Moving to the Sacramento Area
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Moving to the Sacramento Area
April 2012
i've a few friends who've moved to Sac or have lived there &
some really like it. one in particular misses living in Sac
even though she is here in the EB. This really surprised me.
One friend in particular keeps telling me how great Sac is.
Anyway here is situation: we bought a house & were planning
to be in for about 5 years. we've one little girl who is
about 2 and are expecting another kid at the end of the
year. our home has no outdoor space and the near by parks
are terrible, all outings require driving. Plus the local
school is not great. Point is we have to move...but where?
my husband works from home most of the time or travels to
meetings, where i'm a SAHM. my question is anyone live in Sac with kids
have any info on what it is like there for the kids.
Activities, parks, SAHMs, schools. How liberal is it? are
there better neighborhoods then others for walkability and
liberalness? Overall culture out there. Anything else that
maybe helpful.
thanks so much
overwhelmed
Moved to the EB from Sacramento before we had children and
even though I miss Sacramento I would not move back there.
My husband and I have discussed moving back however after
speaking with friends who live there we found that their
school situation is just as bad as it is here! My best
friend lives in Davis and her experience has been great. The
public schools are awesome (there are several schools which
are Spanish Immersion and perform very very well). Davis is
very liberal, walkable, and friendly. It close enough to
Sacramento, Tahoe and San Francisco! If my husbands job was
not in San Francisco, I would move to Davis! Pulling for
Davis
Have you ever consider Benicia??? I grew up in Sacramento
actaully Elk Grove before all those houses were built.
Antioch reminds me of Elk Grove now. I am sure things have
changes since I left permanently in 1996 but Sacramento has
so many suburbs so there maybe a neighborhood that is
similar to Berkeley? I love the East Bay especially
Berkeley. We actaully have a daughter who goes to a school
in North Berkeley so I drive down everyday. Benicia is a
very sleepy town with a little bid of Santa Cruz feel to it.
If I need Berkeley or SF fix, we just drive down and can be
on the Bay Bridge in 20mins with no traffic. We are also
less than 20mins away from Napa. You may want to check it
out. If you have any question, you can email me as well.
Happy in Benicia
Jan 2011
We're planning to move to Sacramento for one year (July
2011/12) while my husband is in a fellowship at UC Davis
Medical Center. We've explored some of the neighborhoods
and like East Sac, Curtis Park, and parts of the
neighborhood near the hospital. Our daughter will be two
years old. I would love hear if BPN members have any
experience there and might make suggestions regarding the
following (or anything else):
neighborhoods to live in,
housing sources (besidesCraigslist - house exchange/sitting),
preschools/daycare,
playgroups,
activities for toddlers,
great playgrounds
Thank you!
Portia
There are amazing parks EVERYWHERE in Sacramento.
Seriously, when I visit my folks I am always blown away by
the huge parks at every turn. Parks that here would have
tons of kids all over it are relatively uncrowded because
there are just so many. Just for example, william land park
is double the size of frog park and also has a pond with
geese to feed. But seriously, wherever you are there will
be a neighborhood park within walking distance that is
pretty cool. Good luck with your move! Meredith
Hello, I grew up in Sacramento and my parents still live
there. As someone else posted, there are lots of parks, but
as a visitor with small children now, I actually found that
a hinderance. So many people have big backyards and
swimming pools, that parks aren't the central neighborhood
meeting places that they are in Berkeley. I grew up in a
suburban part (and had to drive everywhere), but some
friends who moved back live in the 40's and near UCD Medical
Center which has walkable neighborhoods. One fantastic kid
place I discovered- Art Beast
(http://www.artbeaststudio.com/) which is downtown. On the
other end of town, Sunflower Restaurant
(http://www.sunflowernaturalrestaurant.com/) is a funky,
veggie food shop. You can eat in the park next door and let
the kids run around. ALso for good salads, there is a
Pluto's both in Davis and in Arden Fair Mall (near the movie
theater). HOpe you enjoy Sacramento! Born and raised in
Sac
June 2010
My husband and I are finally realizing that in order to give
our son everything we want to, and to live in a house larger
than two bedrooms but not have to commute 1.5 hours each
way, we are going to have to leave the Bay Area. We love it
here - love the people, the food, the weather, all the great
things for kids. But we just can't afford it.
In looking around, we have started talking about the
Sacramento area. It seems to have some jobs in both of our
fields, the cost of living is obviously much more
manageable, and it would let us stay close to all of our
friends and family here. Does anyone have any thoughts on
what it is like to live up there? Are there good activities
for kids? Is it unbearably conservative (or hot)? (We moved
here from the South to avoid both of those issues). Is
there anywhere decent to eat or is Applebee's fine dining?
