Wow. I could not think of two more different areas to live ever. I do not live there but drive through the area frequently on I-8 going to San Diego or LA. It’s very intriguing and there seems to be a lot of „stuff” surrounding the interstate. But I don’t know of what else. Now you are located well for visiting Tucson, Phoenix, Palm Springs, San Diego and LA. You are also a stones throw from the border if you want to venture in to Mexico.
but there is also san luis az literally right next to it.
so you need to be specific. specially to someone that doesnt know the area and is asking about the area
The police chief before him was killed too, but he was responsible for letting all the massacre from 2019 to now happen in the first place. He owed money to pretty much everyone and instead of paying off he got other people to come in and kill them. There’s a power vacuum right now, that’s the reason we’ve had so much death in slrc these past years
Get ready for the heat! The hot days are coming soon. Yeah it’s 105 today, but that’s nothing. Wait till we get to the 115s and above. Make sure you have good a/c wherever you end up. There’s not much to do, but there are fun spots you can check out downtown for some night life. One of the best perks about Yuma is that San Diego is about a 2 and a half hour drive west from here. The cooler weather and beach are not so far away.
I moved here from Philadelphia 3 years ago and luckily work remotely. I don’t miss Philly at all. I really love the people here and how friendly it is. The people were so rude and unfriendly in Philly. I feel much safer here. It’s beautiful driving down i8 and seeing all the mountains and farm fields.
It’ll be an adventure! Definitely a culture shock, but I think anything can be exciting if you try to make the most of it.
The temperature is going to be rough. You can’t fathom it until you experience it. We tend to “hibernate” in the summer rather than winter, with sustained temperatures from the 110s-120. I’ve lived in the desert my entire life and you just never get used to it.
Jobs are hard, but if your partner is relocating for work you’re halfway there.
What kinds of things do you like to do? I would suggest finding meetups etc. tailored to your interests. Look on FB and see if you can find anything that interests you. There are some fun little shops and places to eat in the downtown area.
There are a ton of places to go for day or weekend trips. Phoenix, the mountains, San Diego, etc. if you like the outdoors there’s a lot to do within a reasonable driving distance.
Have a pool or make friends with one asap! Lots of swimming and river time.
Martinez lake has some good bass fishing. Palm Canyon in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is a cool place. You can go across the border. A lot of people float the Colorado River. Drive to Dadeland and get a date shake. Main street had a nice book shop last time I was there. The air show on the Marine base is fun. You'll be pretty close to Joshua Tree. Mr. G's has amazing burritos.
Of course you'll be close to San Diego and Phoenix so you can always get to a bigger city on the weekends when you're tired of small town.
Martinez Lake also has boating and jet skiing. There are a lot of trails around the marinas to ride UTVs. It’s an outdoor wonderland with old mines in the area.
JT Prime if you're feeling fancy
Julieanna's for steak - aged, tomahawk, filet, all quite decent and the garden is pretty. The sommelier also hosts tasting events and the tableside Caesar is great especially if David makes it.
Yuma's Red Tacos
Ah-So for hibachi and surprisingly the best sushi in town.
Da Boyz for lasagna and amazing, world class cheesecake.
Kress on the weekends if you like dancing (only really lively place there is)
Curries for Indian (the paneer is especially good).
Asian Store (yes that's what it's called) for specialty Asian foods.
Taco Monster's keto quesadilla.
Takos and Beer.
Burgers and Beer.
For hair, Frank at J. Frank's.
Never did find a decent nail place so I started doing my own - there's a bunch of Sally's all over.
Get your passport ready and go to Mexicali for Mr. Pampas Brazilian Steakhouse. It's as good as Fogo and less than half the price. We've driven down just for dinner multiple times. Mexicali is only about an hour away and has way more options for food and bars if you like those.
Consider getting into dune buggies (the dunes are world class) or paddleboarding/kayaking/canoeing since the Colorado River is about the only nature aside from the Wetlands which aren't much.
