Any rational person would agree that living on the West Coast is better than living on the East Coast. Anybody who tells you otherwise probably has never experienced West Coast living long enough to understand the difference.
I’m rational. I’ve lived on both coasts for over 10 years each and I don’t believe there’s really much of a debate. Who doesn’t want to live in more moderate temperatures where the sun is always shining? Unless you like super cold winters and uncomfortably muggy summers, the East Coast isn’t for you.
When your family and friends are on the East Coast, it’s hard to leave I understand. We’re afraid of change. I know I am. But, this is not a post to bash the East Coast. This is a post to understand what truly makes the East Coast and other uncomfortable climate zones special.
A friend of mine is thinking about relocating from San Francisco, the best city in America, to New York City or Washington DC for a little work. I think she’s a little nuts leaving our California sunshine behind and I’m trying to understand why, and maybe even why not.
East Coast Living Positives
1) Richer history. Since the Europeans first invaded the East Coast of America, there is a much richer heritage as evidenced by more developed infrastructure and building architecture. Museums are more prevalent, and attractions are more interesting. Therefore, the East Coast has a much older and richer history.
2) Closer to Europe. It’s easy to get a direct flight to Europe that’s also cheaper and quicker. Who doesn’t love to visit the bright lights of Paris, and the bustle of London every once in a while? The Europeans really know how to live well.
3) Time Zone Dominance. American TV and major broadcasts still revolves around eastern standard time. The stock market market opening at 9:30am, the French Open finals at 9am, and World Cup matches at 7am are all examples of major events serving the eastern time zone.
4) Food. Certain foods such as hot pastrami sandwiches, pizza, and cheese-steaks always seem tastier on the east coast for some reason. Perhaps there’s no real difference, other than the fact that when you eat a hot pastrami sandwich at Katz’s deli in NYC, it’s just more authentic given the history.
5) Fewer Earthquakes. Earthquake danger is overrated in California given the infrequency of large shakes. That said, the danger still exists. I’d much rather have a big earthquake every 30 years than tornadoes and hurricanes every year. Sorry, I lied! Stand strong Virginia and East Coasters, stop making fun of us Californians!
6) There’s Only Upside. Imagine if you were born and raised in Hawaii. What a drag to leave! Once you live on the east coast, anywhere else you go will be so much better!
East Coast Negatives
1) The weather is horrible. Too hot and muggy during the summer, too cold and dreary during the winter. If there’s going to be snow, at least have some snowboardable mountains. There are frequently blizzards that shut down cities and towns for days. Only the Fall is beautiful.
2) Damaging storms, more accidents. Without fail, there always seems to be a blizzard or a violent hurricane every year which wreaks havoc on property and financial well-being. Homeowner’s insurance and maintenance costs are much, much higher than prices on the West Coast as a result. You get compare great homeowners insurance rates with PolicyGenius for free.
3) Terrible for allergies. Anybody who is highly sensitive to any allergen should consider leaving the East Coast. I suffered from tremendous allergies while living in the East Coast for 10 years, and as soon as I moved to San Francisco, my allergy attacks all but went away. Perhaps there’s something in the trees or the pollution.
4) More stressed out people. When the weather is terrible half the year, people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Stress levels are higher, people are more overweight, and even suicide rates are higher. Given all these problems, life insurance rates are also higher.
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5) People seem to be more in a hurry. Unlike the west coast, people on the East Coast never seem to stop and smell the roses. East Coasters are always in a hurry to get somewhere. As a result, stress levels are higher and people are more combative. There’s much more of an easy going vibe on the West Coast.
East Coast Living Is Much Tougher
I really am trying to see the positives of living on the East Coast with my six examples. However, I have to admit I’m struggling to find more reasons.
The weather is atrocious for half the year on the East Coast. It would take quite a premium to leave California, Washington, Oregon, or Hawaii for the East Coast.
In fact, there are signs that more people are migrating to California from the South and Midwest after the pandemic. Starting in the summer of 2021, 99% of COVID-19 deaths are from people who are unvaccinated. And vaccination rates in the Souther and Midwestern states are some of the lowest.
But this post is about East Coast living, not about the South and Midwest. The East Coast is fine for half of the year. I lived on the East Coast from 1991 – 2001. 10 years was enough. Once I moved to California in 2001, I knew I could never go back!
Won’t you help share some of your reasons as to why the East Coast is so wonderful?
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East Coast Living is a Financial Samurai original post. For six months of the year, the east coast is a great place. But for the other six months, the weather is either too hot and humid or too cold. It’s better if we can live a great life for as many months of the year as possible!
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I live in Fairfield County in Connecticut. There is nothing to do, taxes are high, electric is high, everything high except your water bill. You cannot get a decent rent for the most part under $1200 a month and a nice house under $275k but more like $300k. Lack of jobs believe it or not we are just coming back from the recession. State in the red but they find no way to create jobs or bring businesses in. They just tax everyone to death here. People are leaving in the droves especially college grads and seniors who can no longer afford to live here. Last winter was mild not much snow but summers have been rain, rain, rain and then one or two major heat waves but generally cold. I enjoy the seasons but sometimes think would be cheaper to buy one set of clothes, versus fall, spring, summer and winter clothes. I spend $500 dollars clearing leaves from my property every year. I think West Coast and East Coast one of the most expensive areas you can move in USA.
Connecticut sucks!! I grew up there and then moved to DC for 12 years and then back to CT for 4 years and now I’m in NH and it’s jist less taxes. I want to move to the west coast so badly. I’m saving up so I can bounce!! I despise winter and there is o it sunshine a few months out of the year here. I’m still younger (37) and I don’t want to wait till I’m elderly to go somewhere nice to live
I grew up in Maine and Rhode Island and spent about 10 years of my life on the West Coast. California is 1000 times better the people the weather literally just everything about it is positive where I feel everything is very negative on the East Coast. I just left California four years ago because the fires and can’t wait to move back to the West I’m going to try Colorado and act because the vibe there were so amazing to! Good luck I hope you get to the West Coast and find your happiness because it is much happier
I am an east coast native, PA-Philly and Poconos, NY city and upstate ,VA outside of DC… that moved to the west coast Portland OR.
Let me tell you the rent you describe is CHEAP! compared to Portland, OR! You can’t get anything decent out here for under $1700 a month!! And a small house, very small and not great goes for $350K and up! I would kill for housing or rent that cheap!! Housing is insane on the west coast.
People are more chill out here, and the nature is spectacular. That is it.
Weather, is gray 9 moths out of the year. I miss the east coast weather. Grass is green out here only in the actual lawn grass. I will move back east. I want a home that is decent, not a tiny box, for under 325K! The two houses across the street for me that are new but smaller than my father’s house, sold for 525K and there is nothing great about them. Oh yes there are beautiful houses out here, with hardwoods and 4 bedroom but be prepared to shell out 700K up. It is that bad out here.
