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California or Miami?
Comments
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Word of mouth and TV is good enough for me.....
Whilst both places are lovely for a holiday, you will find that the reality is very different from what you see on TV.
Back to my original question, do you have any skills or qualifications that are in high demand in the US?Gone ... or have I?0 -
Beaches:
South Beach Miami is snide, yeah its huge but the water is freezing and the sand is more like tiny stones and it rips your feet to pieces. The beaches down by the Keys aren't much better, but the atmosphere on S Beach is fantastic.
Santa Monica Beach is much better, the craft stalls are amazing, but when trying to sunbathe remember that LAX is just down the road so the peace is often spoiled by planes thundering overhead. The water is freezing too.
Weather:
Miami gets better weather year round than Los Angeles.
Stuff to do:
Florida is my favourite US state so i'm biased, there is so much to do over and over again wheras in California it doesn't for me hold the same 'come back appeal' fair enough just outside LA you have Vegas and then all the beauty of the surrounding states but you need to have a car.
LA
Hate the place, its a vast metropolis that stinks, the people stink and its a dive. Santa Monica is lovely, but the rest of LA is a dive. Don't be fooled by hollywood, the reality is its a tacky line of souvenir shops and a dog sh*t riddled walk of fame.
San Francisco
Love it, but there is not much there that would keep me occupied for too long, added to the fact the weather is a bit cold during winter.
Miami
South Beach is not that big, everything is over priced but if you go onto the mainland like Downtown the shopping is fantastic and the prices pretty reasonable. Weather is pretty consistent but they do have hurricanes.
What would i choose?
Miami, but only because of Florida, most things to do in Florida are not in Miami, but because everything is pretty much within a 3 hr drive then Miami would be my choice. There just isn't enough to keep me going in California, and whilst in Miami i could drive 3hrs and be in some of the most amazing beaches in the USA in LA you have at least a half a day drive minimum till you get anywhere half decent.
Unless of course you snowboard/Ski, then Lake Tahoe is just up the road(ish)The Summer Holiday of a Lifetime0 -
Hi,
Thought I'd add some info to this thread from the point of view of someone who's done it.
I lived and worked in the USA (Los Angeles) for over a year and I've spent lots of time in Miami.
The problem with wanting to live in the US is that TV programmes like 'A Place in the Sun' always show people wanting to 'up sticks' and relocate to the US without actually telling you how its done.
This gives the impression that its easy to do.
(Having said that, these are mainly home buying programmes, so why should they go into detail of how you get out there... they just want to make your mouth water at the properties)
Unfortunately the truth is... you can't just 'up sticks' and go.
The US has extremely strong laws about living or working out there.
Basically there are two methods of getting out there but even these are not guaranteed.
1. Buy an EXISTING BUSINESS that currently creates employment for American citizens.
You must spend something like $250,000 or more (I forget the exact amount)
You can't just buy a gardening business that consists of a man, a lawnmower and a second hand pick up.
It has to be a bona fide business that has been trading for a few years.
(They used to be a bit more lapse about this a decade or more ago but have tightened up to the point that people who did go over and set up as a handyman or whatever now have to show they are building a business up from year to year on their tax returns, and employing people, or their green card is rescinded)
2. Have specialised expertise (sorry, we're talking about America here, I mean specialized with a zee).
This is how I got in.
A US employer can only advertise a vacancy outside the US if they can show they have tried every other method of recruiting a specialist without luck (this means advertising for months before throwing the job to a wider net)
Unless you have a very specialised knowledge that an employer will want, then you won't get anywhere near a visa, let alone a green card.
Sorry if this pi**es on your chips but that's the reality.
What is your occupation?
If you let me know what sort of skills you have, I may be able to advise you more.
Nowadays even New Zealand and Australia only accept immigrants with skills (and proper trade qualifications) they actually require.
Maybe Europe would be a better bet.
BUT, if the question is simply which place is better, Miami or California?
California, hands down.0 -
Whilst both places are lovely for a holiday, you will find that the reality is very different from what you see on TV.