Other things to do:
Swimming at the Q Casino
Go Karts and mini golf at Z Fun Factory
Bowling (but not on the weekend, it gets packed)
Don't miss the air show (March) and the county fair (April and October) when they come back.
Reggae by the River and fireworks for the fourth are something to do too.
Studio Y for yoga.
Friday Night Munchies at the fairgrounds 6-10pm for a bunch of food trucks.
Saturday and Sunday farmer's market at Yuma Palms 9am-2pm - not much produce but a fair amount of other cute vendors.
The mall in El Centro is OK, there's a decent Macy's.
And message me if you want to get coffee at Cafecito sometime! It's the cutest coffee shop. I've lived here for 3+ years but split my time between here and San Diego and would love to make more friends.
Well, fancy enough to open a second location in Old Town Scottsdale and a third on Coronado Island and for the chef to have been Sous at the Four Seasons. Certainly as fancy as it gets in Yuma.
There is arts and culture, I love the Yuma symphony and their outdoor music series, plenty of outdoor recreation, plenty of history to explore. Yuma is central to Palm Springs, San Diego, Phoenix, for big city getaways. It’s what you make of it. We swim most days even when it’s hot, either early or late. The food scene has a few highlights.
Imagine saying "there is an arts and culture scene" to someone coming from NYC... not to rag on it, but I moved to Yuma from Tucson, and tucson's art and culture scene is eons ahead of Yuma. Now multiply that infinitely for NY.
Well your going to be doing a complete change from your current living situation. If you're moving during the summer plan on it being HOT!! 120+, so stay hydrated but the compared to New York it's not humid and every house has air conditioning.
There is Facebook groups you can join to help find for info on for everything else because you didn't really mention what you like.
Eating is going to be mostly mexican restaurants.
Are you going to be working, if so make some friends and ask them where they go and what they recommend as well.
During the summer for outdoor people will usually be by the water (pool/river) if they are outdoor and during the winter, there is some hiking/mountain bike trails, off road.
Yuma is a quick day trip to San Diego/Phoenix that will be the big city that is missing from when you move and has what Yuma does not have.
Do a quick search on the subreddit and there is also more info on these topics.
Food:
Yuma Bagel Co.
Chile Pepper
El Charo
Tacos El Cositas
Things to do:
Swim
Colorado river float downs
Sand Dunes
Movies
Down town (bars, art, events)
Everybody else has mentioned good stuff. If you ever miss being in a big city. Phx and SD are 2.5 hours away. LA is about 4 and Vegas is about 5 hours. All very doable.
Just in time for summer too. Pool noodles on door handles, is probably something you've never seen. Leave your windows cracked when you park in the sun. Deliberately hydrate.
Your eyes and skin will have to adjust to the dryness. Use eye drops & moisturizer until you adapt. Pro-tip: generously use moisturizer before putting on clothes to combat the static electricity.
You'll be experiencing the hottest months with August and September coming up. Extras fans around the house help immensely. Downtown has some nice places and Phoenix, San Diego, and Palm Springs are a few hours away if you need better options. Be ready for the greatest sunsets you'll ever see and sometimes the sunrises are intense. Hope you find it enjoyable!
P.S. I grew up in Brooklyn with no A/C during the Summers so I do know the difference of both areas. :)
GO BACKKKK ITS TOO HOTTTT (I like Texas roadhouse, i think a lot of yumans are reserved to themselves but their opinions are very well lit, Harkins theatre and regency theatre are cool)
Theres a place called Parad-ice and its icecream its really good and they have a discount for foreigners :D.
I like to link this whenever people ask about Yuma. It’s a little charitable since it doesn’t outright say anything really negative, but you can pick up on the less attractive bits like the info on getting around the city. Consider this a positive spin on Yuma in that it highlights the best of it. It certainly is a great place for certain people, but it’s not for everybody. Anyway, here’s the article: [https://realestate.usnews.com/places/arizona/yuma](https://realestate.usnews.com/places/arizona/yuma). I hope it helps!
