My Family Is Moving to Arizona!
My family is moving to Arizona in a few days. We had planned to go for months. And then we couldn’t go. Now, suddenly we are packing our bags. I’ve been suffering from migraine headaches and what I assume are near panic attacks due to all of the stress of preparing for the move and my worries over whether we’re making the right choice. But I’m glad we’re going. I’m ready for a change and a new adventure. If you’re wondering, “Should I move to Arizona?” Then this story might help you decide if life in Arizona is right for you.
Over 14 years ago I moved to San Diego with my then-fiancé and now husband of many years. We had start-up company dreams and beach wishes. With me entering business school full-time, his lower wage, and the difference in cost of living, we took a 70 percent cut in pay to plow our way out of the snow of Minnesota and into the shores of Southern California.
We’ve clung to the California dream for years. We almost moved away once before, to Silicon Valley or back to Minnesota, whichever job made the offer first. Then my husband’s miracle job swooped in to save us. I couldn’t picture starting my family outside shore-lined San Diego. I had envisioned a beach baby who would giggle at the delight of the ocean at her toes. A few years later, I got her. And then I got my little sand digger boy three years after that.
But here’s the thing. We rarely go to the ocean. Ocean waves in San Diego are too big. The water is too cold. Eventually, the dream job became a nightmare when the economy crashed into a frothy mess. My husband works in the mortgage industry. They’re the first to feel the pain and the last to see relief.
Last year when my family began considering a move, we talked about Portland, Costa Rica, Minnesota, and, yes, Arizona. I lived in the Phoenix area from age 8 to 22, besides one year in Montpellier, France during college.
I swore I’d never go back to hands burnt on a blazing steering wheel and blow drier air blasting from open summer car windows. One day I marched into my husband’s home office and announced, “I can’t live in Arizona. We have to take it off the table.”
But then things changed with his job. We were doing well, making good money, actually SAVING money for the first time in years. Then his company switched sails. They priced themselves out of the market on purpose, afraid of upcoming financial changes.
Suddenly we were bobbing in the sea without a motor. We needed to swim to shore…somewhere where housing is more affordable. Somewhere we could breathe again without swallowing salt water.
Again, I marched, “We need to move to Arizona. It’s the only thing that makes sense.” And it did. My husband could keep his sales territory and commission. We would have more money to spend and save. My parents live in Arizona. So do my brother and his two kids. The Mexican food in Arizona is as good as what you’ll find in Mexico if you ask me. Plus, there’s so much more to do in Phoenix now than when I was growing up. Besides, we’d have a backyard swimming pool. We decided to dive in.
We put our dream house up for sale. For months we prepared our children to leave the only home they’d ever known. Then we hit a reef — no more Arizona. We needed to stay put due to a job change for my husband. With Travel Mamas, I can live anywhere. Him? Not so much. Suddenly, we wanted Arizona ever so much.
For months we searched for an affordable rental home that met our expectations in San Diego, with no luck. And then…a break in the waves. My husband’s new company said we were free to venture to sunnier and more cactus-filled pastures. This was just a couple of weeks ago.
Still, I can’t help but feel it’s not the desert for which we are destined. It’s like we were stuck in the dream of San Diego and Scottsdale is our first step to getting unstuck. Today I told my husband that I see Arizona as a stepping stone and that I cannot picture living the rest of my life in the desert.
I was surprised when he said, “Me neither. I can’t believe I’m moving to Arizona. But it makes sense. We want to live near family. It’s more affordable. This is what we’re doing.”
I asked our two kids, “If it were up to you, and it isn’t, would you rather stay in San Diego or move to Arizona?”
They both answered right away, “Arizona!”
I was shocked. “Why?” I asked.
“Family!” they said.
So off we go to Arizona.
When I close my eyes, I envision rain, green, wet, and trees. That’s where I think I belong. But off we go to the desert.
Off we go on a new, drier adventure. I look forward to sharing our journey with you…cactus thorns, swimming pools, and all!
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An Update: Where Are We Now?
Want to know more about our move to Arizona and how we settled in? Take a look at this story about adjusting to life in Arizona!
