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After hours of research and forum-reading; I'm trying to narrow down where to move for the winter (I'm a 24/f single from New Hampshire looking for a WARM climate, an exciting young scene, and job opps). I have never visited my three top choices: San Diego, Phoenix, and Austin. Preferably, any advice from anyone who's lived in all three, or at least lived in two maybe and visited the other? Whereever you say, I'm going! Thanks so much!
You know what,
I say Austin. Its got a progressive and hip population with a vibrant nightlife and is relatively affordable compared to San Diego which is also great, but very expensive.
Phoenix has its charms too but I just like the other 2 better.
Are you moving just for the winter-- and then you'll be out? A 24 year old snow bird? I would recommend San Diego, hands down. San Diego is a very laid back city, a great downtown area (the Gaslamp district), great beaches chock full of fun young people (Pacific Beach is a great place to start), beautiful ocean, hills (when they're not on fire, of course), and deserts to explore. I've never been to Austin, so I can't say much about one way or another, other than it's in Texas. I can tell you that Phoenix offers nothing that you can't get in San Diego. Let's put it this way-- Arizonans go to San Diego all the time in droves to vacation, but I've never heard of San Diegans coming to visit Phoenix for fun. In any case, if you do choose Phoenix or Austin, at least you'll be there during their best weather of the year.
I'd go with San Diego out of the three. Having lived in Phoenix and Austin for extended periods of time, I can tell you that Phoenix gets very hot in the summer, and so does Austin, though more like the upper 90's. Also, Austin is built up on a bunch of hype, being that it used to be the only liberal minded city in all of Texas and it has 6th street, but both are kind of on the downswing these days. If you are considering a city in Arizona, I would recommend Tucson or Bisbee personally, but I have no idea what kind criteria you are working with. Bisbee reminds me a lot of how Austin used to be, before it got overrun with conservatives, Katrina refugees, and developers. There's a saying in Arizona - Tombstone is the town too tough to die and Bisbee is the town too stoned to care, lots of freeminded hippy types in Bisbee.
San Diego for sure. Gas Lamp area, Hillcrest, Balboa Park, Encinitas, Coronado, proximity to Orange County. And the beach. Oceanside can me a manageable place to live. You can find decent 1 BRs for <1000 a month. Or Vista and San Marcos. Santee has light rail stops that take you right into downtown. But more of a family area.
La Mesa may be cheaper as well.
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I would recommend San Diego, hands down. San Diego is a very laid back city, a great downtown area (the Gaslamp district), great beaches chock full of fun young people (Pacific Beach is a great place to start), beautiful ocean, hills (when they're not on fire, of course), and deserts to explore. I've never been to Austin, so I can't say much about one way or another, other than it's in Texas. I can tell you that Phoenix offers nothing that you can't get in San Diego. Let's put it this way-- Arizonans go to San Diego all the time in droves to vacation, but I've never heard of San Diegans coming to visit Phoenix for fun. In any case, if you do choose Phoenix or Austin, at least you'll be there during their best weather of the year.
thank you
