Is the grass greener?

[XL.Overland]

Because I'm very new to overlanding, and have seen very little of our great county, I've come to you all for help.

My wife and I have contemplated getting out of California for years now, but can't fully pin down one specific place that we would like to live. One week it's Tennessee, the next it's Idaho, the next it's Utah, the next..... well you get the idea. It's ever changing, because we don't really know what places would be best for us and if those places are any better than where we are now.

So here's what we're looking for:

Family friendly- sick of all the shootings in Southern California. I don't want to have to worry more than usual when I drop my kids off at school. It should never enter my mind as to whether they'll make it home that night or not.

Small town- we like being heavily involved in our community, and the smaller the community, the easier it is to get more people involved. Small communities often have tighter bonds among the group as a whole.

Out in the country- we love the outdoors, fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, etc. etc. etc. We also love raising our own meat, and growing our own food. We also like not being stacked on top of our neighbors, so we'd like a minimum of 5 acres. We have 1 acre now, and it's a decent size, but we would like to have more.

Thank you all in advance. If you've got pictures of the places you suggest, that would be awesome too. Let's see those charming small towns.


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[Randy P]

GREAT post! I'm also in California, looking to get out!

Can't wait to see the replies!

Randy

 

[TnK1]

From Texas here, no other place!


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[Roger352]

I'm in the uk I can tell people are queuing up to get out of the cities and move to the country. Find a safe place and go for it. Country life is not for everyone but you will sleep better at night

 

[Justin Forrest]

I'm from Seattle. My wife and I would like to move to Coeur D'alene Idaho. We have been going there every summer for the last 8 years. It's one the best areas of the U.S. I have been to. Other notable area would include upstate NY, north eastern Oregon (along the Blue mountains) or south central Oregon (Umpqua National Forrest is one the most beautiful Forrest's I've been in.) if you don't mind rain the Olympic peninsula here in Washington is excellent for scenery but you would mostly need to commute for a decent job.

 

[XL.Overland]

I'm from Seattle. My wife and I would like to move to Coeur D'alene Idaho. We have been going there every summer for the last 8 years. It's one the best areas of the U.S. I have been to. Other notable area would include upstate NY, north eastern Oregon (along the Blue mountains) or south central Oregon (Umpqua National Forrest is one the most beautiful Forrest's I've been in.) if you don't mind rain the Olympic peninsula here in Washington is excellent for scenery but you would mostly need to commute for a decent job.

The rain in Washington would be tough for me, because I'm a land surveyor. I'm sure most of the land surveyors in Washington work in the rain, but in Southern California the jobs get shut down for that day or two. That's not to say that I haven't worked in the rain, but when you have paperwork to do while you're out in it, it's just not possible. I'll definitely check in to those spots in Idaho and Oregon you suggested. Thanks for those.


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[Graeman]

I just stopped being a transporter and in the last 3 years I drove 460,000 miles in the US and Canada. There are definitely states that I dream to move to and there are just a couple of states that I want to stay away from. I think the Pacific Northwest is great, follow that all the way over to MN and then south to the gulf coast. Anything below DC is good and anything north is too busy, expensive and too many toll roads. I have been applying for a government job for the past year and I can not wait to see where I will land once the hiring freeze is lifted. I am not going to say what states that I do not like because I don't want to turn this into a banter - CAAZNMALMSNYNJPAOHIN.

 

[Anders0nic]

Because I'm very new to overlanding, and have seen very little of our great county, I've come to you all for help.

My wife and I have contemplated getting out of California for years now, but can't fully pin down one specific place that we would like to live. One week it's Tennessee, the next it's Idaho, the next it's Utah, the next..... well you get the idea. It's ever changing, because we don't really know what places would be best for us and if those places are any better than where we are now.

So here's what we're looking for:

Family friendly- sick of all the shootings in Southern California. I don't want to have to worry more than usual when I drop my kids off at school. It should never enter my mind as to whether they'll make it home that night or not.

Small town- we like being heavily involved in our community, and the smaller the community, the easier it is to get more people involved. Small communities often have tighter bonds among the group as a whole.

Out in the country- we love the outdoors, fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, etc. etc. etc. We also love raising our own meat, and growing our own food. We also like not being stacked on top of our neighbors, so we'd like a minimum of 5 acres. We have 1 acre now, and it's a decent size, but we would like to have more.

Thank you all in advance. If you've got pictures of the places you suggest, that would be awesome too. Let's see those charming small towns.


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Sounds like you are a NorCal candidate. There are plenty of wild/rural areas in the woods and valleys of Northern California. The property won't be as cheap as other states but the services are usually pretty good as well as the inclusion/opportunity that is fostered here. Goodluck in your search.

 

[john casson]

Check out Sonora ca.

