Could anyone tell me what sort of area these two places are? We are looking for a place to relocate to and want low crime, little to no snow, nature yet close enough to a larger city to find Pharmacy jobs.

Would either of these places fit the bill?

If not, do you have suggestions?

Thanks!

For anyone reading this post who doesn't already know, these towns are in east central CA. They are both about 1 hours drive into Yosemite Valley.

Oakhurst is very near the south entrance to Yosemite. The closest large town would be Fresno. I like Oakhurst. It's in the mountains enough to feel like a mountain town but not so much that you feel that mountain isolation in the winter.

Mariposa is further north off 140. The area is less populated than Oakhurst. The Merced River is close by. Mariposa is best known as a Yosemite gateway town. It is about an hours drive to Yosemite. The rock slide has currently cut it off from Yosemite but they are working hard to build bridges around the rock slide and get the road reopened. They have made enough progress at this time to have guided caravans a few times a day for commuters who work in Yosemite and any travelers who wish to join the caravan. Mariposa is outside Merced which is much smaller than Fresno

In Oakhurst there is a rather large Raleys where you could possibly get a pharmacy job. Ths population in Oakhurst is larger than that of Mariposa.

I just came back from Oakhurst and there is also a Longs Drugs there. Oakhurst is a small town but seems to be growing. The elevation is only 2,200 Ft so probably won't get much snow. According to my AAA book, the population is 2,900. It is, as Suzie, said, close to Fresno (maybe 40 miles) but has the mtn. feel to it. It would be awesome to live that close to Yosemite! Good luck in choosing. Sorry I can't help you with Mariposa. have you looked at either town's Chamber of Commerce site?

2Deep - I have very close friends who live in Mariposa and the love it. They are very familiar with both towns. If you want to contact them directly just let me know.

Hi. We stayed in Mariposa when we went to Yosemite. We stayed at indianpeakranch.com It's a lovely place and you ought to check out their web site including the FAQ. We ate at the Red Fox several times and the meals were delicious. Three Sisters in Oakhurst was outstanding.

We had a lovely vacation there, and it looks like it would be a great place to live in a lot of ways, but I saw it from a vacationer's perspective. We lost our digital camera battery and weren't able to buy a new one anywhere, and we really tried! In other words, they are small towns.

The countryside is beautiful and with Yosemite so close, I'd be tempted.

Besides the Raley's and Long's Drugs, there is also a Von's in Oakhurst.

Many people commute to Fresno, and between that and tourists heading to Yosemite, traffic can really back up on Hwy. 41, especially on weekends.

It's pretty there, though it can get hot in the summer and there would be some snow in the winter, making the commute to Fresno potentially hazardous. And then there's the fog in the San Joaquin Valley in the spring...but I like Oakhurst. I grew up near there.

Lee Ann

We too have stayed at Indian Peak Ranch - fabulous spot - a real one of a kind "get-away-from-it-all" kind of places.

As for Mariposa and Oakhurst - Oakhurst has better basic shopping and grocery shopping, while Mariposa has quaint shops which Oakhurst does not. MAJOR shopping needs to be done in Fresno or Merced - like Costco or Home Depot. Both Mariposa and Oakhurst have some great restaurants - Savoury's and Charles Street in Mariposa, and Three Sisters and Erna's Elderberry House ($$$$) in Oakhurst. Mariposa (Gold Rush town) has a lot of history...Oakhurst less so.

Mariposa is much smaller than Oakhurst and is much more laid back. It is a typical small California town and delightlfully - a bit behind the times. It is definitely worth a visit. A visit might turn into a move - we hear this happens often.

I agree with Elen about the potential danger of the commute. I had three friends killed on that stretch to Fresno, but perhaps them being less careful. My brother and sister and family have driven it for many years though with no accidents.

I also have to agree with the poster on your other thread about Fresno's high crime rate. I was raised in Fresno and moved out in 1978. When I was a kid, there was maybe one murder a year there (long ago). Now it is one of the worst cities in CA for crime.

There are still some nice places there however such as out towards the Van Ness extension, Woodward Park area, and some areas of Clovis. A lot of growth still in north and northwest part of town with Fresno now expanding to Friant to the east and Madera to the north south. Some rural parts of Madera also have some nice areas.

When I as a kid, everything east of Herndon ave was rural, and you could see the mountains before smog existed. But I also played on some "new" sections of 99 as it was being built, so you can guess at how long ago that was.

Otherwise, the central valley is a nice place to be from. I might sound snobbish, but I only pass through there on my way to Oakhurst. I bear the heat for class reunions and "sometimes" get homesick,for the way it used to be, and old friends.

Thanks for all the great posts!

That Indian Peak Ranch looks awesome. They give a break for a week so that is great. It looks like we will have about 10 days in this area. We extended our trip to 26 days

Cabo you are kind to offer your friends assistance, I would not want to bother anyone. I'd feel funny But thanks!

So the traffic in the area isn't bad unless you go on that "widow maker" road? That is scary.

I would love to live this close to Yosemite. Are there any other cool cities in the area that are nice and yet still close to the park?

Is Nordstroms and Starbucks going to just be a distant memory? LOL

Does anyone know any other cities that maybe aren't by Yosemite but they are nice,little crime, beautiful scenery and no snow?

I've heard Bishop is nice but is it a tractor pull kind of town? LOL

Thanks again to everyone! I have to say the people on this board from Califorina are always so kind and helpful.

seriously. email me and i will forward it to them....you could not find better people to talk to. they know everything and everyone and no one could be nicer. Me: [email protected]

Don't go to Bishop. The end of the earth!

I believe the closest Nordstrom would be in San Francisco. Don't know about Starbucks, but I would think there'd be one closer.

Nordstrom locations:

Walnut Creek Pleasanton, Sacramento and as previous poster says SF.

Starbucks, most every corner in northern CA.

You might want to look into the small towns along 49 between Mariposa and Placerville. There are so many nice towns along there that might be of interest to you.

Yep - Starbucks is becoming as common as McDonalds around here.

Starbucks is actually in 2 locations in Oakhurst- one in Vons and on around the corner by Jamba Juice.

Now if there was a Nordy's there, I could live there myself!

Just ran across this thread so I'm a few days late.

o2deep2, there has been quite a lot of growth in Fresno in Pharmacies. I'm not sure of current demand but within the last year I know several pharmacies had to temporarily cut hours due to lack of staff.

bear900, Fresno's crime rate has dropped. Per capita murders are now lower than San Francisco and Sacramento. Auto theft is lower than Sacramento, Seattle, San Diego, Phoenix, and others. Still a long way to go but a lot of progress. Probably related to the fact that Fresno's unemployment rate is half of what it was 10 years ago.

Nordstroms? Not in Fresno yet but there is a Nordstrom Rack.

Actually quite a bit of new upscale shopping in Fresno. Coach opened a free-standing store due to heavy sales at Macys. Kumfs (the New Zealand shoe company) just opened its first US store in Fresno. Heck, Jos A. Bank opened in Fresno afew years ago before they opened in LA or SF.