Variations of our relationship with the US across the country

[esquire]

^ Yeah, a lot of Manitobans who aren't even particularly wealthy own places down in Phoenix. I know couples where, for example, the guy retired from CN, the lady retired from schoolteaching and they now spend 6 months of the year down in Phoenix in a nice condo they bought a few years ago for $150K or whatever.

It's an enticing proposition given that many desirable cottage areas like the Whiteshell are now priced out of the reach of working stiffs... instead of paying $400K for a lakefront cottage at Falcon Lake or whatever, you can spend the same amount of money on a nice condo in PHX, a nice condo in Winnipeg and travel between the two.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Yeah, a lot of Manitobans who aren't even particularly wealthy own places down in Phoenix. I know couples where, for example, the guy retired from CN, the lady retired from schoolteaching and they now spend 6 months of the year down in Phoenix in a nice condo they bought a few years ago for $150K or whatever.

It's an enticing proposition given that many desirable cottage areas like the Whiteshell are now priced out of the reach of working stiffs... instead of paying $400K for a lakefront cottage at Falcon Lake or whatever, you can spend the same amount of money on a nice condo in PHX, a nice condo in Winnipeg and travel between the two.

There are so many Prairie folk down there that the Pheonix Coyotes (or Arizona) have noticed that Saskatchwan does not have a NHL team and have decided to start to market themselves as Saskatchewan's NHL Team. One of the owners lives just south of Regina.
Now I doubt that this move will change the loyalties of NHL fans in Saskatchewan but since the Jets, Oilers and Flames do little or no marketing in the wheat province, I guess the coyotes decided that they had nothing to lose!

[aastra]

Channels I remember growing up were: KOMO, KING 5, Q13, FOX etc

We watched the KING/KIRO/KOMO news and local programs at least as much as we watched the Victoria/Vancouver stuff. Lori Matsukawa, Steve Raible, Jeff Renner, Steve Pool, Jean Enersen, Aaron Brown... these are household names in BC. Dave Niehaus! We weren't necessarily rooting for the Mariners (they aren't really the home team in BC the way the Seahawks are and the Supersonics were) but we watched the Mariners broadcasts a lot. Local shows like J.P. Patches, King 5's Evening, Almost Live...

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Yeah, a lot of Manitobans who aren't even particularly wealthy own places down in Phoenix. I know couples where, for example, the guy retired from CN, the lady retired from schoolteaching and they now spend 6 months of the year down in Phoenix in a nice condo they bought a few years ago for $150K or whatever.

It's an enticing proposition given that many desirable cottage areas like the Whiteshell are now priced out of the reach of working stiffs... instead of paying $400K for a lakefront cottage at Falcon Lake or whatever, you can spend the same amount of money on a nice condo in PHX, a nice condo in Winnipeg and travel between the two.

I'm from Alberta, so I'm familiar with the draw to Phoenix. This is always really weird to me, because when I think of Phoenix, I think of a bigger, drier, much worse version of Calgary. I know they're going down for the weather, not the urban delights, but still: I don't get it.

So a I missing something? is Phoenix actually full of cool stuff? When people say "Phoenix" do they actually mean some resort-type places in Arizona that are near Phoenix? Or are people just getting cheap condos in a subdivision and hanging out in some suburban backyard just because it's warmer than doing the same in their own city?

[Boris2k7]

I had a boss that basically spent every December in Phoenix playing golf. The whole month.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

So a I missing something? is Phoenix actually full of cool stuff? When people say "Phoenix" do they actually mean some resort-type places in Arizona that are near Phoenix? Or are people just getting cheap condos in a subdivision and hanging out in some suburban backyard just because it's warmer than doing the same in their own city?

