Possibly moving from Texas to the Central Coast (Santa Maria, SLO)

[TVC15]

Yay! Let the adventure begin! If you have any questions once you get...or even before you get here just DM me and I can help since I have made this move myself.

Happy Trails to you!

[mongozx]

escapefromdixie: Lucky you! I recently came back from my annual drive up Highway 1. SB, Hearst Castle, SLO, Morro Rock, etc etc. Throughout the trip I couldn't help but look around at all the locals and think "What a bunch of lucky bastards!"

[CaptainJack87]

Originally Posted by escapefromdixie

I thought I would come back and give everyone an update. I flew out to CA a few weeks ago and landed at the Santa Barbara airport, wow, what a stunning approach into SBA with the Coastal Range on one side and the ocean on the other. My interview went well, very well actually and I have accepted a new job in the Santa Maria area that I will be starting in early January. While out there I looked at several apartments and found a few that suited my needs so I am pretty excited. The new employer is offering a small relocation package, with reimbursment after I begin my job. All in all I am excited, yet nervous for the move. My main concern is how far away California is from all the places I am familar with and especially my family on the east coast, thank goodness for planes!

The COL difference isn't as bad as I thought, my apartment will be about $200-250 more than I am paying here in Texas but groceries are similar thanks to stores like FoodsCo, Trader Joe's, Costco, etc. My utilities should decrease as well considering most of the apartments don't even have a/c. My car insurance may actually decrease, considering Houston is crazy expensive for car insurance. Plus little things like a higher salary, better benefits (less expense for health insurance, etc.) mean I should come out a fair amount better than in Texas. The rest of my expenses (cell phone, TV, student loans, car payment, etc.) are fixed and will be the same if I was in CA, TX or AK. Of course one thing that may get delayed is my eventual buying of a house. Home prices are still really high in CA when compared to TX.

Thank you for everyone's input and help, I hope this ends up being a smart move for me.

Congrats!

I was just stationed in the area as well. I just got out here 2 days ago. I decided on Lompoc over Santa Maria (for various reasons). While there does seem to be some bad areas, it looks like fun can definitely be had here!

Let me know if you need a buddy to party with!

[escapefromdixie]

I have seen many boards where the OP doesn't provide an update, I hope to break that statistic. As mentioned in my earlier post I did accept a position in the Santa Maria area. Myself and the g/f moved out here right at the end of 2012 and have been here for 2 months already. After my finances have finally evened out I must say we love the Central Coast. The location is incredible, we have visited the Guadalupe Dunes a few times, as well as Pismo (Splash Cafe, amazing clam chowder!), SLO, watching the sunset at Morro Bay, enjoying the breathtaking scenery along CA 166 and CA 154 and this weekend the g/f and I went down to LA for lunch and a drive up to Mt. Pinos for the snow, getting back home in Santa Maria before 8pm. The vast landscapes here on the Central Coast are incredible and I still have to pinch myself almost everyday that I actually live here.

The COL is high, no doubt, I still cringe every time I write my rent check, but my electric bill and gas bill are so much less than Texas. Grocery Outlet and the Santa Maria Farmers Market are a godsent, Gasoline is crazy high but in the next week or so I hope to start riding my bicycle to work; for all of the negatives about Santa Maria, the bicycle infrastructure is pretty good. I have a bike lane almost the entire 3 mile distance from my apartment to my work. I am still hoping that the lack of a/c won't be an issue this summer. This past week when we had a few warm days the g/f was pretty unhappy with how warm the apartment got. 2 months in: Even with the discomfort for the first few weeks, I am loving CA.

[.highnlite]

Your post was excellent, but shhh, we don't want all them others movin in.
Try shopping at Supermercado Vallarta on north Broadway, amazingly cheap, with really good meat prices also.

Try this hike at the dunes, walk south to Mussel Rock, clamber over it and you are on Paradise Beach. Do this at low tide, don't tempt fate by walking out the rock to the waters edge, rogue waves kill people on the coast every year, at this spot a family lost their 10 year old a few years ago.

Hike to Point Sal.

Eat at Jocko's in Nipomo, try the Spencer, the best steak house in the world it is.

