Surf town or Mountain town? One of life’s ultimate decisions. Photo: (L) Kane Brown (R) Boba Jovanovic
For a long time I thought I was destined to be the eternal bachelor, just surfing, hiking and traveling until one day I died a lonely death at the hands of some exotic disease. Now I’m 33 years old, and I’ve been married for a year. It’s not the prison I once thought it to be. I’m still surfing a lot, still planning trips. However, my wife and I are talking about having a child and, in turn, where we want to start our family. We currently rent a coastal apartment in North San Diego County, but we want to buy a place to live. We’re trying to decide whether to live a coastal life or take our show up to the mountains. There are pros and cons to both. Here’s a little scorecard to help me (and maybe you) make a decision. Let’s keep score:
The Goodwin family knows a thing or two about enjoying the great outdoors in surf and mountains. Photo: Given
Family
We both have family living in the San Diego area. We’re about five minutes from my mom and stepdad, and 10 from an aunt with whom I am very close (she’s also my surfing buddy). My wife’s parents are 45 minutes away, her brother about 30. Little kids have a reputation for being a shit load of work, and it’d be nice to have some familial support in the early years. Plus, you know, we love our family.
Score: Surf 1, Mountain 0
Upbringing
Things are getting pretty damn crowded here in Southern California. I think raising a kid in a small town is the ideal upbringing, and that’s a very real option in the mountains. There is also a lot of money here on the coast, and I worry about how that could negatively influence my child in the long run.
Score: Surf 1, Mountain 1
Get ’em fresh, eat ’em fresh. Hard to beat the coasts when it comes to fresh produce. Photo: Shutterstock.
Diet
I’m a vegetarian, and my wife only eats seafood. This tends to somewhat limit the places where we can eat out. Coastal Southern California is basically a vegetarian’s wet dream, from all the accommodating restaurants to the availability of faux meat products in the grocery stores.
Score: Surf 2, Mountain 1
Los Angeles palms and snowy Mount Baldy. Photo: Shutterstock
Climate
This is a tough one. On one hand, San Diego has one of the best and most moderate climates in the world. I sit here writing on this May afternoon, and it’s 70 degrees outside. I’ve got the window next to my desk open, and I couldn’t be more comfortable with the ocean breeze pouring in. However, I miss the seasonal changes of my childhood, and the mountains provide much more defined seasons. The winters get some snow, but nothing crazy, and I think it would be nice to experience the sense of seasons again. I’m giving this one to the mountains by a razor thin edge. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
Score: Surf 2, Mountain 2
This isn’t exactly a view that gets old. Photo: Evan Conway
Outdoor Activities/
Surfing is my number one activity, and I tend to choose it over nearly everything in my life. I’ve been undeniably selfish in my pursuit of surfing over the years, so maybe it’s time to dial it back a little. I do like hiking and the vibe of the mountains and forest, and I spent a lot of time in the mountains as a kid. I just don’t know how I’d function in the long term without consistent surf sessions.
Score: Surf 3, Mountain 2
Sometimes the only way to go affordable near the beach is a house on wheels…
Price
From what I can gather, we can afford a condo if we stay coastal. They’re fine and all, but a house with a yard is what we’d prefer. We’ve seen some nice houses that we can afford in the San Jacinto Mountains. It’s only about two hours from the coast.
Score: Surf 3, Mountain 3
And we have a tie. In the end, these things probably don’t all equate to just one “point,” but I thought this would be a good place to begin. My wife and I have to figure out what matters to us most, and there are other factors aside from these to consider. I’d say as of now we’re leaning coastal, but we could always change our minds. I never thought I’d have to make adult decisions like this, but evidently, this is where my life is going. I’m surprisingly okay with it.