Learn More About Life in Arizona
Discover the best things to do in our hometown of Scottsdale with kids.
For cooler weather and small-town vibes, take a look at this array of things to do in Prescott.
Explore Northern Arizona’s biggest city with this guide to Flagstaff.
Read about Arizona’s #1 tourist attraction with these tips for visiting the Grand Canyon.
Are you considering moving to Arizona, too? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
I was so happy to find this post…even though it is a bit dated 🙂
I’m a single parent in FL of two kids, ages 10 and 12. I’m looking at next step job opportunities and I got a call from a very attractive company in Scottsdale. I’m getting ready to have my third interview and probably have a couple more after that but they will want the person on site within 60 days of hire.
I spent summers in AZ as a kid and have made a couple trips as an adult…never been to Scottsdale though. Any tips you have on best places to look to live, advanced schools (both of my kids are gifted AP) would be great!
Also any tips for active families; best things to check out like the arts, museums, parks, etc. I’ll need plenty to help get the kids excited if this works out 🙂
The Musical Instrument Museum is quite impressive for kids and adults alike: https://travelmamas.com/musical-instrument-museum-tour-the-world-through-music/. Your kids are getting a little old for the McCorkmick-Stillman Railroad Park, with its ride-on train, carousel and two super fun playgrounds, but my kids (ages 9 and 12) still like to visit a few times each year. Odyssey Aquarium recently opened near Butterfly Wonderland. There are all sorts of fun things to do in the same complex, like a mirror maze, arcade and polar bar (where you don puffy coats and sip drinks for adults and kids) in a room made of ice. The Arizona Museum of Natural History features gold-panning, animatronic dinosaurs on a cliff that “floods” with rushing water every 23 minutes, and more for families. Glow Putt offers indoor glow-in-the-dark mini golf – a great way to get out of the heat in summer. There are lots of water parks and arcades in Arizona, too. I really should write a round-up of fun things to do in Scottsdale and Phoenix with kids! Here are more stories about things to do in Arizona: https://travelmamas.com/destinations/#Arizona
Hi Stephanie – Check out Zillow’s school reviews: https://www.zillow.com/chandler-az/schools/ I’ve heard good things about Scottsdale Preparatory Academy: http://scottsdaleprep.greatheartsacademies.org/ It’s a charter school but most of Scottsdale’s public schools are quite good as well. They offer a gifted program for advanced students.
Also any advice on healthcare out there and it is true that car insurance more pricey out there ?
Hi Cheryl – Health insurance is typically offered through your employer and plans vary depending on how much your company covers, etc. As for car insurance, I honestly don’t remember there being a big change one way or the other when we moved here. Pretty much everything is less expensive in Arizona than in San Diego. (The only exception is Pilates, which is very expensive in Scottsdale for some reason!)
Hi Colleen, I’m having all sorts of scare I hear so many good things and bad about Arizona my in laws just moved out there and me and my husband want to move out there we live in California as well but I’ve lived here pretty much all my life but it’s becoming so expensive for us and we’ll Arizona housing seems like a great option for us but I’m just scared for my kids schooling I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old and a baby I know I’ve seen that housing is cheaper but then the utilities can rank up almost making it same living as California I’ve been trying to do my research I visited for the first time and I loved it I’m just scared that it won’t be a great option in the end. I just want to be in a safe place and where ppl aren’t so mean because Im scared my daughter getting bullied by kids out there I had to move her schools out here because the school had so many mean kids I’m just scared to move from what I’m used to I guess and being in a new state and not making the right choice but my husband is all for it any advice what to do I feel like I’m in a tug or war with myself. Thank u!