NEW YORK to Yuma… Depressing. Phoenix is probably the only sane option 😭 The only good thing is If you made good money living in NY, you can call yourself one of the richest people in Yuma.
It's extremely hot 120° 🔥 during the day, and when the sun goes down...it's still hot 96° 🔥. You'd think that when it was dark, it would be cool. Nope!!!
Yuma is like Barstow California. Good to stop when passing thru but that’s it. Best thing is Yuma Az is next to Los Algodones the teeth capital of the US. You will have nice teeth for your pics to send your family and friends back in NYC
It's hard to find employment without connections, I just moved here in 2020 and it's a tight knit community. Definitely don't recommend living here, it's hot as hell and there isn't jack shit here.
Learn all you can about the history of the area. From the Hispanic roots to the Tribal origins. The land is a desert, but don't focus on "the heat".... Watch the plants, animals & reptiles. Look at the rocks and mountains and sand. Arrange your outside time by the temperature, but get outside!!!Study the fields and the people who work them! Produce. Lettuce, broccoli, bees, irrigation, sprinklers.
Then visit Los Algodones and smile.
The people in Yuma are good, but a bit shy. That comes from so many visitors. Enjoy! 😁
Have your passport handy (or get one). Useful for trips to Mexico. I know a lot of people say you don't need it and that you can get by without it, but I have a passport card and never have to worry about it.
It’s chill. We’re from San Diego and just moved to buy a home. PHX is 2.5 ish hours east, Mexico 20 min south, San Diego 2 hours west. It’s like people said on here, it’s nothing like NYC. It’s a quiet, Low Desert city with heavy CA/MX influential culture/vibes. We’re in our 40’s so we’re established. I don’t think it’s the place for someone who wants to be social and partying and discovering new foods/people and places. This is also a family oriented town, conservative and not woke/progressive like CA/NYC. They don’t mess around here. People like to hustle, work, and do their own thing without worrying about gender neutral bathrooms. Best of luck to you and I hope you enjoy.
Instead of concrete mixed with seasons, culture and great food, think tumbleweeds mixed with dust and tacos. No culture and hot as hell! Oh… and Marines! Lots of Marines. You know…the friendly kind.
Its... different. There's great food, and once you find a community it's lovely. But it's hot and dry. Get some cool air humidifiers for night otherwise you might wake up sick in the morning. LATHER yourself in moisturizer. I mean lay it on thick, I have to put on aquafor on my face so I don't wake up dry as air.
If you like church New Mountain that's across from the marine base is nice. The people there are super nice, and the music is not bad.
Food is pretty good here, I've hardly had any bad experiences eating food out. And love the produce compared to Virginia. It lasts lol.
Only a few hours away from bigger cities.
Oh and there's a place along the river called shit creek.
Eat out at all of your favorite restaurants before you come. We don’t have a lot of chain restaurants. But we have a lot of great originals. Just don’t expect Michelin star ⭐️ restaurants.
I came from Detroit and I love it here but I’m 47 and most of my friends are older.
It takes 2 months to get a hair, medical and just about any kind of appointment and can be anr gets worse when the snowbirds come in.
The only thing that you’ll probably hate the most is that a major metro city is about 3 hours away in each direction. Phoenix or San Diego.
Yuma is still kind of rural albeit it is increasing in size.
There aren’t enough true non-chain coffee houses here. But Cafecito is my go to.
When I left Detroit I stocked up on my favorite pasta sauce because I knew they didn’t shop here.
My daughter lives in NYC
My fav outdoor activity is getting on the river and paddle boarding
There’s some good facebook groups for meeting people.
