Tucson, Arizona or other places in Arizona

Debp · Apr 15, 2026

@Bob I see you are from Tucson. Can you give some input about living there? Is it a nice environment, etc? I think it is a smaller city than Phoenix which is quite spread out.

I used to have family in Phoenix. I think if they would have lived in Tucson, maybe I would have tried living there. One time when visiting my uncle and Grandma in Phoenix, we visited Colossal Caverns which is near Tucson. It was amazing how large and cool the caverns were inside.

On another occasion we took a trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. The Native Americans had spread their blankets out with their handmade jewelry displayed. A big thunderstorm suddenly came up. They gathered their wares and left, and so did we.

As we were driving away, I watched as huge lightning bolts struck deep down into the canyon. It was amazing to see. And the rain pelted down. We found a small Spanish style motel covered with red Bougainvillea where we ate dinner. In the gift shop I bought a silver and red coral cross made by the Native Americans which I still have.

We also visited lovely Oak Creek Canyon with it's red rocks...and the Cathedral built into the rocks. @Riven

Pathfinder789 · Apr 15, 2026

Grand Canyon
---
Awesome/Spectacular view..
- I visited..years ago

Bob · Apr 15, 2026

Debp said:
@Bob I see you are from Tucson. Can you give some input about living there? Is it a nice environment, etc? I think it is a smaller city than Phoenix which is quite spread out.

I used to have family in Phoenix. I think if they would have lived in Tucson, maybe I would have tried living there. One time when visiting my uncle and Grandma in Phoenix, we visited Colossal Caverns which is near Tucson. It was amazing how large and cool the caverns were inside.

On another occasion we took a trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. The Native Americans had spread their blankets out with their handmade jewelry displayed. A big thunderstorm suddenly came up. They gathered their wares and left, and so did we.

As we were driving away, I watched as huge lightning bolts struck deep down into the canyon. It was amazing to see. And the rain pelted down. We found a small Spanish style motel covered with red Bougainvillea where we ate dinner. In the gift shop I bought a silver and red coral cross made by the Native Americans which I still have.

We also visited lovely Oak Creek Canyon with it's red rocks...and the Cathedral built into the rocks. @Riven

Thanks for the question.

As with any sprawling metropolis, Tucson has good points and not-so-good points. In no particular order:

* slightly cooler than Phoenix, but with many micro-climates, depending on how close you are to the mountains
* reasonable cost of living compared with CA, CO, NJ, NY.
* many churches to choose from. (The Methodists are too liberal for me, but they are still a caring community.)
* north side less congested and much lower crime; south side resembles other “lawless” cities
* liberal city and county politics, so taxes going up, virtue signaling going up, too much homelessness, drugs, etc.
* many scenic attractions as you know. Great hiking.
* average health-care professionals

I grew up here, left at 21, returned in 2005 (retired).

If you have any specific concerns, I will do my best to give a balanced perspective.

Peace be with you.

Pierac · Apr 15, 2026

Stay away from Arizona.... It's a dying State! (Not from an economic point of view... That view has many many years ahead)! This is from someone whom has lived here for over 30 years! The desert is slowly dying... Plant life withering in the sun. (Lack of rain)! So different from 30 years ago… with so many desert flowers, life… etc…. All going away… with now Brown Mountains that years ago showed the colors of life…! Phoenix and Tucson are the Frog…. In a pot of water on a stove and the fire has been lit! And they know it not! This is not about something being good or bad... but change that's not going back!

Bob · Apr 15, 2026

Pierac said:
Stay away from Arizona.... It's a dying State! (Not from an economic point of view... That view has many many years ahead)! This is from someone whom has lived here for over 30 years! The desert is slowly dying... Plant life withering in the sun. (Lack of rain)! So different from 30 years ago… with so many desert flowers, life… etc…. All going away… with now Brown Mountains that years ago showed the colors of life…! Phoenix and Tucson are the Frog…. In a pot of water on a stove and the fire has been lit! And they know it not! This is not about something being good or bad... but change that's not going back!

Thanks for the pertinent comments.

It is not quite accurate to say the desert is slowly dying, at least not around Tucson. The non-native species are definitely going away without a lot of help, but in the Catalina Foothills, our native floral species are Ok: just the right amounts of rain at the right times. Unsure about fauna counts, but there have been a number of shifts in the most prevalent species in the last 20 years or so.

Would be glad to hear specifics about the Phoenix area.

Note: historically, the Hohokam flourished between ~450 and ~1450 AD. The reasons for their dramatic downturn are given as combinations of drought, flood, and warfare! In any event, Earth’s climate definitely changes over time, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly.

Debp · Apr 15, 2026

Bob said:
Thanks for the question.

As with any sprawling metropolis, Tucson has good points and not-so-good points. In no particular order:

* slightly cooler than Phoenix, but with many micro-climates, depending on how close you are to the mountains
* reasonable cost of living compared with CA, CO, NJ, NY.
* many churches to choose from. (The Methodists are too liberal for me, but they are still a caring community.)
* north side less congested and much lower crime; south side resembles other “lawless” cities
* liberal city and county politics, so taxes going up, virtue signaling going up, too much homelessness, drugs, etc.
* many scenic attractions as you know. Great hiking.
* average health-care professionals

I grew up here, left at 21, returned in 2005 (retired).

