Moving East - Baltimore or Boston - Experience & Opinions?

[kieveryuu]

Ok, looks like I am moving to the east coast this August. My destination will be either Baltimore, MD or Boston, MA. Both cities have pros and cons, but they are both two cities I never been to. NYC? sure, D.C.? check, Philly? there too, though only in D.C. did I actually live and that was a long time ago.

Now the reason that I am moving is because I am transferring from my current educational institution and to another for the next step in my education. The masters degree. Oy. Anyway, I ask you guys for your opinions on the relative merits of these two cities and for your experiences of either or both of them.

Thank you.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Just from a visitor's point of view:

* Did some work out of Albany for a while 10 years ago, went to Boston a lot. After one trip to NYC, I decided Boston was the place. I liked the people, the food, the vibe, the brick buildings and the layout. It didn't smell bad like NYC.

* Traveled through Baltimore in my teens. Great music scene (at least back then). Other than that, Baltimore can sink into the Atlantic and I wouldn't miss it. Rough city, dirty, pissy natives, crappy streets.

I'm proud to be a westerner and I'm damn glad I don't have to move to the east coast. 8)

 

[jefe1037]

boston isnt exacly candyland, but Baltimore is not a place where i would be hanging out by myself after dark: outside of the vista and powerplant areas, you are pretty much in deep stuff if you arent packing heat.

otoh, to balance the fight, there are several bedroom communities in that dc-baltimore stretch that are great places to live. boston has some great burbs too, but if you want to live in the city, boston wins by a landslide

 

[riff raff]

Baltimore is starting to make a renaissance. Cost of living is probably a lot better in Baltimore than those other cities. Some trendy neighborhoods are happening around the outer city (Towson, etc.) Plus, we have blue crabs and Old Bay seasoning. Boston has tasteless pieces of rubber the locals call "lobster". <g>

 

[jefe1037]

anywhere in anne arundel county is pretty nice in general, but then you are driving a long way to get to where you need to go.... ups and downs. used to date a girl from annapolis.... kiever, if you end up out there, DONT date a local.

 

[monbla256]

Being a pipe smoker there is only one place for you to go - BOSTON! The oldest tobacco shop in the US, Peretti's is there !!! Seems the only choice for me "Course it might not be good for your budget

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

Easy, Baltimore. Boston is full of Red Sox fans.

Seriously though, Boston is a nice town. Its relatively small for a "big city". Probably has a little more to offer within the city limits, but Baltimore is nice because its so close to DC, Philly and NYC. Plus there's always the whole cost of living thing.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I often called Boston "The San Francisco of the East." Seaside, smaller, expensive, relatively clean, quirky, colorful, historical, walkable.

I hope Baltimore does make a revival. Portland did about 15 years or so ago, as did Tucson. Reno's trying very hard to do the same thing, and it's just breaking ground. I don't want any city in America to be crappy, because I like it here, and I like to travel by car.

The only place that's hopeless is probably Las Vegas. :lol:

 

[Deleted member 2386]

I have more friends in the Baltimore area, but in a vacuum I'd choose Boston over it, hands down. That said, the reality is that Baltimore's cost of living is way more reasonable, and there are plenty of great schools in the area. I really do love Boston, though--beautiful city, vibrant, wonderfully preserved historical buildings and districts, very diverse scenes, close to Providence, which is cooler than DC in my opinion, and generally much more on my speed.

Also, while all of Baltimore isn't as its depicted in The Wire, there are definitely some crazy rough areas...but then there are rough neighborhoods everywhere. Baltimore just has a high concentration of them!

 

[Deleted member 2386]

Oh, and lemme know if you do decide on Baltimore--most of my friends there are neck-deep in the art scene, and a couple teach at various unis and institutes around there; they're cool guys, and it'd be easy to put you in touch with them if you wanted a more informed opinion of living and attending school there, or just felt like grabbing a beer with a local if you did indeed move there. Know some people in Boston, too, but no students, teachers, or pipe smokers!

 

[kieveryuu]

This is all good information. Additionally it seems to confirm my research.

Basically it seem that either city will be a great place, Baltimore has a few more neighborhoods that would less than welcoming if you accidentally walk into them. Makes sense, know it is not the wire but one still needs to be careful, right? If I chose Baltimore I am living in Towson, which according to the posts here sounds like a nice place. On the other hand, Boston seems like a reserved version of NYC (which I really like) and should I chose Boston I will be living in Newton.

