Welcome, I’m glad it’s worked out so well for you.
It’s hard sometimes to appreciate good stuff that’s just always been there, like good weather and not so many bugs.
I forgot about the bugs so bad and as soon as I read that, I was like oh yeah, issa no for me. I do miss the sounds of the crickets tho for the pure nostalgia.
I was going to say. I’ve lived in California my entire life, except for a few years when I lived in western Oregon. We have plenty of areas that are very similar to Texas. Blazing hot summers, freezing winters and shitty air quality. It’s called the Central Valley. Granted it doesn’t get as cold as it sometimes does in Texas, but it ain’t exactly warm either.
I moved from Dallas too! This was a message from my friend in Dallas on a group chain we have:
"Wasps are really bad in N. Texas this year. Ive destroyed a couple massive nests in the last month. Check your eaves this yr if you haven't already."
I thought to myself... Not my problem anymore lol.
I moved here from Denton in 2011. Have had numerous opportunities to take great jobs back in TX and turned them all down with absolutely no regrets. All your reasons are spot on. I also strangely love the tourists. It’s a daily reminder that you live somewhere special.
Only downside: Now I melt when the temp gets above 80 and I freeze when it gets below 50. SF has made me completely soft to anything except pleasant weather. Oh, and good luck finding good BBQ that doesn’t cost a car payment.
I have this same blessed feeling every time my friends and family still in Houston come up on hurricane season. also, when I go hiking and don’t have to meticulously part any grass to avoid copperheads or go swimming in natural water without staying vigilant about water moccasins.
welcome fellow Texas expat! It only gets better and better as you find more of these little reliefs :)
There are really rattlers in SF proper?
They must be really rare or just not in areas I visit (I’ve done a lot of work and recreation in places like hiking trails all over the city for nearly 20 years).
Where can they be found?
I'm in Dallas now and thinking about SF. I kinda like it here but I've only been here 18 months. The heat is kinda painful but also I love the sun.
But what I really want to know is in what ways are the people different and the lifestyle?
I moved here too from ATX....people dont realize how lucky they are here with the weather. Ive hiked every day since I got here. Even this week being 'hot' is nothing! even the cloudy days here are a treat. My dog is the happiest Ive ever seen her.
We’re VERY aware of our lovely weather year round. This meme has been floating around for years, applies to the summer months too.
https://preview.redd.it/gul275bues9d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7136d88299e566de10365cac760cad80b73506d7
We do realize how good the weather is here. We absolutely do realize it.
* Ask a person in the Bay where their umbrella is
* Ask them how often they look at the weather report
* Ask them how often they see their winter jacket.
We eat outside all the time. Our malls are outside. Any sunny day and every park in SF is packed with blankets and new friends. We go to the beaches every weekend most of the year. Most of our favorite places to travel, are other places in California. We go to farmers markets and eat the fresh veg because of our long grow season. Most of us have some kind of pickup/fun sports league. Outdoor movies, hiking, checking out the solar event? We're in.
**We don't say it out loud because we're stating the obvious to people who will never disagree. But we absolutely show it in our behaviors constantly.**
When I lived in SF, after a few holidays I figured out that it wasn’t worth traveling to at least 90% of tourist destinations in the U.S. because SF was nicer and more interesting and fun. We started doing more staycations, and it worked out great.
Umbrella? what’s that for? if it starts raining I just put up the hood on my sweatshirt/jacket/vest. I feel like in SF umbrellas are for decoration, on your coat tree.
I’ve been to lots of big metropolitan cities in the world now and SF with its climate is still the best, really the biggest little city in the world IMO.
My freshman year at San Francisco Art Institute I had to write a paper about SF. I wrote that it was the biggest little city in the world. The corrected paper came back with that statement redmarked with the note “That would be Reno”.
We’re taking a an abbreviated highway 1 road trip from LA to San Francisco next week. We’re native Texans and I’m hoping to convince my fiance we need to make the move after this trip! I just want my body autonomy as a woman you know? 😅 and less humidity and bugs is a bonus
Hey just to let you know so you’re not like WTF in case you haven’t heard. Parts of highway 1 is still closed due to road damage. You can now drive all the way down to Big Sur but then you have to turn back. There’s no nearby connection to the main highway so you would have to turn back all the way to Monterey and connect back at Cambria. Enjoy the drive it’s so beautiful!!
Make sure you do a highway 1 trip up north in the future and go all the way up to do the California-Oregon Pacific Coast highway or hit the redwoods. So amazing to see. Also if you’re into camping/hiking so many amazing hikes and places to camp. There’s so much here in CA!
Thanks so much for reaching out! The original plan was highway 1 all the way, then us Texans were informed that there are landslides! So, the most we’ll get on it is driving down to Big Sur from Monterey. Not the end of the world, we’re planning on doing the 17 mile drive at least!
Thanks for the tips, it makes me feel better hearing our plans line up with this pretty well :D
Native Texan here. My then-fiancee's first trip to California, I drove us from Santa Barbara to Monterey on the 1.
Frankly, I thought she'd get bored and braced myself to hear "why did you think it was a good idea to drive 8 hours in the middle of nowhere?" But the first comment she made was, "this is breathtaking."
We ended up moving to SF a couple of years later and never looked back.
But also, yes, like others are saying, be aware you may need to dip off and back on the 1 due to construction.
Welcome to SF. I’ve been telling folks for decades, “If you can handle the rent and logistics of having (or not having) a car, SF is top shelf and continues to blow people’s minds” There’s still poverty, shady politicians and constant change that leaves residence missing the times of yore; but that’s the case with every world class city that has something for everyone.
The no bugs, except mosquitos in some areas, is really underrated. Relatives come out here and just sit outside at dusk and in the evening marveling at the fact that they're not getting immediately eaten alive
The mosquito-free life is how I shut down my TX family clowning on SF when I visit. No matter what Fox News BS they throw at me, I just ask them to consider what it would be like to live without mosquitoes and then we move on as we listen to the zapper on my dad’s porch go crazy.
People were under the impression that Texas wasn't so bad. My mother in law is convinced Texas is fantastic.... because she owns property there and she can evict someone with a phone call. (Which she hasnt, but her other landlord friends are always bragging about that).
I can't change an 85yr old lady, but it sure is hard not to be like, "wtf? Doesn't that bother you?"
Sitting on the back patio w my wife looking at a potted plant and told her that I never underestimate the joy of knowing I can reach into any plant without thinking about whether a snake might be in there.
The first time I went hiking after moving to the west coast was such a trip for this reason. My friends were heading into a knee-high grassy part of the hike so I stopped and asked where we should get some sticks to pull the grass aside and check for snakes. Oh how they laughed and laughed
True, but it’s just not the same out here and it’s so regional, almost microclimatey. You can avoid them by just hiking elsewhere. Whereas every type of snake that’s indigenous to North America lives in TX somewhere. You won’t necessarily see them all in one place… unless you live in East Texas because they actually all can be found out there.
Plus, rattle snakes give you a warning. Copperheads do not :(
A few $40 fans can do the trick I'm guessing. Better than a $8000 HVAC system that costs $1000+ to fix for any problems and $500+ to maintain every 6 months.
yeah this is what we complain about because we don't know how much worse it could be
I lived in Oakland with no AC and it would get up to 90 or so over there for multiple weeks in the summer. I'd just shut all the curtains in my apartment and go sit in the shade of a tree in a park with an icy beverage during the height of the day. Then as soon as it registers cooler outside than inside during the day you open it all up and run a box fan.
Yes and that’s another reason our weather is superior. When there’s a heat wave in most places, it stays hot as fuck 24/7. We are lucky enough to be able to open our windows at night and let that in that cool air in for the next day.
You can put a bowl of ice in front of your fan and it makes the air blowing out feel colder. You can also put a paper towel in cold water and drape it over the fan, works similarly.
