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I'll preface and say I am doing my homework and researching as we speak. I have lived in the Bay Area for my entire life and have began to feel a need to expand and "switch things up". I live in San Francisco and I guess I've become a little jaded by living here. While I'm 5th generation San Franciscan, I don't know if this city fits my personality.
Some things about me:
- I'm a 30 year old, straight white male. I am catholic but not extremely strict. Church like 5 times per year. (I went to catholic school for 9 years).
- I like the outdoors, whether hiking, running, biking trails. Many of my friends moved to Colorado, so that kind of gives you an idea of the kind of people I surround myself with. I did a 30 mile bike ride brewery hopping yesterday on the trails in the bay area, loved it.
- Love to work out, 5 times a weekish. I play pickup basketball, softball every week.
- I love sports, season ticket holder for the Oakland A's, Oakland, soon LV , Raiders, Warriors, Sharks.
- I love college football, I guess I've always been a Notre Dame fan but not a diehard, I follow all teams. College football culture in the bay area stinks.
- I'm the kind of guy that loves to shoot the **** while tailgating, BBQ, and drink Budweiser. I like craft beers and all that, too.
- I don't own any guns but do go shooting with friends probably 10 times per year. I've never hunted.
- Smoke weed from time to time but I'm mostly a drinker for sure.
- I love music. Huge into Classic Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, some metal. I go to 25 concerts/year. I just went and saw ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Well, what's left of them) lastnight. Really no interest in house music, and most rap.
- Not huge into the arts and theatre scene. I think it's cool, but like I said, I'm a sports junkie, ha.
Why Fayetteville?
I have a connection with someone who used to work as a recruiter at Walmart that has set me up with a potential in with them. I've told them I'd like to interview for jobs in Bentonville, ark and not San Bruno California. Initial research in NWA has intrigued me. I currently live in a pretty expensive city and want to have a home with my own deck and grass lawn rather than my current 430 square foot home. My endgame is that I get into the Real Estate industry. I'm currently taking online classes for California but really feel that where I live is volatile. I feel like NWA Ark could be a diamond in the rough and can really flourish in the future, especially real estate. I work in tech and I honestly don't really care about tech. It's cool and innovative but it's not something I care to talk about immensely. I'm not someone staring at my phone 12 hours/day.
And finally, I want to meet real people with real passions. I have a pretty solid social circle here so it's not loneliness that's pushing me to leave. I want to feel like I'm living in a community where people are friendly. Maybe it's the SF tech boom, who knows. Elitism is a thing here. Maybe it's the crowdedness and traffic, which I hate as well. I feel like San Francisco has turned into an unfriendly place where people really don't acknowledge or make eye contract with you unless you know them. IDK, whenever I've traveled to the South it's just a different vibe I cannot describe. To put it succinctly, I'd like to live in a place where people smelled the fresh air and not their own farts. I don't know anyone in Arkansas and all my family is in California, Oregon, and Nevada so this would really be a fresh start.
NWA is great for hiking, running, biking. We've been getting a lot of attention from world-class bikers for the numerous trails across the area. And there are plenty of gyms in the area. As for sports, the U of A dominates in NWA, especially for football, and the tailgaiting at Fayetteville before a game is legendary. However, NWA has some outstanding high school football programs as well. Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville have all fielded state champions in the top tier of a state which loves its football. And The Naturals are a semi-pro baseball team in Springdale, which is great fun in the summertime. We're not far from Tulsa or Kansas City, and their professional teams. I think the live music at George's on Dickson Street in Fayetteville would serve you well. And the AMP in Rogers has been attracting bigger names across a range of genres as well.
I think you will be shocked by what you can buy home-wise in Northwest Arkansas. Prices are going up, though. They did take a hit during the recession, but actually Northwest Arkansas weathered the downturn pretty well, and hopefully will navigate the next one as well. Just a note, it's not crowded in Northwest Arkansas, and traffic usually flows pretty smoothly, but there are traffic jams on I-49 and on the highways that feed into I-49.
