LIVING
Moving to the Midwest and expecting to visit the beach seems a little like moving to Florida and planning on going snowskiing. But when moving to Ohio, the new resident gets to experience the pleasant reality that they’re going someplace that has an active beach lifestyle.
Confused? That’s understandable. With Lake Erie as the state’s only major body of water on a map, one would understandably conclude the great state of Ohio to be landlocked and, therefore, thoroughly lacking in any of the usual beach community offerings like swimming, boating, and waterside seafood restaurants. But in reality, Ohio does feature those beach standards, but they just have it on the islands off the coast of Lake Erie. Visit South Bass Island, specifically Put-In-Bay, and the Kelleys during the summer months and you’ll be able to experience the beach in the Midwest.
It’s important to take advantage of this, since the winter will make you wish you had. While it won’t be out of place to see the locals walking around in shorts in 30-degree weather, take heart in knowing that any native Ohio resident will run for the southern states the first chance they get. If that’s not an option, keep in mind that winter gear tends to go on sale in the summer months.
WORKING
Ohio needs medical workers, and they need them yesterday.
There’s currently a big demand for physical therapists and nurses, with additional calls for technicians in various fields including civil engineering, computer networking, and electrical work. Even better, many of the state’s best jobs can be earned with a two-year degree.
WEATHER
If you’re relocating to Ohio from anyplace where summer weather includes 100-degree temperatures, high humidity, and the general inability to wear anything heavier than a tank top, the Ohio weather might be a bit of a shock. While summers here do have high humidity, the temperature tends to top of in the low 80s, creating an ideal climate for people who enjoy outdoor summer activities but don’t enjoy sweating heavily.
But there is a catch: Ohio has a reputation for being buried in snow half of the year, and snowfall in the springtime should never be ruled out. At the same time, if you’ve ever wanted to truly experience fall, Ohio can be the perfect place to do it. While the southern states will continue to swelter well into October, Ohio will be breaking out the sweaters in September.
THINGS TO DO
Aside from the already mentioned beach spots, Ohio offers a variety of activities including the Butterfly House and Cedar Point.
You may have enjoyed the tourist frenzy that is Orlando or marveled at the sites and tastes of a New Jersey boardwalk, but Ohio residents take great pride in Cedar Point, the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. Located in Sandusky, Cedar Point currently boasts 72 rides including 17 roller coasters. The state also offers Kings Island with its 14 roller coasters, so don’t worry about having to get all your roller coaster fixes at one park.
During football season, you can also root for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Don’t worry if you didn’t actually go to school there; most of the fans didn’t either. Neither do the fans of the University of Miami Hurricanes. So go buy that jersey and root for the (new) home team.
Also, if you’re attending a wedding on a Saturday night during football season, don’t be surprised if the bride and groom halt the festivities and invite their guests to watch the game with them.
Speaking of sports, professional Ohio sports clubs enjoy a unique level of loyalty among their fans. How unique? The Cleveland Browns have one of the most die-hard fan bases in the entire world and the team has never won a Super Bowl (although they did win multiple NFL Championship Games prior to the creation of the Super Bowl).
CULTURE
Ohio residents enjoy the reputation of being friendly and approachable unless you say you’re from Michigan, at which point all bets will be off and anything goes.
While that’s especially true during college football season (Ohio State and Michigan do NOT get along), moving to Ohio can also put you in the middle of the in-state rivalry between Cincinnati and Cleveland. This rivalry does not immediately extend to any news resident, so neither side will demand an oath of loyalty unless you choose to engage. And by pledge of loyalty, we mean willing to crack jokes about the other side.
Some of the cultural consideration will include the lack of beans in chili, generally considered a food sin on par with putting ketchup on a steak. If you don’t hunt deer, you may do so by accident in Ohio, since the state’s deer population has a habit of playing chicken with oncoming traffic. And speaking of traffic, it might be slow since construction never seems to end in Ohio. Part of the construction will also mean dealing with potholes, which will be plentiful and devour tires the way movie great white sharks eat swimmers (fun fact: no sharks in Lake Erie). And there will be corn everywhere. Don’t be fooled into thinking corn growing should be the sole province of Nebraska; the corn fields here will mean lots of corn on the dinner menu.
LET’S GET GOING!
Sold on the idea of moving to Ohio? Digging the idea of enjoying a state that experiences the seasons while also offering high-end amusement parks and some of the most storied sports franchises in history? What’s not to like?
Unless it’s the stress of moving that’s making you hesitate. If so, don’t worry; we have help for that.
If you need help, Colonial Van Lines has you covered. We’ve got the experience and the expertise to make sure your moving experience will be solid, straight forward, and stress free, so you’ll be able to get to where you’re going and start rooting for Ohio State as fast as you can!
Call a Colonial Van Lines professional and find out how easy a move to Ohio can be.
Moving to Ohio
July 24, 2019