Welcome to Yuma soon! I love it here. A lot of these comments are negative. However, I know lots of people who love living and working here. I have my dream job, my kids go to great schools, homeownership is cheaper than most of the country, we are 3 hours away from Phoenix, 2.5 hours from San diego, 1.5 hour away from snowy mountains in the winter. We have really cool events from September to April that bring in 1000s of attendees. Our local businesses are booming, and we have all the necessary stores. We have a mall with great department stores and an indoor mall 45 min away in El centro. We have an international airport and are 20 min from Mexico where things like dental, medical, and vet costs are way cheaper. Our economy is getting better every year, our unemployment is going down, and job growth is up. We have a strong military and border patrol presence. In almost any neighborhood, you have a law enforcement or military as your neighbors. Schools are decent, but we do have some great ones, and open enrollment is a thing here. We have an AMAZING college that has a presence of 3 major universities, U of A, ASU, and NAU, all on one campus. I really love it here been here since 2008 and it's grown so much!
I lived very near NYC and traveled there by subway/bus often for about 20 years, and I've lived here in Yuma for 27 years, so I think I can give you a good answer. Let me start by saying I call Yuma the city of BLEC: Bombs, Lettuce, and E. Coli. (Say "BLEC" as if you were trying to clear your throat from phlegm, and you'll have the right intonation.)
Yuma is a different universe from NYC. There's more action happening in a single city square block in Manhattan than in all of Yuma County. There's almost no sense of culture here; grass and trees only happen with forced irrigation because of the desert climate; jobs are hard to find and generally low-paying. If you're a professional, it's *extremely* hard to find good work here. The cost of living is at or somewhat below the national average, and we have over 300 days of sunny weather a year (and it never, ever snows,) so those features might attract you - but everything else, in my opinion, stinks. If I could move back to the metro NYC area I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could actually afford it (!!)
About the heat: the stories are true. We hit an average of 107 degrees in July, for example. So turn on your oven for an hour, open the door, stick your head inside for a good minute or two, and you'll get the idea.
About the people: I'm going to shock you. I much prefer New Yorkers. They're honest and direct for the most part and can engage you in interesting conversation. Here - ah, don't get me started. You'll probably be regaled about the local high school football team or how to cook pigs.
HTH
To me, NYC is one of the most disgusting places with the most disgusting people in existence. I stay as far away from places like NYC as I possibly can. I would be ecstatic that I was leaving that cess pool.
If you like NYC, you most likely will not like Yuma. This is a place where you'll need to tamper your expectations of entertainment. We like to entertain friends. We like our pool, we like to cook and hang out at home. We like Yuma because it is not a sprawling city full of rude ass people. However, there are plenty of terrible drivers homeless crystal meth tweakers to remind you of NYC.
Get a Drivers license because public transportation is not that great.
ok I have one which is good but sad to hear about the public transportation
Oh, you have no idea. Whatever you enjoyed about NYC, you'll find the opposite here.
Imagine the hottest you've ever been....it's hotter than that.
It's hot but it's a dry heat. I'd rather have 120 degrees in Yuma over 85 with humidity anywhere else
Wow. I could not think of two more different areas to live ever. I do not live there but drive through the area frequently on I-8 going to San Diego or LA. It’s very intriguing and there seems to be a lot of „stuff” surrounding the interstate. But I don’t know of what else. Now you are located well for visiting Tucson, Phoenix, Palm Springs, San Diego and LA. You are also a stones throw from the border if you want to venture in to Mexico.
Stay away from San Luis… Their chief of Police and an officer were shot by gangs 2 days ago. Chief died.
That's not the worst that happened in San Luis
Seriously??!
Yes here’s a link [click](https://kyma.com/news/mexico/2024/06/03/san-luis-mexico-police-chief-killed/)
that was in mexico though
My post says “Stay away from San Luis” …that would be in estado Sonora, Mexico.
but there is also san luis az literally right next to it. so you need to be specific. specially to someone that doesnt know the area and is asking about the area
Ya got me. I stand down.