If you find a home out here for $260,000 it is ready to be bulldozed and needs a whole rehall. Two shacks sold for that much and they were abandoned, and run down with wood rot, and had to be torn down … but thats how much the land cost. And the neighborhood was not great. Too expensive. I do want to own, so I am moving back east, to Fl, or VA to get a home under 300K. The trees are incredible out here, because of the year round rain, but not worth renting forever. :(
San Francisco native here. Currently living in Northern Virginia. Took the job to find out what the folks on the eastern side of my country are like. Yep, different culture, sure, and it’s still a bit socially conservative on my scale (duh!), and there are many more churches here by comparison, but really, “folks is folks” anywhere you go. People anywhere just want to live a happy life, and it didn’t take long to see that, too.
Living in Northern Virginia is much like living in any other major metropolitan area. There’s traffic. Buying a home or paying rent is expensive. There’s all sorts of hustle ‘n’ bustle. However, like in California, nature’s beauty isn’t far away. Here, we do get all four seasons. The first time I saw the entire countryside turning the colors of fall, it amazed me. It’s just like in the postcards, as far as the eye can see. Sure, we get snow. And yes, they do use salt on the roads (I wish they wouldn’t, like in Seattle), which causes rust issues with cars. But the laws are, surprisingly, much more “liberal” than in my home state of California! Yeah, greater liberty in the former Capital of the Confederacy–go figure that one.
One difference I saw between San Francisco and Washington, DC is racial. Turns out I’m from what many call a “mixed race” family, and as a result, I’m kinda swarthy. Black Americans out here in DC, especially women, seem to have much bigger chips on their shoulders than I remember their counterparts in San Francisco having. Not sure why yet, but it’s something I’ve noticed. I hope that things get better that way as time goes on.
For bp who expressed concern about attractive women: there are good looking women all over the world, including in all parts of this country. What makes a woman attractive or not is the same thing that makes a man attractive or not: personal attitude. If she’s a nice person and considerate of the feelings of others, and in reasonably good physical shape (doesn’t have to be Flo-Jo’s level, just decent shape), she’ll be appealing. But I’d walk away from a supermodel if I didn’t like her attitude (yes, I have done this!). That’s anywhere in the world, folks, not limited to a particular area.
So, is it different? Sure! Is it so different as to be “better” or “worse”? I don’t think so.
Cool you moved out to NOVA. I used to live there for high school. Why did you go?
You’ll like this post. It chronicles some racism I experienced in Virginia:
The Importance Of Feeling Consistently Uncomfortable For Progress
Aren’t there more educated single women on the east coast? I could be wrong, but aren’t they also more attractive? The west coast numbers don’t look good for educated men, if you are looking for an educated women. San Francisco in particular is very bad. I went out with some guys in SF and one guy was from San Jose a.k.a Man Jose. He was desperate to talk to ANY woman with the intent of getting laid by any woman no matter what. This was very different from my friends in Chicago and NYC who have their pick and only date the hotties. This guy was very successful by the way.
Yes you can go to Marin where there are more women, but in the City of San Francisco and San Jose, the numbers are a no-go for dudes.
Date-onomics has the numbers also
East Coast and West coast are no longer the USA. They’ve become overpriced international areas people can barely afford. I especially loath east coast. Santa Claus is putting a piece of coal in the east coast stocking this year!
I don’t think you fully experienced east coast living. Yeah west coast is cool but if you notice y’all can only say is Cali this and Cali that. Nothing like east coast we have dmv, New York, New Jersey, Carolinas, Florida (like Rick Ross said nothing like 305 in my yayo lol) I seen somebody say Phoenix if you wanna go a lil further out we have ATL granted it’s not east coast but it sits similar to Phoenix if you wanna mention Phoenix we have Atlanta some of those cities that I have mention cost of living is better than west coast. Idc what statistics you show I know people paying like $800 for a full house with a lot of rooms and acres of land in a great area. Stress thing you talking about my dude stress is everywhere like crime is in every city it’s not due to weather it’s because certain ppl are broke bottom line has nothing to do with weather or whatever your saying. Each coast has good and bad but to say east coast is horrible is reaching you really reaching on that one. At the end of the day it’s a personal preference.
Totally agree. The east coast is awful. And, people back there are totally clueless about it.
I grew up in northern NJ, went to college in NH, and, lived my first 2 years out of college in CT.
Then, I moved to Seattle, have been here 18 years, and cannot fathom moving back east.
I remember my wife and I (she also grew up in NJ) regularly saying to each other, our first year, things along the lines of: “I can’t believe people live like this and we didn’t know about it…” So laid back, drop-dead gorgeous scenery, clean air, incredible skiing an hour or two away, places like Lake Chelan a couple hours more…people seriously complain out here if it’s colder than 40 or warmer than 80 not realizing it’s almost always one of those back east…
Brainstorming on the back burner for awhile, here’s what I think is my exhaustive list of things I somewhat miss about the east coast:
– I like the Caribbean slightly more than Hawaii. Boo hoo.
– A weekend per year in NYC at Christmastide
– Warm summer evenings at the Jersey shore. Maybe that’s just nostalgia
– Sitting on a porch during a torrential downpour a hot summer day
– The pizza
I think that’s it.
The Fall is nice in New England, but it’s also nice here. Crisp, colorful, apple picking and all the rest. Honestly, I think Fall just seems nicer when you live back east because it’s sandwiched between the sufferings of summer and winter.
I know this is an old thread , but I’ve lived in Washington , Oregon , California , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Maine and Florida . I’ve also spent time vacationing in Hawaii , the Carolinas , I’ve been all up and down the east coast.
Let me start by saying the west coast is more than just California . In fact if you’re looking for some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country go to Oregon and Washington. Nothing compares to the Oregon coast . People complain of the rain , but it takes a lot of rain to keep the coastline so green . Washington coast is also beautiful , but it isn’t as accessible except for the Long Beach peninsula and Westport . I actually got married at Heceta head lighthouse. The eastern halves of Oregon and Washington I could do without but some people love that sort of terrain. I’ve also lived out there and in part of Idaho for 5 years. I’d never go back . The winters are 6 months and the summers are too hot to go outside.
California is a different animal . San Francisco is a great city . Recently it’s become drug and homeless infested . They actually had to hire crews to clean up needles and human feces off the streets. Just north or south of the city are big sur , Muir Woods , point Reyes , point Bonita . Some of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. Crescent city is also nice if you like small towns . Eureka is like a small San Francisco that never made it . San Diego has some good qualities and for the most part is clean. A lot of things to see and do. Los Angeles is a garbage heap that really takes away from the appeal of California . It’s dirty . The air is nasty. The people are awful. It’s ugly . It’s terribly laid out in development and not even really a city . More like a bunch of areas . The freeways are scary. Traffic is bad. It took me 2 hours to drive through just Los Angeles because of traffic . If I was going to live on the west coast it would be San Francisco to southern Oregon. The rest is not really worth it in my opinion and San Francisco has become close to unaffordable.
