# Tell me about: Phoenix, Arizona! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043 "2010-04-05T17:15:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/21 "2010-04-08T12:53:44Z")
dalej4s advise is right on. Yes, you should consider the _length_ of the summer heat season. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Real\_Regency\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@The\_Real\_Regency\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Real_Regency_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/22 "2010-04-08T14:07:22Z")
I lived there for two years (in two different apartment buildings on E Indian School road near 40th street) in the 90s. I miss the near-constant sunshine and almost never being cold. I hate cold weather! The people were pretty friendly and neighbors looked out for each other. What I don’t miss is the horrible, terrible driving. Not traffic, but the driving. As Bosstone said, there’s a mix of “types” who get along pretty well…until they get on the road. Cowboy and snowbirds (older/elderly person who lives in AZ for the warmer months), don’t mix well at all. The snowbirds themselves are a problem even without a cowboy or impatient kid riding their bumpers. Then you have the overly lax alcohol laws, where people can go to bars and get hammered for $5. In the two years I lived there I witnessed more wrecks than I’ve seen in my 30-something years living everywhere else. Not the aftermath- the wrecks themselves as they happened. And every intersection was filled with broken glass. Expect your insurance rates to soar if you drive. BTW, if you’re not familiar with it, here’s a great forum for you to use for research too: [http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoenix-area/](http://www.city-data.com/forum/phoenix-area/) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/23 "2010-04-08T15:40:41Z")
I’ve lived in the Phoenix area for almost 30 years. The good: • Lots of Sun • Inexpensive housing (especially right now) • Great outdoor activities • Excellent restaurants • Plenty of shopping and entertainment • People generally friendly • Relatively safe (if you stay away from the obvious bad areas) The Bad: • Lots of Sun • A car is an absolute necessity, unless you live next to where you work. Phoenix is one of the “least walkable” cities I know. • Job market is depressed at this time • Lots of photo radars • Traffic and drivers can be an irritation • Poor cultural resources (We have a handful of museums and cultural sites, far less than other major cities) • State is in a major, major budget crisis - unknown what that will result in. If you end up moving, PM me, and I’ll share my list of favorite restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/24 "2010-04-09T05:06:23Z")
Ugh this sucks. I am moving there without any job in hand, nor of one to speak of. I also don’t have all that much money in hand for me to start up on. I’m second guessing my move… ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/25 "2010-04-09T09:48:53Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I would strongly suggest that you do not commit to a move to AZ until you have spent a week there in the summer. > I know several people that moved there in the winter and moved back before the next winter. > Seems it get warm in August. I agree. I spent a summer with an internship in Phoenix. It was over 110°F for 3 weeks in a row, and only dropped below 100° once (97°). ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/26 "2010-04-09T15:51:14Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Ugh this sucks. > > I am moving there without any job in hand, nor of one to speak of. I also don’t have all that much money in hand for me to start up on. I’m second guessing my move… It’s a very hard thing to move cross-country without money, family and friends, a job, or a mix of all three. I’ve been contemplating doing the same myself, but in reverse, moving from Arizona to somewhere in the Midwest. The best way I can figure, without finding a job in advance or having people I know in the state I eventually pick, I’d need to have all my debts paid off and have about 6 grand saved up to pull it off safely, in addition to whatever I spend visiting in preparation. My ex-roommate had no money and no job prospects, but knew people in Washington, so packing up and moving was relatively easy. Not having any of those three is an incredibly risky proposition, doubly so if you don’t have any experience with the place you’re moving to. ---
**Author:** ![Poor\_College\_Student](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Poor\_College\_Student](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poor_College_Student)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/27 "2010-04-09T17:30:47Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > • People generally friendly > • Relatively safe (if you stay away from the obvious bad areas) > • Lots of Sun > • A car is an absolute necessity, unless you live next to where you work. Phoenix is one of the “least walkable” cities I know. Must reiterate about driving. It drove me insane growing up in Gilbert, I had to get in my car and drive 2 or 3 miles to get some decent food. Gilbert/Mesa was especially bad for entertainment, though for the same reason is a great, safe place to raise kids. If you love driving, and like the outdoors, or clubbing maybe in Tempe/Scottsdale, you’ll like Arizona. I fell in love with the wilderness so Flagstaff was my place to be. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/28 "2010-04-09T19:11:06Z")
> [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](#): > > Flagstaff or Tuscon, if you can. > > What I mean is that while Arizona is just amazing, I really don’t like Phoenix metro. You couldn’t pay me enough to live in either. Phoenix metro is the only place for me. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/29 "2010-04-10T04:20:19Z")
Ok, new question… I fly out there for a Fri-Sunday stay. What should I do now that I’m there to gather information? I’m assuming they have a free “apartment guide” that I can pick up somewhere (grocery store or somethin), probably gonna get a paper (to look at job/apartment listings), and then I am at a loss. Any advice? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/30 "2010-04-10T04:37:14Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Ok, new question… > > I fly out there for a Fri-Sunday stay. What should I do now that I’m there to gather information? I’m assuming they have a free “apartment guide” that I can pick up somewhere (grocery store or somethin), probably gonna get a paper (to look at job/apartment listings), and then I am at a loss. Any advice? Tour the area - Go to Downtown Phoenix and check out the Art crowd on Friday night (and see [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514560&highlight=secret+patience)). Go to Tempe (around ASU), Scottsdale for the galleries. Make a point to eat at Los Dos Molinos. Have a drink at Postino, and then a Pizza at La Grande Orange. Maybe catch a baseball game. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/31 "2010-04-10T04:43:20Z")
