was in the same situation, about 2 houses from the boardwalk (on the beach side of the street). Is parking still bad? I would carry a skateboard in my car and skateboard along the boardwalk to get to my house . . . or I could leave my car parked, blow out class and toss the frisbee on the beach.