All of that being said . I’d choose the east coast over the west coast any day of the week. I was born and raised in mostly the Seattle / Portland area. The easy coast offers so much more. Most of the complaints are the winter weather. The thing is even when it’s snowing there is so much to do. Or just go south a little bit for a weekend and get away. The people are less filtered , but that’s a quality. West coasters (which I guess I’m part of ) are so fake. Also I saw a previous poster comment about home maintenance on the east coast that you don’t have on the west coast such as rot and termites? Termite risk in California is actually higher than New England . Go check a map. Also rot happens in Oregon and Washington. I had to replace an entire bathroom in my house because of rot in Washington. The walls were leaking inside and by the time I found out it was too late. All of my family is in the Pacific Northwest , but I’m staying out in New England. The landscape is prettier . The seasons are beautiful. If you like history this is the place for you. I’m a lighthouse person myself . Maine alone has 67 lighthouses . That’s more than the Washington , Oregon and California coastline put together. The United States basically revolves around the east . The west is just where we get our produce lol.
In conclusion . California is a great place to visit . People are rude and parts are dirty. Washington and Oregon are very pretty . The weather is awful most of the time unless you prefer rain . I’d choose Oregon over California any day for living regardless of the weather and apparently so would many Californians since they’re moving there in hoardes . New England is great as long as you like seasons. The landscapes are the best anywhere. So much to do. A lot of people in some places but that’s also avoidable. Maine and Oregon have a lot in common actually . The biggest difference is the weather .
Thanks to both of you for your insight!!! I am spot on with both of on everything, however, I am still getting raised eyebrows from most CA natives I know about why I want to do this. I continually tell them the facts about both coasts (East really IS better) and yet they still think I am insane, my parents included (they plan on retiring to Phoenix, I’ve been there once, and, even in mid-MARCH, the weather people were already talking about 100 degrees, and don’t get me started on July/August there, as they have been seeing record temperatures quite often, which are into the 120s!!!). Regarding the West vs. East debate, even as a CA native, West Coasters (Californians especially) are some of the most fake, superficial and just plain awful people that I’ve come across! And people say NYC is bad, well, when I went there, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, was very friendly and helpful, and willing to look out for you!!!
Now, I have gotten some terrific advice about New England, now I need some about SE Michigan (again, I do plan on working in the automotive industry, in design). Any Michiganders here?
And forgot, I mentioned in the beginning that I am looking to go to a university afterwards (won’t even THINK about living in CA ever again!!!) in the areas or close to the areas mentioned, with a good graphic design and/or communications program, and thanks again for the insight!
Hey there!!! I am going to community college (19, looking at transferring back east afterwards) in CA, originally in Stockton (1 hour south of Sacramento, if you are REALLY lucky, traffic sucks!!!), which, if you do not know, is, literally, the WORST place in the entire country (even topping Forbes magazine’s list of “Most Miserable Cities in America”). It literally WILL get up to 110+ degrees in the summer (pretty much the only season here, lasts nearly ten months out of the year), and it’s only getting worse, as in, hotter, drier, and FAR more fire-prone every single year (Stockton is flat, but the smoke coming in from the fires will literally cut visibility by half, not to mention there are days sensitive groups of people wear surgical masks to BREATHE, yes, it can be that bad). It is also, like most other cities, regardless of size, here in CA, full of illegals, degenerates, criminals, and, worst of all, there are tent cities full of homeless people EVERYWHERE in this area! I really feel like a minority in my own country, as Spanish has taken over English completely in most parts of CA, thanks to the idiot governor Jerry Brown (aka Moonbeam, as some call him) giving illegals full asylum, when most don’t do a THING to contribute to society in a positive way (seriously, most illegals coming here expect the state to take care of them, their 20+ kids, and their extended families, in which Moonbeam does exactly that!) I have since transferred to another college on the Central Coast, Monterey to be exact, and how does that stand up? Well, the weather is much nicer, but still, very little rain, and, the demographics aren’t all that much better. We have tons of all four types of people mentioned above, and, as everyone back east states, the beaches are FREEZING. Not to mention, real estate in ALL of California, not just SoCal/Bay Area, is much higher on average compared to 90% of the rest of America.
Where do I go? Well, I looked at the other Western cities (Seattle, Portland, Denver, etc), but, natives in ALMOST ALL Western states that are close to California are actually treating the millions of Californians who have moved there like crap. In Denver, many Coloradans have bumper stickers literally reading “Don’t Califonicate Colorado!). How about Boise? Uhm, last I checked, nearly 80% of people living in Boise are not original Idahoans, they hail from California! Or what about “liberal” Portland, where Oregonians are even going as far as VANDALIZING cars belonging to CA natives! These stories are all true, look them up! So, yeah, the West Coast doesn’t do it for me…
Which leaves me with only one option, the East Coast. I am considering two areas, which are listed below!
New England: While the closest I’ve been to New England was NYC (LOVED that place), I also have fallen in love with New England (I mentioned I am a college student, so a good university with a good design (graphic design especially) and/or marketing program would be beneficial, doesn’t have to be Harvard/Yale/insert name of Ivy League school!), especially with the beautiful Colonial-era architecture (definitely will not see anything close to that in CA), and the SEASONS (seriously, at this point, I WOULDN’T MIND a winter there, given that CA is seemingly always in a big drought), as I just dream of playing in the beautiful fall leaves on a crisp, fall day, or watching the fresh-falling snow blanket my big backyard and maybe even small lake from the deck of my beautiful Colonial-era farmhouse, or, when summer comes, spending a gorgeous summer day on Cape Cod/Nantucket/Martha’s Vineyard (all three of which are impossible in CA due to the extremely hot, dry conditions)! And, not to forget, you are close to some of the most AMAZING cities in America and even the world (Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, ALL of which are much cleaner and nicer than cities out west)!!!
Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit (surprise!), Michigan: I plan on working in the automotive industry, so that’s part of the reason I put this area on the list! Now, the winters may be harsh (you DO get used to them like you do in New England, takes about a year to acclimate), but, again, due to the year-round wildfire weather in California, I WOULDN’T MIND! Before you hate on Detroit, let me just tell you: My family and I took a trip to the Great Lakes last summer, and Detroit is revitalizing itself (granted, many neighborhoods do have a long way to go, but, the areas that matter aka Downtown, Midtown, have gotten back on their feet, and, just since the recession’s end, LOTS of development has come back!), and I can see at least most of the city being totally reinvented within the next 15-20 years (in contrast to CA, which may never recover from its mess). When we stopped in Metro Detroit, I was blown away at how much friendlier and more outgoing people are there, people really do change for the better once you leave CA (and probably the entire West Coast)! Ann Arbor (home of the University of Michigan, a world-renowned university), 45 minutes to the west, is even more awesome! Great attractions, great scenery, and great college football! And, you still are close to MUCH more than in CA, such as Chicago (a fabulous city, as long as you stay out of the bad neighborhoods), Toronto (standing on the CN Tower, in my opinion, is a lot better than the Space Needle as it’s a LOT taller, especially on a beautiful summer’s day looking over Lake Ontario), Niagara Falls (what more can you say, the rainbows are amazing, and seeing the falls light up at night makes it even better), Mackinac Island/Upper Peninsula (REALLY pretty in the summer, fall is even better), and drive for a little while longer, and there’s the aforementioned Boston/NYC/Philly/DC!