Some go hiking a lot and some play golf, and perhaps some moneyed people who I don't know luxuriate in posh resorts, but the majority of friends, family and acquaintances of mine who go to Phoenix do exactly what you described at the end of your post.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I'm from Alberta, so I'm familiar with the draw to Phoenix. This is always really weird to me, because when I think of Phoenix, I think of a bigger, drier, much worse version of Calgary. I know they're going down for the weather, not the urban delights, but still: I don't get it.

So a I missing something? is Phoenix actually full of cool stuff? When people say "Phoenix" do they actually mean some resort-type places in Arizona that are near Phoenix? Or are people just getting cheap condos in a subdivision and hanging out in some suburban backyard just because it's warmer than doing the same in their own city?

I know of no one that has a condo there, in fact condos are few and far between in that city... but piles with actual suburban, front garage, pool in the back, 1700 sq ft - houses.

The draw is heat, cheaper shopping and golfing. If you're looking for a party town... 2 blocks in Scottsdale is about the only night life I've ever seen.

All four major sports teams is a major draw for me... aside from the free accomodations from friends.

[Procrastinational]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I don't know if it's about the coast, I think it's more proximity for us. Las Vegas for example is extremely popular, a yearly destination for some people, and to a much lesser degree Sacramento. It might seem far, but places like Vegas and LA can be done by car with just one overnight stay halfway. Other places that would be worth visiting in the interior, like Denver for example, would likely be popular too if they weren't so far. Or if closer places like Boise were bigger.

The two big Southwest USA destinations from the Lower Mainland seem to be Vegas and Palm Springs. I'm sure it is mostly because of cheap airfares from Bellingham Airport (another example of a place where the majority of plates in the parking lot are from BC).

[middeljohn]

Hawaii is another really popular vacation destination for Albertans. I have a few coworkers who go annually. Don't recall people in Ontario going nearly as often. Maybe once in their lifetime if ever. Some go more I'm sure but not nearly to the same extent as I've observed here. I guess the 4 hour difference in flight time makes it much more appealing for annual trips. As one colleague explained, you get all the positives of going to Cuba or the DR, but in a first world country. You can still go get a coffee from a drive-thru in the morning if you want.

[middeljohn]

Interesting. According to wikipedia there are about 1,000,000 Canadians living in the US and 137,000 Americans living in Canada.

[LFRENCH]

Originally Posted by esquire

It's an enticing proposition given that many desirable cottage areas like the Whiteshell are now priced out of the reach of working stiffs... instead of paying $400K for a lakefront cottage at Falcon Lake or whatever, you can spend the same amount of money on a nice condo in PHX, a nice condo in Winnipeg and travel between the two.

The downside to this is the fact that the US government can consider you a resident for taxation purposes. There are ways around this but it can be a pita

I dunno the rational for phoenix, our family is in NM and has been there for about 100 years so phoenix is only useful for the airport. I personally find Phoenix lacks much of the culture of some of the other desert communities, and doesn't offer that much other than a few more golf courses and a crappy NHL team.

[GreaterMontréal]

http://business.financialpost.com/ne...ing-to-heat-up

[Harrij]

Albertans love Hawaii, Vegas, and while not part of the states, Mexico. I find Phoenix trails them with Florida and California lagging behind, of which people generally only visit the Disney resorts, and maybe Palm Springs. I've been to Vegas and Anaheim, not necessarily out of choice but what was convenient to my family at the time (spring break trade show, and sisters soccer tourney respectively). Both were quite stereotypically American and hot, and once the early impressions wore off I couldn't wait to leave, though i warmed up to SoCal after seeing more of it.

I get in little fights with my dad and other family members for mildly putting down Hawaii in favour of more foreign or urban destinations. It's like Mecca to a number of people around here, lol.

[lio45]

Hawaii is quite expensive from the East. Nearly everyone I know has been to various destinations "under the sun" over time (usually Caribbean/Florida) but good luck finding anyone who's ever been to Hawaii.

Out of curiosity, from out West, do you have direct flights to Hawaii or do you have to switch planes in California? And second question, how much does it cost? (Approx.)

