posted April 05, 2004 08:26 PM         

There's always OR and WA - they're a bit less expensive, not a lot of "beach" in the Californian sense (although I think our beaches are yuck compared to say, FL) - meaning if you want to strip down and sunbathe, OR and WA beaches aren't Baywatch style beaches. If you want beautiful beaches in a stormy environment, OR and WA are good. The job markets aren't so bad (depending on what you do), and rents are more affordable. WA doesn't have state income tax but does have sales tax, OR is vice-versa (unless that's changed in the 7 years since I've lived up there).

Before seriously considering a move out here, look at the cost of living and the average pay for the job you do via Craigslist or Yahoo!. If after that you decide you STILL want to live out here, San Francisco is a wonderful city, lots to do, the various neighborhoods have a small community feel. Marin county is beautiful, and the central coast is gorgeous too. I detest SoCal so I won't comment on it, but I do know there are several folks here from L.A., so they would probably have a lot to tell ya about it.

I've heard good things about San Diego, have never been there though.

Hope that helps

posted April 05, 2004 09:47 PM         

LOL

I understand what you are saying.

The cost of living in Sacramento is better than here, (Marin County) but the population is overgrown there too. There are so many new houses being built everywhere. Aphrodite could probably give some good advice about renting in the city (S.F.) as she just had a thread on it.

OH! Traffic in Marin on Highway 101 is HORRIBLE!!!!!

posted April 06, 2004 12:56 PM         

I hadn't seen this thread when I wrote back to you earlier today. Hope I didn't scare you away from San Francisco with the rent quotes, or rather what I am paying.

Aphrodite

posted April 06, 2004 01:17 PM         

I don't want to scare you away from Calif. either.

I think you would just need to do a lot of research when choosing a city or town; cost of living, job opportunities, traffic, etc.

There are a lot of beautiful places here.

I wish I could live in Santa Barbara or Malibu Oooooohhhhhhh what a dreamer I am

posted April 06, 2004 01:36 PM         

Being a native Californian my first instinct is to say...come on over!!!

But really you need to do research...Beach cities are very expensive and Central California can be VERY HOT in the summer. Mountian comminttes can be very pretty and the beach doesn't have to be far away but then you have to consider having a job...

If you can, try to visit an area and pick up a real paper (not those apartment guides)...so you can see what you like.

I love LA but it is a hard place to get used to since what is most interesting about Los Angeles is in the East Side and South Central. If you watched the news you would never go to those neighborhoods....

Best wishes and don't count us out...

(Ventura and Oxnard are both Southern beach cities that are not as expensive as Santa Barbara-and would have work. They are a bit Orange County for my taste-the OC is not what the TV makes it out to be-thank god) but it has it's conservative enclave.

Speaking of Orange County...very pretty places to live kinda quiet.

Viva La California!!!

posted April 06, 2004 08:09 PM         

If you like queit Santa Barbar is nice and the surrounding area is just beautiful.

Santa Monica can be fun but the traffic in an out is crazy. I don't know you but I think that if you lived in Santa Monica after a year you would spend most of your time in Venice (the next 'town' down the beach) or on the eastside of L.A.

That's just my opinion I maybe be a bit jadded because Santa Monica has been at my back door all my life. It's a wonderful place but for the price you can stay almost anywhere in CA and I would pick those other two cities

posted April 06, 2004 08:58 PM         

With all the ideas of Calif. posted here, I thought of a couple things that might be important.
***What kind of weather do you like?*** San Francisco has it's own private cloud; it's usually cool and foggy. Are you a city person? Do you mind that there's little or no parking in S.F.? Do you like a diverse culture?
Do you like hot weather? In Spring through Fall, Marin and Sonoma counties both offer very hot weather. Last year we thought it would never end. We had back to back heatwaves through October. And I am talking 90-105 degrees.
Sonoma County is very affordable, however, many people move up there and find jobs in Marin or San Francisco, as the jobs pay more in Marin and San Francisco. Thus, the Southbound commute is terrible into Marin and S.F. Sonoma county also is very beautiful, is more countrylike, and has the Napa Valley.
Do you like snow? Lake Tahoe is a winter vacation skiing destination, has gambling and nightlife with big casinos. It is very beautiful there. Some people love to live there.
Well, sounds like a lot of advice going on here, I am just trying to help.

posted April 07, 2004 09:49 AM         

I think you probably have thought of this, but how about taking a vacation in California?

The weather in SF is colder than Atlanta. We have Indian Summer in the Fall, which is as hot as it gets; 80s - 90s. The climate is 50s - 70s, sunny with partly cloudy skies. The fog rolls in around 7 pm and dissipates in the late morning.

What is crowded for you? Tourist destinations are always crowded. Certain bus lines have people packed like sardines in a can. All the neighborhoods here have people walking on the sidewalks, some areas are busier than others.

Oh! The coffee here is great

The conditions of parking a vehicle depends on where one is at. Let's say Nob Hill. Drivers will sometimes spend 30 minutes or more looking for parking. Or some pay a fee for a parking garage or lot. There are neighborhoods where parking is easier. These places tend to be residential, and have less tourist attraction.

I know people who live in the city that take weekend getaways to the Napa Valley (wine country), and Tahoe (skiing, sailing, swimming, mountains). Some go down the coast to Carmel for their quiet beaches.