You really are sort of isolated in CA, you really have to drive to find any clean city, one WITHOUT homeless/illegals!!! So, I would GREATLY appreciate any insight you may have, and thanks so much!!!
I would say to look into New Hampshire, I definitely know where your coming from because I’m originally from Massachusetts & moved to California as a teenager but it has gotten worse here within the past 20 years. It’s nothing like it use to be. People are friendly there compared to California it’s like day and night. There is no tax in NH, you don’t even have to wear a seatbelt or helmet if you don’t want to or even have car insurance, it’s so crazy. The license plates say Live Free or Die. It was so weird when I went back there to see so many people speaking English & it’s like 80% white people. I’m just not use to that and everyone is so laidback they just wear jeans & a T-shirt. It’s not a fashion show out there or being judged from what you drive or how much money you make. All my cousins live there in NH, Maine and Massachusetts. I go visit them a couple times a year. I’m in Orange County, California right now but who’s knows maybe one day I will be back there living there too. It’s fun driving in the snow and going snowmobiling, lots of lakes and dirt bike riding too.
Think I just replied to the wrong post… but I just want to tell you, THANK YOU for the input regarding New England! However, in the other reply (which is down below), I mentioned the fact that I am getting many raised eyebrows and weird looks from Californians about where I plan to move to, even when I continually tell them that the East is better for obvious reasons (IT IS). My parents are very much included in that sentiment. They plan on retiring to Phoenix. I understand that everyone likes different things, but NO WAY will I follow them to the Phoenix area (when I visited there with my family in March of ’15 to watch the San Francisco Giants in spring training, the weather people were already talking about hundred-degree temps. In MARCH!!! Don’t even get me started on July/August there, it is brutal. When the temperature never dips below what, 115 degrees during the day, nothing gets done! Construction is done at night (whether it be buildings or roads), and high school athletes are forced to wake up at 3 AM (they practice at, like, 4:30/5:00 in the morning), as there is absolutely no way that any athlete could survive practice (especially with the activities they do) without getting heat stroke. And I went to high school in the Central Valley of California (I was a cross country/track runner), and even where I lived it was awful. And, Arizona is a Western state, so the natives there must LOVE the millions of California natives moving there in droves, right?! Enough about the Southwest, let’s talk about where I’m going!
New Hampshire is a very beautiful place. ESPECIALLY without severe droughts and of course wildfires! I also am considering Connecticut too, since not only is it a great place to live (especially for someone like me who HATES seeing the same exact weather every single day), but the housing is relatively affordable in many places (especially compared to the “nice” parts of CA such as Silicon Valley, where a 2 bed/3 bath house like the one my parents own in the Central Valley will go for over $1.5 million, in which even tech engineers, remember, these folks usually make around $250,000, are struggling to find any affordable, desirable real estate anywhere near their jobs!), schools are terrific (both K-12 and higher ed), and plus, you are, at the easiest, an hour’s drive from New York City (literally one of my favorite cities, if not my favorite, in North America), and Boston (like I said, still on my bucket list)!!!
I had also mentioned Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor, Michigan, as I said, either going into automotive marketing or design, so I’m looking for a good college and program in that specialty (must be in the area that I settle on living in, my urge to get out of CA is growing exponentially by the day, as things are getting worse and worse here!!!). I would like advice about that area as well, so if you know any Michiganders, please refer them here so I can get some tips!!! Thanks again and have a great day/weekend!!!
Maybe 2 months ago I wrote, vented, about how miserable the East coast is specifically because of the weather, and since then it has still been nothing but constant downpour 80% of the time. It’s dark and wet most of the time to the point it wears on the mind, and I honestly can’t understand how anyone, unless they are predisposed to hate sun and good weather and love rain and mud, could possibly suggest the Eastern seaboard isn’t a miserable place to be most of the time.
The fall and spring time everyone tries to point to as redemption for the oppressive, humid summers and depressing, often rainy themselves winters, are hardly 2 week periods of relief and amount to a total of 4 to 5 weeks of uplifting weather out of the year.
It wasn’t always this bad, but year after year the weather is more extreme, more rain, more humidity, more overcast days, more depression.
I’m not a meteorologist but I simply can’t fathom how it could literally rain this much, it has literally rained 80% of the time since early spring. Yet people defend this miserable coast as a good place to live. Maybe a year more before I can move back West and I’ll be glad to say good riddance to this abomination of a place on earth that is the East coast and not look back.
Absolutely agree! NYC has gotten worse weatherwise and I didn’t think it was possible! so miserable and depressing..people are in winter coats in early May!
It rained pretty much non stop for 6 months from November to May this past Winter/Spring in the Bay Area too… it’s not just the East Coast. Weather is changing everywhere.
I’ve lived most of my life on a farm in the middle of what is arguably one of the best states—Virginia. Most people consider us a classy, well-run, interesting state. What most people may not know is just how awful our weather is, most of the year. Sometimes it rains for an entire month. We’re just far enough north to get slammed by occasional snowstorms and steeped in deep, lasting cold (it was 8 oF below zero here in February 2018). We can have bad droughts when it’s not constantly raining. Spring brings dangerous, violent storms (you have to pay heavily for the dawn of the warmth). And it usually gets hot pretty much right away (we don’t get much of a spring, in other words). And then it stays hot until September. AND ABOVE ALL IT GETS AND STAYS MISERABLY, DISABLINGLY HUMID. We have about two nice days the entire summer. Fall is the nice period, sometimes, although it can rain for weeks at a time in the fall. The rest of the year is hell. Other than all that, it’s a nice state.
We are living in the time of the Great Migration of New Yorkers to Los Angeles. I’m one of them. There’s a reason for that.
NYC is safe, gentrified, crazy expensive and has a lot of wealthy people. But too much wealth makes a city boring and uncool. It’s become the land of five thousand dollar baby strollers, 2 year waiting lists for pre-schools and sensible shoes. Think of the tech monoculture in San Francisco, or the money Wall-Street monoculture of NYC.
LA has a higher crime rate than NYC and less rich people, but along with that comes a better and crazy diverse food scene (and no, NYC doesn’t come close! NYC still plays up its pizza to distract from the the lackluster state of its ethnic food scene), and an art scene that’s booming and all around creative culture of people doing interesting things even if they’re struggling. Things just don’t get made in NYC anymore, and no one wants to actually live in an episode of Sex and the City. At one time, NYC was the cooler Mean Streets, but that’s not true anymore.
Yes, NYC has a subway system. But does anyone really want to take the NY subway with the state it’s in now? I’ll uber/lyft like the rest of the sane people, thank you very much.