GrampaG. that is a kind offer, one that I would be honoured to take you up on should I find myself Baltimore.

Any other thoughts or places to be familiar with in either city?

 

[jefe1037]

Any other thoughts or places to be familiar with in either city?

Good advice for anyone moving somewhere new:

find a good bar, a good mexican place and a good breakfast place. hopefully all within walking distance.

 

[Mr. Doody]

g/l with your continuing education!

i'm a native bostonian - born and raised in and around the city for forty-blah-blah years now.

as others have pointed out, it is not a cheap city, but it is a great place to be a student, for sure.

feel free to PM me if i can be helpful answering questions etc.

doody!

 

[PipeLeisure]

Come to Boston...we would love to have ya...we can hang out :cheers:

 

[kieveryuu]

Jefe, good notes (though for me it is a good sushi place), will be interesting as I have two good bars here. Something I would happily talk to Doody about should I make that city.

A question, when you speak of the cost of living, which I have no doubt is an accurate assessment of the situation, would you guys be willing to elaborate? Looking at small apartments (I happen to really like studio/efficiency style apartments) I see the same places for the same average cost in both cities. I suspect fewer in Boston than in Baltimore. Are costs differences really going to be seen in goods and services? Groceries, utilities, beer, baccy and transportation that sort of thing?

It is interesting, I knew this day was coming, I just thought it would be the Spring of next year. However, the schools I talked were really helpful and in the case of Towson, they have even made an exception so that I could apply for the fall. Anyway, as much as that is very nice, I am still wrapping my brain around the fact that (unless something big happens to change this landslide) I will be in up and moved in 8 weeks.

A well, you do not grow if you only stay in a comfort zone. Honestly, though I will miss the people here, I am looking forward to it.

 

[riff raff]

Here, this will seal the deal. Faders Tobacconist main store is in Towson MD. King Eider - my favorite English blend, period. Good folks, they've been around since 1891 and know how to blend tobacco.
http://www.faderstobac.com/

 

[kieveryuu]

Riff, you make a good argument. Then again, so does PipeLeisure.

Looks like I will know Monday afternoon if it is Boston or Baltimore.

 

[kaiser83]

Baltimore is starting to make a renaissance. Cost of living is probably a lot better in Baltimore than those other cities. Some trendy neighborhoods are happening around the outer city (Towson, etc.) Plus, we have blue crabs and Old Bay seasoning. Boston has tasteless pieces of rubber the locals call "lobster". <g>

So long as you get outside of the Baltimore beltway (695) you will be just fine. The drive from Annapolis to Baltimore isn't bad, bout cost of living is crazy near Annapolis. Seafood in MD is awesome, especially if you get down to Southern MD out to Cobb Island. There is a awesome concert venue in souther B'more called Rams Head Live. There is the inner harbor. You are a stones throw..basically...from D.C.. I spent a huge chunk of change in Baltimore but I must say it was alwasy better once I got out of their Beltway and into the more rural areas. Hiking, white-water rafting, fishing, it is all darn close by. If you are into the Civil War you are close by the biggest baddest battles from Baltimore.

 

[Dreadgerbil]

I'm realising you can only live in cities beginning with 'B.' That must be quite a constraint for you.


Seriously, though. We'll miss you when you're not in Boise but hopefully these guys can help you find the perfect place to study and smoke.

 

[CLRV]

I'm from Philadelphia originally, so I spent a lot more time in Baltimore/DC than Boston. That being said, I did spend an inordinate amount of time in New England as well over the years. I personally prefer New England over the Mid atlantic (excluding Philadelphia, of course, home is home after all). As far as the seafood, there are extremely good arguments for either city.

All cities have rough neighborhoods. Here in Tulsa, for example, you don't want to go north of 244. And that's a big chunk of the city.

From a rebirth perspective, I can attest that living in a city in a renaissance period is a lot of fun. Huge opportunities everywhere. That's a major reason why I came to Tulsa for school- we're right in the middle of massive growth. With that in mind, Baltimore clearly wins. They seem to be doing a lot (or at least trying) to get things pulled together there. Of course, that's just because Boston has been pretty pulled together (noting the exceptions to that statement) for, well, a few centuries.

I honestly think that life should figure this one out for you. Who knows why one is drawn to certain places. Either choice you'll find what you like and, I bet, it will be hard to imagine making a different choice than the one you did in a few years time.