If you’re currently living in California and are looking to move somewhere beautiful, clean, and more affordable, we know just the place for you. We have lived in California most of our life, but when the cost of living soared, we knew we had to start packing.
Bentonville, Arkansas is an ideal place for families, as the cost of living is affordable, the place is clean and beautiful, the community is friendly and welcoming, and there is so much to do and places to see for kids and adults alike. Bentonville is indeed a hidden gem that has amazing potential.
Read on to find out what made us decide to leave California after a long time, how we decided to move to Bentonville, Arkansas, and what the journey to this new place has been like for us.
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About Us and Why We Decided To Leave California
We are Les and Eileen, and we just moved to Northwest Arkansas. We were born and raised in California, and we had been living there since childhood. We never left. We lived our whole lives in the same place. And so we actually never expected to leave.
But one of the reasons why we decided to move is that since the COVID pandemic, a lot of things have changed in the state of California. It had been a wonderful place to live, but over the last few years, it’s changed drastically. It came to a point where it no longer felt like the home that we always knew and felt comfortable in.
Aside from the changes that were happening in California, the cost of living was also becoming more expensive. It was becoming too heavy financially, so we looked for other locations that were more affordable. And that was when we decided upon Northwest Arkansas.
Ever since we made that decision, we never looked back.
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Why We Chose Northwest Arkansas
Arkansas was not what I expected–it definitely went beyond our expectations about the place. But since we knew exactly what we wanted for a new home, choosing Arkansas was an easy decision, especially when we visited the place and experienced it for ourselves.
When we were searching for a new place, we were looking for the following things:
- Low cost of living. The high cost of living in California was one of the main driving forces as to why we decided to move.
- Beautiful and clean. Sure, we wanted a less expensive place, but we didn’t want to sacrifice how the location looked. So we searched for a place that had a great natural view and was clean.
- Family-friendly environment. We wanted a place where people were down-to-earth and friendly.
- Outdoorsy and athletic environment. We were looking for a location that was conducive to lots of outdoor activities and sports.
Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:
https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas
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What Northwest Arkansas Is Like
When we started looking around Northwest Arkansas, we just knew that our time was spent in California, and Northwest Arkansas was where we wanted to go. Here are some of the most notable things that we noticed about the place that convinced us that this was it:
- Beautiful scenery and laid back culture. It definitely is a lot different from California. The atmosphere and culture are more relaxed, and the scenery is gorgeous. You will feel closer to nature because of the abundance of trees and picturesque views.
- There are lots of mountain biking trails. I do love mountain biking, so that was a bonus for me.
- Lots of outdoor activities. Aside from mountain biking trails, there are also nature trails and other outdoor activities. If you’re athletic, you will not run out of things to do. And if you have kids, there are plenty of things to keep them busy as well.
- Trendy downtown areas. The town center and downtown areas are pretty sophisticated, with lots of things to do and places to go. But there are also more laidback areas that are completely different from what we’re used to in California.
- Friendly people. People here are extremely friendly and warm. The people are wonderful.
- So much potential. There’s already so much happening here, but you can see that the place still has great potential. Northwest Arkansas has so much to offer.
Overall, it was not at all what we expected. It was even better, which is why we call Northwest Arkansas a hidden gem–at least that’s what we discovered.
We can see ourselves in a rocking chair in a sunroom in a house in Northwest Arkansas, instead of being in a tiny apartment building in California. We’re excited about setting roots down here and getting to know people, building community, and getting involved in a church.
The place also offers so much athletically, so if you’re a runner, or if you like to be in the water, go cycling, or whatever outdoor sport it is that you enjoy, there’s so much that this place can offer for you.
We can see that it’s going to be a wonderful time here. The potential here is limitless, which is something that’s exciting for us.
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What We Recommend if You’re Moving From California
If you’re moving from California, we suggest that you save on moving costs in the U-Haul in Nevada or Arizona and drive it back to California. You’ll save thousands and thousands of dollars that way.
And you may not even be able to reserve a U-Haul. What we did was we sold everything and threw what we had left in a six-by-12 trailer and just drove out here.
If you’re looking for a good place to raise a family, a place that really has good values, this is it. It’s beautiful. It’s clean. People are friendly, kind, and respectful. It ticks all the boxes. I was stunned when we got here because it is utterly gorgeous. Everywhere we go, wherever we walk, wherever we ride our bikes, it’s just amazing.
It’s the best thing that I hoped it would be. It’s just, it’s a wonderful, wonderful place. And we already feel at home.