Wow, it seems the east coast in this thread means the north east coast. Don’t forget about the south portion. We are totally different in every aspect. I’m an Army brat and have been everywhere but have lived most of my life Georgia. Depending on the region of Georgia, you can live in the mountains or just a few hours away. The mountains here are gorgeous and green. The peak height is only around 5500ft from sea level and base, but you can’t tell the difference when you are at the top just like when I go to Aspen, except you don’t freeze and can actually breathe. The west coast mountains go up to 12000ft there but the base area is around 7000ft so it seems similar to me.
In Georgia, we are also at the ocean or only 2 to 4hours drive depending where you want to go. The beaches are pretty nice with plenty of isolated areas to enjoy. You can actually enjoy getting into the water without a wet suite. I use to think the west had warm water too after seeing Baywatch. A 4 to 7 hr drive to the pan handle of Florida will get you top the best beaches in the country. However, they are very snobby about who can go where there. The water is clear because of the perfect white sugar sand.
We experience a sort of the seasons too. Again, it depends is you agree more south or north in the state. I lived in Nashville, Tn a couple of years and didn’t expect the gray and bone chilling winter. Seriously, I thought it was the south and the ten degrees difference really counts in the summer and winter. Summer feels a little better but winter can suck it worth the wet cold weather and not much sunshine. Their fall was beautiful, especially in the mountains. Although, one day I’m going to visit the New England area for fall. In Georgia, the winter feels awesome. It gets chilly but not like the north by any means. I do wish we got snow every year for a few weeks. At least our cars won’t rot from the salt.
Summer sucks balls though. Walk to your mailbox and come back wet. It makes a great moisturizer! We call it swamp ass. Everyone gets pluses and minuses where they live.
The weather is safer here. Rain and storms but nothing to threaten your life. Some of the east coast dangers like drought and fires are a direct result of their crazy policies. When I visited there, especially Colorado, I now know why they are such tree hugging crazies. There are like 2 in the whole state with brown sands and dirt while the east is very lush and green covered in real grass and trees. It’s really a stark difference. We have dammed lakes that support our water needs instead of worrying about some non native miniature fish species keeping them in California from saving up water during the rain season. They are fighting over water well rights and going as so far to collapse a Nestle water bottling facility. Nevertheless, any bottle of liquid drink like Coke, wine, or beer requires water too.
The next point is a biggie. Politics! You are not allowed to be different in the west coast. They want a homogenized system of politics, people, even weather. They preach acceptance, unless it differs from their opinion. The same could be said of the north eastern coast too. The hillbilly rednecks here are , although a nasty form of racism perpetuated the north and west, are more of thinkers and accepting of different nationalities, religions, and beliefs. You should actually meet some people native to Nashville. So nice and actually genuine. The realtors I talked with spent the better part of the day with me eventhough they knew there was no money to be made in a rental situation at that time.
I could go on and on but really we should just appreciate our homes because I don’t want any more northerners or westerners invading Ga, Tn, and TX. They are changing the landscape to become shit holes like the places they left. They can’t even recognize why the west coast sucks like the northern east coast. Their liberal choices in local and state leaders have raped their homes and lifestyles by making them slaves to work and taxation thereby an unaffordable and miserable lifestyle. I say this because I have experienced it in all 3 places I have lived. I still live in 2 almost equally in time. I have met many of my northern and western neighbors and they seem out of touch with causation and effect.
Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.
Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.
I’ve lived on the East coast most of my life and the West Coast for 3 years in Oregon, and traveled extensively throughout the country. There are certainly good and bad about most places, and completely agree wherever you are happy is a good place, and that’s up to the individual.
For myself I simply can’t take the weather of the East Coast any more. The amount of rain every spring and much of the summer in recent years is not only depressing it’s maddening.
Last week I had our back door propped open and the windows looked fogged like you could write with your finger on them from the humidity in the air. Everything’s damp most of the time, and today before it started raining the air was heavy and just unpleasant to breathe.
I’m not even going to start on the traffic. Comparing traffic in LA on the West Coast is an unfair and unrealistic way to judge West Coast traffic. A few big cities are an exception to the rule, and the West is much more vast than that.
One only needs to look at a satellite photo of the U.S. and the lights at night to really compare the traffic and crowded living. You simply can’t get away from humanity on the East Coast.
But this weather, one can only endure it much of the year. Life is too short to simply endure anything.
You keep saying you assume other people are rational when what you actually mean is you assume people agree with your opinions. It’s a very condescending way of saying what you think is right, but you’ll indulge other’s incorrectness for the sake of this article.
I find it completely rational to want to live on the East Coast. One visit to LA and I had no desire to ever return. It’s not even a city just a spread out clustering of buildings with no useful public transportation to get around it’s inconvenient layout.
There is much more to the west coast than LA I realize and I plan to visit much of it. But all the nicest cities have been gentrified to the point of Portlandia absurdity. I’ll visit the Red Wood forests and the beautiful (rarely swimmable) coast line and I’m sure I’ll love it.
But on the east coast I experience the jaw dropping colors and smells of autumn. The bonfires in the crisp air with warm apple cider. The countless beaches some with massive boardwalks stacked with games and food. Others in adorable towns with barely another person around.
I can travel my city without using a drop of gas and get almost anywhere for a few bucks a day. In the winter Philly is at its most gorgeous with a slight covering of white and the flakes falling against the lights. When we do get a rare snow storm cars disappear. People sled down the steps of the art museum and everyone enjoys the brief day or two of walking the streets without cross walks or red lights.
I can be in NYC in just over an hour. I can be at the beach in 40 minutes. I can enjoy Pho in China town, Tortas In South Philly, hot roast pork at the Italian Market. I can see a play, an orchestra, a musical, an underground punk show all at venues less than a few blocks apart.
And I can live near everything in a house I rent for less than a studio apartment in San Francisco.
Being rational is subjective. It’s rational to want to live in a place that makes you happy and offers you the life you’re looking for.
All the “Californians” posting here crack me up. I am a 34 year old native, born and raised in the SF Bay Area. First of all, summers (outside of SF) are hot as shit. We had several 100 degree plus weeks in the South Bay and on the Peninsula last summer (it got to 107 for days!!!). I make over $100K per year, but can only afford to live in a shit box apartment with no A/C with my wife and young child. No washer dryer, no A/C, one bedroom, built in the early 80’s for $2,000 per month, and that is a bargain where I live!!!! Go to the beach to cool off you say? Sure, we did that, and it took FOREVER, because all of the other poor families making less than $200K per year had the same idea. 2 hours to drive 30 miles to Half Moon Bay. When I got there I needed a sweater, no joke, but at least we weren’t dying of heat exhaustion. How they get away with renting units in the South Bay Area without A/C boggles my mind, it is inhumane. Hot summers here are the norm and always have been since I was a kid. Mid 90’s – 101 are normal temps, and it is dry a shit. I get nosebleeds all the time in summer. By the way, no racist, but I hope you enjoy being a white minority in the SF Bay Area. Majority of population is Asian and Hispanic, and they generally keep to themselves. I get the occasional head nod or hello from other white people, but the majority non-whites generally ignore you. It is not a friendly place. A polite place, yes, but not friendly or social. Everyone is into their work and making $$$, especially the transplants. They have ruined my state. All the talk of Napa and Tahoe, beaches, etc. Let’s see how frequently you go to those places. Three day weeks are great to go skiing/boarding or wine tasting. Problem is the traffic!!! As a transplant you will go to Tahoe 1-2 per season max and to Napa less than that I predict. The beach, LOL don’t make me laugh. Water is freezing as shit and our beeches are overcrowded with gangbanger types and minorities. Enjoy listening to gangsta rap music, inhaling bbq pit fumes and listening to drunk dip shits rejoice on how great the shitty beaches are. The beaches and parks are where the ghetto people take themselves because it is free.