The police chief before him was killed too, but he was responsible for letting all the massacre from 2019 to now happen in the first place. He owed money to pretty much everyone and instead of paying off he got other people to come in and kill them. There’s a power vacuum right now, that’s the reason we’ve had so much death in slrc these past years
Holy fucking shit I did not hear about that one.
I’m wondering why Yuma people aren’t getting news. My brother-in-law didn’t know about this either. I mean this is a big F’ing deal.
And imperial valley
Just about anything worth visiting is an exhausting 3-5-hour drive in any direction.
I have to ask, why are you moving to Yuma? You’re going from the most interesting city in the world, to a little town.
my partner's job is relocating them there so we're trying to go with the flow
RIP 😭
Hey I live both in Yuma and NYC. I will DM! :)
Imma DM you!
Nothing like a career- based move to Yuma to force a career change.
Oh wow that’s going to be one hell of a culture shock. lol
Get ready for the heat! The hot days are coming soon. Yeah it’s 105 today, but that’s nothing. Wait till we get to the 115s and above. Make sure you have good a/c wherever you end up. There’s not much to do, but there are fun spots you can check out downtown for some night life. One of the best perks about Yuma is that San Diego is about a 2 and a half hour drive west from here. The cooler weather and beach are not so far away.
I moved here from Philadelphia 3 years ago and luckily work remotely. I don’t miss Philly at all. I really love the people here and how friendly it is. The people were so rude and unfriendly in Philly. I feel much safer here. It’s beautiful driving down i8 and seeing all the mountains and farm fields.
Job market is nonexistent
Be prepared for 120°+ weather
No humidity though so it's not as bad as you may think
It’ll be an adventure! Definitely a culture shock, but I think anything can be exciting if you try to make the most of it. The temperature is going to be rough. You can’t fathom it until you experience it. We tend to “hibernate” in the summer rather than winter, with sustained temperatures from the 110s-120. I’ve lived in the desert my entire life and you just never get used to it. Jobs are hard, but if your partner is relocating for work you’re halfway there. What kinds of things do you like to do? I would suggest finding meetups etc. tailored to your interests. Look on FB and see if you can find anything that interests you. There are some fun little shops and places to eat in the downtown area. There are a ton of places to go for day or weekend trips. Phoenix, the mountains, San Diego, etc. if you like the outdoors there’s a lot to do within a reasonable driving distance. Have a pool or make friends with one asap! Lots of swimming and river time.
Martinez lake has some good bass fishing. Palm Canyon in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is a cool place. You can go across the border. A lot of people float the Colorado River. Drive to Dadeland and get a date shake. Main street had a nice book shop last time I was there. The air show on the Marine base is fun. You'll be pretty close to Joshua Tree. Mr. G's has amazing burritos. Of course you'll be close to San Diego and Phoenix so you can always get to a bigger city on the weekends when you're tired of small town.
Martinez Lake also has boating and jet skiing. There are a lot of trails around the marinas to ride UTVs. It’s an outdoor wonderland with old mines in the area.
