Rancho Cucamonga?

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2014

Well, unfortunately you can't avoid the wind in Rancho Cucamonga (CSUSB, the university down the road I am currently attending, is known to have to close due to wind conditions being so extreme). However, it is a nice place to be (aside from the wind), fairly affluent, decent schools and colleges surrounding it. The shopping is good and you're kind of in between a lot of places so you can go to the desert, LA and San Diego all within an hour or so depending on traffic. There are tons of hospitals and medical facilities (an asthma & allergy center right near Victoria Gardens) so employment shouldn't be a too difficult thing. It's fairly diverse but the population I've noticed is becoming somewhat more Asian with many younger people moving closer to the universities (many of the surrounding ones have a heavy outreach to Chinese national students) out of the LA area. Seriously, though, if you don't want to deal with the wind, consider somewhere a little calmer like the Redlands or Loma Linda area. Where, if I may ask, are you looking to work?

kynzoesmommy · Mar 30, 2014

Rancho Cucamonga is pretty nice! Chino Hills is a great area as well! The are both relatively inexpensive cities compared to LA and Orange County. As far as diversity goes you will probably not find a good school that has more than 5% of us enrolled unfortunately. Check greatschools.org or zillow to find out the ratings for the schools next to your potential home. Good luck!

africanbelle · Mar 31, 2014

Thank you so much kynzoesmommy for taking the time to respond to my post. Your response gives me hope that it is indeed a good area to raise a child. I hope I can hear more from the nurses in the Rancho Cucamonga area. Thanks again!

africanbelle · Mar 31, 2014

la_chica_suerte85 somehow I missed your post. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I haven't gotten a job yet as I figured it would be wiser to find out where exactly I should live and then apply for jobs in that area. I currently work on a med-surg floor but am looking for more family friendly hours so may end up doing case management, GI Lab etc

Thank you for the suggestions you made about other areas. I will definitely do some research about them.

I have tried to look for the Rancho Cucamonga climate and can't seem to find a breakdown of what the average monthly temperatures are. When you speak of wind (and this may sound silly so I apologize ahead of time), does it get really cold? In all honesty, am more concerned with cold more than wind coz most times the wind chill makes it seem cold but if the temperatures are not that low it would probably be fine.

Thank you again!

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2014

It does not get quite as cold as some of the surrounding areas -- it seems to be a bit more temperate. Rancho Cucamonga is below the high desert, however, and some of those winds that come from the north can be quite chilly and gusty. I would second the Chino Hills recommendation to kind of avoid some of the that harshness. If it kind of helps, wineries are a big thing out here so you can kind of expect a breezy, Mediterranean type of climate for those grapes to grow in. The lowest I think it gets is probably the high 30s at night in the winter. It's not somewhere you would regularly expect snow or frost -- though it could happen as it seems the weather out here gets weirder every year. Otherwise, it is a very pretty place to live -- it really is gorgeous.

I think I just emphasize the windiness because, even though I have lived here my whole life, I am really, really tired of it being windy so much and when I graduate I am heading down to San Diego (if I'm lucky). By the way, it isn't a silly question. If I had known how windy it would be in the area of the home I bought a year ago I might have though twice (and it's only down the way from where I had moved!). Weather is a big factor and wind can be very dangerous. Rancho Cucamonga, however, seems largely spared from the severe moments that happen in the surrounding areas (i.e. Pasadena, San Bernardino). Hope this helps!

cecilbee1 · Apr 2, 2014

Africanbelle, I just received your PM but I haven't posted enough topics to send PM's yet, I better get on it!! :-) My brother and his wife and kids live in Rancho Cucamonga and they have been there since July 2013. I haven't visited yet, but I am going April 19-23!!! I'm glad you have decided to make the move. They REALLY like it there. The kids walk to school and both have improved academically since leaving IL. I mailed all of my application materials to the CBON on Feb 18, check was cashed Mar 18, and my endorsement is now showing "pending" on Breeze. I submitted the fingerprint card from my local police station which is the same as the ones they use, but I will need to know if my prints are good to go or if I will need to do livescan while I'm visiting. I am going to call the CBON next week to check on the prints. My plan is to move no later than July. I'm not sure that I'll be right in Rancho (too expensive!), but I will at least be within 20-30 miles.

africanbelle · Apr 2, 2014

cecilbee1, I have also submitted all my materials and now the waiting game has begun. Like you, I will be visiting soon (prob the second week of May) to scope things out. I am hoping by then I will have heard something from the board since it will be the six week mark. I also used finger print cards and since Georgia doesn't have NURSYS verification, I had to go the long route by mailing my license verification.

From what I have heard and seen on the threads here, the job market in CA is kinda meh! Have you started applying for jobs yet, or waiting till you have your license in hand?

cecilbee1 · Apr 3, 2014

Well, luckily it seems that things are moving a little better at the board than they were a couple of months ago. I have applied for some jobs but the ones I got responses from definitely want the California license which I totally understand. So I'm trying my hardest to be patient for now.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Apr 3, 2014

Rancho cucamonga is a great place. i have been living in inland empire for over 10 years. the weather is mostly sunny...rainy days are around april for a little bit here or there. but majority the weather is SUNNY and mist of windy days...we have earthquakes and nothing *drastic* yet. the traffic on freeways are so-so.. rancho cucamonga is like an "orange county" in the IE. if you ask people in san bernardino what they think about rancho , they say "its rich people" town....dont quote me..just stereotype. it is cheaper compared to LA and OC and you will enjoy it out here. personally i want to move out the IE eventually to TN or somewhere in the south.

africanbelle · Apr 18, 2014

cecilbee1, please let me know how your trip to cali goes and what you think of Rancho Cucamonga. Thanks

cecilbee1 · Apr 24, 2014

Hey! I just got back last night and I LOVED it!! Rancho Cucamonga is so beautiful and the weather was gorgeous! My niece and nephew are thriving there and my brother and his wife are doing so well. I drove out to Palm Springs on Monday, and to LA on Tuesday. The traffic was no joke but I handled it like a pro.