Any other areas we should check out? Thanks for any input
and advice! Broke Mom
I grew up in Sacramento and it's not at all bad. Great for
families -- tons of activities. The summers are hot, but
that can be nice, especially the warm evenings. There's
tremendous diversity, and not too conservative, especially
in the areas closer to midtown. Great neighborhoods are
land park, Curtis park, midtown. I live in Berkeley now and
love it, but I appreciate having grown up in Sacramento!
With 2 kids now, I miss being able to gonfor bike rides in
flat terrain. We enjoy visiting grandparents there now, and
going swimming and biking in the summer. Go for it! Jen
just about all my in-laws live in the sac valley area, so we
have to visit several times a year. yes, it's more
conservative and not as racially diverse - my half-white
niece was rejected by the local girl scout troop. it was
pretty obvious that race was the issue if you just looked.
but the family is not getting lynched, and my niece is
thriving in her school.
it's very suburban, but more shocking factor might be the
weather which can get extremely hot in the summer. and while
the area is not known for its cuisines, there are plenty of
good restaurants of various ethnic cuisines. depending on
the neighborhood, it is very, very kid-friendly - i think
folsom even has a really good high school, thanks to intel's
presence. carmichael is right next to sacto which has more
stuff, so that's another option.
it's a sprawling suburb, and i personally wouldn't live
there if it weren't for financial reasons. despite seeing
too many mccain/palin posters along the freeway as i drove
further east, there are many worse, more conservative places
in this country. besides, i'm sure you'll be able to find
like-minded people there - fewer than half of my in-laws are
conservatives.
- sacto visitor
I grew up in Sacramento and visit often because my parents
and sister live there. I think it's a great place to grow
up, for all the reason people move to suburbs: cheaper,
easier, bigger house, big yard. I think Sacramento proper is
extremely diverse (I think it was listed somewhere as most
diverse city); outlying suburbs like Folsom, El Dorado
Hills, etc are not diverse, but extremely kid friendly. My
sister lives in El Dorado Hills and my son loves visiting
because they have a gigantic yard and pool and long driveway
that he can ride his scooter down. There are tons of little
playgrounds and parks nearby too. My parents live in South
Sacramento, not far from downtown. I love Midtown and have
often considered moving there. It's very walkable, lots of
great Victorian and Craftsman houses, good coffee places,
clothing boutiques, decent & diverse restaurants. Close by
(and nicer, with gorgeous houses) are Land Park and East
Sacramento, specifically the 'Fabulous 40's.' I like
Sacramento's hot weather, too. Old Sacramento also has a
train museum that my son LOVES. I think it's a good choice;
you can also check out Davis. Good luck! Former Sacramentan
Hi-
Just wanted to point out some of the great things about
Sacramento. I noticed one commenter had pretty negative
things to say.
I love Sacramento. I lived there for many years and my
extended family is there now. We are a very multi-racial
family with asian, black and a few others thrown into the
mix and have never had any problems in Sac. Oddly enough the
only racism my family has experienced had been in SF.
My husband (Chinese) grew up with this image of Sac as a
'staunchly conservative town full of hicks' but he has since
realized how wrong that is. And yes, we actually met and
fell in love there. :)
I would move back in a second but my Oakland-raised hubby
can't deal with heat above 80 degrees. :) So, if you do move
consider air conditioning a must have.
Good luck!
Sactown ;)
April 2010
My husband's dream job has been offered to him - in downtown
Sacto (govt job.) Davis feels like a better value fit for
us, but I'm wondering about neighborhoods in Sacramento that
we should consider? kinda sad to leave Bay Area
You absolutely must check out East Sacramento. I grew up in
East Sac (in the 'fabulous '40's'), and it is everything I
could have ever wanted in a neighborhood. It's so beautiful
- all houses built in the 1930's with big trees. I so wish I
could move back. Have fun house shopping! Sarah
I lived in Sacto in the '90s (also govt job). I was single
then, but I really liked it. Real seasons, slower pace of
life, can bike everywhere, and I made very good liberal-
minded friends. Sacto has gotten even better since then,
good restaurants, more nightlife, art and theatre. I go
back regularly to see my friends. If I got a job there now,
I would probably choose Sacto over Davis. I don't know
about the school districts, but for neighborhoods I'd choose
Curtis Park, then maybe Land Park. These are close to
downtown and public transit. Davis has great schools, but
it is very homogeneous. Maybe I'm just a city gal. Sacto
Fan
If what you will miss about the Bay Area is the
old-fashioned housing stock, mature trees and walking to
coffee (and possibly work), then the City of Sacramento
neighborhoods of East Sacramento, Land Park and Curtis Park
should be your list. If you are used to the crime and
grunge of Oakland, then you can also include Oak Park and
Tahoe Park. Lovers of the Bay Area lifestyle should
probably not bother with West Sac or Natomas (although, if
you always wanted a brand-new house, those are the places.
