[erkelly]

“But I’ll be back as a tourist . . .”

I bet you won’t. I left my native California nearly 20 years ago, and I have only been back a very few times for family reasons, and had I no family there I doubt I would have ever gone back at all. There is absolutely nothing I miss about it, especially the FTB!

There are a whole lot of other beautiful states to explore, not to mention the rest of the world, and I think you will set your sights forward, not backward, when you leave.

[Califreak]

I was in Idaho last year and spoke briefly with someone who was leaving Idaho for a couple of weeks to vacation in California.

I was incredulous, but didn’t say anything other than have a great trip.

Inside I was thinking why on earth would you leave this gorgeous state to visit California unless you have relatives, never been to the beach or kids begging to go to Disneyland?

Rural California might be great but I’m stuck here in the SF Bay Area.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Too much family here to never come back, plus La Jolla and Oceanside, Yosemite, Laguna Seca - and I really couldn't go through life without ever seeing the Giants, 49ers, A's, Warriors and Sharks in person again =).

I love California - I just hate what all the liberals who have moved here in the last 40 years have done to it. I can still remember the "This Is Reagan Country" posters and buttons with the outline of California from when I was a kid. All good thing come to an end - who knew they'd come to an end for an entire state this quickly.