This helped a lot when I only had a small fan!
As someone who has also made the Texas to SF move, hearing from you that 80 is hot is like you hearing from someone in San Diego that 72 is too hot and 68 is too cold. I love this place, but it makes people soft in regards to temperature.
I also came from TX -> SF, big difference is availability of AC. Many SF homes don’t have AC and/or are very poorly insulated due to their age, and many commute via walking, biking or public transit.
Lots of Texans think they’re tough for living in a hot climate, when in reality they spent 80% of their time in a home with the AC set to 75, 15% in their car with the AC cranked up, and the other 5% of the time at a pool with a cold beer in hand.
Being confined to your home all day long due to the heat is also probably really unhealthy too: Inactivity and inability to go outside for a hike….and in hot weather people tend to consume more sodas and sugary drinks.
I moved from South Dakota to El Paso. Some place where the extreme cold kills all living creatures to some place that’s an incubator for nasties. First night I went outside the walkway was covered with huge roaches everywhere. I drove to Home Depot and bought every nasty chemical spray I could find. Then I saw the scorpions and centipedes. Then the rattlesnakes. Not going back.
I just moved back to SF from Austin. I didn’t realize how much weather would affect my happiness but it completely does. I love walking, hiking, dog parks and could barely enjoy any of that with the Texas heat and bugs! I’m so thrilled to be back plus I’m in mission bay where it’s super sunny; it’ll be 77 degrees this week here and I’m so happy.
I built a 4,100 sq ft house in Austin and used a quarter of it. I always had small spaces in the bay thinking more was better but I never used it! I had a resort style pool I built too and never used it bc it was that hot in Texas. I’m so happy in my 700 sq ft space. I could do about 1500 sq ft but I have learned the mansion houses in Texas aren’t necessary for happiness especially if you’re stuck inside all day bc of the heat
Also, food is so much better here; especially Asian and fresh seafood. I don’t eat bbq out here but I assume that’s better in TX, I love Terry Blacks.
It’s a tough lesson to learn but I’m glad you’re back. Being from Texas, I likened our summers to winters up north. The heat, like the cold, wears you down. Month after month, another record breaking summer to endure. Year after year.
Lol the mansions with the living rooms that nobody sits in and the pools that become bath water temperature.
I miss HEB though and I get my BBQ/TexMex fix when I visit. One week and I’m itching to get outta dodge. It’s a sad state of affairs, mostly in the Capitol building..
I moved from Texas to SF when I was in my early 20s. It was like I was made for California. We’ve thrived and loved every minute of it. For more than 2 decades.
Everything OP said is true.
Heat, bugs, people, landscape, environmental awareness.
Just better all the way around.
From TX, moved to SF 15 years ago, moved back to TX for 3 years and now back in the Bay Area for 7 years and forever. Should’ve never moved back to TX.
So true. I came here from Jacksonville Florida a little over a year ago. I love not having to drive places and actually getting to wear decent clothes because you’re not sweating through them constantly.
Moved from Houston in 2021. You’re completely correct in every aspect. Rarely we miss hot days, but then you can just drive to warmer parts of the Bay Area. Quality of life here is another level. I think you appreciate it more as time goes on. It’s difficult to describe to people who haven’t experienced both. Those on vacation here won’t understand.
I moved here from Dallas too and I’m never moving back for all the reasons you described lol.
It’s also been a great place raising my two toddlers as there are a TON of things for kids to do and there are good public school options.
I moved here from about an hour north of Houston (where I grew up) in 2016 and I agree with you completely on all points. I can't even imagine moving away anymore.
My big three are weather, food, and transit convenience. I love not having to drive anymore while getting such a large variety of high tier (usually local rather than chain) food options with almost no weather conditions to hamper me.
Suffer maybe a cumulative week or two of proper uncomfortable summer heat a year. The cold weeks can be countered much easier than the hot ones and almost never gets to the point where you freeze indoors.
I moved to Austin from SF and I miss all the things you listed, especially the proximity to different places. Tahoe, Napa, Santa Cruz, all within a few hours drive. I’m hoping to move back soon
This is what I try to tell people who are interested in moving to Texas from the Bay Area. Austin isn’t this magical Bay Area city that is in Texas.
It’s completely different and like you said *the only* advantage is reduced costs. Nothing wrong with wanting to escape the bay areas prices, but there’s much better destinations that can honestly be cheaper
I'm envious. I've been trying to move to SF from Texas since May 2023. The only thing holding me back is getting a job that's full remote or hybrid in SF
Welcome fellow Texpat! Moved here in 2019 after 25 years in Austin. The only things I miss are my family and friends, Tex-Mex, and live music every night. I can walk my dog any time of day now! Seems like a small thing, but that heat is truly oppressive.
We don’t have much tex-mex, only thing I can think of is Chevys lol. We have more true Mexican, more so in Oakland and San Leandro areas. Places like La Parilla Loca and Tacos Mi Reynita are the best I’ve found which are identical to how it’s like in Mexico.
If you’re pining for some texmex in the city, the closest I’ve found is Tia Margarita. It’s not the same, obvi, but one of the only places I know where you can get a good old fashion combo plate including chile rellenos and fajitas. Just don’t have more than one margarita unless you’re trying to get wasted lol
How have I never heard “Texpat” before!? Houston native here, we absolutely love living in the Bay Area and have felt so lucky to be able to call it home for the last 6 years!
The Mexican food here isn’t quite the same, but it’s Mexican. The Mexican bakeries’ items are identical. The true Mexican restaurants in Austin are being killed-off by gentrification, though.
Another Texpat here. Born in Texas and spent most of my life there, but lived in Santa Cruz when I was very young. Always had fond memories of SC and SF, and decided to make the move out as an adult nearly 15 years ago. Took a few years to make it happen, but goddamn was it worth it. Should’ve done it sooner, but better late than never.
There were some great taquerias back home, but it’s easy to find their equivalent here. Someone mentioned Chevy’s, and while they do have queso it’s not great and neither is the food. It would be on par with a lower tier Tex-Mex joint. Closest I’ve found to decent Tex-Mex is Juan’s in Berkeley. No queso, sadly, but their cheese enchiladas scratch the Tex-Mex itch pretty well for me. Bonus for complimentary chips and salsa, refilled as needed.
Still miss top-notch brisket/BBQ, though. There are a few ok spots throughout the Bay Area, but nothing spectacular on par with Franklin or Terry Black’s.
That being said, no amount of Texas-Mex and BBQ would make me want to move back. The older I got, the harder it became to deal with Texas weather. And politics. And the puritanical influence on everyday life by sanctimonious hypocrites (which is worse in some regions but seemingly ever-present to some extent no matter where you might’ve lived).
Oh gosh, yes, all of this. Thanks for the recs! I make due concocting my own queso at home, but enchiladas would be drivine. Recently picked up an electric pellet smoker. It’s not the same as my giant HEB barrel smoker, but it’s city-friendly and cures cravings for beef ribs. :)
I have kin in TX and visit DFW regularly. I just wanted to confirm what you say about the bugs. The insects in Texas are seriously designed to hurt you. The hornets and wasps have terrified this California boy since I was knee high to a cicada. And the skeeters and chiggers attack like a duck on a june bug.
Welcome to CA and SF.
oh god I almost forgot chiggers! I got them once after swimming in a river back home and it’s such a nightmare. My grandma put nail polish on them to suffocate them and I just had to suffer as they died in my skin. Nightmare fuel!
Also moved from Texas to SF.
I love going out for a walk and not choking from the heat and humidity. You can actually go outside and not curse your existence.
I relate the most to transplants like yourself. Grew up in FL with a similar situation as you mention (once I *heard* a cockroach crawl across the room).
I feel as if I Have Arrived simply by being able to have dinner al fresca on our back deck. No screens no bugs no sweat. Just that simple thing and I think I’ve reached a big life goal.