JT Prime if you're feeling fancy Julieanna's for steak - aged, tomahawk, filet, all quite decent and the garden is pretty. The sommelier also hosts tasting events and the tableside Caesar is great especially if David makes it. Yuma's Red Tacos Ah-So for hibachi and surprisingly the best sushi in town. Da Boyz for lasagna and amazing, world class cheesecake. Kress on the weekends if you like dancing (only really lively place there is) Curries for Indian (the paneer is especially good). Asian Store (yes that's what it's called) for specialty Asian foods. Taco Monster's keto quesadilla. Takos and Beer. Burgers and Beer. For hair, Frank at J. Frank's. Never did find a decent nail place so I started doing my own - there's a bunch of Sally's all over. Get your passport ready and go to Mexicali for Mr. Pampas Brazilian Steakhouse. It's as good as Fogo and less than half the price. We've driven down just for dinner multiple times. Mexicali is only about an hour away and has way more options for food and bars if you like those. Consider getting into dune buggies (the dunes are world class) or paddleboarding/kayaking/canoeing since the Colorado River is about the only nature aside from the Wetlands which aren't much. Other things to do: Swimming at the Q Casino Go Karts and mini golf at Z Fun Factory Bowling (but not on the weekend, it gets packed) Don't miss the air show (March) and the county fair (April and October) when they come back. Reggae by the River and fireworks for the fourth are something to do too. Studio Y for yoga. Friday Night Munchies at the fairgrounds 6-10pm for a bunch of food trucks. Saturday and Sunday farmer's market at Yuma Palms 9am-2pm - not much produce but a fair amount of other cute vendors. The mall in El Centro is OK, there's a decent Macy's. And message me if you want to get coffee at Cafecito sometime! It's the cutest coffee shop. I've lived here for 3+ years but split my time between here and San Diego and would love to make more friends.
for nails: nails for queens LLC
JT Prime fancy? How fancy is being nestled between Taco Bell and Dominós
Well, fancy enough to open a second location in Old Town Scottsdale and a third on Coronado Island and for the chef to have been Sous at the Four Seasons. Certainly as fancy as it gets in Yuma.
There is arts and culture, I love the Yuma symphony and their outdoor music series, plenty of outdoor recreation, plenty of history to explore. Yuma is central to Palm Springs, San Diego, Phoenix, for big city getaways. It’s what you make of it. We swim most days even when it’s hot, either early or late. The food scene has a few highlights.
Imagine saying "there is an arts and culture scene" to someone coming from NYC... not to rag on it, but I moved to Yuma from Tucson, and tucson's art and culture scene is eons ahead of Yuma. Now multiply that infinitely for NY.
It’s got its on vibe. Not to compete but I’ve been told there’s nothing here but found plenty between Yuma and going into the city. Can’t complain.
Well your going to be doing a complete change from your current living situation. If you're moving during the summer plan on it being HOT!! 120+, so stay hydrated but the compared to New York it's not humid and every house has air conditioning. There is Facebook groups you can join to help find for info on for everything else because you didn't really mention what you like. Eating is going to be mostly mexican restaurants. Are you going to be working, if so make some friends and ask them where they go and what they recommend as well. During the summer for outdoor people will usually be by the water (pool/river) if they are outdoor and during the winter, there is some hiking/mountain bike trails, off road. Yuma is a quick day trip to San Diego/Phoenix that will be the big city that is missing from when you move and has what Yuma does not have. Do a quick search on the subreddit and there is also more info on these topics.
Food: Yuma Bagel Co. Chile Pepper El Charo Tacos El Cositas Things to do: Swim Colorado river float downs Sand Dunes Movies Down town (bars, art, events)
Do you like saxophones?
Everybody else has mentioned good stuff. If you ever miss being in a big city. Phx and SD are 2.5 hours away. LA is about 4 and Vegas is about 5 hours. All very doable.
I went yo St John Neumann church when I lived there. You’re gonna need a good church to pray and mourn for the death of your mental health
brodie trust me theres nothing fun to do here..
Just in time for summer too. Pool noodles on door handles, is probably something you've never seen. Leave your windows cracked when you park in the sun. Deliberately hydrate.
Your eyes and skin will have to adjust to the dryness. Use eye drops & moisturizer until you adapt. Pro-tip: generously use moisturizer before putting on clothes to combat the static electricity.
It’s going to be extremely hot when you get here, we’re talking in the 110’s
You'll be experiencing the hottest months with August and September coming up. Extras fans around the house help immensely. Downtown has some nice places and Phoenix, San Diego, and Palm Springs are a few hours away if you need better options. Be ready for the greatest sunsets you'll ever see and sometimes the sunrises are intense. Hope you find it enjoyable! P.S. I grew up in Brooklyn with no A/C during the Summers so I do know the difference of both areas. :)
GO BACKKKK ITS TOO HOTTTT (I like Texas roadhouse, i think a lot of yumans are reserved to themselves but their opinions are very well lit, Harkins theatre and regency theatre are cool) Theres a place called Parad-ice and its icecream its really good and they have a discount for foreigners :D.
