What do you love about your chosen city of residence?

[JediNein]

I'm in SoCal, specifically in the San Fernando Valley.

We have the corrupt mayor. The insane parking lots commonly referred to as freeways. Potholes that can eat a Hummer stretch limo and two Audis with room for a Civic for dessert. Mudslides. Earthquakes. Awesome IFR with fog and zero-zero in places. The beaches 2-3 hours away -- depending on traffic, or ten minutes walking from the right airport. Hi-speed chases are a spectator sport. Buy a house and sell it in two months for a hefty profit, 500K will fetch a nice tin shack without the tin. 700K is a condo. Renting is worse.

Within two hours are the highest and lowest spots in the lower 48. I just did a day trip to the Grand Canyon in a Warrior. The T210s find Mammoth quickly and easily. Heading south, 2 hours brings Sedona and other sorts of desert, mountain, ocean, or lake recreation.

They don't roll up the streets and go home at 5 PM ala. SLC. The humidity comes with a coolness that is perfect after an 80 F day, in mid-January. On rare days do we see 100% humidity and 100 F, not every freaking day ala. FLL. People mind their own business, not going out of their way to be mean to you ala WV. If you want the hillbilly feel, just head up the interstate to Bakersplat and enjoy.

But the absolute best part about SoCal is VNY.

Every day is an airshow here.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[Hawker rider]

Well I will chime in

Hot Springs, Arkansas.
very small retirement-style city, which is both pro and con, thankfully not the type of people places like Florida or California seem to inhabit.. If you like the south, than Arkansas is a good place to be. Me not being a native, it's hard to make friends.

Nightlife is non existent, The summers see a good share of tourism, that combined with the national parks that are plenty. We have nice lakes, mountains. So watersports, mountainbiking, hiking enough options for that. side note to riding a bike here>> people from these 'woods' are not really ever getting used to sharing the roads with bikes....nuff said, you take your life in your hands.

I believe the southern people are very hospitable, but to really break into a community is very hard. My wife has got some family here and some close friends. So that's basically now all my social life too.

Commuting> Little Rock is central enough that it's close International connections in Memphis (3 hr) Dallas (5hr drive) but Memphis seems to get a little tougher for the international commute that I have.

All in all, I will be happy to move elsewhere

 

[NTXPilot]

I went through Arkansas once. I'm not gonna lie...it was rough. Just my opinion though.

 

[TurboS7]

Lucky, lived in two places since I have been married, 2 moves threee houses. St. Charles, Ill and Margate, Florida.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

It Depends on What You're Looking For

Having lived in several different areas over the last few years compliments of my company, I'll chime in with my $0.02:

South Jersey/Philly:
Good - lots to do; great cheesesteaks; some very nice people (really)
Bad - Eagle fans; high costs of living

Louisville:
Good - a sense of community; reasonable costs of living; great college sports town; friendly people; cool pilots
Bad - Kentucky Wildcat basketball fans

Buffalo:
Good - another town with a sense of community; housing and insurance very reasonable; great summers; friendly people; cheap ticket prices and thin crowds at the Uni of Buffalo football and basketball games
Bad - outrageous taxes; long gloomy winters; and of course the snow

Orlando:
Good - great winter weather; if you fly for recreation you can fly 12 months out of the year; no wage taxes; a melting pot, people from all over the world live here; if you're single lots of good looking women; plenty of entertainment and of course the water; college sports
Bad - no sense of community probably because it is still in the melting pot stages; poor quality/cheap construction but high prices; traffic can be a pain

With all that said, Indy would be my first pick. Love the midwest.

 

[Groundpounder]

I live in the Fort Lauderdale area, moved here from New Hampshire at the end of October.

Pros: Nice and warm in the winter, hot women, lots to do, lots of flying, nice beaches.

Cons: People cannot drive here!!! It seems there is an accident on every corner. Lots of people from other cultures, which is fine, but I feel like a minority sometimes. Rent and property prices are through the roof. Everything is paved with a building on it.