People tend to be very friendly here in terms of saying hello, and waving, chatting in grocery store lines. I think that it can be lonely though, if you don't know anyone, and you just move to the area. I'd recommend joining a gym, and maybe some bike clubs. The Hobbs Conservation area also has regular programs (eagle sighting, history of the area, hiking, biking, moonwatching, etc) where you might meet people with similar interests.
Also, the craft-brewing scene in Northwest Arkansas is really bursting right now.
You will love the people in NWA, in fact you will be amazed at how friendly everyone is.
It gets a lot colder in NWA than in San Francisco and there is lots of what my Wife calls "Sky Drama" which is lightning. You may be used to a little bit colder being from the bay area as opposed to San Diego though.
I'll preface and say I am doing my homework and researching as we speak. I have lived in the Bay Area for my entire life and have began to feel a need to expand and "switch things up". I live in San Francisco and I guess I've become a little jaded by living here. While I'm 5th generation San Franciscan, I don't know if this city fits my personality.
Some things about me:
- I'm a 30 year old, straight white male. I am catholic but not extremely strict. Church like 5 times per year. (I went to catholic school for 9 years).
- I like the outdoors, whether hiking, running, biking trails. Many of my friends moved to Colorado, so that kind of gives you an idea of the kind of people I surround myself with. I did a 30 mile bike ride brewery hopping yesterday on the trails in the bay area, loved it.
- Love to work out, 5 times a weekish. I play pickup basketball, softball every week.
- I love sports, season ticket holder for the Oakland A's, Oakland, soon LV , Raiders, Warriors, Sharks.
- I love college football, I guess I've always been a Notre Dame fan but not a diehard, I follow all teams. College football culture in the bay area stinks.
- I'm the kind of guy that loves to shoot the **** while tailgating, BBQ, and drink Budweiser. I like craft beers and all that, too.
- I don't own any guns but do go shooting with friends probably 10 times per year. I've never hunted.
- Smoke weed from time to time but I'm mostly a drinker for sure.
- I love music. Huge into Classic Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, some metal. I go to 25 concerts/year. I just went and saw ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Well, what's left of them) lastnight. Really no interest in house music, and most rap.
- Not huge into the arts and theatre scene. I think it's cool, but like I said, I'm a sports junkie, ha.
Why Fayetteville?
I have a connection with someone who used to work as a recruiter at Walmart that has set me up with a potential in with them. I've told them I'd like to interview for jobs in Bentonville, ark and not San Bruno California. Initial research in NWA has intrigued me. I currently live in a pretty expensive city and want to have a home with my own deck and grass lawn rather than my current 430 square foot home. My endgame is that I get into the Real Estate industry. I'm currently taking online classes for California but really feel that where I live is volatile. I feel like NWA Ark could be a diamond in the rough and can really flourish in the future, especially real estate. I work in tech and I honestly don't really care about tech. It's cool and innovative but it's not something I care to talk about immensely. I'm not someone staring at my phone 12 hours/day.
And finally, I want to meet real people with real passions. I have a pretty solid social circle here so it's not loneliness that's pushing me to leave. I want to feel like I'm living in a community where people are friendly. Maybe it's the SF tech boom, who knows. Elitism is a thing here. Maybe it's the crowdedness and traffic, which I hate as well. I feel like San Francisco has turned into an unfriendly place where people really don't acknowledge or make eye contract with you unless you know them. IDK, whenever I've traveled to the South it's just a different vibe I cannot describe. To put it succinctly, I'd like to live in a place where people smelled the fresh air and not their own farts. I don't know anyone in Arkansas and all my family is in California, Oregon, and Nevada so this would really be a fresh start.
The best thing I can advise is come and visit It sound like, for the most part you would be happy here. I am not a pot smoker by any means, so have no clue about that part. Of course I am not 30 either: add 50 plus years to that.
We lived in the bay area, Marin Co when we were in our early 30s; hubby worked in San Francisco We have also lived in San Diego, Eureka, Los Angeles and Sac. but all many years ago
WE too are sports lovers: we do miss pro sports but love our RAzorbacks and college football is very popular here. There is a lot of outdoor life, hiking, fishing, biking, etc to enjoy. Fayetteville is a great place for young people: so is the Bentonville, area. There are lots of great places to meet people your age, goo restaurant and hangouts, plus some pretty good concerts if that interests you.