Hi Cheryl – Our utility bills actually went DOWN when we moved from San Diego to Scottsdale. Of course, our house is 1,500-square-feet smaller than our San Diego house, which plays a role. But mostly, the utility companies just charge less here. We had to run our air conditioner in San Diego because we had terrible air flow and didn’t live close enough to the beach to get any ocean breezes. My best advice would be to buy a new, efficient air conditioner. My brother lives here and recently replaced his old a/c unit, and has seen a significant decrease in his monthly bills. I do feel like the kids in Scottsdale are a little bit tougher than the kids were in San Diego, but that depends quite a bit on your neighborhood and school. My kids had a bit of a tough time adjusting to their new schools when we first moved here, but now they both have tons of friends and are very happy. Moving to a different state is a difficult decision, but really the worry over making the decision is worse than the actual move, in my opinion. I’d go for it! You may regret never taking a chance and going for it. If you don’t like it, you can always move back but at least you’ll know!
I know this was a post from years ago but we’re from Orange County, CA and preparing to move to Scottsdale and I’m just nervous where I really want to focus my efforts of zip codes, neighborhoods, etc that are best for our growing family. Any suggestions from you would be lovely as I’m so nervous since I don’t know the areas! We’ve looked at scottsdale ranch area, Grayhawk and the in-between areas between those 2 but I don’t feel I got a large enough tour of great housing neighborhoods. Any insight for me by chance??
Hi Kaylin,
A lot depends on how much you want to spend, of course. Anything is North Scottsdale is great, with lots of good schools in the area. I love Grayhawk and had considered moving there – it’s more green that most of Scottsdale with plenty of Palo Verde trees and new houses. McDowell Mountain Ranch is right near the McDowell Mountains and offers a community center and pools plus lots of hiking trails. Scottsdale Ranch is lovely with manmade lakes throughout the community. If you want a really large lot (acre+), check out 85260 zipcode.
I hope that helps!
Best wishes with the move,
Colleen
Hello
My husband, two kids and I are moving to Chandler mid August. I was born and raised in Sonora Mexico but married and moved to Massachusetts.
After 17 years I decided to be closer to home and family.
I am still nervous with the move. I just want my kids to be happy.
I am still researching Hancock Elementary in Chandler. My kids are 6 and 8 years old. Do you know anything about Chandler school system?
I am stressed out that my kids will start school a month later but due to work schedule we are not able to move sooner.
Any advice will help.
Thanks!!
Ana
Hi Ana – I don’t know much about the Chandler school system. This map from Zillow should be helpful: https://www.zillow.com/chandler-az/schools/ Best wishes with your move!
“As well rounded”… geez I’m sorry????
Hey there, my family of 6 is debating a move to The metro area of Phoenix from Denver. We worry about the scorpions and deadly wildlife there. Yes each state has things that can kill you, but Arizona is full of them. What areas do you suggest to see less of these things in your home? It has gotten so expensive in Colorado (rental $1500 plus more a month), to buy is dang near impossible and financially, change is needed. We are tired of working to live with no room for much play. We have a disabled child who receives Medicaid due to his disability. However, Arizona isn’t ass well rounded with “giving ” to programs for disabled there in Arizona. I can’t help but to be worried about it, but the other side of me doesn’t want to hold our family back with the mundane life we have here in Colorado. Any advice?
Heather –
I can understand your interest in moving to Arizona as well as your worries.
I do not have a disabled child but I can tell you that Arizona has been a predominately Republican state for many years, where the focus has been on helping businesses rather than on helping individuals or families with special needs. That seems to be changing, though, and now Arizona is a decidedly purple state.
When it comes to scary things that can kill you, I really don’t think Arizona is any scarier than the rest. I lived in Minnesota for years and had to run to the basement (if I had one…living in an apartment, I didn’t) for cover. That was terrifying. In Southern California, we had a couple of tsunami warnings and we had to pack up and flee forest fires a few times. We had a ton of brown recluse spiders (and zillions of eggs!) in our tiny San Diego backyard. Yes, we have scorpions here, but we get sprayed monthly for them. There are also rattlesnakes, but we had those in San Diego, too.
If you want to avoid the dangers of the desert, get yourself a good exterminator, close your garage door to not let rattlesnakes in during warmer months, and stay off desert trails during spring and fall when the rattlesnakes are about. (They hibernate in winter and don’t go out during high heat or they’d shrivel up and die.) I stick to paved paths during these months. Shake out your shoes and any clothing on the floor before putting them on to get rid of scorpions. Always wear shoes or slippers in the house – most people who get stung by scorpions get stung on their feet.