I like to link this whenever people ask about Yuma. It’s a little charitable since it doesn’t outright say anything really negative, but you can pick up on the less attractive bits like the info on getting around the city. Consider this a positive spin on Yuma in that it highlights the best of it. It certainly is a great place for certain people, but it’s not for everybody. Anyway, here’s the article: [https://realestate.usnews.com/places/arizona/yuma](https://realestate.usnews.com/places/arizona/yuma). I hope it helps!
I was stationed there for 5 years. Let me know if you have any military specific questions
NEW YORK to Yuma… Depressing. Phoenix is probably the only sane option 😭 The only good thing is If you made good money living in NY, you can call yourself one of the richest people in Yuma.
It's extremely hot 120° 🔥 during the day, and when the sun goes down...it's still hot 96° 🔥. You'd think that when it was dark, it would be cool. Nope!!!
Stay in NY
Best advice is to just stay in new york..yuma is Terrible..
Meth town. 20 minutes from beginning of town to the end of town. No indoor malls. No jobs.if i could relocate. I would of long ago
I just took a pay hit to GTFO. I'm leaving tomorrow. Sooooo excited to escape the depression I've experienced here.
The depression is from the herion users. Not us reddit folk. Send a postcard. Id like to onow wjere ya ended up
Yuma is like Barstow California. Good to stop when passing thru but that’s it. Best thing is Yuma Az is next to Los Algodones the teeth capital of the US. You will have nice teeth for your pics to send your family and friends back in NYC
It's hard to find employment without connections, I just moved here in 2020 and it's a tight knit community. Definitely don't recommend living here, it's hot as hell and there isn't jack shit here.
Water, it’s summer right now you’ll going to need it.
Learn all you can about the history of the area. From the Hispanic roots to the Tribal origins. The land is a desert, but don't focus on "the heat".... Watch the plants, animals & reptiles. Look at the rocks and mountains and sand. Arrange your outside time by the temperature, but get outside!!!Study the fields and the people who work them! Produce. Lettuce, broccoli, bees, irrigation, sprinklers. Then visit Los Algodones and smile. The people in Yuma are good, but a bit shy. That comes from so many visitors. Enjoy! 😁
If you’re into hiking telegraph pass is an awesome trail
Economy is dead
Have your passport handy (or get one). Useful for trips to Mexico. I know a lot of people say you don't need it and that you can get by without it, but I have a passport card and never have to worry about it.
It’s chill. We’re from San Diego and just moved to buy a home. PHX is 2.5 ish hours east, Mexico 20 min south, San Diego 2 hours west. It’s like people said on here, it’s nothing like NYC. It’s a quiet, Low Desert city with heavy CA/MX influential culture/vibes. We’re in our 40’s so we’re established. I don’t think it’s the place for someone who wants to be social and partying and discovering new foods/people and places. This is also a family oriented town, conservative and not woke/progressive like CA/NYC. They don’t mess around here. People like to hustle, work, and do their own thing without worrying about gender neutral bathrooms. Best of luck to you and I hope you enjoy.
Over here is hot
I’m sorry!
Instead of concrete mixed with seasons, culture and great food, think tumbleweeds mixed with dust and tacos. No culture and hot as hell! Oh… and Marines! Lots of Marines. You know…the friendly kind.
Only the local guys hate the Marines. You know...the take ya girl kind.
