As a californian, I'd suggest not here. I'm personally looking at my southern options to get out of this place once my employment is up. The New Mexico -> Alabama stretch is what I'm looking at. I don't think I could do Florida, as it seems like an equally retarded inverse version of California.

 

Just curious, what is it that you dislike about California? I don't really see myself moving to "the south" and being very near the ocean (< ~1 hr) is a must for my girlfriend and myself.

 

I love California minus the state tax. Year around nice weather. Make good money. House just keeps appreciating in value. Much more to do than other states. It seems most people who hate California live further inland, where the weather is either very hot and commute to work is terrible( many commute 2-3 hour in traffic each way to live in a cheaper area in the middle of nowhere).

 

1. The closer you are to water, the more prices hockeystick.

2. Years ago, I dated a girl from Long Island. She wanted to go to the ocean (here, in Northern California), and she was highly highly highly disappointed.
a. Beaches? Not like Easterners know 'em; you're in earthquake country. It's a jagged cliff with, in a good instance, 25-50 yards of sand. The nice big beaches you see on the television are down in Southern California (and they're still not Miami, Daytona, etc. sized)
b. Why isn't anybody in the water? It's Arctic/Alaska current water until you get to Santa Cruz. You gotta wetsuit? Have fun. You gotta drysuit? You'll have more fun, and be able to talk about it later.
d. Yes, it is beautiful, but not at all what you might expect.

I'm not saying you shouldn't try it out, but change (not lower, nor raise) your expectations depending on where you're looking.

 

But we have Disney.

 

North Texas

http://www.destinationdfw.com/

 

Thanks for the post! My girlfriend is actually from Long Island... haha. Going to the beach is one of our favorite summer activities. I actually don't mind Long Island other than constant traffic and inability to easily get away for a short trip or nice drive.

It's interesting to hear that the beaches are different on the west coast, but it makes sense. Thanks everyone, this thread has been very informative.

 

IMHO, San Diego is the perfect place to live if you enjoy the outdoors and being active. For example this weekend I started it off with a evening surf session after work. Saturday morning a hike and today went to one of the best zoos in the world. You can get outside and enjoy the weather nearly 365 days without the humidity. Top down FTW!

Yes it can be expensive but you don't end to run the AC or heater and the pay here can be pretty decent. I think it's a small price to pay to enjoy living in one of the best cities in the US.

 

You can tell you are not a surfer or at best, you never spent much time living on the water!

I was fortunate to live across the street from the ocean and I was in the water year round. You get used to it. Sure, you feel it when you first get in (thats why you make it fast and complete) but you acclimate within a minute. Just do it.
In my view people are in the water all the time. Year round.

 

LA = Lower Alabama, JM2C

I can run top down just about every month of the year. Summer months you should be moving.