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[NW David]

Yakima and other eastern Washington cities may be a good choice for ya. it does still get a good amount of rain but it's "regular" rain on the east side of the cascades, not the year round drizzle we get on the west. Plus you will get all 4 seasons there. As opposed 2 seasons we get on the wet coast....grey/drizzle and wtf hot (80*)


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[Raul B]

I'm in Southern CA and long to leave the state. We have decided to make a decision when our oldest graduates high school which is next year. My sister in law lives in Kyle Tx which is near Austin. Right now we are torn between moving to TX or moving to the mountains here in CA (lake arrowhead).

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

For you...Castle Rock, CO sounds like the perfect town for you. About 40 minutes south of Denver without traffic. But like any other great city, it is booming. I lived in Sacramento, CA for 16 years and couldn't wait to leave. Left in 2011 for CO but then moved back to CA for a job in 2013 (Bay Area). I'm renewing my lease one more year and am getting out...again. I really want to go back to CO, but am also thinking of Charlotte as it's a great city and my sister lives there. Nashville is also a cool city. I'd give San Diego a chance, but then I'm still in CO. One other city I always enjoy visiting is Minneapolis, but it gets COLD in the winter. Denver gets cold, but not THAT cold. CO is a dry cold and gets a ton of sun. I also lived in the PNW and will NEVER go back. It rains WAY WAY too much. A lot of CA people are moving out of state and just a heads up, not a lot of people like Californians out of state. So be ready for that. But for what you are looking for I'd give CO a shot. There are some GREAT towns outside of Denver that are still affordable where you could have that and the mountains are SO close.

 

[Ryan Matthes]

Outside Magazine's Best Places to Live - I've been to almost all of these and wouldn't hesitate to live in any one of them. That said, one missing that I would add (and lived there a couple different times), Asheville, NC

https://www.outsideonline.com/2105956/best-places-live-us-2016

 

[Arizona Overland]

Where you move depends on what kind of Californian you are. I was born in Cali, and I love the state, but I can't stand the kind of people who are the majority in the state. I don't particularly care for Arizona, but I like the way the majority thinks. I see plenty of Californians run from what they have created in Cali , just to land here and try to turn it into the same S hole they left. It really does bogle my mind.

 

[Graeman]

In just 21 days, I will be moving to Denver, CO. It was nice to see so many Colorado cities on the list. Guess I need to learn how to ski, kayak, mountain bike and swim. Lol
I am looking forward to getting back in shape again - or at least better than I am in right now :) Unless something else comes along (Oklahoma City, OK or Starbuck, WA) before I leave the city that I have never called home for the past 13 years.

 

[Graeman]

Where you move depends on what kind of Californian you are. I was born in Cali, and I love the state, but I can't stand the kind of people who are the majority in the state. I don't particularly care for Arizona, but I like the way the majority thinks. I see plenty of Californians run from what they have created in Cali , just to land here and try to turn it into the same S hole they left. It really does bogle my mind.

Amen... Could have not said it better. It's funny how many people do not like California and how many Californian's have no clue that they are so un-liked.

 

[squatchgx]

It really depends what type of climate you want have lived in about 10 states including the Southern California area. For me job drove me to SE Georgia which is nice but my favorite places are in the west. Southern Utah and SW Colorado are a very good mix of temperate (relative to the Rockies at least) and outdoors. Liked Seattle but the rain did get to me after a few years. Oregon across the cascades could be a good mix of less people and much less rain then the coast.

 

[stifler]

I was born in Cali.... left and never looked back! currently in tampa florida but planning to relocate and retire in Lakewood CO

 

[XL.Overland]

Wow. This thread blew up over the last couple days. Thanks for all the great replies. A little about me: I was born and raised in California until I was 14 when I moved to Las Vegas to live with my dad and go to high school. Even at that point in my life I knew I didn't want to be in California. I know what you're talking about as far as people not necessarily liking people from California, but all in all I got along just fine. Plus the ladies loved the California boy. After high school I attended UNLV for a couple years until I moved out on my own. I quickly racked up some dept (as we all do), and got in over my head as far as finances were concerned which lead me back to California so my mom and grandparents could bail me out. Found the girl of my dreams, had kids, and now neither of us want to raise our kids here. We're both very "Southern" as far as hospitality and overall helpfulness/courtesy is concerned, so I don't expect us to muddy the waters wherever we land. I am leaning more and more towards Colorado and Utah, because I think it will give us the best of both worlds. Climate we are used to, and wide open spaces. Thanks again everyone.

 

[SwampcatJeep]

You should also look into NW Arkansas and/or NE Oklahoma. I live in NE Oklahoma and I love it more everyday. Communities are small. PLENTY of rural land available. Hills and mountains if you want, or flat if you don't. We've got a desert with sand dunes, a dried lake bed (salt flats), and everything in between. Plus you're half way to anywhere else in the US!

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