What Is Your Opinion of Utah?

[_Ray A]

Last Saturday I spoke with Eric on Skype and he mentioned it was depressing living in Utah, and he can’t wait to move back to California. Among other things, a chapel on nearly every block (perhaps a little figurative (?), but he doesn’t like the reminders even ten seconds), strong alcohol restrictions, not only in opening and closing hours for outlets, but even alcohol content (“they don’t want you to get drunk”). Few businesses open on Sundays as far as shopping, etc. In a word, a boring place to live, apart from the beautiful scenery, and it’s “so Mormon”, because they’re everywhere you go. He did say that this was mainly outside Salt Lake City, and I understand SLC is frequented more by the infidel and godless Gentiles and approaches something most people call “normal”. Now I suppose a TBM would have a very different opinion, but I don’t know. Nor do I know how close Idaho comes to Utahopia.

What sparks this post is two things. A similar thread on MAD (about how great Utah is, even idyllic), and a conversation I had with a Saudi Arabian university student during the week. Now I’d heard some of this stuff before: women being banned from driving in SA, very strict no-alcohol laws (worse than Utah), and even the illegality of an unmarried male and female couple travelling, for example, in a car with no one else to accompany them (I notice too that Muslim women never sit in the front with the cab driver here in Paganland). I haven’t verified any of this, but I have heard some of it before. I wondered how much of a comparison Saudi Arabia might be to Utah, as far as some/many people feeling that it’s a bit “oppressive” and “claustrophobic” because it’s virtually a “Mormon state” that largely caters for its native species, Mormonitis Inhabitus. Or is it?

I just noticed that The Dude started a somewhat similar thread, but in this thread I’d like your opinion of Utah, and the above, even if you live outside Utah and you’ve only ever visited. I plead ignorance, having never visited, and it’s extremely unlikely I ever will, and after hearing Eric’s report (we think a lot alike), I think if I ever have the money for a holiday I’ll be heading for the Caribbean. I prefer my coke with rum. Or should that be I prefer my rum with a little coke?


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[_Kevin Graham]

I would like to know too. Next year we will sell our home here in Brazil and move up to the States, and my wife is pitching a fit for us to move to Utah where she has family. I never really thought about it, but I figured we'd shop around for places. At the moment I'm favoring the Atlanta area.

[_TBSkeptic]

The salt lake area really isn't bad at all. And the bonus of living in utah - everything's less busy on sundays. You've got costco to yourself pretty much.

[_ttribe]

I'll admit...not a fan of Utah. The scenery's nice, but I prefer where I live in terms of the culture, etc.

[_Chadillac]

Personally, I would move to California before I'd move to Utah. We live in Idaho and go down to Utah about once every two months to visit family, friends, etc... I think the worst part is the drivers. I've never seen as much ruthlessness as when I'm driving down I-15 through SLC. However, having the mountains so close is very nice and there is some amazing scenery. It also has much milder winters than eastern Idaho does.

[_dblagent007]

I like Utah. I am a low tax, less government type of guy, so Utah fits. If you want the night-life, clubbing type environment, then Utah isn't for you. If you want the outdoors, family oriented type environment, then Utah might be a good fit.

As for the church, I don't think it is a big problem if you are never-mo or active-mo. If you are ex-mo or apostate-mo, then your mileage will vary. If you get into an area of open-minded people, it will be fine. If not, then it will suck.

[_silentkid]

I really liked Salt Lake City when I lived there. It's a quick trip up either Cottonwood canyon or up 80 to Park City for some great snowboarding. If you're into music, the clubs in SLC get lots of great bands and because the scene isn't huge, you can get into just about any show at the last minute. The liquor laws were a pain in the ass, but I've heard they changed some of those...also the "private club" BS.

Utah Valley is a whole different story. I hated living there, even when I was an active TBM. It's just too much church and church culture all the time. Luckily, I had a great group of friends who were more liberal-minded members and a few inactives. Sundays are awesome for shopping (when stores are open) and great for going to the movies.

If you plan on living in Utah, you better check out the job scene. I was offered a job in SLC, the same type of position I have now in Denver, and it paid a lot less than what I make here. The cost of living difference isn't enough to warrant the severe difference in salary. But, that depends on your field, I guess.

[_Kevin Graham]

I'm thinking Utah will be too dry for me as well. I have never snow skiied and I am not sure I really want to. I am more of a southern guy, used to humid weather and water skiis. California was nice back in 91, but that was then. According to the news, California has to be one of the worst places to live in this economy. Outrages taxes, declining property values, etc.

[_Always Thinking]

In general I like Utah. I am a crafty chick, and I love that there are lots of fabric/craft stores there. I also like food storage type stuff (lol). I like being able to buy things in bulk, and I like the weird things I can find there, like UltraGel (a modified food starch that thickens liquids without heat). I like that they understand whole grains. Wheat grinders are normal, (lol again).

The biggest thing that I really miss, though, is the public transportation. Dh and I lived in Provo while dh was in school. We didn't buy a car until we had been married almost four years. I was pregnant with my second child when we bought our first car for $500. Our transportation included biking, walking, and riding the bus. It was totally do-able, too. As poor students, it was so nice to live in a town where everything was accessible without having to worry about the financial burden of a car. We walked to the grocery store, to the library etc. Dh biked to school. On Saturdays, we'd take the bus to SLC and spend the day walking around downtown. I really love public transportation, and we just don't have anything like it where we live now.

The downsides? It is a dry desert. Beautiful mountains, but there is no getting around that dry air and lack of trees. I also think it would be hard to raise children in Utah if you aren't raising them in the church. They would have a hard time fitting in.

[_moksha]

Being a high plains desert, Utah is short on natural greenery, but so are many places in the word. What we do have that is different, is a high enough percentage of Mormons to make for a different cultural experience. You should see our pottery and beads.