# What do you miss most about where you were born and raised that you wish you still had? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882 "2014-05-07T12:47:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/21 "2014-05-07T15:59:35Z")
The Fourth of July Parade and the free candy tossed from the antique vehicles. In a town that small, the entire population was either in the parade or watching it. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/22 "2014-05-07T16:44:44Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Nineteenth century-designed small town VS 1980’s suburbs (\*and suburbanization of small towns) > > 1. Sidewalks, aligned on grid-pattern street plans, instead of subdivision nodes. You want to walk? Put a treadmill in front of your flat screen and summon up something on Netflix. Oh, you want interaction with other people? Go on Facebook: all the front porches have been replaced with snout-houses anyway. > > \*old sidewalks have been torn out of the older sections of town, in emulation of the subdivisions. > > 1. Public parks designed according to Frederick Law Olmstead’s “lungs for the city” philosophy, instead of clusters of softball and soccer fields for generating revenue through rentals. This, especially #1. There are nearly no sidewalks where I live, and where I work. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/23 "2014-05-07T16:49:48Z")
The ocean. I miss being able to go for walks on the beach or on the rocks. There’s a nice big lake where I am now, but it’s just not the same. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/24 "2014-05-07T17:25:38Z")
Brooklyn: Pizza and Chinese food. Both of them the vaguely dirty kind that are just amazing. Also, sidewalks. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/25 "2014-05-07T19:16:40Z")
San Diego: Black’s Beach. Between 1972 and 2005 my wife and I spent hundreds\* of weekends there, usually with two other couples. It’s the only thing I truly miss about SD. - Yes, literally hundreds. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/26 "2014-05-07T19:32:20Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > 1. Maryland crabs, crab cakes, and crab soup. > > 2. The cute young woman who lived in the house next door. Forget her. She would probably just have given you the crabs. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/27 "2014-05-07T19:35:30Z")
I grew up in Maryland. I miss: - ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity - seafood - having 80% of Civil War battlefields within a two-hour drive of my house - The Smithsonian Institution - Oriole Park at Camden Yards ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/28 "2014-05-07T19:36:52Z")
OK, this is odd but [pinchingbugs](http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/FHR-40287-00006-165), as we called them in West Michigan. The Lansing area doesn’t have them. I hated them but I haven’t seen one in years. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/29 "2014-05-07T19:37:33Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Forget her. She would probably just have given you the crabs. would have been worth it ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/30 "2014-05-07T20:00:44Z")
I grew up in the Mt. Vernon area of Fairfax County, just south of Alexandria, VA. I live about 45 minutes away in Calvert County, MD. The neighborhood I grew up in had abundant woods with streams running through them that my friends and I spent hours in after school, on weekends, and during summer vacations. I’m now in a house with abundant woods in back, and a stream running through it. My son loves those woods, and I love hanging out with him there. The main thing I miss, for my son more than me, is that when I was growing up there, there were a whole bunch of kids near my age, just on my street. In my neighborhood now, there are a fair number of kids of elementary school age, but they’re scattered across the neighborhood, and none of them are within a few houses of us, which is still about as far as my son, who is in first grade, will venture on his own. Other than that, I’ve got all the good stuff from when I was growing up. > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > San Diego: Black’s Beach. > Between 1972 and 2005 my wife and I spent hundreds\* of weekends there, usually with two other couples. It’s the only thing I truly miss about SD. Yeah, I’d miss Black’s Beach if I’d spent any time there in the first place. 😃 > [@](#): > > - Yes, literally hundreds. Let’s see: 200 weekends there over 33 years would be 6 weekends per summer…and San Diego doesn’t exactly have short summers. I don’t think anyone’s gonna find that hard to believe! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/31 "2014-05-07T20:03:43Z")
What if you were born in a different place than you were raised? Anyway, I grew up on Lake Huron. I miss the lake. Little lake beaches or river beaches don’t even come close. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/32 "2014-05-07T20:14:34Z")
I grew up in New England. Things I miss that I can’t find here: - good seafood - snow - those hot dog buns that are split along the top ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/33 "2014-05-07T20:29:17Z")
Wings, with celery and blue cheese dressing at Duff’s. Sold by the “order”, 10, 20, 30 etc. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/34 "2014-05-07T20:32:39Z")
I’m from central Ohio and live in Los Angeles now. The couple of things I would say I miss… 1. Having my family near by. Mitigated a little by my brother moving to within 2 hours of me. 2. The night sky. I used to sneak out at night to lay down on the lawn and watch the stars. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/35 "2014-05-07T20:35:40Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I grew up in New England. Things I miss that I can’t find here: > > - good seafood > - snow > - those hot dog buns that are split along the top Oh yeah, those buns are the proper vehicle for a lobster roll. Around here they’re making them with pretzel rolls. WTF. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/36 "2014-05-07T20:38:20Z")
I’m back to where I grew up now, but when I was living in Montana, I missed fireflies and fall foliage. ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/37 "2014-05-07T20:41:22Z")
My parents, hands down. I don’t really missed any thing else from Southern California. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/38 "2014-05-07T20:41:36Z")
From Appalachian Ohio and live in LA I miss the space. I grew up on a lot of land. Woods, creeks, so much quiet and space and stillness and beauty. The incredible cost of living here just makes space a premium, and the sort of greenery I grew up with is just not possible. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/39 "2014-05-07T20:53:33Z")
I was born and raised in different places and since I have almost no memories of where I was born, I’ll answer the question in terms of Los Alamos New Mexico where I was raised. Easily accessible wilderness, daily thunderstorms in the summer, and cuisine that makes extensive use of green chile. I also have a bit of nostalgia for the small town atmosphere when I go back to visit, but if I’m honest with myself I must admit that, long term I actually prefer the anonymity that comes with city life. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882/40 "2014-05-07T21:02:07Z")
Born and raised in New Orleans. Never left. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-miss-most-about-where-you-were-born-and-raised-that-you-wish-you-still-had/687882.md?page=3)