Californians Moving To Utah Are In For A Rude Awakening

Many Californians are moving from their state for greener pastures. Utah is number 10 on the list of places people from the golden state are moving to. However, because there are so many people in California, the number moving to Utah is a lot and you probably know several who have moved into your neighborhood. 

It may be a culture shock coming from the coast to the red rocks of Southern Utah or into the shadows of the towering mountains of the Wasatch Front. Here are some things to understand about the place you are moving to. 

It gets hot in the summer. There is no cooling breeze of the ocean to keep it at 72. It get's hot during the summer and without air conditioning, could get pretty miserable, especially in Southern Utah. You can escape to the water, but it is going to be a reservoir.

Many Utahns really love to hunt. With the all the mountains and wild areas, hunting is a big deal. We used to have a week off school for the deer hunt. Now it is called "fall break". Many families in Utah have been hunting for generations and are passionate about it.

Religion is important to many in Utah. This is the headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and a large portion of the population are members. Other faiths are also passionate about their beliefs. You can see the influence in everything from liquor laws to how many businesses are open on Sundays.

The Salt Lake area gets smoggy during inversions. This may make you feel more at home if you are from the LA area. Most times of the year are pretty nice, but when the cold air traps the smog in the valleys during the winter, it can get nasty.

You can see a long way in Southern Utah. So far there are no smog problems in most of the state and you can see for miles. This is true unless it is fire season and the smoke is blowing in from somewhere else.

Not as many celebrities. There are not many celebrities walking around. Maybe Post Malone and occasionally Robert Redford during the Sundance Festival, otherwise, not too many stars in town unless they are shooting some film in some of the great scenic places in Utah.

Utah people can be really nice. Utah was number one for the happiest state and it reflects in how most people here treat others. You usually have to go out of your way to find someone unpleasant.

Where California leans left politically, Utah leans right. We are a state that has been red on the political map for a long time and it reflects in our culture. We tend to be more traditional in how we have seen things. If you were leaving California for some of the policies there, you will find Utah refreshing. If you want to turn this place into a knock-off of the golden state, we aren't going to be happy.

Liquor is sold at state facilities. If you are buying something stronger than beer, you won't find it in the grocery store. You also should plan ahead on a weekend. Also, check with the restaurant before hand to find out if they have a license to serve the drink you like with your meal.

The cost of living is lower but rising. You will find Utah's cost of living pretty reasonable but it is getting more expensive to live here. The average is $42,653 and climbing. That's about ten grand less than California.

You may see people carrying guns. The laws allow people to carry so if you see someone wearing a gun, don't panic. Many Utahn's are passionate about the 2nd Amendment. Also something to keep in mind if you have crime on your mind.