What's it like living in Tahoe?
November 4, 2014 8:32 AM Subscribe
I'm in the preliminary stage of interviewing for a job in Tahoe. I live in Manhattan. Am I insane?
There's a real possibility this won't work out but I don't want to waste the company's time if I can't handle the location. Specifically incline village.
I live in Manhattan, as stated, but before living here I loved camping, snowboarding, and golf. I like the idea of living amongst nature and all it has to offer. I'm a single man, 30 years old, and would like to date; is there a social scene there? Finally I need access to a university to finish my graduate degree. Obviously that last bit is a little complicated, but the recruiter indicated there was no higher ed in the area, which I'm skeptical of.
Overall I'm excited to be in nature, away from the city. But I'm worried I'm headed to an area without social or cultural outlets. Any input or help would be greatly appreciated.
There's a real possibility this won't work out but I don't want to waste the company's time if I can't handle the location. Specifically incline village.
I live in Manhattan, as stated, but before living here I loved camping, snowboarding, and golf. I like the idea of living amongst nature and all it has to offer. I'm a single man, 30 years old, and would like to date; is there a social scene there? Finally I need access to a university to finish my graduate degree. Obviously that last bit is a little complicated, but the recruiter indicated there was no higher ed in the area, which I'm skeptical of.
Overall I'm excited to be in nature, away from the city. But I'm worried I'm headed to an area without social or cultural outlets. Any input or help would be greatly appreciated.
There's definitely a social scene in Tahoe a bit more during the winter but they get a large summer vacation crowd as well. Reno's got a bit of a scene with the casino's but its going to feel pretty backwoods compared to what you're used to.
There is University of Nevada Reno for higher ed not sure if its got a program you're interested in.
Tahoe is essentially a sporty, smaller Bay Area in the mountains.
Personally I'd call that characterization a bit of a stretch YMMV.
posted by bitdamaged at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2014
There is University of Nevada Reno for higher ed not sure if its got a program you're interested in.
Tahoe is essentially a sporty, smaller Bay Area in the mountains.
Personally I'd call that characterization a bit of a stretch YMMV.
posted by bitdamaged at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2014
The nearest university with a graduate program to Tahoe that I'm aware of would be University of Nevada - Reno. Conceivably, you could live somewhere halfway between (like Carson City, CA) and then commute for an exceedingly long time (~30-40 minutes from Carson City to either of Tahoe or Reno).
You can get one of your two desires. Tahoe would have the social life you're looking for (despite being smaller than Carson City), but you won't be able to get a graduate degree there.
posted by saeculorum at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2014
You can get one of your two desires. Tahoe would have the social life you're looking for (despite being smaller than Carson City), but you won't be able to get a graduate degree there.
posted by saeculorum at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2014
Incline Village is on the north shore, Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. It's a lot quieter than the south shore. Your nearest "city" would be Carson City, about 25 miles away. Truckee is 18 miles. Reno is about 35. But those distances are entirely dependent on the roads being open during winter. For instance, the fastest route from Incline Village to Reno is 431 over Mt. Rose... but bad weather may close it, and then you'd need to take 89 to 80, which is about 15 miles longer. In snow, that could add significant time to your trip.
Where would you live? Would you rent or buy? You can imagine that the rental market is primarily for vacationers. I see a lot of condos for sale, the cheapest starting around $200,000. You could probably find cheaper in Truckee, but you have to consider the commute and the weather.
Socially, I think you'd be fine. Might skew a bit younger. Golf, snowboarding, and camping are obviously quite accessible. Educationally, UNR is about an hour away, so you could manage it but it might not be nice... unless they've got distance learning programs that would only require you to go to campus a few times a semester.
posted by elsietheeel at 8:54 AM on November 4, 2014
Where would you live? Would you rent or buy? You can imagine that the rental market is primarily for vacationers. I see a lot of condos for sale, the cheapest starting around $200,000. You could probably find cheaper in Truckee, but you have to consider the commute and the weather.
Socially, I think you'd be fine. Might skew a bit younger. Golf, snowboarding, and camping are obviously quite accessible. Educationally, UNR is about an hour away, so you could manage it but it might not be nice... unless they've got distance learning programs that would only require you to go to campus a few times a semester.
posted by elsietheeel at 8:54 AM on November 4, 2014
It's VERY DIFFERENT. And it depends on what you get out of NYC. There is no doubt, it's much, much quieter. More beautiful but very different. So, if the job is something you really want, think seriously about trying it out. But, if you're only marginally interested in the job, then I would hesitate.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 8:57 AM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 8:57 AM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
Incline Village? I'm most familiar with the Truckee area, which is northwest of the lake. I suspect Truckee is a bit less developed than Incline Village, somewhat less full of vacation homes.
