[Chief X]

I moved to the Villages last December and although I'm not really sure that it was a good fit for me, I do like a lot of things about it. But now...

I am currently in San Diego staying with my Navy daughter, awaiting the arrival of my first grandchild. San Diego = Wow! What an amazing place this is! The weather here has been unbelievable and the scenic countryside is breathtaking. As a 20 year veteran to running, I will say that road running here is somewhat challenging. My 4 mile run yesterday was uphill for the first 2 miles, and so steep that I felt like rolling back down the mountain road rather than running, but the view was spectacular!

It's obvious that the cost of living is higher here, but I really am thinking that this would be an awesome place to live. Any of you from San Diego? If so, what's the downside?

Last weekend we toured the U.S.S. Midway and that was fun. While we were there, American Idol was filming an episode on-board and that was pretty neat. J-Lo boarded the ship, right ahead of us and I snapped a quick photo of her!

Anyway, no real point to this post, other than my interest in knowing if any of you have comments about San Diego and living in this area.

I should be a grandpa (sounds old, but i'm not..ha) in the next day or so.

[tainsley]

I love San Diego...beautiful, perfect weather...but I myself would not like to live there. Mainly because of the high cost of living and our families live on the east coast. I really love The Villages because there are so many things to do and so many people our age and the cost of living is affordable. It's a matter of choice. Congratulations to you and your family GRANDPOP!

[The Village Girl]

I agree with the previous poster. I'm from Southern CA and the cost of living is out of this world. The weather is perfect. The traffic is rough! I think it's a GREAT place to visit!

[In awe of TV]

I totally agree that Southern California is gorgeous with the perfect weather. I would definitely settle there without question. The only downside is the cost of living. But if you can afford it, it just may be the best fit for you and if it's right for you and you're happy, that's all that matters.

Have you found a 55+ community to live in or are you just generally happy with the area?

[kathy and al]

Stay off the 405 and watch out for the illegals. Weather is the best in the U.S. and as previous posters have said-very expensive when compared to Central Fla. As is usually the case--it's a personal decision.

[Chief X]

Well, I'm not 55 yet, so that may be part of why i stated that the Villages may not be the "best" fit for me. Don't get me wrong, i like the Villages a lot... I'm just still in the exploring stage of my life.

Traffic here seems a little hectic, but hell.. 441 at times is very trying too.

It seems like every new place i visit, i always think, "wow, i'd like to live here."

thanks for the feedback!

Still a "dad" only, hangin in CA...

[pooh]

I lived about 15-20 miles north of San Diego for over 30 years. While there, I loved it, the weather is unbelievable.....BUT, the traffic had become beyond tolerable. Hubby worked about 7 miles from our house and some nights it could take anywhere from 35 to 60 minutes to get home. When we moved into our town, the population was very small. When we left, it was a very large and crowded city. The Villages is a large community, but it's been planned and things move fairly smoothly around here.

It's not realistic to compare TV to SD, they are two different cities, and each has it's wonderful aspects. We had just had enough of the constant need to get on a freeway to get to something, making sure we left San Diego very early to head home because of commuter traffic (Hubby would get home faster driving from Los Angeles than from San Diego) Here we have more access to things we enjoy and that was a big draw.

Everyone wants something different in the communities they live in...and those wants can change. San Diego is a beautiful area, the mountains are close, the sea is very close and the desert, with it's unique beauty, is also close. Is it more expensive to live there? I don't think so...actually some things here are more costly, but on average, I think our cost of living was about the same in both places.

Illegals and drugs were problems, this is very, very true. The state isn't always solvent, jobs aren't that easily found...maybe that's true for many states, but in CA, it's been a problem for a while. Not sure if you have to work or are retired.

Enjoy the city, lots of people do. Enjoy the newest addition to your family when she or he arrives. Grandkids are really wonderful little people...grandchildren bring the "kid" out in their grandparents...

[downeaster]

If The Villages had San Diego's weather we would have their congestion and cost of living.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Chief X

Well, I'm not 55 yet, so that may be part of why i stated that the Villages may not be the "best" fit for me. Don't get me wrong, i like the Villages a lot... I'm just still in the exploring stage of my life.

Traffic here seems a little hectic, but hell.. 441 at times is very trying too.

It seems like every new place i visit, i always think, "wow, i'd like to live here."

thanks for the feedback!

Still a "dad" only, hangin in CA...

Well Grandfather dear, It seems that age will get us all sooner or later....and being a grandparent is a WONDERFUL thing, you will soon see.