Now, my kids are clueless. I have no reason to bring them to FL but maybe I should. One went to Caz for music camp and has *no idea* how utterly amazeballs it is to sleep and play music under the redwood canopy.
Welcome!
I hate the cost of living and the income taxes more than anything in the world, but as someone who grew up in Houston I completely agree
There are a lot of gripes I have with the Bay Area but living here is better than in Texas imo
As someone from the south/midwest, YES.
So many people from the Bay Area romanticize the south/midwest but it’s legit a prison out there.
EVERYTHING is a long drive. You can’t just walk or take a quick 5 minute drive to a shop across town.
It’s a 30 minute trip to anything.
Of course, your results may vary, but I lived there for the first 20 years of my life.
It sucked.
It’s an unhealthy lifestyle that relies on cheap, unhealthy food, sedentary lifestyles, and an over-reliance on cars and driving fricken everywhere.
Very little arts influence as well.
I LOVE the fact that, in the Bay Area, I own a beater car, but I maybe use one tank of gas a month.
Compared to living back east and you had to burn a tank every 2 days just for a daily commute.
California is amazing. The Bay Area is spectacular. Unfortunately I had to leave to afford a home, and really wanted space to raise our son (2). Funny, I left CA for Texas. But I won’t lie, if I had more money, and could get a 4bedroom home + office, 3 car garage (I like to fix things) and have a half acre, in Sonoma, for what I paid for my home here (600k), I’d move back in a second. Really miss northern CA. 😢
I’m glad you can appreciate the Bay. I was born and raised here and traveled to Texas a few times for work. Idk how anyone can live with that weather or culture. Glad you can appreciate the difference :)
I moved to SF from Michigan several years ago, after brief stints in the South Bay and Monterey Bay areas. I do miss Michigan weather, especially the warm summers with occasional glorious thunderstorms, but I heartily agree with everything else you said.
I’ve biked across the city hundreds if not thousands of times to get to work, and my standard riding attire is jeans and a sweatshirt, even in summer. Only twice has it been so warm that I had to stop and remove the sweatshirt.
Born and raised in Michigan, then Houston for 8 years, now here. Extremes in weather in both places but I enjoy the mild weather year round in comparison here. When I was in Texas I missed the seasons changing in Michigan, though not the cold. Here I miss the seasons as well, but at least I can spend my time outside year round.
100% on the weather part having lived in TX for a while. People in the Bay love to argue about microclimates, basically different shades of mild. We all have it so good here compared to other states.
Hard agree. I’m from Austin and lived in SF from 2001-2011. Moved back to TX to attend a competitive forensic anthropology program. Moved to AZ a few years ago and about to finish a masters in MH counseling. I’m dying out here in the desert and stuck inside until early Sept. moving back to SF in November and cannot wait. My best quality of life was living in NorCal.
Please don't post this in r/texas. We are happy you have moved here but we don't want a mass exodus from Tx to Ca. I moved here from Houston 41 years ago. I would never go back. But we need to keep that between the two of us.
Another thing about Texas: respiratory problems. Year-round allergy “season” of overlapping allergens - mold, tree pollen, grass pollen - and high ozone levels combined with high humidity and increasing levels of “particulate matter” pollution in urban areas. Environmentally-induced asthma + sleep apnea. I can sleep without a CPAP in SF.
I grew up visiting my grandparents in the summer months in Texas. Can confirm. The weather fucking sucks and there is no reason to purposely live there.
Moved from NC. The absence of humidity is amazing for being outdoors. Plus you are right about the bugs. Haven't seen a cockroach here yet and don't miss them.
I boomeranged from SF -> ATX -> SFBA.
Life is good here.
But it’s also incredibly expensive and cost alone is driving most of California’s exits. I’m sympathetic to everyone leaving, most of them don’t want to.
My wife and I spent a year in Texas. Life was rough there. The heat alone makes it so hard to enjoy anything. We had way more space. We had a garage, but I basically couldn’t use the garage to work on my car because it was so damn hot.
Still, there are bits of the city/area I wish they’d improve. My hope is that things are being worked on, and are improving. My fear is that it’s all surface level.
I lived in SF from ‘80-86. My favorite thing was riding my ten speed bike through The Presidio. Thinking things are different now but, back then, I absolutely loved it.
I’m from south Louisiana and agree with everything about this message. When I first moved here I would sit with my door wide open at night just letting the cool air in with no risk of letting in June bugs and mosquitos. Truly a paradise.
Grew up in San Diego, I don't miss sizzling in the sun in traffic and it's 90 degrees out, in SF there are maybe a day or two when I kind of wish we had more than a few large fans. The occasional house fly and fruit flies are the worst thing to run into, no crazy bug problems leaving the windows open. The weather alone is enough for me to stay put, sure I miss some warm summer nights but like snow, I appreciate it more when it happens occasionally.
I appreciate your post. Not a fan of living here because of the cost of living and quality of life for the things I enjoy but your post does a great job comparing the things that matter to you rather than sounding like SF is just great for everybody. I have to ask, do you miss the BBQ? Every time I go I have to get it haha
Welcome! I moved from Dallas to the City in 2011 and felt the same way. Had a great time in DFW area, matured in many ways during my early adult years. I'm here now on vacation "enjoying" 100F, blasting the AC in the car. It's great reconnecting with family and friends here, but the Bay Area is fabulous.
Welcome! I am also a Texas refugee (though fortunately not a native, just was forced to live there too fucking long). Texans are nice, friendly people, I just never could adjust to anything about living there--too hot, mostly ugly and desolate, not a lot of culture even in the big cities, driving a bazillion miles to get anywhere, and yeah, bugs! Fleas and fire ants in south Texas were my bane of existence in my teens, then Austin's nature making it an allergy capital of the world wasn't fun. No thank you.
I like how you simplify it down to just:
Cost of Living (cheaper elsewhere)
Vs.
Standard of Living (quality of life)
Once you enjoy the higher standards, it's impossible to go back. Also the only mild bug issue I've encountered are the every other year sighting of some non-biting little black ants I might see when the rainy season comes, but they're easy to dispatch and not really a bother when present.
I moved to SF in 1982 right out of college and lived here ever since except for a very misguided venture in San Antonio that lasted 20 months before I hightailed it back to SF. Everything you say is true, and more. You left out the politics, the education system and access to medical care…
Welcome to the land of milk and honey, sugar…
The bug thing is very underrated. I moved here from Sacramento, which has not that many bugs, and one of the first things I noticed is that hardly anyone had window screens! Don't need them. Oh, there's an occasional housefly, but who cares? I also just love that every neighborhood - and there are dozens - has a commercial strip. Almost everything I need is within a short walk.
As someone who's born and raised here, I don't understand how people can function where it's hot during the summers. Would fight with my life to live the rest of my life here.
You haven’t looked for BBQ in SF yet, have you? 😂
You haven’t had to defend yourself against home invaders or smash and grabbers yet only to discover you are massively outgunned and 911 gives you a busy signal.
That said, yeah the weather is really nice. It’s like new relationship energy; enjoy it!!
I love SF but the crime is out of hand. You will understand when your window gets smashed in and there are no legal ramifications for the perp or you get tired of seeing people shooting up on the streets or defecating on the streets. Or you have to go to a suburb to shop because all of the stores are closing in SF because of crime.
National Parks: we have an amazing variety of public recreational areas, including arguably one of the best ones in Yosemite (I know it’s not in SF but it’s a relatively short trip)
>I will tell you right now you don't need that much space. I repeat, you don't need a 4000 sq ft house.
This is perhaps the biggest truth bomb you dropped, and the biggest mental hurdle for a lot of ppl in Texas who are convinced anything under 2,000 sq. ft. is non-livable.