You will encounter more desert life like scorpions, rattlesnakes, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions if you live in more wild areas just as you’ll experience more tick and bears in forests than in cities. Living near the mountains increases wildlife encounters too. This also means more viewings of roadrunners, Gambel’s quail, hummingbirds, ground squirrels, and rabbits. You take the good with the bad.
Good luck in making your decision. I say, go for it!
Heather-
My family is considering moving to Arizona and I have a special needs son. I’m curious about your experience with moving and any challenges with getting Medicaid and services for you special needs child.
Julie
I am born and lived in san diego for a long time, until we had to move when the economy hit to corpus Christie tx we were there for 8 years I would never in my life would do that again I hated the 8 years we live there, after our kids graduated high school they we agreed to move back to san diego 2.5 years ago we rent a small townhouse for $2700 its so hard to save money to buy a house. what I miss the most in TX was my big house and I could afford to take long vacation with my family, now that we in san diego we haven’t taken a vacation. since both of our family live in san diego, we thought moving to Arizona it close enough to go back and forth, the cost of living and housing is very low. I’m not much of a beach bum or a suffer I don’t go to the beach or tan, but I do love a good food and yes I will miss los angles only because they have everything and its only 2 hours away with traffic.
I work in the healthcare but I work at home so I can move to any state. my husband work there are only a few state we can move to. Arizona was the only one I would consider right now vs Utah, Colorado, Nevada and Texas. but his company is in phoenix, everyone I know say’s to look in scottdale or prescot erea. how far are this area to phoenix? I’ve never visited Arizona in my life the only thing we ever did was when we 1st moved to TX we drove through AZ in December it had snow.
I haven’t been to Prescott in years but I remember it as a really sweet mountain town. It has cooler weather than Scottsdale but is much less cosmopolitan and much further from a real airport. Scottsdale is probably the most expensive area in all of Arizona (with Sedona being the exception, maybe). We never get snow in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area but the more northern areas like Prescott, Sedona, and Flagstaff do. According to Mapquest, Prescott is about a 2-hour drive from Scottsdale. Scottsdale is full of restaurants, spas, resorts and shopping. It really depends on if you want a small town/mountain life or a cosmopolitan/desert life. Good luck with your decision!
I am going thru this right now!! Moving from LA to Arizona, I think Scottsdale. My boy is 5 and we need to get him into an elementary school to start kindergarten. Any advice or recommendations please.
We are feeling very scared!! Any advice is heatedly appreciated
Sally – Don’t be scared! Truly, worrying about the move is worse than the actual move. Rip off that band-aid and embrace your new life in Arizona. There will be an adjustment period, of course, but you all will get settled in and figure out how to enjoy life in the desert just like my family has. Cave Creek, Fountain Hills and Scottsdale all have good school districts with the schools in the city of Phoenix getting lower ratings. Take a look at Zillow for additional information about schools in the Phoenix Area: https://www.zillow.com/phoenix-az/schools/
Hi Colleen,
My wife and I had talked for several years about retiring in AZ. She is not working due to illness and I still have a good 5-6 years before I hit 62. We live in the Carlsbad area of San Diego. Here’s the thing-the company that I work for has opened an office in Tempe and I have gone out there a few times and love it. The Dry heat feels very good to me. And yes, I was out there a couple of weeks ago when the temps got up to 111. That still felt good to me, although I was warned that after a few weeks it can wear on you. I actually feel cold most of the time living right on the coast. What would you say, other than the heat, is the biggest adjustment you had to make when you moved? I think I will miss looking at the ocean, but I don’t surf any longer and really don’t go to the beach other than for a once aa month Sunday morning run. We are nervous and excited at the same time for this big move.