However, Natomas is not as close to downtown as people lead
you to believe).
Davis has predominantly 1970's-80's ranch style houses, as
well as awesome parents, children, schools, and recreation.
And those are the center of most folk's universe. It has a
bit of an isolated island feel - but many people love the
island and commute to downtown Sac. If you are renting, know
that Davis houses tend to come up in cycles to coincide with
the school year (either June or August starts), but the
listings can come up several months prior.
Good luck - it's very much a personal choice.
Bay Area Bungalope
May 2009
Hi, we are moving this summer to Sacramento, and I was wondering if
there is something like parents list there? Also, what are fun things
to do with kids; baby,5,7 yrs old? What do you love about Sac. What do
you hate, other than the heat? Any advice for transition..This is the
first big move with kids. Thanks miss U all!
liza
I grew up in West Sacramento. Besides the heat, and dreary winter fog, Sacramento's
no worse than most urban areas. The Capitol and surrounding park are great. The
older part of Sacramento has lots of trees (shade is very welcome in summer!),
small restaurants, shops. Old Town, by the river, is a great tourist trap. The zoo,
and William Land Park, both near the river on the south side of town, are or were
good kid places. You're closer to Yosemite and Tahoe than in the Bay Area. And it's
not the cultural wasteland that I imagined it to be in the 60's!
Nils
My kids were both born in Sac'to -- I moved to the East Bay with them when they
were ages 7 and 5. Happy as I am to be here, Sacramento is a great town for
families with kids. Fun things: lots of great playgrounds, try the one in
McKinley Park (which is also right by a public library with a great kids section);
in Land Park there's the zoo, Fairytale Town (kind of like Fairyland in Oakland),
and something called ''Funderland'' which is a teeny amusement park with nothing
but kiddy rides. Lots of public pools; my kids took swim lessons through the parks
department.
In the summer, there are lots of family-friendly free outdoor music events in parks
around the city. These were very idyllic for me -- I could sit and listen with
food and drink and my kids would run around with other kids; sometimes we would
dance together.
Where I lived, in the River Park neighborhood (out by Sac State) the kids could go
out and play with other kids on the block, in and out of everyone's backyards. Of
course, there's also the usual array of organized kid activities: we did soccer,
gymnastics, and ballet (at various times). Oh, and we used to go to the state fair
every year.
Don't know of a list like this one, but there may be one by now. The preschool my
kids attended (Hand in Hand -- it's fantastic, ages 2-5) was a great resource for
meeting other parents and just generally getting help with parenting stuff.
Feel free to e-mail me if you'd like more info.
kathy
July 2005
My partner and I are transferring to Sacramento for work and are
looking at outlying areas to move. I've come across various
articles about NOA (Naturally Occurring Asbestos) that has
recently come to light in the Folsom/El Dorado Hills areas.
From my research thus far, the asbestos is natural to the area
and lies deep in the serpentine rock that makes up the
foothills. The rock itself isn't dangerous just the dust when
it is broken up during construction or used as gravel. The EPA
is raising red flags but can't give any comparison data or
prognosis. The locals and real estate professionals (of course)
don't seem to think it is an issue and can be easily mitigated
by dust management.
Does anyone have any feedback about NOA? Or input from
friends/family in the area?
Thank you.
Anon
I googled the topic and came up with some websites:
http://www.californialung.org/spotlight/noa_testimony.html
http://www.californialung.org/advocacy/asbestos_01fw.html
http://www.upstate.edu/pathenvi/studies/case6.htm
http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/emd/apcd/asbestos.html
which tend to indicate it's a known problem, but that the verdict
is out on how agencies and localities are going to deal with it.
It sounds like you may want to be picky about where you settle,
at the very least.
Here is a map:
http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/emd/apcd/NOA_map.html
Nils
Hi-
I am from Folsom, down the road so to speak from the area most in the ''hot zone'' for NOA. And I must say I would think twice about living up in El Dorado Hills at this point. Check the ''Sacramento Bee'' and their archives and you'll see study after study suggesting that even a day at the park or running the bases at a softball game will increase your chances of cancer. Personally, I have enough going on in my world now that I don't want to worry if going for a walk in the park is going to increase my risk. Sure there are things people do everyday that increase our risks of getting this or that, but why take the chance if you don't have to?
Check out this recent article highlighting UC Davis research:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050712225506.htm
And also the press release from UCD Med Center:
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/newsroom/releases/archives/cancer/2005/asbestos_cancer7-2005.htm
Good luck
left the foothills
January 2003
Hello -
We are considering relocating to Sacramento/El Dorado Hills
area, however, we know nothing about the area. We would
like to buy a house in a ''nice'' area with excellent schools
and lots of trees and outdoor activities.
