Reviews & Comments
Fredericksburg, VA
Fred is a wonderful small town -
7/6/2007I graduated Mary Washington in 2000, and I loved living there for four years. Old Town is very cute, and there are many nice little restaurants and shops available. They had just gotten public transportation when I left, and I assume that it's still there.
Fredericksburg is a beautiful, historic town that has many interesting things to do or see for a small town. It is also directly between Richmond and DC, with a commuter train stop in town. When I lived there, a fair few of the residents commuted in to one or the other, especially DC, and I assume that that's still true.
I don't think it would be a great place to live if you're single and not in college, but I can't think of many better places to live if you have a family and want a small town. I have no personal knowledge of the schools there, but I knew people who had graduated from them, and they seemed to be quite bright.
Lake Jackson, TX
Grew up there; happy to move away -
7/6/2007Lake Jackson is an okayish place to grow up, but it is absolutely deadly for an adult. There's nothing there except chemical companies, cattle, and prison farms. Downtown is kind of cute for a small town, with a few nice shops, but not more than you can visit in a morning.
It's very humid, and very green - there's a great variety of wildlife. Unfortunately, that wildlife includes huge clouds of mosquitoes (a neighboring town, Clute, actually has a yearly Mosquito Festival) and alligators.
Schools aren't great, but they aren't terrible, either. The high school has a decent range of courses beyond the basics for science, not surprising for a town where the economy is based on the chemical industry. Facilities are pretty poor, especially for middle and elementary schools.
The chief advantage is that it's near Houston but not in it.
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix is beautifully ugly -
7/6/2007Phoenix itself is basically an ugly overgrown 50's suburb, but the setting is beautiful beyond belief if you like desert and mountains. It really does make a difference that it's a dry heat, but not much of one once it gets over 107 or so.
It's a great city if you are either retired or have a family (if you can afford to put the kids in private school, or to drive to a decent charter school), but not so much if you're single. Most of the recreation available centers around bars and clubs or sporting events in air-conditioned stadiums.
I don't regret having moved here, but I'm looking to leave soon.