I can't say enough positive about this area. even with the horrible storms we had just the last few days. Everywhere has a the threat of Mother Nature doing her thing.
You will love the people in NWA, in fact you will be amazed at how friendly everyone is.
It gets a lot colder in NWA than in San Francisco and there is lots of what my Wife calls "Sky Drama" which is lightning. You may be used to a little bit colder being from the bay area as opposed to San Diego though.
We learned just this past few days how close and wonderful the community is or can be. There were high school sports teams that were out helping people clean up from the Mon night storm. There were fire departments making sure people who lost their power had food to eat. I could go on and on. Heck we even had a friend from the other side of town drive over just to give us a bottle of wine to cheer us up. Obviously she knows about wine and me.
You never know until you visit. That being said, it sounds like northwest Arkansas is a great fit. This area has a lot to offer for its size and location. The thing about coming from California is expectations have to be appropriate. Will you enjoy four seasons or dislike the humidity of summer and occasional cold snaps of winter? Will you enjoy the hiking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking and sight seeing of the Ozarks or will you be disappointed that the Ozark "mountains" are just hills?
Personally I love this area however I also grew up in central Oklahoma and lived in central Kansas for a few years. There are plenty of people from places like California that love it here. However I've known some that come with an open mind and end up with the feeling "didn't know what I had until I left it".
Absolutely make a trip out. You can fly right into NWA on several airlines or if you like to fly Southwest like we do, it’s an easy 1:45 min drive from Tulsa to Fayetteville. We visited last month from NorCal and are moving there this month. We can’t wait!
Absolutely make a trip out. You can fly right into NWA on several airlines or if you like to fly Southwest like we do, it’s an easy 1:45 min drive from Tulsa to Fayetteville. We visited last month from NorCal and are moving there this month. We can’t wait!
wow how exciting you are really coming. Did you buy or are you going to rent for awhile and where are you going to live? I am betting Fayetteville but could be wrong. We were talking today in church about how great it is to live in a region where everyone is so kind and helpful, not to mention friendly. The way our community came together last week is just one case of what it is like to live where almost everyone cares for everyone else. We were sitting with a couple from So CA that have lived here just about a year now and they can't stop raving about how wonderful it was to have found NWA. As most know we feel the same way. The third couple sitting wit us had never lived anywhere but NWA and couldn't understand our love for the community. I don't mean they didn't agree, they just didn't have anything else to compare it with
You never know until you visit. That being said, it sounds like northwest Arkansas is a great fit. This area has a lot to offer for its size and location. The thing about coming from California is expectations have to be appropriate. Will you enjoy four seasons or dislike the humidity of summer and occasional cold snaps of winter? Will you enjoy the hiking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking and sight seeing of the Ozarks or will you be disappointed that the Ozark "mountains" are just hills?
Personally I love this area however I also grew up in central Oklahoma and lived in central Kansas for a few years. There are plenty of people from places like California that love it here. However I've known some that come with an open mind and end up with the feeling "didn't know what I had until I left it".
And let's hope all those people who are coming here from places like CA don't come here and constantly talk about how great things were in CA or try to make us into another CA. There are some wonderful things about Ca and some things I still miss, but overall I am so glad we have found our forever home.
- I love music. Huge into Classic Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, some metal. I go to 25 concerts/year. I just went and saw ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Well, what's left of them) lastnight. Really no interest in house music, and most rap.
piranha89 - I love rock music, too. Let me ask you: did you like this Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup now that is the current Lynyrd Skynyrd? We saw them in Phoenix in August of 2006 when we were living in Arizona and I've got to tell you, they rocked the Dodge Theater big-time. We loved that show! I don't know, we taped a show of theirs that was in a club in Chicago being shown on TV and it was good, just not great. What did you think of 'em?
It might be that it was live on TV and not live in person that made it not so great.
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, Raiders, Warriors, Sharks.