Also, I’ve spent plenty of time in Southern CA, would people stop saying that NorCal and SoCal are essentially two different states? I’ve here this before from the millennial SoCal transplants who come to the SF Bay becuase they think surroundign themselves with “smart” people and tech companies will make them the next Mark Zuckerberg. They couldn’t be successful in the OC because it doesn’t have the opportunities the Silicon Valley has. This is what they tell themselves but the suck out here too. Basically SoCal has better beaches, marginally lower cost of living, but also lower pay. We have more tech jobs in the Bay but life is more expensive here and if you’re not in tech it isn’t all that. That’s it.
Interesting, I thought it was cooler in weather there. The southern east coast is pure misery in the summer from June thru August. However, the Fall feels wonderful and winter is sunny. It gets cold for less than 2 months. Our skin and sinuses doesn’t get dry but we experience swamp ass in the hot months. The beaches on the east are better. Prettier sand and water you can actually swim in without freezing or getting pounded by waves. Destin area Fl is the most gorgeous beach in the whole US. You make good points. I’m writing a missed comparison too.
The exact problems you mention plague New York. It is just freakin awful there now. I used to love it. All major cities have become cess pools of poverty and uber rich. I found my oasis but wont say where. I give it a decade before it too becomes another cesspool. Young people are especially screwed by this new climate.
I am a native californian that must interject. I grew up way up north, nearly Oregon, in Eureka. Which used to be a beautiful near utopia. Had a really lovely, wholesome upbringing I wish I knew would never exist again…. Till extreme liberal policies wrecked the area, and the rest of the state. It’s still gorgeous, but it’s well known for those of us west coast natives that are not liars and full of ourselves….Now it’s a crime ridden (most dangerous in the state even) drug riddled, sleasy, cesspool of depravity. Kids and women out here have the highest ‘ACEs’ in the state. That’s trauma and mental health issues. Native women especially are at risk. And the ‘woke’ crowd who pretends to care about them with their fake virtue signaling, doesn’t do anything to address it. Even the elderly people here are druggies and hustlers, the officials all corrupt and involved in the drug ‘culture’, that is our ‘culture’….it’s all so depressing and disgusting, you cannot even begin to describe it. The ‘lucky’ ones are the rich who can afford to try and avoid it, and live in bubbles. There is no longer a middle class. Indeed, any otherwise nice places, like when you try and enjoy the outdoors, are utterly ruined by the surge of gang bangers and thugs (part of the ‘genius’ of legalising drugs which brought huge numbers of cartels and such to the area) who get drunk, high, and otherwise make it unlivable for anyone normal and decent. With their pitbulls, gangster rap blaring, and antics. Also, human feces is increasingly in the water supply…. Human trafficking is at all time highs. People ‘disappear’ in great numbers. Prostitution, murder, rape, child molestation (we have some of the highest numbers of sex offenders) I also lived for a long time in the UK, which is a whole other story. I lived in WA state as well. In the 90s, WA state was awesome! Not anymore. People out west are totally intolerant also. If you do not agree with everything ‘woke’ they attack you and ostracise you. They are delusional, and TOO laid back. I second the person that mentioned something about how we all dress like homeless people as well. Being casual does not mean we should have zero class….step it up west coasters! Most of the men here are forever in flat caps and hoodies and usually covered with tattoos. Or they are ‘country’ which means they might have a scruffy beard. If you are a woman, the dating scene is a dumpster fire. You can choose between criminals with neck tattoos, players and hustlers, porn saturated losers that only want hookups (I wish an instant end of hookup culture and anyone who partakes and treats people like pieces of meat. To hell with that and people who try and ‘get laid’. Grow up and get some morals), MRAS and incels, druggies, hippies, creepy men that are way older than you with grey beards and beer bellies, or rich, arrogant types that think we care about what stupid car they drive. I don’t. Then for daring to want a normal guy, you get called ‘stuck up’ which really means ‘how dare you have any standards and not sleep with me when I think you are hot’….rapey much? Stuck up here means- not a druggie, or having values….Normal guys over here have completely disappeared. I used to know nice guys back in the 90s….I am now ready to head out east, having had more than enough. I realise no where is perfect, and these annoying ‘woke’ politics are spoiling the country as a whole, but still, elsewhere, unless you are in like NYC, are not anywhere near as bad as the west coast. I don’t plan on living in NYC or related. Only visiting. Other normal places out east and midwest are far cheaper and safer as well as full of more normal people. The weather on the west has also become intolerable. We reached 120 where I am now, and yeah, NO a/c. How dare that even be legally allowed! We are sick all the time from the heat. Not to mention the fires. I had to get air purifiers and stay in for months on end last year. Gas is astronomical, and the great distances mean you are doing that a lot. We are already being threatened with more fires and possible evacuations. And that is all up and down the entire western area, not just cali. I have had to watch the sad destruction of this once amazing place. We talk about people from cali going elsewhere and ruining them, (perhaps some of my kin have done this, and shame on them trying to bring their liberal bs elsewhere) but no one stops to think about all the people who invaded our state and ruined it in the first place. Don’t get me started on the bs prison reform, letting all the felons out of prison, and ‘decriminalising’ bad crimes, defunding the police and then wondering why a surge in crime lol, and all of that total bs. Is it a coincidence that people with values now are considered ‘bigots’ or ‘uptight’….?? I think not. It’s called manipulation and brainwashing. And this is regardless of whether you are ‘conservative’ or not, religious or not. Honestly, humanity is doomed at the rate we are going…. On the east coast, as far as I can tell, the worst concern is the tick problem. The rest of it is nothing concerning. Weather or otherwise.
Had an idea, moved to Nevada for tax purposes in my early twenties, hated that place with every part of my being. I became a millionaire by my early thirties and then decided to move back to my hometown (a college town) in PA and couldn’t be happier. I have an estate that can rival Northern California views for 1/3 the cost and a bonus is that weather-wise it is still 75 and sunny here in late October. Winter here is getting shorter by the year thanks to the warming temps.
Think someone like me still went wrong, huh?
I don’t think Nevada counts as the West Coast. But good for you for reaching Financial independence.
Home is where the heart is. I personally cannot take four months of Pennsylvania winter. I want to be outside all the time playing Tennis and going hiking.