Head out to Third Pier, Port San Luis there is a restaurant at the end of the pier, I don't know if the food is any good, but the location can't be beat.

visit the various missions, shop in SLO, head to Santa Barbara, State Street, the zoo, the natural history museum, the botanical gardens, the harbor, take the harbor cruise, eat at the outdoor cafe and pretend you are a yachtie just in from Tahiti.

Out east of Santa Maria along 166 are a number of trails leading into the National Forest. Head down to the Ranger Station just off Donovan road, just east of 101 and buy a Forest Map, 10 bucks. Start checking out trails. Any questions just ask me.

Santa Maria is often warmer in winter than in summer. If it is going to be hot, open all your windows at night, close them in the morning, draw the shades and curtains.

[Senno]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Your post was excellent, but shhh, we don't want all them others movin in.
Try shopping at Supermercado Vallarta on north Broadway, amazingly cheap, with really good meat prices also.

Try this hike at the dunes, walk south to Mussel Rock, clamber over it and you are on Paradise Beach. Do this at low tide, don't tempt fate by walking out the rock to the waters edge, rogue waves kill people on the coast every year, at this spot a family lost their 10 year old a few years ago.

Hike to Point Sal.

Eat at Jocko's in Nipomo, try the Spencer, the best steak house in the world it is.

Head out to Third Pier, Port San Luis there is a restaurant at the end of the pier, I don't know if the food is any good, but the location can't be beat.

visit the various missions, shop in SLO, head to Santa Barbara, State Street, the zoo, the natural history museum, the botanical gardens, the harbor, take the harbor cruise, eat at the outdoor cafe and pretend you are a yachtie just in from Tahiti.

Out east of Santa Maria along 166 are a number of trails leading into the National Forest. Head down to the Ranger Station just off Donovan road, just east of 101 and buy a Forest Map, 10 bucks. Start checking out trails. Any questions just ask me.

Santa Maria is often warmer in winter than in summer. If it is going to be hot, open all your windows at night, close them in the morning, draw the shades and curtains.

I have found that people along the Central Coast often feel like Ants Marching.


Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching - YouTube

Spoiler

Threw ya a little cover there .highnlite. Now if I could just get Fresnans not to vacation over there when we head over that would be great.

Glad to have ya, Escape. If'n you miss Dixie a little head on over here for Big Hat Days and the Clovis rodeo, which are coming up shortly.

Didya get a cinnamon roll also? Love those.

The country around Mount Pinos is great. Haven't been up there since I worked in Bakersfield though.

One thing I don't recommend though is driving over 33 down to Ojai in a van being driven by a crazy former marine tennis coach. Whatta drive that was...

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by escapefromdixie

I have seen many boards where the OP doesn't provide an update, I hope to break that statistic. As mentioned in my earlier post I did accept a position in the Santa Maria area. Myself and the g/f moved out here right at the end of 2012 and have been here for 2 months already. After my finances have finally evened out I must say we love the Central Coast. The location is incredible, we have visited the Guadalupe Dunes a few times, as well as Pismo (Splash Cafe, amazing clam chowder!), SLO, watching the sunset at Morro Bay, enjoying the breathtaking scenery along CA 166 and CA 154 and this weekend the g/f and I went down to LA for lunch and a drive up to Mt. Pinos for the snow, getting back home in Santa Maria before 8pm. The vast landscapes here on the Central Coast are incredible and I still have to pinch myself almost everyday that I actually live here.

The COL is high, no doubt, I still cringe every time I write my rent check, but my electric bill and gas bill are so much less than Texas. Grocery Outlet and the Santa Maria Farmers Market are a godsent, Gasoline is crazy high but in the next week or so I hope to start riding my bicycle to work; for all of the negatives about Santa Maria, the bicycle infrastructure is pretty good. I have a bike lane almost the entire 3 mile distance from my apartment to my work. I am still hoping that the lack of a/c won't be an issue this summer. This past week when we had a few warm days the g/f was pretty unhappy with how warm the apartment got. 2 months in: Even with the discomfort for the first few weeks, I am loving CA.

Excellent, good luck. Just have to brace yourself for the change in COL, live smart. One thing that may be good about the warmish weather there of late, is to break yourself of the need for constant air conditioning. We are from SLO and have been in Texas a while. It was rare for us to use AC in SLO, except in the car on warm days and as you know in Texas, with the slightest discomfort the AC is fired up from late May until the end of September.