My wife and I grew up in large homes in Texas (my childhood home was 1,500 sq ft + 2 car garage and gigantic backyard; hers was 2,000+ sq ft) but ended up sharing a tiny \~250-350 sq ft dorm room for a few years in undergrad and learned that smaller spaces aren't the end of the world.
We currently live in a \~1,200 sq ft 2 bedroom with a small patio, exterior storage locker and 1 parking space, and it is enough space for at least three grown adults to make a comfortable home.
One major mistake (IMO) that Texans make when calculating whether they can move to SF/the Bay Area is by comparing how much a similarly-sized home costs here vs in Texas. My rule of thumb is to compare homes here that are 1/3 the size of your Texas home and that should give you a better idea of what a comparable lifestyle would cost.
Welcome fellow Southerner! You’ve pretty much mentioned everything I love about living here. It is not perfect, but never in my life have I been excited to come home after a trip until I lived in SF.
I moved from a mid-sized Southern city where I had a 1600 sq ft (3 br 2 bath) house to SF where I have a 900 sq ft (2 bd, 1 bath) apartment, and you know what I spend my weekends and free time doing? Being out in the city or relaxing rather than cleaning or repairing or doing stuff that the house needs. Definitely agree that most people need less space than they think they do.
You are absolutely correct on all points excepting I would add in that the driver's here in the bay area aren't all on a suicide mission driving 100+mph on every highway all the time and quality health care is much easier to find quickly here. I moved down to central Texas for my job and after 10 months practically begged to be brought back as soon as possible.
The driving part, people don’t truly understand the amount of money on gas, maintenance and just your mental health getting sucked out of you. After living in SF every decision I have made to live in which city has been for my life to stay somewhat similar in transportation.
Welcome to the Bay Area, friend.
Glad you love it here. Yeah, there are issues and damn this place ain't perfect, but this is California and there's usually a catch or two for nice things. But I can tell you're gonna love it more and more here.
We moved here from DFW 11 years ago and have not regretted a single day!
The only other thing I would add though about DFW is I miss their restaurants. Partially though this falls under cost of living again—the portions at restaurants/price is so great there. I miss being able to eat a few meals off of a reasonably priced dinner out.
And it seems harder to find really good Indian food here. And when you are used to Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex is well, meh.
But hey we have discovered Burmese food here, and Korean Fried chicken. And the Chinese food is SO much better! So maybe it all evens out 😋
Otherwise though Bay Area all the way! So much green space, much better weather, no bugs, tons to do. Politics are more to our liking. We love it!
I’m currently in Texas and disagree about the winters here. It’s usually only a couple of weeks of actual cold in the winter. Yes we get freak winter storms like in 2021. But it was also amazing in late December walking around in shorts when it’s 75.
The heat is no joke though. I definitely regret moving here. The politics is emotionally exhausting.
Lol I don't know why I'm seeing this post, but hello my Texan brother!
I still live here in TX, but I hope to one day move to SF. If money wasn't an issue, I would've moved a long time ago
As an SF native and lifelong area resident…thank you for all your positive words…Glad you’ve embraced and enjoyed..My BF lives outside of Dallas and I know he misses the Bay.
Welcome! I moved from Texas in 2011 and I'm never going back! You nailed it with the heat, the cold, driving everywhere, the bugs, and inactive lifestyle. I'd also add the general ambition, attitude, and open mindedness from people is so much more refreshing here.
Totally agree. I moved from Texas to California (first SoCal, now San Jose) years ago. I just love California, the weather, outdoor activities year-round, so many great places to go, beach, and mountains are all close. In Austin (where I used to live) the beach(the Gulf of Mexico is the closest one) was far, the ski mountains were far, summer was too hot and full of bugs for outdoor activities, etc etc. There are reasons for the high cost of living, apparently.
Love hearing all these stories and anecdotes from transplants now enjoying SF / Bay Area living. A great reminder to us natives not to take for granted even the littlest of things!
I’ve lived in the East Bay / SF my entire life and doubt we’ll ever even consider leaving.
My favorite things about the SFBA: climate, QoL, diversity, locality to Tahoe/Yosemite/Beaches/etc.
Welcome! I moved here 37 years ago and still find new and beautiful treasures. Every hill gives you a different view and there are stairs up and down all of them. Have a walk down the Filbert stairs someday. Beautiful.
I told my friend today “i will never live in a place with as shitty weather as SF”…so i guess its subjective. Having like 15 spread out days of over 80 degree weather a year gets old real fast. Youre probably at work for 2/3 of them and even the nice days get cold when the sun goes down. And after 16 years i was more than ready for somewhere that has an actual summer….that said, id still take it every time over texas not even a hesitation.
Welcome, I’m glad it’s worked out so well for you. It’s hard sometimes to appreciate good stuff that’s just always been there, like good weather and not so many bugs.
You know what's weird? I recognize and appreciate the weather almost every day, but I forget about the bugs until I visit other places.
Same. You just forget they even exist.
I forgot about the bugs so bad and as soon as I read that, I was like oh yeah, issa no for me. I do miss the sounds of the crickets tho for the pure nostalgia.
And ocean and mountain views! Mountains within driving distance. And if someone really misses Tejas, they can take a trip to Fresno…
Lol I don't think a lot of people are going to take more than one trip to Fresno if you didn't grow up there.
Actually people take many trips to Fresno as it’s on the way to the Sierras when coming from SoCal.
I was going to say. I’ve lived in California my entire life, except for a few years when I lived in western Oregon. We have plenty of areas that are very similar to Texas. Blazing hot summers, freezing winters and shitty air quality. It’s called the Central Valley. Granted it doesn’t get as cold as it sometimes does in Texas, but it ain’t exactly warm either.
Fresno is hot, but dry heat... Texas is HUMID....
Also just moved here in April from Dallas and I agree with all of your points I hated the bugs and the heat so much!
I moved from Dallas too! This was a message from my friend in Dallas on a group chain we have: "Wasps are really bad in N. Texas this year. Ive destroyed a couple massive nests in the last month. Check your eaves this yr if you haven't already." I thought to myself... Not my problem anymore lol.
I moved here from Denton in 2011. Have had numerous opportunities to take great jobs back in TX and turned them all down with absolutely no regrets. All your reasons are spot on. I also strangely love the tourists. It’s a daily reminder that you live somewhere special. Only downside: Now I melt when the temp gets above 80 and I freeze when it gets below 50. SF has made me completely soft to anything except pleasant weather. Oh, and good luck finding good BBQ that doesn’t cost a car payment.
East Bay is where the good BBQ is.
Good means less bad.
Well those families doing bbq in Richmond and Hayward came here from down south so I don’t know how less bad it really is as opposed to damn good.
Now that you mention it, I haven’t found a couple foot long poisonous snake in my yard since I sold my house in Texas.
I have this same blessed feeling every time my friends and family still in Houston come up on hurricane season. also, when I go hiking and don’t have to meticulously part any grass to avoid copperheads or go swimming in natural water without staying vigilant about water moccasins. welcome fellow Texas expat! It only gets better and better as you find more of these little reliefs :)
I wouldn’t put your guard down completely. We have native rattlesnakes in the Bay Area, including San Francisco.
There are really rattlers in SF proper? They must be really rare or just not in areas I visit (I’ve done a lot of work and recreation in places like hiking trails all over the city for nearly 20 years). Where can they be found?
I moved here from Dallas too 8 years ago and never went back.
No fire ants! I'm still so happy about the fact that you can just...sit on the ground outside.
I'm in Dallas now and thinking about SF. I kinda like it here but I've only been here 18 months. The heat is kinda painful but also I love the sun. But what I really want to know is in what ways are the people different and the lifestyle?
I moved here too from ATX....people dont realize how lucky they are here with the weather. Ive hiked every day since I got here. Even this week being 'hot' is nothing! even the cloudy days here are a treat. My dog is the happiest Ive ever seen her.