Haha, shhh… Nevadans tend to think they are west coast though ;)
Yeah, 4 colder months here can inhibit outdoor activities for sure. I get it.
Also lived in Sonoma for a brief period during a couple years ago, had the freedom to “see” ehat it was all about. Too many leftover hippies that didn’t get the memo, IMO. Beautiful countryside though in certain pockets and SF is not too far out for comfort. Loved thst city for the brief time I spent in it.
Where in PA did you locate to? The Keystone State has some amazing older architecture and fantastic deals are to be found all throughout PA.
New Englander here….The weather is actually only good on the East Coast about 4 months out of the year (not half!); that’s COUNTING the hot, muggy summers which I don’t mind!
I agree with you, but I was trying to be kind.
Nice :)
I am a new fan after hearing your website mentioned on a podcast. When I saw this post title I had to read it and as someone who was born and raised on the East Coast this is somewhat depressing lol I can definitely relate to the Seasonal Disorder and pretty much most of what you mentioned but for some reason I am still here :). I do love the love east coast but for weather alone, I may consider moving in the future once I make enough off of my blog to live anywhere I want.
In my 33 years, I’ve lived in PA, NJ, MD, NC and Delaware, currently in MD. In the last 5 years I got to drive across country, fly to Denver, Arizona, Nevada and California, and regardless of whatever it may cost, when my next opportunity to move comes, I plan on moving to Utah or California. My allergies we’re unbearable on the east coast. I went out west a few times, and Everytime my asthma wand allergies disappeared.
The cancer rates are very high on the east coast as well. My best experience so far out of all my travels was my drive through Utah. Amazing views, nice people, good food and clean air.
East coast is very expensive. I’d sell my house at the drop of a hat, if it wasn’t for my wifes job.
Hi Mike, good to hear that your allergies went away when you went out west! That’s the same thing that happened to me actually. I had terrible allergies all throughout the year or the 10 years I was living on the east coast. When I went to San Francisco, my allergies went down about 95%. It was a godsend and it changed my happiness for the better.
I’ve lived in New York, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Mississippi, Utah and Los Angeles. It sounds as though your entire argument is based on weather. If that is true then fine, LA and San Diego wins. But if you start adding in other meaningful criteria, it starts to fall apart.
First you need to decide if we’re just talking coasts. If that is the case the west has LA, SD, SF, Portland and Seattle. The east has Boston, NYC, Philly, Baltimore and DC in the north and Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville and Miami. But we all know the southeastern US sucks, and the northwestern cities are rainy and gloomy. So really you are comparing California to the northeast. And I have to say, the northeast wins by a mile.
All California really has to offer in LA/SD and the Bay Area. Everywhere else is hot and miserable. Have you been to Sacramento? I have, it sucks. For me a geographical area’s greatness is in its driveability. You might say that the skiing is better in the west. Ok, it is. But it takes you two hours to fly to Denver and me three. Either way we are both flying.
If you live in LA, where can you actually drive to? San Diego, Death Valley, Vegas in five hours…you are isolated. I live in Pittsburgh and I love the diversity of options in my vicinity. Is Pittsburgh better than San Diego? No. But even San Diego gets boring eventually. I love sports. In the last year I went to an NBA finals in Cleveland, a Stanley Cup finals in Pittsburgh, two PGA events in Ohio, the US Open (tennis) in NY, numerous NFL and college games…there is just so much more here.
If you just want to be a beach bum and suntan, the west is best. But in five hours I can drive to NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, Buffalo, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, Columbus, Cincy, Indianapolis, and so many places in between. The seasons are amazing, the history inspirational. I was so bored in LA after a year…I did everything there was to do in a year. I’ll never run out here.
It’s interesting to read the comments here and sort through the approximate ages of those posting. Younger folks interested in night life or looking for suburbs to raise kids seem to have a different opinion about what’s best compared to older folks, especially those who’ve endured years of NE winters. Let me just point out that there is generally a big difference between southern New England and northern NE weather, especially winters. Up here in VT, we like to joke that we get 4 seasons, Autumn, Winter, Mud and July!
I grew up in RI and have traveled the world. Settled in VT to raise kids and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s a slower pace of life than even RI was and kids have time to be kids. That being said, a mid-winter trip to San Fran to visit family or down to the Florida Keys to recharge is an absolute necessity. If you can’t afford to travel, think carefully about where you put down roots. As I get older and the kids get ready to spread their wings, I’ll be a snowbird spending most of my winters someplace warm and 8 – 9 months or so back home around Lake Champlain.
There’s a lot to love about both coasts in my opinion and small towns with slow pace can be found on both sides of the country. One key is to have skills that are portable and/or allow you flexibility to work from home. Opens up a lot of options as your needs and desires change over time. I for one, could never live far from water, ocean preferably but a big lake will do as a filler!
Final word: try the korean chicken wings at Fuse Box in West Oakland. OMG, they are out of this world!
East Coast = polluted, dirty looking, way overpopulated, and folks from the NE are generally unbearable overbearing jackasses, even when they don’t try to be. Far north is great. Down south is better than new york and Massachusetts, but then you are getting into redneckville.
In general the east coast sucks. People from there love it, but they don’t know any better.
I work with 20 people and all 20 native Californians have NEVER visited the east coast. These are college educated professionals….clueless about their country except for CA. It’s hilarious to me – they have no clue. They pay $10K a year in property tax and swallow all the state taxes that are jammed down our throat……it’s quite ridiculous.
Now imagine living in New York or New Jersey with all those state taxes and the crummy weather.
i hate the dry west coast. live in colorado at high altitude and dry after being married. i have chronic sinus issues..dry skin..have to wear sunscreen and hats constant…and the sunscreen won’t blend….am prone to skin cancer…and have had several jaw surgeries..to where the dry climate makes me feel even worse. i absolutely hate it and am always better when out of town in a more humid low altitude climate. I’m moving back to the east coast in about a month and cant wait….EAST COAST IS THE BEST..PERIOD..for someone like me….my husband will have to move when he’s ready however I’m done living in the dry high ugly brown west where I’m constantly sick..have such dry sinus and throat and swallowing issues…and dry nose lips skin…to the point i am miserable…and when not here..i feel like a normal person….il never have a life if i dont get out of here…have repeated sinus infections…have had 2 sinus surgeries and repeated antibiotics…the west is not the greatest place for everyone..and people who grow up in the south love it ..we dont mind the humidity and welcome it…our skin and mucous membranes are much healthier there..and we dont mind the wonderful warmness…
Plus people in the south are way nicer than just about anyone else in this country, period! And I’m from California/SF so that’s saying something. But I love the south….If I could handle the heat I’d move, plus my folks are here so meh….but dang it’s like 90 and 11pm in my house here in Marin! It was 95 today…ugh…
Sorry your sinuses are so messed up. I came back from living in LA with sinuses infections, before that never had them. I ended up using a drop or two of grapefruit seed extract in a wash and rinsed my sinuses, hurts but it cleaned them and took the bacteria with it! Add some aloe juice too, should soften it.