One of the reasons that I love The Villages is that I am NOT perceived as an older person here. All around are grown up's within a reasonable age range of mine. Gone are the shop clerks who don't "see" me because I am no longer a hip twenty something. It is lovely to be in a college-like situation once again where my peer group reigns.

I think you and everyone should live where they are most happy. La Jolla has some nice property....but a little higher priced than a Gardenia here...

[The Village Girl]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Well Grandfather dear, It seems that age will get us all sooner or later....and being a grandparent is a WONDERFUL thing, you will soon see.

One of the reasons that I love The Villages is that I am NOT perceived as an older person here. All around are grown up's within a reasonable age range of mine. Gone are the shop clerks who don't "see" me because I am no longer a hip twenty something. It is lovely to be in a college-like situation once again where my peer group reigns.

I think you and everyone should live where they are most happy. La Jolla has some nice property....but a little higher priced than a Gardenia here...

THAT'S IT! I don't feel so old in TV! We are all around the same age with many of the same issues! We all look alike in that we have lost our waistlines and have wrinkles and no one cares!

[Mikeod]

One of my friends who left San Diego for North Carolina said it perfectly. He told me he could afford to EXIST in San Diego, but he can afford to LIVE in NC.

After 30 years in San Diego, I moved here and don't regret it for a minute. Do I miss San Diego? At times. But I wouldn't move back. There is so much more to do here so close to our home. The ability to get around in a golf cart is an advantage that should not be minimized. I worked in an ophthalmology clinic and saw the distress losing a driver's license had for people where there is no adequate public transportation. Here, you can still accomplish all your basic needs and more from a golf cart. And you have neighbors close at hand to help when a golf cart is not enough.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Well Grandfather dear, It seems that age will get us all sooner or later....and being a grandparent is a WONDERFUL thing, you will soon see.

One of the reasons that I love The Villages is that I am NOT perceived as an older person here. All around are grown up's within a reasonable age range of mine. Gone are the shop clerks who don't "see" me because I am no longer a hip twenty something. It is lovely to be in a college-like situation once again where my peer group reigns.

I think you and everyone should live where they are most happy. La Jolla has some nice property....but a little higher priced than a Gardenia here...

As usual Gracie nails it! As I have posted before, the first time my wife and I went to Market Square for the entertainment, I looked around and told her "I feel like a freshman in college again". Woo hoo!

[Virtual Geezer]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

As usual Gracie nails it! As I have posted before, the first time my wife and I went to Market Square for the entertainment, I looked around and told her "I feel like a freshman in college again". Woo hoo!

And they don't card you when you want to buy a drink.

VG

[tippyclubb]

Originally Posted by Chief X

I moved to the Villages last December and although I'm not really sure that it was a good fit for me, I do like a lot of things about it. But now...

I am currently in San Diego staying with my Navy daughter, awaiting the arrival of my first grandchild. San Diego = Wow! What an amazing place this is! The weather here has been unbelievable and the scenic countryside is breathtaking. As a 20 year veteran to running, I will say that road running here is somewhat challenging. My 4 mile run yesterday was uphill for the first 2 miles, and so steep that I felt like rolling back down the mountain road rather than running, but the view was spectacular!

It's obvious that the cost of living is higher here, but I really am thinking that this would be an awesome place to live. Any of you from San Diego? If so, what's the downside?

Last weekend we toured the U.S.S. Midway and that was fun. While we were there, American Idol was filming an episode on-board and that was pretty neat. J-Lo boarded the ship, right ahead of us and I snapped a quick photo of her!

Anyway, no real point to this post, other than my interest in knowing if any of you have comments about San Diego and living in this area.

I should be a grandpa (sounds old, but i'm not..ha) in the next day or so.

You said " Your not sure TV is a good fit for you. " It seems your priorities have changed and you want to be closer to your daughter and soon to be grandchild. Follow your gut feeling and do what your heart tells you.

We visit California frequently and love the entire state ( except LA area due to heavy traffic ), but beauty wise it doesn't get much better than San Diego compared to Florida. If we could afford to live there housing wise, without a doubt we would retire there.

[l2ridehd]

San Diego has fantastic weather. Beyond that everything else is a compromise. Cost of living, drugs, traffic, high state taxes, illegals, a state close to bankruptcy, and cold ocean water.

Hawaii has even better weather and about the same COL minus some of the Southern CA issues. Buy a house in Hawaii that is up on the side of the mountains between 1500 and 2500 feet elevation and it has no mechanical systems. No heat and no AC. Not needed. And the ocean is warm, less traffic, lower state taxes then CA, and few illegals.

So there are some very nice places one can live. The Villages has a life style. That is what you buy in TV. Lots of choices and one has to decide what is best for them.