Can anybody recommend cities or communities around Sacramento
that might fit the bill? Where are the good places to live up
there? Any other information on the area would also be
appreciated. We have two kids under the age of two.
thanks!
I lived and worked in the Sac area for many years. I love Sac
and would move back in a minute if I could.
Here are my four suggestions:
1. Arden Park Area - My sister and her family live there. It
is bounded by Arden Way, Watt, Fair Oaks, and Eastern Ave. The
public school there is very highly rated (MarieMont). There are
also excellent private schools nearby.
2. If you like a more urban environment try mid-town sac. It's
the area surrounding 21st and L street.
3. Another great area is the ''Fab 40's.'' This is around L and
the 40th to 50th area. Old cute houses and some old, big,
beautiful houses.
4. I would not recommend El Dorado Hills even tho the houses
are new and big, you are basically out in the middle of
nowhere. Driving into Sac in the morning from that area can
easily take an hour or more, because the traffic is horrible.
Also, in the midtown and fab 40's you are close to UC Davis Med
Center, which is a wonderful resource.
Hope this helps.
Julie
I've heard many good things about Elk Grove.
Tunisha
I've known and currently know several people who have or still
live in the Sacramento area. In their and my humble opinions,
Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn and Granite Bay are all nice.
They're all to the East of Sacramento, Auburn is even getting
into the foothills. My in-laws used to and a best friend's in-
laws currently live in Roseville and all agree it is one of the
better cities in the Sacramento area to live in. There even
happens to be some great new shopping opening up in Eastern
Roseville, near Rocklin. And when we were out there last, it
looked like there were some new homes being built in the area.
We've also considered moving to the Sacramento area, so I've
done a bit of research into where we'd like to live if we did.
The City of Roseville website is at
http://roseville.ca.us/
And Yahoo's Sacramento Metro info is at:
http://local.yahoo.com/?spid=9265633
I find a lot of good info from Yahoo Locals.
Hope this helps!
Jen
Oct 2005
I've just recently moved to Sacramento from the Bay. I am single
mom of a 9 year old boy and have found BPN invaluable!!! Does
anyone know of anything similar in Sacramento?
Letitia
I grew up in Sacramento, and still visit often. I just
discovered the Mothers Support Network. I don't know if they
have an email list, but they do have a newsletter, used
clothing store, music classes, playgroups, workshops, etc. Most
of the stuff appears to be for younger kids (as mine are), but
I bet they would know about stuff for parents and older kids.
The website is
http://www.motherssupportnetwork.org
Anita
July 2008
We have been presented with the opportunity to move to Roseville, CA,
north of Sacramento. Looking for info on neighborhoods, schools,
general feel of the area.
Thank you.
You don't say your children's ages, but there is an amazing,
fantastic preschool in Roseville directed by Bev Bos, a world
renowned early childhood educator. Check out the website:
http://www.rosevillecommunitypreschool.org/
If your children are preschool aged, you would be incredibly
lucky to have them go to school there!
June 2003
We are thinking of moving up to Roseville from the Bay Area as
my husbands ex has moved his son up there.
We don't have to move but I was wondering if there is anyone
who can say the good and bad things about it, as I know nothing
about the area, besides a nicer, bigger house, and it's very
hot, too hot??
I have a 5 month old baby and was wondering if there was
anything I could join up there to meet mums like me.
Paula
We will be relocating from Berkeley since have a house in
Roseville that will be completed in August. After quite a bit
of searching for affordable housing in a ''good'' area we decided
to settle there. At this time of year it is hot, over a 100
some days and in the winter the temps are cooler than the bay
area. What DH and I especially liked was that there was
a ''there there''. If you don't mind big box stores, they are all
in the area or will be built shortly. Many new homes and young
families are there too. NEC, HP and Oracle have campuses in
Rocklin/Roseville area and these companies have plans to expand
their campuses which means increase in jobs and population.
You may also want to check out the group sacramentomoms at
Yahoogroups. It's a list similar to this one but much smaller
in membership. I've been able to get recommendations about
preschools and things there. They might be able to answer more
questions you may have or you're welcome to email me.
cjc
I'm from Citrus Heights which is the town right next to
Roseville, CA. I am very familiar with Roseville and have seen
it grow immensely. I think it's a good move for a growing
family, very affordable and very family-oriented. They have an
excellent school district as well. I'm not sure of any parents
groups but you can contact me off loop and I will contact
friends of mine that are living there and are stay-at-home
moms.
lenamari
this page was last updated: Jul 17, 2012
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