The east coast has New York City. NYC is the greatest city on the planet. There’s not much debating that. Therefore, the east coast is better. It also has other large cities like DC, Philly, and Boston. They are all close by and easy to get between. The west coast has Los Angeles, which is not dense enough to be a fun city.
I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the years of comments from people across the nation, providing their opinions. As many have stated, there is no right or wrong answer, it’s all in what you are used to and what your preferences are. I was born in New England and grew up in North Carolina, only to return to CT as an adult – leaving my immediately family down South. I have lived in CO and have visited the west coast on many occasions from Seattle to San Diego. I will say this, no matter where I am, I long for what I don’t have. And what I don’t have can always be gotten somewhere else. When it is January in CT and have have just had three blizzards in as many weeks, all you can think of is South Florida. It’s a 3hr flight away and chances are you will fly out of New England in sub freezing temps and when you land it will be 75-80. Now, to a New Englander, that is Heaven on Earth. When you have spent a few months pent up in your home with the heat blasting, nothing feels better than warmth and humidity on your skin. Trust me, there is not another area of our great nation that bitches more about the weather than New Englanders. For the first 10yrs after I moved here I felt like slitting my wrists if I heard another negative comment about the snow and cold “THEN MOVE DAMMIT!” Now going on 26yrs in CT, I get it. I really do, you must endure the winters to make it through to the flowers of Spring (warms too slowly for my taste) and amazing Summers (practically perfect for me (fronts fairly reliably blow out the extreme heat and humidity), and we are pretty darn famous for our Fall weather and the leaf color. We even get super excited when that snow storm hits, but then realize we have to actually drive to work. But, remember, Florida is only a 2.5-3hr flt away!!!
I have never lived in SoCAL but I’ve visited. As a visitor I could only dream of living in a place as beautiful as this. I personally love San Diego. The last 2 times the fog hasn’t been and issue, the first time it was foggy EVERY MORNING until lunchtime but then reliably burned off. Probably would get on my nerves. But the city is gorgeous, the tall buildings along the water mesmerizing, the mountains gorgeous. And to think you can drive a little ways and you’re in the rugged mountains and then you can cross them and be in the beautiful desert. I mean, come on — you have it all there. The traffic sucks. Hey the traffic sucks on the East Coast, too, but I don’t think it nearly compares to the west coast. I often dream of the perfect year round climate — is is San Diego, LA, Orange Cty, Malibu, Santa Barbara? What about up towards beautiful Monterey or Santa Cruz? Seriously California, you have all the beautiful places with temperate weather year round. I might agree with one poster where, being an Easterner, I woudln’t want to put a sweater or jacket on during summer mornings or evenings. Even here in New England my NYC native husband curses CT for being too cold up to July.
I end with my time in CO. I grew up in North Carolina where snow was a rare nuisance at best and I longed for the cold and snow. I moved to the mtns of CO and got it all in spades. Colorado is hard to beat if you like 4 seasons but I’ll tell you what, when you fly to NC in April and you land on a warm rainy day and everything is so brilliant green it almost hurts your eyes, and the moment you exit the airport you breathe in that warm humid air, it’s intoxicating! LOL Colorado summers are gorgeous but, probably simillar to SoCAL they are almost too beautiful – every day warm and sunnier than the next. I actually missed a rainy day on the east coast. I know now that I am an Easterner, a flatlander to folks in CO. On hot sultry days in New England I dream of hat first snow storm. ON cold snowy days, i dream of a quick flight to FLA, I look at photos from my trips out west and dream of perhaps some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in America. But i’m an easterner. I love all the crazy cultural diversity here, I love the occasional blizzard. I love the summer thunderstorms. we sit and watch with anticipation where hurricanes are going to go. Like our western friends, we sit in traffic on the Jersey Turnpike waiting for the traffic to ease up so our vacation can finally start.
The great thing about America is that we can travel wherever we want to experience all the good that both the East and West coasts offer.
oh, and living in New England, I am DONE with Italian food. There is more to life than Italian food. And Southern California has some of the most beautiful food EVER! So jealous!
Well….. after reading everyone’s post you can feel the vibe from the different coasts! When west coast comments there not aggressive, there laid back and not rude. When east coast comments there aggressive, jumpy, and vulgar. I lived on the east coast for 15 years in RI . When I was 15 I moved to west coast Las Vegas . By far big difference weather but….. both sides can drive easily to different weather!! You can get sun,snow,or rain on both coast if you want!!! The vibe of people is completely different on east coast everyone’s fast paced and serious! What’s the point of being so serious about life if you can’t stop and enjoy it? You can make all this money but then die and give it to your kids but then there just gonna be rich snobs that move to the west coast anyway! Lol but on the west coast the whole laid back party vibe doesn’t get any thing done some times but on the same hand what’s the point of having life and not enjoying it??? It’s really hard to determine which is better but after living in Vegas for 15 years I’m moving back east in a couple months because I have 2 new kids and don’t want to raise them here! Want out of the city life and want them to be raised where I grew up with outdoors and trees and snow !! But don’t want them to be snobs.
Agree with most posters….everything is better on the East Coast. In winter you can get drive to get snow in the higher East Coast states….or sit on sunny, warm beach on the lower East Coast states. Florida blows away CA in winter, sunny, dry (Ca has it’s wet season in winter), and you won’t turn blue from the cold in the warm tropical Atlantic like you do in the frigid Pacific.
….add in that the financial capital of the world, political capital of the world, and most trendy tropical city in the world are all on the East Coast….the West Coast loses big time. Sorry, but the truth is the truth.
But the west coast has all the duck lipped, siliconed, fake- baked women. Eww
I have lived on the east coast most of my life, and let me tell you bad weather is way more than 3 or 4 months. If you live south of Virginia, that may be true, but if you live in the northeast, expect bad weather October-April or May. Expect, lots of snow, and lots of ice. NYC is an amazing city, but I can’t see the cost of living worth it.
I lived in the southeast for a while, and really liked it there. It was beautiful. There were only a few months of bad weather, and it was inexpensive. The only problem was there were not a lot of jobs, and people were mostly conservative.
It all depends what you like, but I think people who like winter are nuts.
East Coast, West Coast FAMILY is the most. Since when does climate, mountains, museums or food trump FAMILY. None of these things will matter if you or your family get sick. They cannot replace your child’s lifelong enrichment from grandparent relationships and/or close extended family. None will matter when your own parents are dying and you feel guilt for not being able to help them in the way you know you should. Nor will keeping “in touch” ever replace sharing real time having full relationships.
America has gone to pot. This independence thing has made us lose our sense of values and what matters most.
Good point Dee. And I’m hear to say that I encourage families to relocate to live a better life. I’ve been out in San Francisco for 15 years now and life is much better compared to when I was living in NYC, Northern Virginia, and Williamsburg.
See:
The Cheapest International City In The World: San Francisco
To Get Rich, You Must Practice Predicting The Future