The social scene is very outdoorsy: I hope you like to ski (downhill or cross-country or backcountry), bicycle (road or mountain-bike), or hike. Or kayak. Or rock-climb. Many of the year-round residents will be working in the tourism/services industries.
I also hope you like it cold, and don't mind shoveling a LOT of snow. I hope you don't mind gambling, because Incline Village is pretty close to the Nevada line, and you'll see a lot of it.
Reno is nearby, as folks upthread noted, with a pretty sizeable university. The city itself is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, with some redevelopment in the historic downtown, some boutique brewpubs, and the like. It's not Manhattan, but it's better than it used to be.
That said, be prepared to see a lot more people smoking than you're used to.
posted by suelac at 8:58 AM on November 4, 2014
The social scene is very outdoorsy: I hope you like to ski (downhill or cross-country or backcountry), bicycle (road or mountain-bike), or hike. Or kayak. Or rock-climb. Many of the year-round residents will be working in the tourism/services industries.
I also hope you like it cold, and don't mind shoveling a LOT of snow. I hope you don't mind gambling, because Incline Village is pretty close to the Nevada line, and you'll see a lot of it.
Reno is nearby, as folks upthread noted, with a pretty sizeable university. The city itself is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, with some redevelopment in the historic downtown, some boutique brewpubs, and the like. It's not Manhattan, but it's better than it used to be.
That said, be prepared to see a lot more people smoking than you're used to.
posted by suelac at 8:58 AM on November 4, 2014
Another issue with the social scene is that it's very transient. People come and go for the seasons. Or stay for a few years and leave.
posted by radioamy at 9:44 AM on November 4, 2014
posted by radioamy at 9:44 AM on November 4, 2014
Tahoe News Tribune web site. Take a look at the local stories. While it's a region that gets a lot of tourism, the local news is pretty mundane and the local issues are, well, very local. It may feel extremely small and claustrophobic to someone coming from Manhattan. On the other hand, the scenery is very pretty (albeit with a lot of sprawl on the South Shore side), it's up in the mountains around a jewel of lake, and there are a TON of outdoors activities to enjoy. But as you know, it ain't Manhattan, and it never will be. Even if you expect Tahoe to be small, it will be smaller than you realize.
posted by mosk at 9:57 AM on November 4, 2014
posted by mosk at 9:57 AM on November 4, 2014
I live in Truckee. It's really awesome here if you like outdoor sports. That's pretty much all we do. It is very different from Manhattan, which I don't think i would enjoy at all.
I'm 26, but I'm married so I haven't worried about dating. I will say I have found it quite difficult to meet people around my age here. A lot of the permanent residents seem to be older and have kids. My husband had to travel to Canada to find me! However, I haven't tried very hard to meet people and wouldn't think dating would be impossible. It is really it easy to convince people to visit you in Tahoe.
posted by carolr at 9:59 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm 26, but I'm married so I haven't worried about dating. I will say I have found it quite difficult to meet people around my age here. A lot of the permanent residents seem to be older and have kids. My husband had to travel to Canada to find me! However, I haven't tried very hard to meet people and wouldn't think dating would be impossible. It is really it easy to convince people to visit you in Tahoe.
posted by carolr at 9:59 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
The legitimate, accredited, online-only options for graduate degrees have expanded wildly in the past 5 years, if that is an option for you.
To my eyes as a lifelong Westerner, Reno isn't particularly far from Incline Village for weekends away when the weather is good, but even Reno is nothing like Manhattan.
I would do it in a heartbeat, but I am a homebody. If you are the kind of person whose out on the town every night of the week, I think you will find the opportunities in Incline Village to be very slim without making a big drive.
Mentioning the drive - you will need a car equipped for snow driving.
posted by muddgirl at 10:19 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
To my eyes as a lifelong Westerner, Reno isn't particularly far from Incline Village for weekends away when the weather is good, but even Reno is nothing like Manhattan.
I would do it in a heartbeat, but I am a homebody. If you are the kind of person whose out on the town every night of the week, I think you will find the opportunities in Incline Village to be very slim without making a big drive.
Mentioning the drive - you will need a car equipped for snow driving.
posted by muddgirl at 10:19 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Maybe it goes without saying, but the Tahoe area is a tremendous cultural difference from Manhattan. Pace is MUCH, MUCH slower. You're not even in one of the biggest towns in the area, let alone anything like NYC. Your social life with people your age WILL be outdoor sports. Folks your age will likely be very good at at least one outdoor sport and will participate in many others. My impression is that the area tends toward hippyish-types who like to ski, party and ski some more. There's lots of younger people from all over the world who come to work at the ski resorts in the winter.
None of the local towns have a the variety of restaurants, stores or nightlife you're used to. They certainly have some, but you're not going to have anything like the variety of those things you do in a single neighborhood in Manhattan, let alone New York City as a whole.
