Where Would You Go and What Would You Do?

[Glocktogo]

I've actually been considering a move recently, but you can quickly rule out a lot of places in the US.

If you want to live in a place that doesn't have unbearable climate (which for me is extreme cold or heat), unbearable crime, at least two semi-large cities withing a day's driving distance (i.e. not a lot of the southern states have even one decent-sized city - which means you can't find a lot of stuff locally), or states that are 100% non-compatible with the 2nd amendment (which sucks because CA, MA and NY have some really nice areas - I've not seen anything in IL that makes me want to live there)... Your choices are limited.

Been thinking of Pittsburgh a lot lately. Similar to Tulsa (little colder - less southern/bible-belt-ish). Its a fairly Red city but with a lot of middle-of-the-road dems and republicans (not as many extremists on either side - they all live in Philly). Little better mix of culture - not too expensive to live (decent economy brings in middle-income families as neighbors).

I honestly loved Northern CA, but wouldn't live there because of the state's grip on everything (and the political climate). Sucks too because they had great hiking/camping/etc. and as long as you stayed out of the bay, the people were all nice.

Have considered Reno or Vegas, but both places are suffering from a horrible economy and Meth is worse there than it is here (hard to believe, I know).

Oregon or Washington would be ok - but I'd have to live east of the Sierra Nevadas (to get away from Portland or Seattle) and I'm not crazy about how the temps go down and the weather turns nasty once you get to or past the mountains.

I could own a place in Wyoming or Montana, but I don't think I could live there long-term (could do the whole, live like a hermit for a year, but that would be about all I could stand). Pretty much east of that and the weather outweighs the benefit of living there.

To the south, I don't know that I would live in NM (except for maybe the northern part which is basically southern CO) and the political climate of CO is starting to go the way of CA - they want to rule your life too much. UT is pretty much too weird for me - and it had only one city - Salt Lake. AZ has always intrigued me - I have friends that live there (no allergies from what I hear), but it's a love/hate relationship - I love so much about that place and yet hate so much about it at the same time.

I've typically ruled out TX, but I'm starting to consider northern DFW area (or even Plano area). Houston area was on the list, but low because of the smog (traffic is actually worse here since they F@#$ed up all the roads in Tulsa) and ridiculous 4-5 month unbearably hot season.

I'm really trying to avoid the southern states (don't want to downgrade from OK in areas like education, economy, standards-of-living, drug-use, crime, etc.), so I don't typically include them. However, if I could stand the people, I'd live in the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area of FL. Really like to visit that area.

North Carolina or Virginia keep popping up on the radar too - love mountains and beaches in the same state, but I don't know about the economic/political/religious climate there (also - hurricanes are a pretty regular factor anywhere in the southern/eastern parts of the US that touch water).

Pittsburgh is my wife's go-to place. They've been getting a LOT of good press over the last few years. I had an agency employee from there come to Tulsa to work for a week. About the only negative he had was the roads. Said they were as bad or worse than Tulsa <sigh>

 

[Glocktogo]

Tampa Bay, I hate winter and love the Gulf. Deep sea fishing, Bike shows, car shows in the TB area and shooting/hunting on my buddies land near Brooksville. Oh wait, this may be a reality in 3 more years.

I have to admit that Tampa was pretty darn nice when I visited there. I could spend a lot of time on Clearwater Beach.

 

[RidgeHunter]

There are some great deals on land in Arkansas.

Amazing deals. I may be moving into city proper soon. Land in AR is my next goal. Live in town - head to a cabin in AR on the weekends. Poor man's attainable version of utopia. Might try and get some family to go in on it with me.

I swear to god there'd be no place on Earth better than the ozarks *if* it wasn't so hot there in the summer. Sure there's the abject poverty thing, the militias, the meth and the white supremacist groups - but the beauty and recreational opportunities win out. There's no better state for the variety of canoeing and kayaking (you have whitewater states and flatwater states, but AR has it all and miles upon miles of it), and you can hike until you die and never see the same trail twice. World class brown trout fishing next to warm water smallies and 150 miles of undammed river. Chunks of National Forest big enough to get lost in forever. Love it.

Really I'd be gone to the PNW tomorrow if a.) the cost of living wasn't so high or b.) I could get at least one person I know to go with me. I'm so spoiled working so little and having enough money for cars and houses and food and toys here in Oklahoma, living like a redneck bohemian. It's so laughably cheap to live here that actually having to bust ass all the time to pay bills in a state where things are not dirt cheap would be a total bummer. Even with the cost of living thing, if someone - be it a girlfriend, buddy, sister, anyone - would go with me, I'd be gone. I guess I'm too much of an emotional sissy to do it alone. I'm not too old to meet new people, but I need at least one person to ***** to while I do it. I love cold rainy weather and cloudy days, hate the heat with a passion, love trees, and living around like-minded people would be nice.

 

[AKguy1985]

If you had enough money to live comfortably (not in not in the continental extraordinarily extravagant style of moi, complete with ascots and silk pyjamas) but comfortably in that you could drop $200-300k on a home some place and never have to work, so that your time was all your own....where would you go and what would you do?

I'd build a house on my familys land and kick back and take it easy.

I would buy a 4x4 diesel dodge ram and buy a cabin and land in archuleta county colorado. My summer home would be in pagosa springs colorado. I'd hunt and fish may-sept.

 

[n8thegr8]

Move to Colorado and snowmobile my ass off

 

[beast1989]

Somewhere in Oklahoma is where I want to be. I would love to own a property similar to that seen on "Little People Big World" but I dont like their house so much. I would construct a pond to fish in, raise a few heads of cattle and build a barn to shelter the horses. Get some quads, build a range and im set.

 

[beast1989]

Here. Been all over the world. Never thought about or wanted to come to Oklahoma. Have no family here other than my wife (who came with me). Just happened to be driving thru after I retired and stopped in Norman (got lost during a big rain storm). Thought the people were really nice. Been here 5 years now and truly feel like God brought me here. Sometimes the best place to be is where you are.

An absolutely great story.

 

[HippyG22M3]

Somewhere around Pagosa Springs, CO. Lots of land and small house.

 

[ronny]

I read J.B.'s OP, and none of the responses, so if I repeat someone, tough!

I would find a piece of land in southern Oklahoma, perhaps in the Arbuckle foothills region. It would have enough acreage for me to shoot as much as I want. It would have a very nice fishing pond. I would build a small, comfortable home on the West side of the pond so I could sit out on my patio in the afternoon and evening and watch the pond life. And, there would be a little bit of bottom land for pecans and squirrels.

What the hell else could I ask for? Oh, yeah! One other thing - my wife would have to agree to moving out of town. Oh, well, it was a nice dream.

 

[kd5rjz]

I would definitely be buying a bunch of land and a mediocre house in southern MO, AR, or maybe LA.