Tell me about Phoenix

[Groomer Gambler]

I was pretty dead set on Scottsdale if this pans out, now not so sure. Good information so far.

How bad is the traffic, from say Scottsdale to the Coronado industrial district? Keeping in mind I would definitely be missing the morning rush hour as work starts earlier than most people are up.

If I had the money (i.e. not a grad stipend) and was flexible on location, I'd actually consider living in that North Phoenix area. There's the light rail, some cool museums, and one of my favorite restaurants (Taco Guild). No commute, certainly bike/walking friendly when it's not 120 degrees and some nice looking newer apartments in that area! Most people tend to comment on how they don't like the downtown and how empty it is, but for some reason I always kinda liked that area at night! Maybe I'm weird tho...

[RockChalk]

If I had the money (i.e. not a grad stipend) and was flexible on location, I'd actually consider living in that North Phoenix area. There's the light rail, some cool museums, and one of my favorite restaurants (Taco Guild). No commute, certainly bike/walking friendly when it's not 120 degrees and some nice looking newer apartments in that area! Most people tend to comment on how they don't like the downtown and how empty it is, but for some reason I always kinda liked that area at night! Maybe I'm weird tho...

Coronado is definitely an up and coming neighborhood, I would also consider living there. For my money, Aracadia and the Biltmore area are the top two neighborhoods in PHX and all three are better than old town scottsdale.

[rideit]

All I have to add is that I would live as close to South Mountain as possible.

[east or bust]

If I had the money (i.e. not a grad stipend) and was flexible on location, I'd actually consider living in that North Phoenix area. There's the light rail, some cool museums, and one of my favorite restaurants (Taco Guild). No commute, certainly bike/walking friendly when it's not 120 degrees and some nice looking newer apartments in that area! Most people tend to comment on how they don't like the downtown and how empty it is, but for some reason I always kinda liked that area at night! Maybe I'm weird tho...

Coronado is definitely an up and coming neighborhood, I would also consider living there. For my money, Aracadia and the Biltmore area are the top two neighborhoods in PHX and all three are better than old town scottsdale.

Yea, that whole North Phoenix / Scottsdale area looks the most attractive right now. Guess I need to visit for a weekend to see why old town scottsdale gets the hate. The boxes I'd like checked in an apartment are 30-40 minute max commute (sounds like that won't be a factor), good restaurants and nightlife ideally within walking distance, and easy to peace out northbound on the weekends.

All I have to add is that I would live as close to South Mountain as possible.

Can you substantiate this?

[Marshall Tucker]

Love these threads, learning about places. Pretty much have lived my entire life in the deep south, 2-4 hrs from the atlantic. as I get older and start thinking about a second house while the coast here always calls I dig thinking about other areas of the country.

[DaveTV]

You'll get much more info here http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoenix-area/

[MagnificentUnicorn]

GF lived in Phoenix for a year (last year) and currently lives in Tucson. I visited quite a few times and never really expected to like the area but was always pleasantly surprised with how much I love it down there. I've been there in mid summer and mid March - I can't emphasize this enough I don't think there is a better climate in the U.S. during the winter!

Yes, Phoenix is hot during the summer months. But drive 2hrs north towards Sedona and Flagstaff and it instantly cools down especially overnight. Tons of great local hiking and presumably biking (I never got around to mtn biking down there).

In terms of a city, there is a booming local food and beer scene. Housing seems affordable (hell, my GF found a nice apartment she could afford on a grad stipend). Expect to have to drive everywhere 20mins to get anywhere. Seriously, we joked that any place we wanted to go within the city was a 20min drive. Awesome tacos. Take your pick for cheap baseball, football, hockey games. Plus, you can live virtually anywhere within Phoenix and be within a 20min no traffic drive to an international airport.

Currently she's in Tucson, which climate-wise I think is better (slightly higher elevation and less pavement sprawl doesn't quite trap the summer heat overnight like PHX). Closer to bigger mountains locally and I love how close it is to Mexico (that area from Tucson to Nogales is crazy beautiful especially during the monsoon season). The downsides are a smaller city with less to offer like Phoenix and add another 2hrs to get to Sedona/Flagstaff. Rent and living costs seem comparable.