We’re VERY aware of our lovely weather year round. This meme has been floating around for years, applies to the summer months too. https://preview.redd.it/gul275bues9d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7136d88299e566de10365cac760cad80b73506d7
It’s going to be 110+ in the Central Valley this week.
Oh my jeezuz lawd! I’m so grateful to be a costal elite.
We do realize how good the weather is here. We absolutely do realize it. * Ask a person in the Bay where their umbrella is * Ask them how often they look at the weather report * Ask them how often they see their winter jacket. We eat outside all the time. Our malls are outside. Any sunny day and every park in SF is packed with blankets and new friends. We go to the beaches every weekend most of the year. Most of our favorite places to travel, are other places in California. We go to farmers markets and eat the fresh veg because of our long grow season. Most of us have some kind of pickup/fun sports league. Outdoor movies, hiking, checking out the solar event? We're in. **We don't say it out loud because we're stating the obvious to people who will never disagree. But we absolutely show it in our behaviors constantly.**
When I lived in SF, after a few holidays I figured out that it wasn’t worth traveling to at least 90% of tourist destinations in the U.S. because SF was nicer and more interesting and fun. We started doing more staycations, and it worked out great.
Umbrella? what’s that for? if it starts raining I just put up the hood on my sweatshirt/jacket/vest. I feel like in SF umbrellas are for decoration, on your coat tree.
I’ve been to lots of big metropolitan cities in the world now and SF with its climate is still the best, really the biggest little city in the world IMO.
/r/Reno might have something to say about that lol
My freshman year at San Francisco Art Institute I had to write a paper about SF. I wrote that it was the biggest little city in the world. The corrected paper came back with that statement redmarked with the note “That would be Reno”.
The weather in Oakland is better by any objective measurement
I like a climate with less gun fights.
We’re taking a an abbreviated highway 1 road trip from LA to San Francisco next week. We’re native Texans and I’m hoping to convince my fiance we need to make the move after this trip! I just want my body autonomy as a woman you know? 😅 and less humidity and bugs is a bonus
Hey just to let you know so you’re not like WTF in case you haven’t heard. Parts of highway 1 is still closed due to road damage. You can now drive all the way down to Big Sur but then you have to turn back. There’s no nearby connection to the main highway so you would have to turn back all the way to Monterey and connect back at Cambria. Enjoy the drive it’s so beautiful!! Make sure you do a highway 1 trip up north in the future and go all the way up to do the California-Oregon Pacific Coast highway or hit the redwoods. So amazing to see. Also if you’re into camping/hiking so many amazing hikes and places to camp. There’s so much here in CA!
Thanks so much for reaching out! The original plan was highway 1 all the way, then us Texans were informed that there are landslides! So, the most we’ll get on it is driving down to Big Sur from Monterey. Not the end of the world, we’re planning on doing the 17 mile drive at least! Thanks for the tips, it makes me feel better hearing our plans line up with this pretty well :D
That’s literally the part that washed away lol but I think it reopened now
The coastal state parks in Monterey county are really worth the time.
It’s really the entire west coast. Particularly from the Bay Area to British Columbia. It’s a mild climate and gorgeous.
Highway 1 is open now. Had been for few weeks I’m pretty sure
Just the part north of Big Sur. It's still closed south of there, and will be for a while. It got whacked by a huge slide over a year ago.
Native Texan here. My then-fiancee's first trip to California, I drove us from Santa Barbara to Monterey on the 1. Frankly, I thought she'd get bored and braced myself to hear "why did you think it was a good idea to drive 8 hours in the middle of nowhere?" But the first comment she made was, "this is breathtaking." We ended up moving to SF a couple of years later and never looked back. But also, yes, like others are saying, be aware you may need to dip off and back on the 1 due to construction.
Great story
We love us some bodily autonomy here.
I love hwy 1. message me for places of interest.
[Watch your back.](https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/new-evidence-discovered-in-d-b-cooper-skyjacking-case)
We get our water straight from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in the Sierras. S.F. tap water is exceptional.
Some of the best in the world!
Welcome to SF. I’ve been telling folks for decades, “If you can handle the rent and logistics of having (or not having) a car, SF is top shelf and continues to blow people’s minds” There’s still poverty, shady politicians and constant change that leaves residence missing the times of yore; but that’s the case with every world class city that has something for everyone.
Residents
The no bugs, except mosquitos in some areas, is really underrated. Relatives come out here and just sit outside at dusk and in the evening marveling at the fact that they're not getting immediately eaten alive
The mosquito-free life is how I shut down my TX family clowning on SF when I visit. No matter what Fox News BS they throw at me, I just ask them to consider what it would be like to live without mosquitoes and then we move on as we listen to the zapper on my dad’s porch go crazy.
I haven't renewed my EPI pen (wasps) in almost 2 decades!
But I thought all the Californians were moving to Texas?
htgrfsed
People were under the impression that Texas wasn't so bad. My mother in law is convinced Texas is fantastic.... because she owns property there and she can evict someone with a phone call. (Which she hasnt, but her other landlord friends are always bragging about that). I can't change an 85yr old lady, but it sure is hard not to be like, "wtf? Doesn't that bother you?"
How does evicting someone with a phone call work?
Sitting on the back patio w my wife looking at a potted plant and told her that I never underestimate the joy of knowing I can reach into any plant without thinking about whether a snake might be in there.
The first time I went hiking after moving to the west coast was such a trip for this reason. My friends were heading into a knee-high grassy part of the hike so I stopped and asked where we should get some sticks to pull the grass aside and check for snakes. Oh how they laughed and laughed
Just so you know, there are rattle snakes in the bay area. I live in Marin and I've seen several.
True, but it’s just not the same out here and it’s so regional, almost microclimatey. You can avoid them by just hiking elsewhere. Whereas every type of snake that’s indigenous to North America lives in TX somewhere. You won’t necessarily see them all in one place… unless you live in East Texas because they actually all can be found out there. Plus, rattle snakes give you a warning. Copperheads do not :(
There are reasons some places are more expensive than others. 🤷♂️ #yougetwhatyoupayfor
yo its aout to get hot next week, 80 with no A/C in the city !
A few $40 fans can do the trick I'm guessing. Better than a $8000 HVAC system that costs $1000+ to fix for any problems and $500+ to maintain every 6 months.
yeah this is what we complain about because we don't know how much worse it could be I lived in Oakland with no AC and it would get up to 90 or so over there for multiple weeks in the summer. I'd just shut all the curtains in my apartment and go sit in the shade of a tree in a park with an icy beverage during the height of the day. Then as soon as it registers cooler outside than inside during the day you open it all up and run a box fan.
Yes and that’s another reason our weather is superior. When there’s a heat wave in most places, it stays hot as fuck 24/7. We are lucky enough to be able to open our windows at night and let that in that cool air in for the next day.
100%
You can put a bowl of ice in front of your fan and it makes the air blowing out feel colder. You can also put a paper towel in cold water and drape it over the fan, works similarly. This helped a lot when I only had a small fan!
As someone who has also made the Texas to SF move, hearing from you that 80 is hot is like you hearing from someone in San Diego that 72 is too hot and 68 is too cold. I love this place, but it makes people soft in regards to temperature.
I also came from TX -> SF, big difference is availability of AC. Many SF homes don’t have AC and/or are very poorly insulated due to their age, and many commute via walking, biking or public transit. Lots of Texans think they’re tough for living in a hot climate, when in reality they spent 80% of their time in a home with the AC set to 75, 15% in their car with the AC cranked up, and the other 5% of the time at a pool with a cold beer in hand.
Being confined to your home all day long due to the heat is also probably really unhealthy too: Inactivity and inability to go outside for a hike….and in hot weather people tend to consume more sodas and sugary drinks.
