OT - To All You SoCal Guys (and Girls), Do you like it there? Options

[riverman]

My mind gets active when I have nothing to do, so while the site was down I started thinking about travel. I've always wanted to see California and one day I will, but I began to wonder 'Is it all it's cracked up to be?'

I think one of the reasons California looks so appealing is that it's always hyped in the movies and on TV - good weather, beautiful people, easy lifestyle, rust-free teeners. But the flipside of that is overcrowding, high cost of living, gang violence and smog.

I know that every place has it's qualities (southwestern Ontario - clean cities, safe neighbourhoods, high standard of living, gorgeous summers) and we all live where we live for a reason. But every winter all I want to do is get away. I hate the snow and the cold.

So tell me, is California all it's cracked up to be? For those of you born there, would you rather live somewhere else? For those of you who moved there, was it worth it?

[Howard]

Doug, I looked up your city. Really looks nice, but after NY, Baltimore, and Minneapolis, I just don't miss the winters.

Discounting the L.A, Bay area, and San Diego, most of the state has low population density and crime rates. Good weather, schools, lifestyle, but the girls only look like Baywatch on Baywatch.

I live in an area similar to yours in population, about 200,000. The biggest difference you would notice is real estate pricing and weather. Found a nice looking 1900 sq ft home in Cambridge for $305k, I assume CN, but don't know if web site was converting.

Similar home here $650k USD. So anything geared to real estate prices (hotel rooms, etc.) is higher here, and with no socialized medicine, care and insurance will cost you more. most other costs comparable.

Per capita income higher here, so there is some offset, but it still ain't cheap. But I'm 20 minutes from the beach all year long, and 2 hours to the slopes now if I really want to freeze my cookies for old times sake.

Bottom line? We like it, but if our kids and granddaughter moved wto Kitchener, we would too.