It definitely snows in the winter, but sometimes not all that much. Summer is warm and sunny during the day and cool at night. Plane travel will probably be through Reno, where you're not going to get a direct flight anywhere. These are SMALL towns. Everyone knows everyone. Sacramento is two hours without traffic. San Franciso is about 3 1/2 hours without traffic.
There's not a lot of jobs or industry in the area. Unless you're a ski lift mechanic or something, if you lose your job for any reason, you're probably going to have to relocate.
Tahoe is a lovely place, but I'd say you REALLY need to love nature , be good at making friends and feel comfortable with a much slower pace of life to not feel Island Fever pretty quickly.
In every instance where someone is going to move, I recommend spending as much time as you can in the area before coming. Especially when it's such an enormous change.
posted by cnc at 2:50 PM on November 4, 2014
None of the local towns have a the variety of restaurants, stores or nightlife you're used to. They certainly have some, but you're not going to have anything like the variety of those things you do in a single neighborhood in Manhattan, let alone New York City as a whole.
It definitely snows in the winter, but sometimes not all that much. Summer is warm and sunny during the day and cool at night. Plane travel will probably be through Reno, where you're not going to get a direct flight anywhere. These are SMALL towns. Everyone knows everyone. Sacramento is two hours without traffic. San Franciso is about 3 1/2 hours without traffic.
There's not a lot of jobs or industry in the area. Unless you're a ski lift mechanic or something, if you lose your job for any reason, you're probably going to have to relocate.
Tahoe is a lovely place, but I'd say you REALLY need to love nature , be good at making friends and feel comfortable with a much slower pace of life to not feel Island Fever pretty quickly.
In every instance where someone is going to move, I recommend spending as much time as you can in the area before coming. Especially when it's such an enormous change.
posted by cnc at 2:50 PM on November 4, 2014
Sierra Nevada College is in Incline. Tahoe has plenty of social life and Reno is just 45 min away. Source: I live in Reno.
posted by harrietthespy at 5:24 PM on November 4, 2014
posted by harrietthespy at 5:24 PM on November 4, 2014
Plane travel will probably be through Reno, where you're not going to get a direct flight anywhere. These are SMALL towns. These are SMALL towns. Everyone knows everyone. Sacramento is two hours without traffic.
I beg your pardon, but I think you'll find Reno is the biggest little city in the world. There's a sign and everything.
(Quarter million in Reno proper, half a million in the Reno metro area. Sacramento is half a million in the city, 2.6 in the metro area. You're right about the everyone knows everyone thing though. Even in Sacramento. Especially in Sacramento.)
posted by elsietheeel at 9:51 PM on November 4, 2014
I beg your pardon, but I think you'll find Reno is the biggest little city in the world. There's a sign and everything.
(Quarter million in Reno proper, half a million in the Reno metro area. Sacramento is half a million in the city, 2.6 in the metro area. You're right about the everyone knows everyone thing though. Even in Sacramento. Especially in Sacramento.)
posted by elsietheeel at 9:51 PM on November 4, 2014
I live in Chicago and spend a good deal of time in Tahoe on the Nevada side at a family home every winter. There is almost no job that would tempt me to move to Tahoe year round and give up living in a major metropolitan area with public transportation, really walkable neighborhoods (where "walkable" means "I don't need my car to get a pint of milk when I run out of it for my morning coffee"), and all the variety of shops, restaurants, and cultural events you get in a city. Basically, the reasons Taken Outtacontext, mosk and cnc cite are the ones that would keep me from moving there full time. The sheer inconvenience of having to drive (or take the very useful South Lake Express casino buses) to Reno or Sacramento to get to an airport alone is enough to be too annoying for me to consider living there full time.
It's really beautiful in Tahoe (well, the lake and mountains are--the town is pretty dumpy IMO) and we enjoy the skiing, but I find there is very little There there.
But the change of pace in life might suit you. Take a week or two and try living there--not vacationing but living. Pretend you're running all your regular errands. See what it's like to decide you want take out for dinner and negotiating that. Read through a month's worth of concert listing, movie listings and try to imagine how you'll feel after six months of living like that. You may like it; I know I wouldn't.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:34 AM on November 5, 2014
It's really beautiful in Tahoe (well, the lake and mountains are--the town is pretty dumpy IMO) and we enjoy the skiing, but I find there is very little There there.
But the change of pace in life might suit you. Take a week or two and try living there--not vacationing but living. Pretend you're running all your regular errands. See what it's like to decide you want take out for dinner and negotiating that. Read through a month's worth of concert listing, movie listings and try to imagine how you'll feel after six months of living like that. You may like it; I know I wouldn't.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:34 AM on November 5, 2014
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posted by humboldt32 at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2014