I don't miss working in the snow, but I did enjoy the NH winters, and I miss the scenery. I'd rather live up in the Northeast, or at least somewhere more rural, but there is lots of flying down here. I'm going to move back as soon as I get enough flying time to get a job up there.

 

[ShadowFlight]

I'm in SoCal, specifically in the San Fernando Valley.

We have the corrupt mayor. The insane parking lots commonly referred to as freeways. Potholes that can eat a Hummer stretch limo and two Audis with room for a Civic for dessert. Mudslides. Earthquakes. Awesome IFR with fog and zero-zero in places. The beaches 2-3 hours away -- depending on traffic, or ten minutes walking from the right airport. Hi-speed chases are a spectator sport. Buy a house and sell it in two months for a hefty profit, 500K will fetch a nice tin shack without the tin. 700K is a condo. Renting is worse.

Within two hours are the highest and lowest spots in the lower 48. I just did a day trip to the Grand Canyon in a Warrior. The T210s find Mammoth quickly and easily. Heading south, 2 hours brings Sedona and other sorts of desert, mountain, ocean, or lake recreation.

They don't roll up the streets and go home at 5 PM ala. SLC. The humidity comes with a coolness that is perfect after an 80 F day, in mid-January. On rare days do we see 100% humidity and 100 F, not every freaking day ala. FLL. People mind their own business, not going out of their way to be mean to you ala WV. If you want the hillbilly feel, just head up the interstate to Bakersplat and enjoy.

But the absolute best part about SoCal is VNY.

Every day is an airshow here.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

Dang, with a stirring yet realistic commentary like that, you made me miss home! Good ol' SoCal...and VNY.

Peace

SF

 

[Nolife]

New Orleans

24 hr bars, no last call, overstuffed po-boys, rig diving, fresh water and deep sea fishing, green water and mud beaches, sucking crawfish heads, raw oysters $2 a dozen, Abita Amber, mosquitoes, 2 am bayou sulfur smell, oak trees over St. Charles, french quarter melons, jazz fest, 20 minute rush hour, rather large t-storms, and lest we forget... creole women and Y'ats.

 

[AV1ATRX]

I don't live in a "city" and I never will (especially NYC!!!). It's a tragedy that my crashpad has to be in the city, and that's as close as I will ever get to residing in a city or town.

I'm rural and proud of it! I love living in the country because it's quiet. There's no cars continuously blowing their horns for NO FREAKING REASON! I can't see in my neighbor's windows and they can't see in mine. I have a huge garden. I can be in a field or the woods and still be on my own property. My animals don't have to be fenced in or walked. I can see the stars at night when there isn't cloud cover. (How do kids in the city ever learn the constellations when they can't see them?) I can hear the cows bellowing at the next farm down.

Oh yeah, and I happen to like grass and trees, which apparently people in NYC don't need.

I know people who live in NYC and grew up here. They have explained to me why they like it, and I can accept their reasons. I guess it's all in what you're used to. I happen to be used to getting stuck behind tractors on the only road that goes to town, and it doesn't bother me at all.

I don't know if it matters where the rural area is, but mine happens to be in central Virginia. Virginia is a great state because you have the mountains and the ocean all in the same place. I personally think the winters are too cold for my liking, but it's a small price to pay for the natural beauty here.

 

[TrafficInSight]

If you can't be tolerant of views that don't match yours and you can't stand the white man not being on top you can't live in the bay area. period.

The flying is great, much like it must be everywhere I guess, the housing costs are insane and gas prices are on the rise, much like everywhere. But I have to say that San Francisco and the entire bay area in general is the greatest city in the world.

 

[Goose17]

FedEx - Memphis

The best part of living in Memphis is it makes working for FedEx easy. Housing is not too expensive and winter is short and mild.

