ready to move

Help,

I want to move some place nice and warm all year long? We have no children, in our early 30's. Any suggestions? We live in Michigan, hate the winters. Thought about Florida,(Orlando area) & Hawaii (Maui). Looking for ideas?

Thanks!

Joanne

Hawaii is nice all year long. If you can afford it, you'll love it.

Florida gets miserably HOT and HUMID for several months every year, people hide from the outdoor climate even more than they do in Michigan. At least if it's cold out, you can bundle up, but there's no defense against 95 and humid, except running from one air-conditioned place to another.

If you can't afford Hawaii, try one of the more moderate coastal climates, like NC or VA or southern CA. They don't get nearly as cold as Michigan nor as HOT as southern FL.

jim

I was going to recommend San Diego--see the threat below this one "HELP - San Diego vs Boston" for some info on San Diego.

Susan

If you can find a job there I'd recommend Santa Barbara, where nearly every day is a perfect day. Never really hot and never really cold, not a big sprawling metropolis but not in the middle of nowhere. However, the job market is tight. I went to college there and worked at a department store alongside PhDs who didn't want to leave the area so would take any job. But it is paradise!

jane

I always dreamed of living in Hawaii one day until I was in Maui during the Sept 11 attacks. My husband and I caught a terrible case of island fever. It is a wonderful place to vacation and even though it is part of the U.S. you end up feeling very isolated from the rest of the states. I do not want to discourage you but that is one thing to consider. Of course it is amazingly beautiful and tranquil there. Orlando and CA seems nice and perhaps Phoenix?

joe

I'd second the motion on Santa Barbara California, there's just no better climate anywhere.

Carlsbad and La Jolla, north of San Diego, might be better employment-wise.

Celeste

I second the idea of staying away from Florida, at least from the Orlando area. We have lived in Orlando for 15 years and plan to leave the second our youngest graduates from high school (in May!) We figure by that time there will be not one tree left standing here, as the developers clear cut thousands of acres daily to make room for more homes that soon no "normal" income family will be able to afford. The roads are jammed, schools are terrible, weather is miserable six months of the year, and the jobs pay lower than low. Yes, I'm sorry I ever moved here!

Marcie

I lived in Florida and enjoyed the weather a couple of months out of the year but HATED it more months. It is very hot and humid there. I've traveled in Hawaii and love to vacation there but not sure I'd want to live there. It is difficult if you have love ones on the mainland due to the distance and expense of traveling....also, the cost of living is very high there. All and all, I think your best bet is So. California. I live here now and have never regretted it. The weather is ideal....year round mildness. There is so much to do, snow skiing, beaches, sports, culture, great restaurants etc. The only thing I don't like about living here is the freeway travel...I do as little of that as possible. I've never spent much time in Arizona...I know they have nice winter weather but the summers can be brutal. Unfortunately, there are too many like myself who came to So.California for a vacation, fell in love with it and never left!

Cali girl

I second the motion. California knows how to party!! Beauty surrounds you!!!

tembody

We live in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida which is just south of Jacksonville beach on A1A. (Between Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine). It is so lovely here and is a great place to live. It gets hot, but our very hot weather is shorter than Orlando's.

Ingrid

How about Arizona? Loved it, and the real eastate prices are better than CA, particularly if you come from Michigan. CA will be a sticker shock!

mellissa

Hi-

I have lived in Orlando for the past 5 yrs and my husband is from metro detroit...we love it here, don't be swayed by the other posters-you should decide on your own. i disagree with the poster who mentioned cost of living getting very high, considering the other alternatives that you have had mentioned (Hawaii, California) Orlando is very cheap...The weather from Oct-May is beautiful..yes, we do have some heat, but it is for a short time 3-4 months and it is not unbearable...especially with the beach 45 min away. Some of out schools are good, traffic is bad-but every major city has that problem. We have a lovely little down town, areas like Winter Park which is just beautiful with great shops and rests...Consider it...I have lived in other met areas and Orlando has tons of attributes...Why else would out pop rate be growing at such a quick rate if it wasn't great??

Cindy

How about the Keys? The ocean wind helps keep down the overpowering heat like you find in central Fla.

hotstuff

To each his own, but I'd recommend against Orlando or Phoenix.
I'm sure there are nice neighborhoods in both places (such as in the Scottsdale area near Phoenix) but I fail to see the attraction of either place.
Much will depend on what you're looking for (besides warmth) but neither Orl. nor Phnx. offers much (besides warmth).

will

La Quinta. Warm, beautiful, villagy, reasonably affordable.

Maui Lover

I'm sorry, I'd say Maui in a heartbeat.
Paradise!!!! Gorgeous weather year round! Go for it. You only enjoy life once. Do it while you can!!

Good Luck..

xxx

CALIFORNA