I looked it up once years ago and really found it not worth the cost...

[Harrij]

Originally Posted by lio45

Hawaii is quite expensive from the East. Nearly everyone I know has been to various destinations "under the sun" over time (usually Caribbean/Florida) but good luck finding anyone who's ever been to Hawaii.

Out of curiosity, from out West, do you have direct flights to Hawaii or do you have to switch planes in California? And second question, how much does it cost? (Approx.)

I looked it up once years ago and really found it not worth the cost...

We have direct flights but I know of a few Edmontonians who have flown to Vancouver in between.

[Loco101]

I'm in Timmins, ON and one of the minority of Canadians who doesn't live within 200kms of the U.S.. The closest place to get to the USA is Sault Ste. Marie which is about a 6-8 hour drive depending which way you go. You rarely see U.S. licence plates in Timmins and the only out of province ones we see on a regular basis are from Quebec. It made me laugh when somebody suggested that the U.S. is a day trip from Ontario. Well not if you live in Timmins, Kirkland Lake, North Bay, Moosonee and up the James and Hudson Bay coast and far NW Ontario!

In Timmins, the main American TV networks seem to be from Detroit. I've noticed that even in much of Ontario and Quebec they come from Detroit. Just wondering if that is in fact the case.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Loco101

I'm in Timmins, ON and one of the minority of Canadians who doesn't live within 200kms of the U.S.. The closest place to get to the USA is Sault Ste. Marie which is about a 6-8 hour drive depending which way you go. You rarely see U.S. licence plates in Timmins and the only out of province ones we see on a regular basis are from Quebec. It made me laugh when somebody suggested that the U.S. is a day trip from Ontario. Well not if you live in Timmins, Kirkland Lake, North Bay, Moosonee and up the James and Hudson Bay coast and far NW Ontario!

In Timmins, the main American TV networks seem to be from Detroit. I've noticed that even in much of Ontario and Quebec they come from Detroit. Just wondering if that is in fact the case.

In Ottawa and Gatineau (different cable systems BTW) they come from Detroit except for PBS which is from northern NY state (Watertown area).

They used to come from Rochester for many years.

In Montreal and most of Quebec I think they generally come from Plattsburgh NY and Burlington VT.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by esquire

Some go hiking a lot and some play golf, and perhaps some moneyed people who I don't know luxuriate in posh resorts, but the majority of friends, family and acquaintances of mine who go to Phoenix do exactly what you described at the end of your post.

Lots Of great stuff in Phoenix...
-restaurants and bars in Old Town Scottsdale for crazy cheap
-hiking and mountain biking in South Mountain
-trips down to Rocky Point
-trips up to Grand Canyon
-late night poolside bbq's
-early morning runs along the canals
-outlet malls
-cactus forest at Seguaro National Forest
-pools, pools and more pools

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Harrij

Albertans love Hawaii, Vegas, and while not part of the states, Mexico. I find Phoenix trails them with Florida and California lagging behind, of which people generally only visit the Disney resorts, and maybe Palm Springs. I've been to Vegas and Anaheim, not necessarily out of choice but what was convenient to my family at the time (spring break trade show, and sisters soccer tourney respectively). Both were quite stereotypically American and hot, and once the early impressions wore off I couldn't wait to leave, though i warmed up to SoCal after seeing more of it.

I get in little fights with my dad and other family members for mildly putting down Hawaii in favour of more foreign or urban destinations. It's like Mecca to a number of people around here, lol.

I haven't lived in Alberta since 2001 and ever time I go to Hawaii I run into people I know from Alberta. Maui is like a suburb of Calgary

[Doug]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I've actually always wondered this myself. Las Vegas is closer, also in the desert and also with cheap real estate. Albuquerque even. Why Phoenix?

Phoenix has better winter weather than Vegas and ABQ and better scenery than Vegas and Palm Springs. It is also far less white trashy than Vegas or Palm Springs (or Florida).