The heat, for sure, has been the biggest adjustment. I don’t miss the ocean as much as I thought I would and I actually spend much more time in nature in Arizona than I did in California. This is because there are so many incredible running and hiking trails throughout the Valley. If you like to see lots of green leafy trees, the desert landscape can be a bit of adjustment. And it’s dry. Like super crazy dry. Hence, my recommendation to get a Venta humidifier. My daughter was getting a lot of nose bleeds when we first moved here but running humidifiers (especially at night!) has been helpful. I can’t sleep here without one! Also, we find about 6 scorpions in our house each year – which does freak me out – but we hired a monthly pest control service to come spray and we’ve seen less because of it. Of course, we had tons of brown recluse spiders in our San Diego yard so it’s a trade off. We have all sorts of crazy critters out here – rattlesnakes (but those are in SoCal too), bobcats (I’ve seen 6 or so), and we even had a mountain lion spotted in our neighborhood once. The closer you are to mountains/open desert, the more likely you are to see desert wildlife. Some of it’s fun to see, of course, like road runners and Gambel’s quail! Good luck in making your decision!
Soon,
Here goes, single dad of a 14 year old boy coming off a 10 year long term relationship living in Redding, CA. Time for a major change. I want to move before my son starts high school which is roughly 3 months. I am a self employed entrepreneur but not wanting to continue my current business, something different. I am currently selling assets, including my business and planning the move. Have never been to Scottsdale but many areas around it, everything I research about it sounds like just what I’m looking for, active lifestyle, high standards, lots of nice weather.
What could go wrong?
Jeff- Best wishes on this next chapter for you and your son! I hope you love Scottsdale!
Hello!
Thank you for sharing your story!
We plan to move to Scottsdale due to work this summer after living in Los Angeles for most of our lives. First, we were uncertain but after visiting in May, it was wonderful! The lifestyle was easier…Yes, we understand the desert heat we need to endure but we welcome the adventure. The restaurants, the culture, shopping, the desert pulse..all very good! More importantly, the schools are rated high in the national rankings and the cost of living is amazingly less!
We consider this move a “reboot”!
Congratulations on your decision to move to Scottsdale, Mary! We have not regretted our decision to move here for one minute…even when the temps soared to 117 last week! Arizona was just the reboot our family needed and I hope this will be a great reboot for your family too!
Colleen- I am so relieved that I have found this post. I am moving to Pheonix area at the end of this summer with my husband and 2 kids (6 and 10). We currently live in Silicon Valley area. I find California living rough for Many of the same reasons you did. We are originally from Florida but also lived in SE Asia for 3 years. I like some guidance if possible. I am nervous because in our last move I didn’t select our new area well. The elementary schools are super competitive as well as the parents. Every minute of after school is highly scheduled so there are no kids in the neighborhood out playing, no one riding bikes, few kids at the playground hard to work in play dates. I have a good budget to spend on housing. What areas have good schools and will have lots of kids. My husbands job is near the airport
Hi JJ – I live in Scottsdale so I can’t speak about Phoenix other Phoenix with much knowledge. I would suggest choosing neighborhoods very near to your children’s schools. We live very close to my kids’ school and there are tons of kids in our neighborhood. Arizona is an open choice state, meaning that kids can choose to go to whichever public school they choose and they don’t necessarily need to go to the one closest to their homes. Most do, however. Best of luck with your move!
