Are there Tucson dopers?

In My Humble Opinion
1

There’s a possibility that I may end up in Tucson in the next six months - to live, not just for a visit. It’s not aanywhere near a definite thing right now, but as a possibility, I’d love any input on the area - what’s it like to live there?

I’ve already had the advice from a friend - about whether or not they say its’ a dry heat, it’s still damn hot there in the summer. But beyond the weather - I can get that from weather.com - I want to know what living there is like.

With no kids, and none planned anytime soon, I don’t need info on the school systems or the like.

2

Tucson, Youngstown… Tucson, Youngstown… Sounds like a toss-up to me. :slight_smile:

I don’t live in Tucson, but my mom and my sister do and I’ve spent a lot of time there.

Dad told me once (he was from Cleveland) that almost “every place has three months of weather you won’t like”, but his preference ended up being three months of heat rather than three months of snow. It’s not always dry heat, either… the August monsoons create a pretty miserable climate.

The other nine months of weather there is usually pretty spectacular.

Tucson is growing really fast. It’s culturally a world away from the Midwest, with a strong Hispanic influence (it’s only an hour to the border). A lot of illegals die of heat and exposure in the desert between Tucson and the border. Even though it’s desert, there is a lot of flora and fauna. Just don’t expect maple trees. :-). There will (IMHO) eventually be significant water problems throughout Arizona, including Tucson.

We don’t live there because we didn’t think it would be a great place to raise kids - they can’t really play in the yard because the surface is mostly dust and gravel, infused with pine needles. We also don’t much care for the architecture - pretty much all ranch-style houses with flat roofs and a lot of adobe (or fake adobe). (Two-story houses collect too much heat upstairs, I think…). I’m also really prone to skin cancer.

I’m sure the locals will weigh in with better info (and contradictions to this post), but it’s a start…

3

I live a couple hours south of Tucson, basically close enough to get up for a day trip or to go to a pretty nice restaurant.

That said, in June, I’m moving to Lackland AFB for six weeks, so we may or may not cross paths in this state.

EDIT: I see that you were asking about the town, and not getting a roll call of who lived in the area :smack:

If you like photography, the University of Arizona in Tucson has the Center for Creative Photograpy. They have some very nice exhibits, a library, and they offer viewings of a large number of original prints from a bunch of the photography greats, if you make reservations ahead of time.

Lots of good food in town, of course, people tell me that there are a number of good places to eat on Broadway.

4

I went to school there for a few years. I wouldn’t want to go back but then I was born and raised in Hawaii and it was just way to dry and hot for me. Although one time while walking to work in the spring in hailed on me for a few minutes. That was weird.

Practice saying saguaro without the g or the natives will laugh at you.

Fun fact, it was on the way from Phoenix to Tucson in the middle of the night when our van passed a burning bush in the middle of the desert. It was awesome. They have these oily plants that burst into flame real easy so one stray cigarette butt can really get things burning.

5

I’ve lived in Tucson for 4 years now. Email me if you have any specific questions.

6

Tucson is the home of the University of Arizona, so you have some of the college town thing going on…cultural/educational/sports. The area has good medical facilities, an excellent airport (that works year round), good shopping, lots of places to eat, and a very informal atmosphere.

Tucson is growing fast, and is really fairly large (600-700K now), but is like a smaller city in many ways. Unfortunately, that includes a poor road system…there are no freeways to go across town, so you may face 14 miles of street driving.

Yup, the summers can be hot (I manage by taking a siesta, and get up early and stay up late), but most folks work in air conditioning and go home to the same.

The culture is western, somewhat more liberal than the rest of Arizona, and heavily influenced by its Hispanic heritage and population. It is pretty friendly to minorities and alternate sex arrangements.

Expect to pay more for housing than in some parts of the south/midwest, but considerably less than on the west coast.

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

7

I had the longest, most eloquent and witty post in the history of the SDMB all written up, edited, and ready to share with the world, thereby delighting all and sundry and becoming an instant celebrity of the 'net.

And then the board went down for an over an hour, and I lost it.

Short version: everything that sunstone said, adding that I like Tucson very much and that you really should research the weather part of it, as it’s quite different, can be severe, and is not for everyone.

8

I grew up in Tucson, and while it’s grown (quite a bit) since I left, I’ve been back multiple times to visit family and whatnot. It’s grown, but it really doesn’t seem to have changed much. :slight_smile:

Tucson is not too bad. You’ll encounter a very strong Hispanic influence there. I don’t know what your background or culture is, but Mexico permeates the Tucson area. If you don’t speak gutter Spanish already, you’ll have ample opportunity to pick it up quick (assuming you care to, that is). If you like wandering family-owned shops, there are quite a few, and I’ve yet to encounter a shopkeeper who’d let a little thing like a language barrier get in the way of a sale. :slight_smile:

It’s a pretty laid-back city, for its size. It’s got big-city stuff going on in some areas (with traffic and asshats and shopping, oh my!) and quiet neighborhood barbecues going on in others. The financial climate ranges from dirt-poor, can’t make the payments on our mobile home squatters (I was one of these) to condo-hopping yuppies with a different car for each day of the week. You’ll be able to find a neighborhood that fits your preference, I’m sure. :slight_smile:

It does have problems. Gang activity was on the rise when I left, and from what I’ve heard, hasn’t stopped - but it’s nowhere near as bad as it could be. You’ve also, depending on the neighborhood, got a lot of illegal immigrants hanging around, doing what they can to eke out a living. I’ve been witness to several impromptu hiring events, where someone pulls up in a pickup truck outside a Circle-K, picks 10-15 guys out of the bunch hanging around, and loads them up and drives away for day labor. It’s… interesting, but not in a good way.