Back to my original question, do you have any skills or qualifications that are in high demand in the US?
Wel if I did do you think I would be sat here typing on this forum asking how to move there lol??0 -
Thank you Mr Lahey for your fantastic Insight. However you forgot to mention which state has the better nightlife but?Beaches:
South Beach Miami is snide, yeah its huge but the water is freezing and the sand is more like tiny stones and it rips your feet to pieces. The beaches down by the Keys aren't much better, but the atmosphere on S Beach is fantastic.
Santa Monica Beach is much better, the craft stalls are amazing, but when trying to sunbathe remember that LAX is just down the road so the peace is often spoiled by planes thundering overhead. The water is freezing too.
Weather:
Miami gets better weather year round than Los Angeles.
Stuff to do:
Florida is my favourite US state so i'm biased, there is so much to do over and over again wheras in California it doesn't for me hold the same 'come back appeal' fair enough just outside LA you have Vegas and then all the beauty of the surrounding states but you need to have a car.
LA
Hate the place, its a vast metropolis that stinks, the people stink and its a dive. Santa Monica is lovely, but the rest of LA is a dive. Don't be fooled by hollywood, the reality is its a tacky line of souvenir shops and a dog sh*t riddled walk of fame.
San Francisco
Love it, but there is not much there that would keep me occupied for too long, added to the fact the weather is a bit cold during winter.
Miami
South Beach is not that big, everything is over priced but if you go onto the mainland like Downtown the shopping is fantastic and the prices pretty reasonable. Weather is pretty consistent but they do have hurricanes.
What would i choose?
Miami, but only because of Florida, most things to do in Florida are not in Miami, but because everything is pretty much within a 3 hr drive then Miami would be my choice. There just isn't enough to keep me going in California, and whilst in Miami i could drive 3hrs and be in some of the most amazing beaches in the USA in LA you have at least a half a day drive minimum till you get anywhere half decent.
Unless of course you snowboard/Ski, then Lake Tahoe is just up the road(ish)0 -
Hi Cliffwalker thanks for the detailed response. Which state has the better nightlife?CliffWalker wrote: »Hi,
Thought I'd add some info to this thread from the point of view of someone who's done it.
I lived and worked in the USA (Los Angeles) for over a year and I've spent lots of time in Miami.
The problem with wanting to live in the US is that TV programmes like 'A Place in the Sun' always show people wanting to 'up sticks' and relocate to the US without actually telling you how its done.
This gives the impression that its easy to do.
(Having said that, these are mainly home buying programmes, so why should they go into detail of how you get out there... they just want to make your mouth water at the properties)
Unfortunately the truth is... you can't just 'up sticks' and go.
The US has extremely strong laws about living or working out there.
Basically there are two methods of getting out there but even these are not guaranteed.
1. Buy an EXISTING BUSINESS that currently creates employment for American citizens.
You must spend something like $250,000 or more (I forget the exact amount)
You can't just buy a gardening business that consists of a man, a lawnmower and a second hand pick up.
It has to be a bona fide business that has been trading for a few years.
(They used to be a bit more lapse about this a decade or more ago but have tightened up to the point that people who did go over and set up as a handyman or whatever now have to show they are building a business up from year to year on their tax returns, and employing people, or their green card is rescinded)
2. Have specialised expertise (sorry, we're talking about America here, I mean specialized with a zee).
This is how I got in.
A US employer can only advertise a vacancy outside the US if they can show they have tried every other method of recruiting a specialist without luck (this means advertising for months before throwing the job to a wider net)
Unless you have a very specialised knowledge that an employer will want, then you won't get anywhere near a visa, let alone a green card.
Sorry if this pi**es on your chips but that's the reality.
What is your occupation?
If you let me know what sort of skills you have, I may be able to advise you more.
Nowadays even New Zealand and Australia only accept immigrants with skills (and proper trade qualifications) they actually require.
Maybe Europe would be a better bet.
BUT, if the question is simply which place is better, Miami or California?
California, hands down.0
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