Yeah and our little heatwave is like 5 days at most...maybe twice a year.
we got karl tho
On the contrary, I find people who spend 95% of their time indoors with AC where it doesn't get above 75 to be soft.
Not supposed to break 70 over by the beach :)
Yup! Everyone rediscovers the Sunset when there’s a heatwave! lol
I moved from South Dakota to El Paso. Some place where the extreme cold kills all living creatures to some place that’s an incubator for nasties. First night I went outside the walkway was covered with huge roaches everywhere. I drove to Home Depot and bought every nasty chemical spray I could find. Then I saw the scorpions and centipedes. Then the rattlesnakes. Not going back.
Welcome Texas Refugees! We are glad to have you here!
I just moved back to SF from Austin. I didn’t realize how much weather would affect my happiness but it completely does. I love walking, hiking, dog parks and could barely enjoy any of that with the Texas heat and bugs! I’m so thrilled to be back plus I’m in mission bay where it’s super sunny; it’ll be 77 degrees this week here and I’m so happy. I built a 4,100 sq ft house in Austin and used a quarter of it. I always had small spaces in the bay thinking more was better but I never used it! I had a resort style pool I built too and never used it bc it was that hot in Texas. I’m so happy in my 700 sq ft space. I could do about 1500 sq ft but I have learned the mansion houses in Texas aren’t necessary for happiness especially if you’re stuck inside all day bc of the heat Also, food is so much better here; especially Asian and fresh seafood. I don’t eat bbq out here but I assume that’s better in TX, I love Terry Blacks.
It’s a tough lesson to learn but I’m glad you’re back. Being from Texas, I likened our summers to winters up north. The heat, like the cold, wears you down. Month after month, another record breaking summer to endure. Year after year. Lol the mansions with the living rooms that nobody sits in and the pools that become bath water temperature. I miss HEB though and I get my BBQ/TexMex fix when I visit. One week and I’m itching to get outta dodge. It’s a sad state of affairs, mostly in the Capitol building..
SF has some of the best tap water in the country cause of where it’s sourced from. I love drinking it when I go home to visit my mom.
I moved from Texas to SF when I was in my early 20s. It was like I was made for California. We’ve thrived and loved every minute of it. For more than 2 decades. Everything OP said is true. Heat, bugs, people, landscape, environmental awareness. Just better all the way around.
SAMEEEEEE I moved here 2 years ago from DFW and haven’t looked back.
Hetch hetchy, baby!
moved here from dallas a week ago and so far agree!
From TX, moved to SF 15 years ago, moved back to TX for 3 years and now back in the Bay Area for 7 years and forever. Should’ve never moved back to TX.
Amen
So true. I came here from Jacksonville Florida a little over a year ago. I love not having to drive places and actually getting to wear decent clothes because you’re not sweating through them constantly.
Florida-Texas transplants unite ✊
Moved from Houston in 2021. You’re completely correct in every aspect. Rarely we miss hot days, but then you can just drive to warmer parts of the Bay Area. Quality of life here is another level. I think you appreciate it more as time goes on. It’s difficult to describe to people who haven’t experienced both. Those on vacation here won’t understand.
I moved here from Dallas too and I’m never moving back for all the reasons you described lol. It’s also been a great place raising my two toddlers as there are a TON of things for kids to do and there are good public school options.
Howdy, partner. I’m glad you’re here.
From a fellow Texas-to-SF transplant: Exactly why I could never move back to Texas. Yes it's cheaper there but there's a reason..
I moved here from about an hour north of Houston (where I grew up) in 2016 and I agree with you completely on all points. I can't even imagine moving away anymore. My big three are weather, food, and transit convenience. I love not having to drive anymore while getting such a large variety of high tier (usually local rather than chain) food options with almost no weather conditions to hamper me. Suffer maybe a cumulative week or two of proper uncomfortable summer heat a year. The cold weeks can be countered much easier than the hot ones and almost never gets to the point where you freeze indoors.
I moved to Austin from SF and I miss all the things you listed, especially the proximity to different places. Tahoe, Napa, Santa Cruz, all within a few hours drive. I’m hoping to move back soon
This is what I try to tell people who are interested in moving to Texas from the Bay Area. Austin isn’t this magical Bay Area city that is in Texas. It’s completely different and like you said *the only* advantage is reduced costs. Nothing wrong with wanting to escape the bay areas prices, but there’s much better destinations that can honestly be cheaper
I'm envious. I've been trying to move to SF from Texas since May 2023. The only thing holding me back is getting a job that's full remote or hybrid in SF
Welcome fellow Texpat! Moved here in 2019 after 25 years in Austin. The only things I miss are my family and friends, Tex-Mex, and live music every night. I can walk my dog any time of day now! Seems like a small thing, but that heat is truly oppressive.
We don’t have much tex-mex, only thing I can think of is Chevys lol. We have more true Mexican, more so in Oakland and San Leandro areas. Places like La Parilla Loca and Tacos Mi Reynita are the best I’ve found which are identical to how it’s like in Mexico.
If you’re pining for some texmex in the city, the closest I’ve found is Tia Margarita. It’s not the same, obvi, but one of the only places I know where you can get a good old fashion combo plate including chile rellenos and fajitas. Just don’t have more than one margarita unless you’re trying to get wasted lol
How have I never heard “Texpat” before!? Houston native here, we absolutely love living in the Bay Area and have felt so lucky to be able to call it home for the last 6 years!
The Mexican food here isn’t quite the same, but it’s Mexican. The Mexican bakeries’ items are identical. The true Mexican restaurants in Austin are being killed-off by gentrification, though.
Another Texpat here. Born in Texas and spent most of my life there, but lived in Santa Cruz when I was very young. Always had fond memories of SC and SF, and decided to make the move out as an adult nearly 15 years ago. Took a few years to make it happen, but goddamn was it worth it. Should’ve done it sooner, but better late than never. There were some great taquerias back home, but it’s easy to find their equivalent here. Someone mentioned Chevy’s, and while they do have queso it’s not great and neither is the food. It would be on par with a lower tier Tex-Mex joint. Closest I’ve found to decent Tex-Mex is Juan’s in Berkeley. No queso, sadly, but their cheese enchiladas scratch the Tex-Mex itch pretty well for me. Bonus for complimentary chips and salsa, refilled as needed. Still miss top-notch brisket/BBQ, though. There are a few ok spots throughout the Bay Area, but nothing spectacular on par with Franklin or Terry Black’s. That being said, no amount of Texas-Mex and BBQ would make me want to move back. The older I got, the harder it became to deal with Texas weather. And politics. And the puritanical influence on everyday life by sanctimonious hypocrites (which is worse in some regions but seemingly ever-present to some extent no matter where you might’ve lived).
Oh gosh, yes, all of this. Thanks for the recs! I make due concocting my own queso at home, but enchiladas would be drivine. Recently picked up an electric pellet smoker. It’s not the same as my giant HEB barrel smoker, but it’s city-friendly and cures cravings for beef ribs. :)
Just did a visit from Houston. Just about threw up getting off the plane home even at midnight. Feels like was 40* warmer than SF
Don’t forget the cockroach eating wasps in TX too!
Lol, that’s a part of the food chain I hadn’t considered before.
The roaches are not only bigger in TX, they also fly — right into your face!
As a fellow Tex-pat, welcome! I love it too
I have kin in TX and visit DFW regularly. I just wanted to confirm what you say about the bugs. The insects in Texas are seriously designed to hurt you. The hornets and wasps have terrified this California boy since I was knee high to a cicada. And the skeeters and chiggers attack like a duck on a june bug. Welcome to CA and SF.
oh god I almost forgot chiggers! I got them once after swimming in a river back home and it’s such a nightmare. My grandma put nail polish on them to suffocate them and I just had to suffer as they died in my skin. Nightmare fuel!