I live in Oregon at the moment and am strongly considering moving to Tucson probably next year. Yes, it's a funky area for sure but to be honest it's still affordable, and it is so nice to have sunshine and warm weather year round compared to the 6+months of rain we get here. Plus, personally I the diversity makes it way more interesting rather than the same white hippies up here. Would I want to settle down here long term - probably not...but I'm surprised more younger folks in my demographic aren't moving to the Phoenix or Tucson area. It seems like one of the few places on the west coast that is actually affordable, nice weather year round, and great local access to the outdoors (if you overlook skiing).

We're really good at convincing ourselves that any place is great or "not too bad". When did Pheonix move to the west coast? That's like saying Vegas or Boise is on the west coast.

[concretejungle]

We're really good at convincing ourselves that any place is great or "not too bad". When did Pheonix move to the west coast? That's like saying Vegas or Boise is on the west coast.

Or that it has "nice weather year round."

[DaveTV]

When did Pheonix move to the west coast? That's like saying Vegas or Boise is on the west coast.

Same as people referring to Atlanta and Pittsburgh as "east coast"

[skaredshtles]

We're really good at convincing ourselves that any place is great or "not too bad". When did Pheonix move to the west coast? That's like saying Vegas or Boise is on the west coast.

The "nice weather year around" is what kills me.

[Groomer Gambler]

Or that it has "nice weather year round."

Well, I argue that Phoenix gets so much hate for the weather (mostly, I've found, from people who have never been there or had a 3 day work conference and never left the hotel except a walk across the street), that I gotta say it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

I've lived in parts of the Midwest, northeast, and mid Atlantic and I will take 100+ and dry heat any day over 85 and full humidity back east.

We're really good at convincing ourselves that any place is great or "not too bad". When did Pheonix move to the west coast? That's like saying Vegas or Boise is on the west coast.

People lump eastern WA and northern Idaho into the PNW, and that's at least 7-8hrs from the coast. PHX is 5hrs to LA/San Diego. Technically, Tucson is 3ish hrs to ocean in Mexico

[Groomer Gambler]

The "nice weather year around" is what kills me.

Yes summers are hot for a few months, but on the contrary, back east where everyone complains if you don't have winter hobbies for half the year from snow and Arctic blasts and gains 30pounds from sitting on the couch inside stuffing your faces with holiday food and beer for a good six months a year...

Plus, like I said earlier at least in Phoenix you can get up to the Flagstaff/Sedona area in about 2hrs for much cooler temps during the summer and skiing in the winter. There's even a ski resort outside of Tucson!

I'd love to hear from people who grew up in the area too. I've lived in a few places that I really did not like, and so far I've been pretty happy with my girlfriend's move to PHX/Tucson, so much so that I'd consider living there in the near future...nothing wrong with that!?

Yea, that whole North Phoenix / Scottsdale area looks the most attractive right now. Guess I need to visit for a weekend to see why old town scottsdale gets the hate. The boxes I'd like checked in an apartment are 30-40 minute max commute (sounds like that won't be a factor), good restaurants and nightlife ideally within walking distance, and easy to peace out northbound on the weekends.

Yes, definitely worth visiting and driving around! We did not visit in advance of her moving and you will need some time to figure out where everything is. PHX is one huge sprawl.

One advantage of Scottsdale location-wise is you are closer to the Superstitions and can easily hop on the road north to Payson (both really cool areas). Downtown PHX might actually be quicker to get up to Flagstaff over Scottsdale.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>
I've lived in parts of the Midwest, northeast, and mid Atlantic and I will take 100+ and dry heat any day over 85 and full humidity back east.

So what you're saying is that you don't KNOW what "good weather" is... NTTAWWT.

[Groomer Gambler]

So what you're saying is that you don't KNOW what "good weather" is... NTTAWWT.

