Best State?
 

Well, I didn't get picked up for an overseas assignment :( so back to the good ol' US of A :)
Now I just have to narrow down where I want to head to. I'd like to avoid the mid-west at all costs, but can't decided between East or West coast. I love the WC but haven't really given the EC a chance.
What I'm going to need is easy findings for apartment/houses that will allow pets, both dog and cat. Easy-going atmosphere for pet owners, as in wide selection of pet stores/botiques, plenty of places I can take Rizzo along to...Plus I'd like to have the option of a dog walker/puppy day care just in case I work too far away from home to get home during the day for playing/walking.
I also need colleges around the city where I live.
So far, Phoenix, AZ and Charleston, SC are on my list of places I think I'd like to live for the next 3 years. But I've pretty much gotten stuck trying to find a good state to live.
What do you guys think? Any advice?

I am a bit bias but Texas is a great state,particularly FtWorth,small town feel but still a good sized city. Lots of furbaby places here and the city is becoming more friendly to pets in public places. I believe that there is a doggie park as well. The beach is about 5hrs away,dogs are welcome. The state is big enough that you can see almost any kind of landscape. If you camp there are numerous state parks with alot of history to see. Again I am a bit bias.

I've been considering Texas, but don't want to get stuck on one of the bases that is in the middle of no-where (there are a few of those in TX, lol) I guess I'll put that into my considerations pile since I don't consider it Mid-West.

I wanna move to Charleston!!!! I am in MD now and *really* want to, just need a roommate, haha. But seriously I really have fallen in love with SC and will be there soon enough. It's really pet friendly from what I've seen. Greenville, SC looks nice too though I've never been there yet. Tons of parks and trails and a nice dog park.

CALIFORNIA!!!

I wouldn't recommend LA though, at least not my hood. I love the OC. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! So many good places to choose from.

I've been to Greenville, SC! It was nice, I was there in the summertime, warm but not too warm. But no bases there, just one in Charleston that I'd be really lucky to actually get :)
Cali, love it, but can I afford it? Hmmm...time to put on my thinking cap.

You mentioned Phx...I've lived here 6 years. A couple things to consider...you can only bring your dogs outside part of the year (bc of temp, and they can burn their paws). The summers can get up to 115 degrees, ugh. But from Oct-April/May is GORGEOUS. Dry, nice temps, sunny. Phx is a weird city, to me, though. No true metro downtown, very sprawled out. I don't feel a real 'energy' or 'identity' of the city.

I've lived in Colorado and LOVED loved loved it! It's the most stunning/breathtaking place I've ever been. Denver has a super feel to it. Lots of cool and different neighborhoods. Lots of history. People are very dog oriented and into outdoors. It's just a city of neat energy. Lots to do. Going up into the mountains offers endless exploring and incredible nature.

I'm a big fan of CA too. My fave is San Fran. San Diego is about 70 degrees all year round; very neat city too.

hum, for some reason I forgot about the heat of AZ, I lived in Tucson for a few years and fell in love with AZ. I'm huge into outdoors and the heat doesn't bother me at all, but Rizzo is really sensitive...Gosh, so much to think about. I'm seriously considering the San Fran area, maybe I'll re-think phx though...dang it, lol. Loss 1 gain 1..

I think you should put Vandenberg AFB on your dream sheet. ;) It's the most beautiful base you have ever seen. It takes up 35 miles of the most beautiful ocean front in CA. Huge commissary, BX area has shopping and eating, beautiful 18 hold golf course, beautiful parks, huge modern physical fitness center, pool, huge officer and enlisted club, super nice officers and enlisted dorms, HUGE new gas station, Veterinarian,MWR which now rents small RV's, (people LOVE camping here) and the most beautiful base housing of all the bases, and much, much, much more!! There are super nice homes, apartments or condos you could rent or buy just 4 miles from base, right here in Vandenberg Village, which also has churches, elementary and high schools, banks, gas, grocery store, pizza and mexican food restaurants, sandwich/coffee shop, beauty shop, frame shop, barber shop, motel, dentist, Vet. spa, and much more. We have the most completed mission of all the CA. missions, we were also listed as having the most perfect weather in the US, and there are so many things to do and see that I just can't list them all.
You can even join our doggie play date that meets once a month. ;)
Here is a little more about my area.

Lompoc, City of Murals In the Valley of Flowers, On the Central Coast of Paradise

Welcome to the City of Lompoc!

Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau - Home

Lompoc, California (93436) Conditions & Forecast : Weather Underground

Sold on Vandenberg lol :) You sure know how to sell a base, it's been added.

Way to welcome people to our fair city Ann, I'm reporting you to the Chamber of Commerce! :D Have to agree with you, although you forgot to mention that you'll probably have problems with allergies even if you've never had allergies elsewhere. Going to go rub my eyes for a while.

In AZ?! This shocks me.... my dad lived in AZ until he was 19yrs old and never ever suffered with allergies until the moment he moved to Maryland. I thought AZ would be good for allergies, considering it's, well, dry, and not a lot of green things grow there, lol?!

It use to be, and I hear that Tuscan is better than Phoenix, but people brought trees and grass from the Midwest, and because our air is so dry, the pollen doesn't stick to anything it just floats in the air continually. In more humid areas, it will stick on plants and trees and roofs, etc so it's not as highly concentrated in the air at all time. I've lived all over the country and never had a problem with allergies until I moved here, but I do love the grass and trees.