If you have any specific concerns, I will do my best to give a balanced perspective.

Peace be with you.

Thanks for the detailed information. I was actually asking more for another member. @Riven

I have a cousin who lives in the White Mountains...Show Low. And one second cousin still in the Phoenix area. I don't hear from them...they are much younger. Everyone else that lived in Arizona has died.

Pierac said:
Stay away from Arizona.... It's a dying State! (Not from an economic point of view... That view has many many years ahead)! This is from someone whom has lived here for over 30 years! The desert is slowly dying... Plant life withering in the sun. (Lack of rain)! So different from 30 years ago… with so many desert flowers, life… etc…. All going away… with now Brown Mountains that years ago showed the colors of life…! Phoenix and Tucson are the Frog…. In a pot of water on a stove and the fire has been lit! And they know it not! This is not about something being good or bad... but change that's not going back!

I do remember that the desert would get monsoon rains. I think when our brief rains come in Southern California, they then move on to Arizona.

I remember visiting the botanical gardens in Phoenix...so many different types of cactus. And Scottsdale was a favorite place to visit with it's old West raised sidewalks, many lovely Western sculptures, gift shops and restaurants.

Also visited the Heard Museum with Western and Native American artifacts, Western paintings.

Some of the sculptures in Scottsdale...there are many.

Debp · Apr 15, 2026

Bob said:
It is not quite accurate to say the desert is slowly dying, at least not around Tucson. The non-native species are definitely going away without a lot of help, but in the Catalina Foothills, our native floral species are Ok: just the right amounts of rain at the right times. Unsure about fauna counts, but there have been a number of shifts in the most prevalent species in the last 20 years or so.

Glad to hear things are still thriving around Tucson.

The cactus blossoms are so pretty...all different types of flowers and colors.

Lambano · Apr 15, 2026

Debp said:
I see you are from Tucson. Can you give some input about living there?

Looking to get out of LA?

Lambano · Apr 15, 2026

* US 93 somewhere between Kingman, Arizona and the Hoover Dam. Some of the most desolate country I've ever seen in my life.

Debp · Apr 16, 2026

Lambano said:
Looking to get out of LA?

No I was asking for another member.

The only way I will leave Los Angeles is if they tear my building down. Because the rents in other apartment buildings here are astronomically high. I couldn't afford them.

As it is, my rent is also high...but much cheaper than the others because I have been in this apartment for a long time. It's under rent control as an older building so they are only allowed to raise the rent about three percent each year.

Lambano said:
View attachment 82931 View attachment 82932
* US 93 somewhere between Kingman, Arizona and the Hoover Dam. Some of the most desolate country I've ever seen in my life.

One time long ago my mom and I took the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles to Phoenix so we could see the cactus blooming. But I think we were a bit late...the only ones in bloom were the spindly ones with red flowers. @Riven

Bob · Apr 16, 2026

Debp said:
No I was asking for another member.

The only way I will leave Los Angeles is if they tear my building down. Because the rents in other apartment buildings here are astronomically high. I couldn't afford them.

As it is, my rent is also high...but much cheaper than the others because I have been in this apartment for a long time. It's under rent control as an older building so they are only allowed to raise the rent about three percent each year.

One time long ago my mom and I took the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles to Phoenix so we could see the cactus blooming. But I think we were a bit late...the only ones in bloom were the spindly ones with red flowers. @Riven
View attachment 82934

We love our native ocotillo (“oh-ok-tee-yo”)!

Fouquieria splendens, commonly known as ocotillo, is more closely related to the tea plant and blueberries than to cactuses.

Blessings.

Pierac · Apr 16, 2026

I said it was dying... not dead! I love to hike.... In years past these pictures would be full of wild flowers this time of year... Blue, Yellow, Red, Purple... Now... much much less... Still beautiful, but not the same!

Debp · Apr 16, 2026

Pierac said:
I said it was dying... not dead! I love to hike.... In years past these pictures would be full of wild flowers this time of year... Blue, Yellow, Red, Purple... Now... much much less... Still beautiful, but not the same!

Nice photos. I do love seeing cactus flowers...so many colors and types.

What do you and @Bob think of Nevada? Just getting some input for another member. I've never been there.

Bob · Apr 17, 2026

Debp said:
Nice photos. I do love seeing cactus flowers...so many colors and types.

What do you and @Bob think of Nevada? Just getting some input for another member. I've never been there.

Thanks! Unfortunately, I know nothing about living in Nevada. Best wishes to your friend.

Lambano · Apr 17, 2026

Debp said:
Nice photos. I do love seeing cactus flowers...so many colors and types.

What do you and @Bob think of Nevada? Just getting some input for another member. I've never been there.

I've been to Lake Tahoe; that's pretty. Also Las Vegas. Meh.

Nevada has no state income tax, which is nice.

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Tucson, Arizona or other places in Arizona

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