Cons:
It's flat, no usable water (for water sports), screwed up politics, racial tentions, bible belt buckle.

Goose17

 

[Tim47SIP]

Destin/Ft Walton Beach!

Emerald Coast
It's been great. No complaints. The house did well in the last few hurricanes. Sometimes to many Snowbirds and othertimes, to many tourists. Streets are getting crouded. Beaches still the best. Diving is awsom if you like spear fishing. Fishing is awsom if you like fishing. Crab Island is awsom if you like female sight seeing
The wife gets pissed every time we go there. I tell her we ran aground and will have to wait until the tide changes. She never asks why the other boats are moving around though. I guess that cover will work for a while .

 

[bobs98tlr]

Well that's one option I suppose. For myself, I don't care to spend $1400 or more per year for UT tickets, so when I'm not at a golf course or little country airport, I sit on the back deck with a lemonade or Shiner and watch the deer and hummingbirds...

Dude your making me jeolous. I grew up North of Fort Worth. I miss the DFW area SO much. Ive lived in Tulsa, Chicago and now in Rockford (not really rockford but a little farm town north of Rockford). DFW is deffinitly my favorite place to live. Nice HOT summers, short winters, LOTS to do....HOT women. Great thunderstorms......i would miss see the corn fields in Iowa and Illinois though. Im being serious, the country views in the midwest are BEAUTIFUL. Love to take my motorcycle and go ride all day long.

Chicago is nice too....if you like the city. Its the city of all citys. Lots of traffic, lots of stupid people, lots of money to do anything. Has some great bars/clubs.

 

[Lear2460]

Was born in IL......DIDN'T care for it, but was young then...

Moved to MI...Lansing area.....too cloudy, too rainy, and too **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** cold all the time. The lakes are pretty and the fall...but other than that, no thanks.

Moved to IN.....Indianapolis is a nice city, people start to get a bit warmer here...friendly. Not to pretty unless you go farther south, mild weather and temps.

Moved to KY....Louisville area. BEAUTIFUL area, friendly people, and nice weather. I liked it quite a bit. Rolling hills, mountains, and if you like horses, its the best place to be.

Moved to FL....... Love it. Warm weather, sunny skies, beaches, ocean, diving, good fishing, sometimes friendly people, always something to do...


I guess I just "migrated" south..... eventually I hope to end up on a island...south of Bimini...

 

[C77MD80]

I have found some good in every place that I have been. Adding to the quality of life, my mood and perception in a positive way has been definately affecting by whether I was commuting or not. I am not a good commuter!

Ocala Florida-

Pros - Small town, great weather, real estate was very reasonable. I rented for about 300/month (a decade ago)
cons - No culture, not my kind of hunting or fishing

Minneapolis -
Absolutely loved everything about it except for the weather in the winter. I should have stayed. Excellent hunting and fishing
Cold, Cold winters though!

St. Louis -
In the Mississippi flyway, what more can you ask for. Hotter summers than Miami, sticky as honey too!

Michigan - Depends where u live. My opinion is that the further north you go the better. Good hunting and fishing although it's getting a little crowded. Lots of sprawl. Winters can be tough, that's why I bid Florida layovers in the winter.

Chicago burbs -
cons- Yuck! Very sterile living in my opinion. You've got all the culture you want downtown but it's expensive, time consuming and way too many
people.
pros - closer drive to the Dakotas and Iowa for some fine bird hunting!

North Dakota/South Dakota/Iowa (never lived there, only in my dreams!)
Pros - What more can u ask for! Population dwindling, real estate- can pick up several hundred acres for the cost of a two bedroom place in SOCal. Bird hunting's great, good fishing too.
Cons - No jobs. Any corporate types out there know of a job? I'll trade u mine!

 

[hindsight2020]

My travels...

Born and raised in San Juan, PR. What can I say? I had to move to the states to realize the weather had spoiled me. Now I'm beggin' to move back south.

