CrystalAnne Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Hubby recently got the official go-ahead to work remotely and we're looking to move! Need suggestions. Do you love where you live? Do you have great co-ops, a great community, great resources, museums and zoos nearby? We're also looking for mountains to climb and places we can get into nature. We're in the Chicagoland area now, but we'd really like to get to somewhere a bit warmer and with a supportive community. We've got a 6 yr old that has homeschooled for a year, a 3 yr old, and a new baby. Greenville, SC has been recommended. Pluses are it has a lower cost of living, it's warmer, near mountains, and we've heard there is a good homeschool community there. St. Louis, MO seems to have so much good free stuff - zoo, children's science museum. And lots to do. Though not much warmer.. If you love where you live, let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 We're moving this month to Colorado Springs. It's warmer in general and there seems to be a large homeschool community. There's tons of hiking everywhere and the mountains are really close. ANYTHING is cheaper than living in the Chicago area (I grew up there and my family still lives there). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3girls4me Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Nashville, TN!! Great homeschool community. Great city life. Great parks. Very hospitable, casual, laid back city. Great food. Lots of family friendly activities. I can't say enough good things about nashville. It's not like the often general assumption. Not all country music and cowboy boots. In fact, I never see much of that. It's just a really cool, fun place to raise a family and homeschool! And it's growing so quickly! Check it out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I would go to St. Charles in MI. It's nicer than St. Louis proper, while still being in very reasonable cruising range of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrystalAnne Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 We actually have been looking at Colorado as well as Tennessee! Great suggestions so far! I should maybe add that I'd like it to be a state where there are not super involved homeschool reporting requirements. Right now in Illinois there are no requirements which is really nice. I don't want to go from that to writing reports every semester, you know? Keep em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I am in St. Louis. We are a GREAT homeschooling state if you are concerned about future homeschooling requirements. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Greenville, SC is surprisingly cool. My mom grew up there and we went recently and I was so surprised. Thriving little downtown, cool city parks, lots of small museums including a state of the art new children's museum. You're not too far from Charlotte and Atlanta for a short trip to bigger resources occasionally. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommysanders Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I grew up in CO. While I wasn't homeschooled, I know there is a great community there. I recommend either surrounding Denver area or Colorado Springs. Lots of outdoors, beautiful scenery, plus a lot of family activities. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountains27 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I like where I live (for the most part) but I'd wager, it isn't warmer then Chicago. I've never been to that area but here it's winter for about 8 months and that's not cool. Everything else is cool though- real easy homeschool laws and tons of mountains and outdoors. Population in my area is pretty low and we live remotely without even trying. a good or bad thing depending on what you want- for me I like remote so it works for us, we are only 3ish hours from Boston so in a day trip can have some culture and big city excitement. As far as homeschool community, if there is one I haven't fond it yet! Welcome to New Hampshire- Live Free or Die! I've actually toyed with the idea of moving a bit south to find some warmer weather. I am a landscaper and in a place where it's winter most of the time...I'm not able to find a career at what I love. But I grew up here and it's home and where my family is so it's hard to really think about leaving these woods. I'll be following this thread to see what ideas you get! I've looked at Virginia as a possibility, looks like it still has seasons but is warmer then my area and possible Chicago too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 South Carolina. I am so glad we moved here. Have never regretted it for a second. Amazing homeschool community, great weather etc. and like PP said, Greenville is pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 St. Louis gets raging hot and humid in the summer and bitter cold in the winter. The racism issues there are beyond belief (unless you've lived there). However, if you are from Chicago, you might still enjoy the Illinois side of the river as the people are still "Illinois" (I don't know how to describe this, but my stepfather is from Chicago, and he retired in Clinton County near St. Clair County...I never fit). Greenville, is good, but you have to consider all the BJU people and such. However, there are plenty of rebels against the fundyism there :) My favorite places to live were Washington state, Virginia (near Quantico), and Pennsylvania (Lancaster County and near Philadelphia). New Jersey has some really nice areas also, but can be expensive. I'm in South Carolina now...if you of my bohemian tribe, we could use more out of the box people...if the culture shock doesn't get to you (I'm in the Lowcountry). Also, I agree that Nashville, TN is a wonderful area. I've only visited there, but we did consider it at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Missouri is very homeschool friendly and there are a lot of groups/conventions/resources in the St. Louis area (as well as other areas of the state). The Illinois side of the river, Edwardsville for example, is also a nice option. We are in the Springfield area and much prefer it to St. Louis (where I grew up). The weather is a bit milder and we are not big city people. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I live in Greenville. We have a zoo, a great children's museum, several art museums, a children's theatre, etc. We have a HUGE homeschool community here. I mean, it's so "normal" that nobody bats an eyelash when you say you homeschool - more frequently you'll just hear a "good for you!". Even the school officials here are generally supportive and helpful to homeschoolers. There are tons of co-ops... although I will say that they can be difficult to find if you aren't protestant, because 9 out of 10 come with a required SOF. There are two or three Catholic co-ops, too, which will generally make exceptions for Greek Orthodox families. I'm only aware of one secular co-op, and I believe it leans more unschooling, and/or is wait listed (just what I've heard from friends). There are several great secular/no religious affiliation facebook homeschool groups that are more support geared, but often have meet ups and parties (our tween/teen group just had a dance!). SC is super easy, regulation-wise. There are a couple of protestant private schools that offer dual enrollment, too, one being a classical university model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Homeschooling in St Louis really is great, but the weather is spectacularly sucky. I remember moving here in the '80s -- people died of the heat during the summer, people died of the cold during the winter. I wondered why anyone would ever move here (someone said it was people who made it this far west during westward expansion and were too dumb to go further). We moved away, and then came back a few years ago. The weather is still awful. Plus reasonably near the New Madrid Fault, if you're interested in earthquakes. OTOH, very family friendly. Very homeschool friendly. Lots of homeschool co-ops, learning centers, and whatnot. You'll have your choice of which homeschool proms to attend, which graduation ceremonies to participate in. Super for theater. Rated one of the top cities for the arts, mostly because of the performing arts available. Bad public transportation. Winning baseball team. Easy to find a chiropractor because of Logan. I would stay away from the Illinois side of the river simply because Illinois is drowning in debt, but you live in Chicago so that's not news (except that Chicago appears to get more of the state's resources). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 You might want to mention if you're okay with signing a SOF, if not then that limits a lot of places when it comes to getting involved in the local co-ops. Charlotte NC has an almost reasonable COL, big secular and faith based HSing community, laws are okay, no Zoo but tons of other stuff to do. Their Parks and rec activities(classes, outdoors and indoors) are amazing and low to no cost. The weather is great, you still have a Winter but it's mild and blessedly short. Great place to have a garden. We would never have left except for family obligations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 St Louis also has two private classical schools which are reasonably priced, both small and Christian. One larger Christian school that is $$, then multiple Catholic and secular schools which range from $$ to $$$$. ;-) The Rockwood and Parkway districts are supposed to be good academically, if you ever end up not hsing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Illinois side of the river co-ops also have an SOF. Unless new co-ops have developed since I lived there (fully possible), the one that was there was adamant about keeping out Catholics, Orthodox, LDS, JWs, and any non-Christian. Pennsylvania had very inclusive co-ops. South Carolina, I know there is in inclusive group for field trips. The group that has formed near me is for anyone in the county (technically). Let's just say that I have not had good luck with finding homeschoolers near me that want to get together with people not from this county. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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