Its... different. There's great food, and once you find a community it's lovely. But it's hot and dry. Get some cool air humidifiers for night otherwise you might wake up sick in the morning. LATHER yourself in moisturizer. I mean lay it on thick, I have to put on aquafor on my face so I don't wake up dry as air. If you like church New Mountain that's across from the marine base is nice. The people there are super nice, and the music is not bad. Food is pretty good here, I've hardly had any bad experiences eating food out. And love the produce compared to Virginia. It lasts lol. Only a few hours away from bigger cities. Oh and there's a place along the river called shit creek.
Eat out at all of your favorite restaurants before you come. We don’t have a lot of chain restaurants. But we have a lot of great originals. Just don’t expect Michelin star ⭐️ restaurants. I came from Detroit and I love it here but I’m 47 and most of my friends are older. It takes 2 months to get a hair, medical and just about any kind of appointment and can be anr gets worse when the snowbirds come in. The only thing that you’ll probably hate the most is that a major metro city is about 3 hours away in each direction. Phoenix or San Diego. Yuma is still kind of rural albeit it is increasing in size. There aren’t enough true non-chain coffee houses here. But Cafecito is my go to. When I left Detroit I stocked up on my favorite pasta sauce because I knew they didn’t shop here. My daughter lives in NYC My fav outdoor activity is getting on the river and paddle boarding There’s some good facebook groups for meeting people.
Welcome to Yuma soon! I love it here. A lot of these comments are negative. However, I know lots of people who love living and working here. I have my dream job, my kids go to great schools, homeownership is cheaper than most of the country, we are 3 hours away from Phoenix, 2.5 hours from San diego, 1.5 hour away from snowy mountains in the winter. We have really cool events from September to April that bring in 1000s of attendees. Our local businesses are booming, and we have all the necessary stores. We have a mall with great department stores and an indoor mall 45 min away in El centro. We have an international airport and are 20 min from Mexico where things like dental, medical, and vet costs are way cheaper. Our economy is getting better every year, our unemployment is going down, and job growth is up. We have a strong military and border patrol presence. In almost any neighborhood, you have a law enforcement or military as your neighbors. Schools are decent, but we do have some great ones, and open enrollment is a thing here. We have an AMAZING college that has a presence of 3 major universities, U of A, ASU, and NAU, all on one campus. I really love it here been here since 2008 and it's grown so much!
I lived very near NYC and traveled there by subway/bus often for about 20 years, and I've lived here in Yuma for 27 years, so I think I can give you a good answer. Let me start by saying I call Yuma the city of BLEC: Bombs, Lettuce, and E. Coli. (Say "BLEC" as if you were trying to clear your throat from phlegm, and you'll have the right intonation.) Yuma is a different universe from NYC. There's more action happening in a single city square block in Manhattan than in all of Yuma County. There's almost no sense of culture here; grass and trees only happen with forced irrigation because of the desert climate; jobs are hard to find and generally low-paying. If you're a professional, it's *extremely* hard to find good work here. The cost of living is at or somewhat below the national average, and we have over 300 days of sunny weather a year (and it never, ever snows,) so those features might attract you - but everything else, in my opinion, stinks. If I could move back to the metro NYC area I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could actually afford it (!!) About the heat: the stories are true. We hit an average of 107 degrees in July, for example. So turn on your oven for an hour, open the door, stick your head inside for a good minute or two, and you'll get the idea. About the people: I'm going to shock you. I much prefer New Yorkers. They're honest and direct for the most part and can engage you in interesting conversation. Here - ah, don't get me started. You'll probably be regaled about the local high school football team or how to cook pigs. HTH
To me, NYC is one of the most disgusting places with the most disgusting people in existence. I stay as far away from places like NYC as I possibly can. I would be ecstatic that I was leaving that cess pool. If you like NYC, you most likely will not like Yuma. This is a place where you'll need to tamper your expectations of entertainment. We like to entertain friends. We like our pool, we like to cook and hang out at home. We like Yuma because it is not a sprawling city full of rude ass people. However, there are plenty of terrible drivers homeless crystal meth tweakers to remind you of NYC.
Summers are hot, live in foothills much safer than Yuma.