SJU (TJSJ for the ICAO freaks) Pros: Caribbean weather. Enough said. It's so perfect it's ridiculous. The wind ALWAYS blows from the E-NE. Flying is easy, and the scenery, JHC!
Did I mentioned the weather was perfect? As for the hurricane thing, wayy overblown (no pun intended), and this applies to FL as well.

4 days of 120MPH wind = 361 days of freggin' perfect weather!! I've personally been thru 5 of those suckers, big deal! They ain't that bad, just don't be the idiot standing outside wondering "could I practice my x-wind landings today?"

Cons: No jobs. No jobs. No jobs. Crime rate sucks. City cannot handle the traffic, badly planned, decades behind current population scale. Also, not a problem for me, but if ya ain't bilingual it could be tough.

Have also lived in Atlanta, GA. I miss that place, big city but didn't feel too big. Weather is tolerable. Plenty of things to do. Flying was interesting (nothing like getting your private right under ATL class Bravo on the summer). Good looking girls. Housing getting a little high but considering other places, it's worth it. Love the south, closest to the weather that spoiled me back home, this side of the Mississippi of course...

Tuscaloosa, AL...well, being from PR suffice to say I spent more time teaching geography during parties than hooking up...as if that was gonna happen with my last name down there. Beautiful country, it's a shame people are still backwards, did make worthwhile friendships though. Same weather as ATL basically. Cheap cost of living is the biggest pro for me there.

Lafayette, IN ....sh%t where do I begin....weather $uck$ a big one. This is ridiculous! Stupid 4000 degree temperature gradient in 24 hours and wind that'll flip your car over if ya drive faster than 2MPH...great for x-winds right? Snow, no thank you I'll pass. People are blue half the time cause the weather sucks so bad and it reflects on you too. Unless I was one of them professor folks here at Purdue hoggin' the tenure teet and making 6 figures, I'd pass it.

Would move back to PR if it was economically sound, which is not. Closest thing right now is to set up shop in FL and scour the flying opportunities in the Caribbean. Ultimate goal would be to commute between FL and SJU and stop everywhere in between...throttle in one hand, knee on the control, left hand on the piña colada, window open..after that you can pull the plug I'd go home happy.

 

[Vector4fun]

Why I live South of Dallas....

Come to work today and there's a Ground Stop to DEN for UAL and FFT flights, supposedly they can't keep up with the de-icing.

It's Freaking April 10!

Brrrrr. I'm gonna have to go watch the Masters with a sweater on just to get over the mental image....

 

[SENECAII]

The weather in SW FL does rock most of the time.(except during the hurricanes last year)

I have lived here 30 years and last year was the worst.

 

[Phoenix45]

Oceanside, CA

Pros: Mostly clear days (except for June...), Great flying weather most of the time. North of Class B airspace of SAN. Great beaches, lots of entertainment

Cons: Living costs (housing, gas, etc), traffic congestion (especially in summer), June gloom, illegal aliens, poor public schools

 

[DashTrash400]

Portland, OR

Pros: Decent cost of living compared to other west coast cities, 2 hrs from the beach, 1 hr from the Gorge & Mt Hood with great hiking, camping, skiing, etc. If you're into boating, the Columbia and Willamette Rivers offer good boating & several marinas. Can live across the river in WA and pay no income tax, shop in OR and pay no sales tax. Portland has lots to do between great restaurants, a decent music scene, and some really nice parks. Like Seattle, lots of good coffee houses. Microbrews, too.

Cons: If you come here straight from SoCal, as I did, the slow drivers will piss you off. Winters are wet and windy, although not as wet as Seattle and somewhat warmer. The economy here is somewhat depressed, with unemployment higher than most other west coast cities. Panhandlers are pretty aggressive here. And like SF, be prepared to deal with angry anarchist/pinko mobs staging mass protests against Bush, Iraq, Wal-Mart, The Man, or Western Civilization in general.