Hi Colleen, I hope you and the family have settled in by now and having a blast! My family and I are relocating to Chandler, AZ this June. We are all excited but nervous at the same time. We came to visit April 2015 and loved it so much, the people is so much different from here in Michigan, and of course the weather!! I know April is before the true heat hit in AZ but we did enjoy the 95 degrees without the humidity. I hear so many wonderful things about the state, until I start to use Google and most people have a lot of negative things to say. I am not running away from issues, as any place have their own set of issues, but we just need a change all the way around. The location I really see myself and family one day is the islands……not sure which one yet but that is where I’m heading. However, for now, we are hoping to come and find wonderful things there in the valley. I have two children 7 year old boy and 15 year old girl and the both of them are so excited. They are really great kids and I hope they find a lot of friends. We are a black family that love all good people, we don’t see color, but I know some do and I’ve heard some places in AZ are racist. Honestly, that is the least of my worries, because that can be found any place. I hear the jobs there are in abundance. My husband is in Quality control and I work in the IT field. We have no family there, which is not necessarily a bad thing lol. My mother is moving with us, therefore, the kids will at least have their grandmother. So since you have returned, how are things? I so can’t wait to have sun most of the year!! I really need that for my own personal health. Is there a lot of fun things to do for couples, as my husband and I will have to meet all new friends. How are the spa’s there ins Scottsdale? That is another thing I am looking forward to. If you can give a newbie any information that will help this transition go smoothly I would greatly appreciate it. Maybe we can meet one day! That would be awesome
Hi Tiffany – Congratulations on your decision to move to the Valley of Sun! We are the sunniest state in the Union, so if sunshine is what you seek, you will not be disappointed! The summer does tend to drag on much longer than I’d like and temps can get up to 116+ degrees F! Hopefully you will have a pool or can find a local community pool to cool off. I am not a person of color so I have not seen or experienced much racism here. There are not many African American students at my kids’ school but there are a few and there is diversity in their classrooms with children of all different races and backgrounds studying and playing together – not in cliques divided along racial lines. I am sure your kids will make lots of friends, especially if they pursue activities like sports, theatre, music, church, etc. My husband have made a few “couple friends” but we find that we usually are the ones who need to invite people to do things. I think Arizonans, to generalize, tend to be very friendly on the surface but difficult to develop deep friendships with. There are TONS of restaurants and spas in Scottsdale and Phoenix (I can’t speak for Chandler). You will have lots of fun discovering those! There tend to be a lot of transplants living in the area so my suggestion is to go to any of the school orientation activities and try to make friends with other newbies. In addition to your kids pursuing their hobbies, you might want to consider signing up for classes at a gym or art studio, going to a church (or other religious center), and getting involved in volunteering at the school. I hope that helps! Give me a shout-out once you arrive and maybe we can meet for coffee!
Currently in So Cal as well and we are thinking of moving to the Flagstaff (outskirts) next summer. My kids 7 & 9 are currently in a Charter School that is partially a homeschool program. Do you know of any programs similar to this? We are a young outdoors family that is eager for some real seasons… Any thoughts or advice? My son is huge into riding motorcycles and my daughter rides horses. I am really into health and fitness and am a vegetarian. I’m slightly worried I’m too so cal, minus the fake persona and fake tan!!!!!Im so scared we will get somewhere and feel like black sheep!!!!!
Christine – Why are you afraid you’ll feel like black sheep in AZ? There are a lot of transplants here, which makes making new friends pretty easy. Flagstaff is sort of known for being home to a lot of laidback, outdoorsy hippies so I’m sure as a vegetarian, you’ll fit right in! Hiking and outdoor activities abound in and around Flagstaff as well. I think you will love it!
Thank you for this story, I found when searching, ‘Moving to Arizona help with kids’. It’s been refreshing to hear others have been in similar situations, as my family is taking another big leap by moving to Phoenix area from Wisconsin. I am visiting this weekend, to help find a rental for my husband, schools to fit each of my 3 kids’ needs, & a possible home for when we all relocate over Xmas. It’s quite overwhelming, as you well know. I look forward to seeing how you all fair, & see if the experience of others enlightens me. & gives hope to my reluctant children. Moving with teens can’t be THAT difficult, right?! 😉
Valerie – It might be a bit tough at first, but your family will settle into a new routine and life in AZ. Best wishes!
We are moving to Arizona in the beginning of the next year and my kids consider it as the next great adventure. I hope the adventurous spirit to defeat worry, because moving is always a big change for the children, no matter what their age is( they’re now 6 and 11). We’ve moved two times before – the first was with our daughter, and the second time her little brother was born, when we moved to Kansas. We’ve always tried to turn our moving to a game and adventure for the kids, but sometimes there are problems we just can not escape.
Best wishes to you with your move to AZ, Janet! My kids have settled in here now and I find myself wishing we’d made the move years earlier!
Janet,
It’s neat how we are facing this ‘great adventure’ at the same time. Sending positive thoughts your way, & hoping we are all able to transition smoothly. Kindest regards, Valerie.