I vote West Coast- I am hoping to move to Nevada someday very soon :)

Yeah, I developed allergies when I lived in Tucson, lol. My eyes go crazy if I'm anywhere near the desert during the spring/summer, but taking allergy meds clears that problem up.

I think Tucson is really dog friendly! Dogs are allowed at a lot of restaurants, in the stores at La Encantada, lots of dog parks. It is really growing on me. I have been here 4 years. Then we can have doggy playdates!!!! :)

What about Oregon? I was in Eugene a year ago and it was gorgeous...that coastline!

Now if you were Canadian I'd root for either wolfville Nova Scotia, or about anywhere on Cape Breton Island. lol

Hmm...I don't know of any AF bases in Oregon, not that there aren't any just don't know which one(s) are there. :) I'll give it some thought for sure :D

I've heard that Oregon is the best kept secret in the nation.

I've never been to California and I truly believe that one day there will be an earthquake and it is going to fall into the ocean.....

BUT if you have a chance to live on a beautiful base and have Donna (yorkiedaze) for a neighbor, I envy you. I hope to meet this dear lady one day.

Good luck!

My favorite City in the US is San Francisco. China town, Fishermans Wharf,Ghirardelli Square, Muir Woods, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz,Napa Valley and my favorite place to drink Irish Coffee, Buena Vista on Fishermans Wharf...They make the best! They line up rows of coffee in glasses then the whiskey, sugar cubes and real whipped cream. YUMMMMO..I promise...I think my husband and I drank 5 each!

Sigh...well my list came out today I can go to the dc/area (Andrews), Florida (Hurlburt), Idaho (Mountain Home), New Jersey (McGuire), Dyess TX, or Grand Forks ND.
I'm not really pleased with any of those options, but I will make the best out of any of them. I put Andrews and Hurlburt on my Dream Sheet, I think I would be able to easily enjoy either one of those. Though the traffic of DC would drive me bananas, Naples (where I am now) I think is pretty comparable to downtown DC and I hate it. Though I don't mind using Public Transportation and with gas prices how they are that's probably what I'll do. I should be finding out in the next month (maybe less) where I'm headed, then it'll be time to start looking for condos/town homes/apartments that are pet friendly and safe.
I really don't like moving, which I suppose I should have realized before joining the military, lol. They do make everything easy though, they hire the companies that come out, pack, and ship everything for me. I just have to sort through all my junk and decide what is coming with me and what is going to the dump/charity. And I need to start getting pet stuff ready, need to find out for sure what all I need to get my little creatures back to the States.

Langley AFB is Hampton is right by VA beach, Williamsburg, good southern food...if you like that?

Are you in the Air Force? My daughter is 3rd year med student at USUHS Bethesda Md and is a 2nd lieutinant in the AF. She shops at Andrews and Quantico. She will be traveling next year so I know her house will be up lease. She shares with 2 other med students that are in the AF...

I am in the AF, how does you daughter feel about the Andrews area? I've been told a few good things but I'm still not sure about traffic. I guess I just hate being delayed from getting home to my little fur-family.

I pretty much like any food, lol :D

I have friends who live near Andrews area (he was in the AF reserves at Andrews after finishing 4 yrs of service). They love the area (good restaurants, things to do) - hate the traffic!

I LOVE Florida -- the northern Gulf Coast specifically. The cost of living is great, especially right now with reduced housing prices. There is no state income tax. The weather is great! You can't get more laid back than the south! Pets are pretty welcome in most places but not as much in stores as I have read here on YT. We do not have a lot of pet boutiques -- I wind up shopping online for most of the things I want. I live in a pretty small town and there are LOTS of grooming shops and boarding places. One in particular is amazing! Plenty of vets in this area and vet prices seem to be much less than other YT members experience. I think pets are very well accepted in this area but maybe looked at as more pets than family as we usually feel. ;) Finding an apartment or house to rent with pets would be easy but most stores & restaurants do not allow pets unless they have outside seating. Doggy daycare is available here.

This is a great place for families but the public school system leaves a lot to be desired. If you come here with kids, I would recommend private school. Huge number of churches in this area. Not a big night life selection but the beach is a GREAT attraction any time! Lots of outdoor activities -- I live in the Canoe Capital of the World :D Parasailing, jet skiing, boating, fishing, swimming, or just laying around the beach. Lots to do here. Have I sold you yet? :D

Just saw you have Hurlbert Field on your Dream Sheet --about 45 minutes to an hour from me. Love that area! The base is big & sprawling right on the coast. Fort Walton Beach, Mary Ester -- the whole area is nice. Then if you go across the bridge into Destin -- LOTS OF FUN! We get a condo over there every once in a while. Shalimar is a really nice area -- my sister lived there. Just out of the tourist traffic patterns but still close enough to the beach.

We were just over that way a couple of weeks ago. Took my grandson to the Gulfarium. The Dolphin Cruises are also a wonderful way to spend the day. I could not believe how the dolphins in the wild entertained us. They enjoy showing off!

Downtown Fort Walton is really getting run down. Not sure why they have not kept up with the beach tourist industry but it is sort of old and tacky. But right across the bridge it all changes and things perk up with new and better kept establishments. If I was 20 years younger, I would probably live in Destin/Shalimar area myself. :)

Come to DC and hang with me and Jackson, haha. :)