"Good weather" ATMO is Phoenix/Tucson during winter... Mid 70s to low 80s during the day, leave the doors and windows open at night, full sun all day...ahhhhhh

[plugboots]

So our friends, (who live in Tucson), have a manufactured home very close to Lake Roosevelt, (you can’t have a house on the lake as it’s government property). It’s the same distance to Lake Roosevelt from Phoenix or Tucson, (around 115 Miles), and they pretty much go there every weekend to wake surf, wakeboard, waterski, and bob around with lifejackets around your waist while smoking cigars and drinking cocktails. We go now for one weekend every year, and we were there a couple weekends ago. It’s not necessarily my cuppa tea, but was pretty fucking fun. Not to mention really cool tarantulas, bobcats, coyotes, and scorpions.

[Timberridge]

So if I read this correctly, if a train left Tuscon and another left Phoenix on the same track traveling at the same speed toward each other they would collide at Lake Roosevelt?

[plugboots]

So if I read this correctly, if a train left Tuscon and another left Phoenix on the same track traveling at the same speed toward each other they would collide at Lake Roosevelt at a trailer park?

FIFY, yes.

[El Chupacabra]

Well, I argue that Phoenix gets so much hate for the weather (mostly, I've found, from people who have never been there or had a 3 day work conference and never left the hotel except a walk across the street), that I gotta say it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

I've lived in parts of the Midwest, northeast, and mid Atlantic and I will take 100+ and dry heat any day over 85 and full humidity back east.

Or, to put it another way:

"This minimum security prison isn't so bad. I've seen solitary, max, and super max, and I'll take this any day over those."

[Timberridge]

Noted.

I imagine the summer heat would decompose the dead bodies faster there than if the collision occurred in western KS. A fast emergency response would be needed.

[plugboots]

Noted.

I imagine the summer heat would decompose the dead bodies faster there than if the collision occurred in western KS. A fast emergency response would be needed.

Oh for chrissake dude, it’s exactly the opposite, the train cars would be perfect mummification chambers, there’s no humidity.

It’s a dry heat.

[Timberridge]

I've never been to AZ. It's apparent I have a lot to learn about the area.

[frorider]

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...-survive-water

most of the water supply for central and southern Arizona is pumped from Lake Mead, fed by the Colorado river over 300 miles away. Anthem’s private developer paid a local Native American tribe to lease some of its historic water rights, and pipes its water from the nearby Lake Pleasant reservoir – also filled by the Colorado.

That river is drying up. This winter, snow in the Rocky Mountains, which feeds the Colorado, was 70% lower than average. Last month, the US government calculated that two thirds of Arizona is currently facing severe to extreme drought; last summer 50 flights were grounded at Phoenix airport because the heat – which hit 47C (116F) – made the air too thin to take off safely. The “heat island” effect keeps temperatures in Phoenix above 37C (98F) at night in summer.

Some will argue that it’s irresponsible for anyone to move to an unsustainable region like Phoenix. I don’t care one way or another, but water issues could fuck up real estate values long term in these arid mega cities

[AK47bp]

The land is not hospitable to human life without technology.

If you like to be outside in your general Phoenix neighborhood area (not a 2 hr drive north) from May to October between the hours of 9am and 8pm it may not be the place.

Not comparable to a place with winter or rain making outside less than ideal 6 months of the year because of the ability to wear jackets and coats to make yourself comfortable.

When it's 120 degrees and burning sun there is no making that comfortable, your skin is burning, you just have to not be outside unless you can find some shade somewhere.

My wife is from Phoenix and tells me you just have to have a pool or go to a pool in summer.

The "winter" there is beautiful weather though.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[skaredshtles]

"Good weather" ATMO is Phoenix/Tucson during winter... Mid 70s to low 80s during the day, leave the doors and windows open at night, full sun all day...ahhhhhh

So it's the "year around" phrase that's confusing you...

[MagnificentUnicorn]

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...-survive-water



Some will argue that it’s irresponsible for anyone to move to an unsustainable region like Phoenix. I don’t care one way or another, but water issues could fuck up real estate values long term in these arid mega cities

I drove across the Colorado river yesterday near Grand Junction, it's barely a stream right now. Flew from GJ to Denver and there is no snow at all in the mountains, none. I think if things continue as they are that the Colorado river basin is fucked with all the development downstream in AZ, NV and CA.