Well, you can do all your apartment looking and job hunting online. Picking up a hard copy of one of the rental mags or the paper copy of the Arizona Republic really won’t add much. If you’ve narrowed down where you want to live down to a few prospective places, you can visit those. Otherwise, if you just want to see the city, then figure out what you’re interested in seeing. I wouldn’t waste a weekend apartment hunting. You’re not going to find that quirky place at a good price close to everything in Phoenix. You’re going to be living in big management company apartment complex and they’re quite similar. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/32 "2010-04-10T14:00:17Z")
There are a number of very nice resorts and restaurants in Phoenix, although for some reason they are all named “The Pointe”, which is confusing. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/33 "2010-04-10T19:06:16Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > There are a number of very nice resorts and restaurants in Phoenix, although for some reason they are all named “The Pointe”, which is confusing. Only three of them are named “The Pointe”- there are many, many more. One of our favorite activities is to spend an afternoon having coffee and reading outside at one of the local resorts (Gainey Ranch and Kierland are very nearby). ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/34 "2010-04-10T19:13:02Z")
All I know about that place is: you can carry a concealed weapon in a bar, and they have a fascist county sheriff. It’s enough to keep me away from there for the foreseeable future. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/35 "2010-04-12T05:41:23Z")
I moved here under very similar circumstances in 2003, Sir T-Cups. How old are you? I was 21, had nothing (literally packed everything I owned into a 2-door Honda Civic), no job skills, etc. Within 3 months, I had a $35k job with good benefits. Within 6 months I met my future wife. Our 5th anniversary is this June. It’s been a hell of a ride. **What I like:** All the outdoorsy stuff. There are hiking and biking trails EVERYWHERE around here, and not just outside of town. There is a huge mountain preserve right in the middle of the city that you could explore for years. The people are generally pretty cool. Most of the people are far more socially liberal towards gays, blacks, and religion than the people were where I grew up, but you’ll meet a lot of people who will openly badmouth hispanics (almost always prefaced with "I’m not a racist or anything, but . . . ") The roads here are AWESOME. Yes, you have to drive everywhere, which in itself kind of sucks, but there are no better road systems to do it on. Every mile north-south and east-west is a major (often 5-lane) road. We also have a lot of freeways. I laugh at people who complain about traffic here, because there really hardly is any, compared to other big cities. Pretty good independent restaurants. Cheap housing. Phenomenal weather 8 or 9 months a year. **What I don’t like:** I miss trees, grass, lakes, cool (or at least not blisteringly hot) summer nights. The summers can get to you. Some are worse than others. Edit: Oh, and I’ve had zero experience with drugs, druggies, gangs, or violence of any kind in over 7 years here, and I’ve lived in 5 different parts of town. I can only assume that that stuff is highly concentrated in areas you’d never find yourself in, and they skew the statistics. And I think someone might’ve done some statistical acrobatics to come up with the whole “kidnapping capital” thing. But let me tell you this: if you want to get into film, don’t even bother coming here, unless you’re just stopping here for film school on your way to LA. I’m serious. People act like there’s a film scene here but there’s not. Well, there kind of is, but it’s . . . (I hope no one I know ever reads this) . . . it’s kind of pathetic. We can talk more about it over PM or email or something if you want. Breaking into the film industry is very doable if you’re motivated enough-- don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t-- but Phoenix isn’t the place to do it. ---
**Author:** ![clarkstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@clarkstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clarkstar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/36 "2010-04-13T19:04:44Z")
i’ve been out here since 1999. all i can say is the job market is currently in the gutter, and it gets damn hot in the spring/summer/fall. contrary to what others have said, its possible to get around using buses, i used to live in tempe and the bus stop was about 300 yds from my condo, and dropped me off across the street from my work in phoenix ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/37 "2010-04-14T03:01:10Z")
So what jobs _are_ there in the market? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/38 "2010-04-14T03:09:25Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Edit: Oh, and I’ve had zero experience with drugs, druggies, gangs, or violence of any kind in over 7 years here, and I’ve lived in 5 different parts of town. I can only assume that that stuff is highly concentrated in areas you’d never find yourself in, and they skew the statistics. And I think someone might’ve done some statistical acrobatics to come up with the whole “kidnapping capital” thing. Far as I can tell, you’ll really only come across drugs, gangs, and violence if you go looking for it. Supposedly the park next to my home is a big gang/drug location, but I’ve never run into any problems and there’s usually lots of kids out there. Hell, the one time I’ve ever been offered drugs out of the blue was down in Tucson. Granted, I don’t go out that often, so my chances of running across someone bad is pretty low. The worst that’s happened in Phoenix is someone once smashed my car window to try to pull out the radio. ---
**Author:** ![dragoncat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@dragoncat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragoncat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/39 "2010-04-14T07:11:29Z")
For finding things to do, I’d suggest the Phoenix [New Times](http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/). It’s free (and doesn’t look quite as garish and overly busy in the print version), but in any case it generally has good listings of upcoming events, and some decent restaurant listings. ---
**Author:** ![clarkstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@clarkstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clarkstar)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043/40 "2010-04-14T12:19:11Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > So what jobs _are_ there in the market? not many, good luck [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-phoenix-arizona/535043.md?page=3)