Having lived in Texas and now living here, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Also moved from Texas to SF. I love going out for a walk and not choking from the heat and humidity. You can actually go outside and not curse your existence.
I relate the most to transplants like yourself. Grew up in FL with a similar situation as you mention (once I *heard* a cockroach crawl across the room). I feel as if I Have Arrived simply by being able to have dinner al fresca on our back deck. No screens no bugs no sweat. Just that simple thing and I think I’ve reached a big life goal. Now, my kids are clueless. I have no reason to bring them to FL but maybe I should. One went to Caz for music camp and has *no idea* how utterly amazeballs it is to sleep and play music under the redwood canopy. Welcome!
I haven’t bought or used bug spray in years! A dream I never knew I had until I moved out West.
Welcome to San Francisco! It is great to hear from new families moving into town.
Hard to beat tap water from Yosemite!
I hate the cost of living and the income taxes more than anything in the world, but as someone who grew up in Houston I completely agree There are a lot of gripes I have with the Bay Area but living here is better than in Texas imo
As someone from the south/midwest, YES. So many people from the Bay Area romanticize the south/midwest but it’s legit a prison out there. EVERYTHING is a long drive. You can’t just walk or take a quick 5 minute drive to a shop across town. It’s a 30 minute trip to anything. Of course, your results may vary, but I lived there for the first 20 years of my life. It sucked. It’s an unhealthy lifestyle that relies on cheap, unhealthy food, sedentary lifestyles, and an over-reliance on cars and driving fricken everywhere. Very little arts influence as well. I LOVE the fact that, in the Bay Area, I own a beater car, but I maybe use one tank of gas a month. Compared to living back east and you had to burn a tank every 2 days just for a daily commute.
California is amazing. The Bay Area is spectacular. Unfortunately I had to leave to afford a home, and really wanted space to raise our son (2). Funny, I left CA for Texas. But I won’t lie, if I had more money, and could get a 4bedroom home + office, 3 car garage (I like to fix things) and have a half acre, in Sonoma, for what I paid for my home here (600k), I’d move back in a second. Really miss northern CA. 😢
Thanks. Please post this in the Texas subreddit!
I’m glad you can appreciate the Bay. I was born and raised here and traveled to Texas a few times for work. Idk how anyone can live with that weather or culture. Glad you can appreciate the difference :)
Welcome to SF. Now if you want to learn our history. We got ya covered. [www.sfcityguides.org](https://www.sfcityguides.org). Culture in SF.
I moved to SF from Michigan several years ago, after brief stints in the South Bay and Monterey Bay areas. I do miss Michigan weather, especially the warm summers with occasional glorious thunderstorms, but I heartily agree with everything else you said. I’ve biked across the city hundreds if not thousands of times to get to work, and my standard riding attire is jeans and a sweatshirt, even in summer. Only twice has it been so warm that I had to stop and remove the sweatshirt.
Born and raised in Michigan, then Houston for 8 years, now here. Extremes in weather in both places but I enjoy the mild weather year round in comparison here. When I was in Texas I missed the seasons changing in Michigan, though not the cold. Here I miss the seasons as well, but at least I can spend my time outside year round.
The 4000 sqft house thing is very real.
Welcome to the dark side lol Just kidding, it’s filled with fog & rainbows!!
I agree. The weather has always been a huge factor to Me and why I stay in California.
Welcome to the best city in the US ;)
Glad you left Texas.I hate bugs .
My experience moving from Tennessee to SF was similar
I read this backwards. At first I thought you moved from SF to Texas. thank goodness it’s the other way around. Welcome to the neighborhood.
100% on the weather part having lived in TX for a while. People in the Bay love to argue about microclimates, basically different shades of mild. We all have it so good here compared to other states.
Hard agree. I’m from Austin and lived in SF from 2001-2011. Moved back to TX to attend a competitive forensic anthropology program. Moved to AZ a few years ago and about to finish a masters in MH counseling. I’m dying out here in the desert and stuck inside until early Sept. moving back to SF in November and cannot wait. My best quality of life was living in NorCal.
Welcome! San Francisco is indeed a special place, as is the whole of California.
Please don't post this in r/texas. We are happy you have moved here but we don't want a mass exodus from Tx to Ca. I moved here from Houston 41 years ago. I would never go back. But we need to keep that between the two of us.
Another thing about Texas: respiratory problems. Year-round allergy “season” of overlapping allergens - mold, tree pollen, grass pollen - and high ozone levels combined with high humidity and increasing levels of “particulate matter” pollution in urban areas. Environmentally-induced asthma + sleep apnea. I can sleep without a CPAP in SF.
100%! I do NOT miss Cedar Fever
I needed this! I'm a native Texan (Houston area) that will not be moving back, probably ever.
The roaches and humidity in Houston was enough for me to never go back.
I grew up visiting my grandparents in the summer months in Texas. Can confirm. The weather fucking sucks and there is no reason to purposely live there.
Welcome! I moved to Russian Hill 22 years ago from Austin, zero regrets.
Moved here 2 years ago from Houston- the only thing I miss is the food lol
Been in the Bay all of my life, but wanted to move to Texas! Now I'm not so sure
Moved from NC. The absence of humidity is amazing for being outdoors. Plus you are right about the bugs. Haven't seen a cockroach here yet and don't miss them.
I boomeranged from SF -> ATX -> SFBA. Life is good here. But it’s also incredibly expensive and cost alone is driving most of California’s exits. I’m sympathetic to everyone leaving, most of them don’t want to.
Welcome! Thank you
My wife and I spent a year in Texas. Life was rough there. The heat alone makes it so hard to enjoy anything. We had way more space. We had a garage, but I basically couldn’t use the garage to work on my car because it was so damn hot. Still, there are bits of the city/area I wish they’d improve. My hope is that things are being worked on, and are improving. My fear is that it’s all surface level.
Duh. Welcome!!
I lived in SF from ‘80-86. My favorite thing was riding my ten speed bike through The Presidio. Thinking things are different now but, back then, I absolutely loved it.
😭 The joy of no longer being covered in mosquito bites!
I’m from south Louisiana and agree with everything about this message. When I first moved here I would sit with my door wide open at night just letting the cool air in with no risk of letting in June bugs and mosquitos. Truly a paradise.
Grew up in San Diego, I don't miss sizzling in the sun in traffic and it's 90 degrees out, in SF there are maybe a day or two when I kind of wish we had more than a few large fans. The occasional house fly and fruit flies are the worst thing to run into, no crazy bug problems leaving the windows open. The weather alone is enough for me to stay put, sure I miss some warm summer nights but like snow, I appreciate it more when it happens occasionally.
I appreciate your post. Not a fan of living here because of the cost of living and quality of life for the things I enjoy but your post does a great job comparing the things that matter to you rather than sounding like SF is just great for everybody. I have to ask, do you miss the BBQ? Every time I go I have to get it haha
I’m from Texas! Love it here. Been in Cali for a decade.
Welcome! I moved from Dallas to the City in 2011 and felt the same way. Had a great time in DFW area, matured in many ways during my early adult years. I'm here now on vacation "enjoying" 100F, blasting the AC in the car. It's great reconnecting with family and friends here, but the Bay Area is fabulous.
Welcome! I am also a Texas refugee (though fortunately not a native, just was forced to live there too fucking long). Texans are nice, friendly people, I just never could adjust to anything about living there--too hot, mostly ugly and desolate, not a lot of culture even in the big cities, driving a bazillion miles to get anywhere, and yeah, bugs! Fleas and fire ants in south Texas were my bane of existence in my teens, then Austin's nature making it an allergy capital of the world wasn't fun. No thank you. I like how you simplify it down to just: Cost of Living (cheaper elsewhere) Vs. Standard of Living (quality of life) Once you enjoy the higher standards, it's impossible to go back. Also the only mild bug issue I've encountered are the every other year sighting of some non-biting little black ants I might see when the rainy season comes, but they're easy to dispatch and not really a bother when present.
