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XanaDUer2

(13,945 posts)
Sun Sep 27, 2020, 12:00 PM Sep 2020

Anyone here can tell me about living in upstate ny?

I'm thinking Catskill, Palenville, etc. Maybe 2 hrs notth of nyc. Thinking of retiring there. Used to spend summers there as a kid all the time. I know about the snow, lol. Been there in the Winter. TIA if anyone knows.

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Anyone here can tell me about living in upstate ny? (Original Post) XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 OP
What are your concerns? OhNo-Really Sep 2020 #1
We tried it in 1983, found it to be too quiet, my husband was a lawyer and he couldn't find kinship secondwind Sep 2020 #2
Thanks! XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #4
I've not lived way upstate customerserviceguy Sep 2020 #3
Thank you XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #5
If you can handle a 4-hour drive to NYC, consider Ithaca, NY... NeoGreen Sep 2020 #6
Thank you! XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #7
I've lived Upstate my whole life and recommend it highly Rhiannon12866 Sep 2020 #8
Thanks! XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #13
Although I now live on the border in northern NY... WePurrsevere Sep 2020 #9
Thank you so much for your response XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #12
Sorry that isn't Upstate NY! whistler162 Sep 2020 #10
Okay XanaDUer2 Sep 2020 #11

OhNo-Really

(3,991 posts)
1. What are your concerns?
Sun Sep 27, 2020, 12:05 PM
Sep 2020

Housebound here
housebound there
Killer virus
Everywhere

And too many
Idiots that do not care.

Where to live?
I’d seek fresh air.

secondwind

(16,903 posts)
2. We tried it in 1983, found it to be too quiet, my husband was a lawyer and he couldn't find kinship
Sun Sep 27, 2020, 01:46 PM
Sep 2020

with most folks, there wasn’t enough visiting, commiserating, novelty, etc. For us, it was not where we wanted to live. And we were in Saratoga Springs NY.

customerserviceguy

(25,185 posts)
3. I've not lived way upstate
Sun Sep 27, 2020, 01:48 PM
Sep 2020

I used to live about a half hour from NYC on the NJ side of the Hudson. But, we used to go up that way every so often, good breweries, great maple syrup in March, etc.

If you can handle the snow (one of the reasons we moved to SC!) then you'll be fine. However, snow removal is probably not as efficient as in NYC and its suburbs, they get so much more of it usually.

Small town life seems to be the norm in the Catskills. There are shopping centers here and there, but you'll probably find yourself stocking up when you do make shopping trips to cut down on the number of them. And get a hardy vehicle, the roads are not repaired as often as you might like.

NeoGreen

(4,033 posts)
6. If you can handle a 4-hour drive to NYC, consider Ithaca, NY...
Mon Sep 28, 2020, 10:57 AM
Sep 2020

... home of Cornell University.

Far greater intellectual and progressive vibe then the rest of Upstate, even when compared to Albany..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca,_New_York

Rhiannon12866

(222,361 posts)
8. I've lived Upstate my whole life and recommend it highly
Mon Sep 28, 2020, 11:50 PM
Sep 2020

I was born in Albany, lived in Ticonderoga (Essex County - north end of Lake George) in my early years, mainly grew up in Saratoga Springs, went to college in central NY (near Utica), now I live about a half hour north of Saratoga, about 20 minutes south of Lake George.

There's certainly plenty do do, both summer and winter, near both lakes and mountains. The people are great, there is a small town feel, it's a traditionally Republican district, but there are plenty of progressives around, all my friends are. The mayors of Saratoga and Glens Falls are traditionally Democrats. The only part I wouldn't recommend is the winters, I'm not a fan of the cold and the snow, but all of New York is like that and you learn to deal with it.

WePurrsevere

(24,259 posts)
9. Although I now live on the border in northern NY...
Tue Sep 29, 2020, 06:29 AM
Sep 2020

I grew up and lived in the Capital District/Saratoga regions most of my life and absolutely love the Catskill area too. It's not a horribly far drive to/from the Capital District and normally there's a lot to do downstate if you're so inclined.

The major reasons we ended up in the 'North Country' was we wanted a bit of land around us and the cost of living up here is lower than downstate. There are things to do but when the border is open there's a LOT more within just an hour drive.

The frigid temps are definitely and increasingly a challenge as we age with our physical challenges but neither hubby nor I can imagine living anywhere else than somewhere in NYS.

 

whistler162

(11,155 posts)
10. Sorry that isn't Upstate NY!
Tue Sep 29, 2020, 04:01 PM
Sep 2020

Upstate is Syracuse/Rome/Utica up to about Rochester. Sorry to sound harsh but people calling anyplace 5 miles north of NYC get my goat, and I like my goat.

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