Vandalism, theft, carjacking, and other random blights on civilization are strongly neighborhood-oriented. I’d suggest checking with prospective neighbors before discussing terms on a house, apartment, or whatever.

Tucson’s got quite a bit of fun stuff to do in town, and even more if you’re willing to drive a bit. Off the top of my head (and in order of my personal preference), I can think of: the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (wonderful day trip), Old Tucson , Cochise Stronghold Canyon , and Tombstone.

Check out the Roller Coaster Road area if you’re looking for a nice, quiet neighborhood. Parts of my family live there and haven’t had any problems in the past 20 years.

9

Does The Boneyard still give guided tours? Cause that’s over near Davis-Montham AFB. Basically, all the planes that the military can’t afford to keep in operational status, they mothball over there. Pull the electronics and engines, drain the fluids and cover everything up. Some are kept in a state where they can be flown off to wherever within 24 hours, some are mainly a source of spare parts.

IIRC, the AMARC facility even has a flight of F-4 Phantoms that they restored and fly as a public-relations thing. In any case, I think at least one highway goes past the facility, so you can see acres and acres of old military planes parked out in the desert to rot far more slowly than they would just about anywhere else you could leave them.

10

I’ve lived in Tucson for a number of years now having moved from the Pacific Northwest. People have mostly covered the highlights, but I’ll add a few comments.

It’s every bit as hot as you think it is in the summer and shockingly cold in the winter. The thermometer may only read 35, but that desert wind goes right through you. Surprisingly, you get used to both of these things. Just start buying industrial-size lotion because it’s always so dry.

My BIL who grew up here described the environment as “brown, dry, and pointy.” That’s about the size of it.

The architecture is uniformly hideous, but the mountains that surround the city are gorgeous. The skyline is still pretty flat, too, so the blue sky stretches out forever. I’ve never seen anything like it in a city. Also you’ll never see stars like we have anywhere else. They’re breathtaking. Go about an hour outside the city and you might actually die from how beautiful it all is.

And finally, Tucson has been called “the biggest small town in the west” and it’s really true. Live here for a year, and everyone you meet will be separated from you by six degrees or less. It’s kind of weird and disturbing in a cool way.

I know a lot of people who have moved here (mostly from Chicago, for some strange reason) and they all say the same thing: it’s strange at first, but then it grows on you and you never want to leave. That may be true, but I am one data point that says otherwise. I firmly believe people are not meant to live in the desert and I can’t wait to hightail it out of here.

11

Thanks guys - you’re hitting the points I wanted to know. The potential job is a no-brainer - increase in money, prestige and status professionally, plus none of the NE Ohio winters that I hate so incredibly much. Plus the organization is impressive and has a lot of really interesting things going on. It’s the livability of the area I didn’t know much about.

In general, I think it’s an area I might consider living in for a while - depending on how I like it, maybe not the rest of my life, but for a while (and ideally longer than I’ve lived anywhere since finishing college - which means longer than 2.5 years) could be good.

12

I’m a Michigander, but I visited a buddy that was going to school in Tempe/Chandler. I like it a lot. We went in Septemberish, so it wasn’t REALLY hot, but I’m fed up with this snow bullshit. I’d happily go back and if I had to relocate, I’d do so happily.

13

We got snow this year! It stuck to the ground! Quite the event.

I moved to Tucson from South Florida a couple of years ago, and while it isn’t my ideal place, I like it a lot more than Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Good Mexican food, the people are pretty nice, and you can escape the heat in the summer by driving an hour or so up into the mountains. There are some fun and funky areas down by the University, though much of what you see from the highway looks like a truck stop. Don’t let that fool you!

Part of what I love about Tucson is that it’s in Arizona! I love Arizona. It has amazing natural beauty. If you like the outdoors, hiking, stargazing, camping, or just driving through gorgeous areas, Arizona is amazing. If I had my pick of the state I’d live up near Flag, closer to the canyon and Oak Creek/Sedona area (not to mention Flag itself- it is a great little town) but it’s an easy drive up to that area. The mountains to the southeast of Tucson are beautiful and geologically interesting as well. The desert itself is beautiful to some, ugly to others. I happen to like it, especially when everything is in bloom. (It’s pretty green for a desert as the Sonoran is one of the wettest deserts.) Honestly, the crappiest populated part of the state is Phoenix. Can’t understand why anyone would want to live there. Of course, I’m not a fan of the big social scene, so I have no input on bars, clubs, etc., but it does have a large university, so it’s definitely around.

I’ll hang around the thread if you have any questions… I had no idea there were so many Tucson/ former Tucson dopers! Email in profile if you have questions.

Oh- definitely try to get a place to live with good access to I-10 (if your job is close to I-10) or close to your job. Driving through the city can be a pain.