Moved from San Antonio. Beautiful day today!
Holy shit. We moved from Austin about 8 months ago and I literally think you hit the nail on the head! SF has been way better so far
I did the same move nearly 10 years ago now, and I’ve never looked back. Life here is better. Congrats! 🙂
Well said! SF is a great place to live.
I moved to SF in 1982 right out of college and lived here ever since except for a very misguided venture in San Antonio that lasted 20 months before I hightailed it back to SF. Everything you say is true, and more. You left out the politics, the education system and access to medical care… Welcome to the land of milk and honey, sugar…
The bug thing is very underrated. I moved here from Sacramento, which has not that many bugs, and one of the first things I noticed is that hardly anyone had window screens! Don't need them. Oh, there's an occasional housefly, but who cares? I also just love that every neighborhood - and there are dozens - has a commercial strip. Almost everything I need is within a short walk.
I’m so jealous. Can I move in with you? Find me a job, please! I also live in Texas now and it sucks.
I call the extra high cost of loving my happiness fee. Worth every penny.
As someone who's born and raised here, I don't understand how people can function where it's hot during the summers. Would fight with my life to live the rest of my life here.
The less you drive, the lower your blood pressure, and the better your health.
You haven’t looked for BBQ in SF yet, have you? 😂 You haven’t had to defend yourself against home invaders or smash and grabbers yet only to discover you are massively outgunned and 911 gives you a busy signal. That said, yeah the weather is really nice. It’s like new relationship energy; enjoy it!!
I love SF but the crime is out of hand. You will understand when your window gets smashed in and there are no legal ramifications for the perp or you get tired of seeing people shooting up on the streets or defecating on the streets. Or you have to go to a suburb to shop because all of the stores are closing in SF because of crime.
What you doing??? Delete this IMMEDIATELY. Tell everyone it's awful here and stay away. AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL especially the weather.
National Parks: we have an amazing variety of public recreational areas, including arguably one of the best ones in Yosemite (I know it’s not in SF but it’s a relatively short trip)
I hear people from the Bay move to Texas, but eventually move back...
Thanks for validating a major life decision to stay here! - A Texan living in The Bay Area
California is just superior
But doesn’t lower tax and cruelty make up for literally everything else?? /s
>I will tell you right now you don't need that much space. I repeat, you don't need a 4000 sq ft house. This is perhaps the biggest truth bomb you dropped, and the biggest mental hurdle for a lot of ppl in Texas who are convinced anything under 2,000 sq. ft. is non-livable. My wife and I grew up in large homes in Texas (my childhood home was 1,500 sq ft + 2 car garage and gigantic backyard; hers was 2,000+ sq ft) but ended up sharing a tiny \~250-350 sq ft dorm room for a few years in undergrad and learned that smaller spaces aren't the end of the world. We currently live in a \~1,200 sq ft 2 bedroom with a small patio, exterior storage locker and 1 parking space, and it is enough space for at least three grown adults to make a comfortable home. One major mistake (IMO) that Texans make when calculating whether they can move to SF/the Bay Area is by comparing how much a similarly-sized home costs here vs in Texas. My rule of thumb is to compare homes here that are 1/3 the size of your Texas home and that should give you a better idea of what a comparable lifestyle would cost.
Yeah we know
Welcome fellow Southerner! You’ve pretty much mentioned everything I love about living here. It is not perfect, but never in my life have I been excited to come home after a trip until I lived in SF.
I moved from a mid-sized Southern city where I had a 1600 sq ft (3 br 2 bath) house to SF where I have a 900 sq ft (2 bd, 1 bath) apartment, and you know what I spend my weekends and free time doing? Being out in the city or relaxing rather than cleaning or repairing or doing stuff that the house needs. Definitely agree that most people need less space than they think they do.
Lived in Houston for nine long years. It was awful. This has been home for 7 years and we’re never leaving. Glad you’re here!
I did the same almost a decade ago and never looked back. Only realized how backward things were there.
Thank you for helping me appreciate my hometown more.
You are absolutely correct on all points excepting I would add in that the driver's here in the bay area aren't all on a suicide mission driving 100+mph on every highway all the time and quality health care is much easier to find quickly here. I moved down to central Texas for my job and after 10 months practically begged to be brought back as soon as possible.
The driving part, people don’t truly understand the amount of money on gas, maintenance and just your mental health getting sucked out of you. After living in SF every decision I have made to live in which city has been for my life to stay somewhat similar in transportation.
The heat/humidity and the bugs would be too much for me to deal with. No thanks. I like the Bay Area’s weather, it’s either mild or milder.
Enjoy your honeymoon phase!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Welcome to the Bay Area, friend. Glad you love it here. Yeah, there are issues and damn this place ain't perfect, but this is California and there's usually a catch or two for nice things. But I can tell you're gonna love it more and more here.
We moved here from DFW 11 years ago and have not regretted a single day! The only other thing I would add though about DFW is I miss their restaurants. Partially though this falls under cost of living again—the portions at restaurants/price is so great there. I miss being able to eat a few meals off of a reasonably priced dinner out. And it seems harder to find really good Indian food here. And when you are used to Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex is well, meh. But hey we have discovered Burmese food here, and Korean Fried chicken. And the Chinese food is SO much better! So maybe it all evens out 😋 Otherwise though Bay Area all the way! So much green space, much better weather, no bugs, tons to do. Politics are more to our liking. We love it!
Cheers buddy glad you like it
I’m currently in Texas and disagree about the winters here. It’s usually only a couple of weeks of actual cold in the winter. Yes we get freak winter storms like in 2021. But it was also amazing in late December walking around in shorts when it’s 75. The heat is no joke though. I definitely regret moving here. The politics is emotionally exhausting.
Lol I don't know why I'm seeing this post, but hello my Texan brother! I still live here in TX, but I hope to one day move to SF. If money wasn't an issue, I would've moved a long time ago
As an SF native and lifelong area resident…thank you for all your positive words…Glad you’ve embraced and enjoyed..My BF lives outside of Dallas and I know he misses the Bay.
Welcome! I moved from Texas in 2011 and I'm never going back! You nailed it with the heat, the cold, driving everywhere, the bugs, and inactive lifestyle. I'd also add the general ambition, attitude, and open mindedness from people is so much more refreshing here.
Totally agree. I moved from Texas to California (first SoCal, now San Jose) years ago. I just love California, the weather, outdoor activities year-round, so many great places to go, beach, and mountains are all close. In Austin (where I used to live) the beach(the Gulf of Mexico is the closest one) was far, the ski mountains were far, summer was too hot and full of bugs for outdoor activities, etc etc. There are reasons for the high cost of living, apparently.
Love hearing all these stories and anecdotes from transplants now enjoying SF / Bay Area living. A great reminder to us natives not to take for granted even the littlest of things! I’ve lived in the East Bay / SF my entire life and doubt we’ll ever even consider leaving. My favorite things about the SFBA: climate, QoL, diversity, locality to Tahoe/Yosemite/Beaches/etc.
Welcome! I moved here 37 years ago and still find new and beautiful treasures. Every hill gives you a different view and there are stairs up and down all of them. Have a walk down the Filbert stairs someday. Beautiful.
I told my friend today “i will never live in a place with as shitty weather as SF”…so i guess its subjective. Having like 15 spread out days of over 80 degree weather a year gets old real fast. Youre probably at work for 2/3 of them and even the nice days get cold when the sun goes down. And after 16 years i was more than ready for somewhere that has an actual summer….that said, id still take it every time over texas not even a hesitation.
I moved from Mumbai to SF and no bugs/mosquitoes is the primary reason on my QoL upgrades.