East of the Mississippi?

[Chaos Abounds]

I'm wondering if some day DH and I might consider moving after I FIRE (6 months!). TX is great because of it's cost of living and you can be outdoors year-round. But, I'm originally from PA and I miss the mountains, rivers, streams and fall colors. I don't think I want to live that far north again but would like all of the features I mentioned above.

I love to road bike, mtn. bike, run, camp, hike, backpack, and kayak (no whitewater). I'd like four seasons but nothing extreme either way. I don't like large cities - but something in the neighborhood of pop. 50,000 to 100,000. The cost of living would still need to be reasonable.

I still have family in PA so I don't think I want to go any further west than I already am.

Any suggestions?

 

[Martha]

Missouri or Arkansas? W2R is planning a move to Springfield and we have had a couple of others here (Uncle Mick, JPatrick) talk about retiring to Missouri. Might be a good place as it has the lower cost of living and geographic features that you might like.

 

[bank5]

Have you looked into any places along the Blue Ridge Parkway?

Asheville, NC frequently ranks as one of the top places to live. Pisgah National Forest has some of the best mountain biking trails in the country. Lance Armstrong trains in the NC mountains so I assume there's some great road biking too.

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

Eureka Springs?

 

[FIREd]

Eastern Tennessee... It is beautiful there, mild weather, low COL, gorgeous mountain scenery, nice lakes and rivers. Western NC would also be a good place to look at, but NC has pretty high taxes IMO.

 

[FUEGO]

Check out the I-85 corridor from Raleigh/Durham NC to Atlanta GA. Plenty of 50-100k population towns in that area that offer nature, outdoors, proximity to lakes and rivers. Generally low cost of living, 4 true seasons. If proximity to international airports is key, you are never more than 2 hrs from a major airport between Atlanta and Raleigh. The mountains are within 1-3 hours, and the NC, SC and GA beaches are 3-5 hours.

Supposedly the Atlanta to Raleigh/Durham stretch of I-85 is going to be one of the fastest growing megaregions over the next 20-30 years if forecasts are correct.

 

[Stevewc]

The mountains are beautiful. We really enjoy camping around the smoky mountain area in the fall. Get to know the right/wrong folks and you could probably come up with some really nice "white lightning" or was that "mountain dew" ? I think Tenn. even has a good tax structure for retiree's (not sure).
Steve

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Hiking (U.S. National Park Service)

Edit-Tenn.Tax guide:State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees, 2009-2010

 

[Goonie]

Eastern Tennessee... It is beautiful there, mild weather, low COL, gorgeous mountain scenery, nice lakes and rivers.

That's where I was thinking also! Every so often I daydream about maybe someday moving....and the area right around Chattanooga is where my thoughts linger the most. That area was the homeland of many of my ancestors also. Plus, it's only a short jaunt to either Atlanta or Nashville if one feels the need for big city 'happenings'.

 

[Dawg52]

Eastern Tennessee... It is beautiful there, mild weather, low COL, gorgeous mountain scenery, nice lakes and rivers. Western NC would also be a good place to look at, but NC has pretty high taxes IMO.

Yes, east TN would be nice. You might look into north Alabama. Maybe the Huntsville area.

Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau

 

[unclemick]

Yes, east TN would be nice. You might look into north Alabama. Maybe the Huntsville area.

Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Hush up now! Stay over the ridge near Huntsville and away from Weiss Lake - da Crappie Capitol of the World. It's getting discovered too much already.

heh heh heh - me - I have yet to get down to the Ozarks Missouri or Arkansas.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Last year or the year before cant remember Dw and I strolled Missouri to see if it was a possible retirement spot. We loved it. Particularly southern Missouri near Branson. Still need to check out North Carolina and Eastern Tenn.

 

[FIREd]

Yes, east TN would be nice. You might look into north Alabama. Maybe the Huntsville area.

Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau

I think that Chaos might be disappointed with the "mountains" in the Huntsville/Madison area. I might call them hills, and you'll only find them east of Huntsville. But the area has great lakes and rivers, the cost of living is pretty darn low, Huntsville is a great city to live in IMO, lots of greenery, nice people, and mild winters. But it's a bit "isolated" (2.5 hours from Nashville, 3.5 hours from Atlanta, 4 hours from Memphis, smaller airport), and it's pretty darn hot and humid in the summer.

 

[Stevewc]

We ( Alabama) have what is called the "Foot Hills" of the Appalachia Mountains. Just east of Huntsville around the Gunterville area you can camp in areas that remind me of the Smokies. Come to think of it Huntsville has some good size mountains that you cross coming into it from the south. Look Out Mountain is the highest point in Alabama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookout_Mountain. I have to admit Tenn. around the Smokies definitely blows Alabama away though.
Steve
Appalachia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[W2R]

That's where I was thinking also! Every so often I daydream about maybe someday moving....and the area right around Chattanooga is where my thoughts linger the most. That area was the homeland of many of my ancestors also. Plus, it's only a short jaunt to either Atlanta or Nashville if one feels the need for big city 'happenings'.

Ah, Goonie, but your present location has always sounded so peaceful and nice! Nice people, essentially crime free, and inexpensive, as I recall. But then Chattanooga has its own appeal as well.

We plan to relocate to southern Missouri. But I think Chaos Abounds wanted to be nearer to Pennsylvania. Often I wonder about western Virginia, which is a beautiful area and as I recall there are lovely wooded hills and mountains in Virginia near the border of West Virginia. It has been many years but looking at a map, the area I am thinking of must be between Roanoke or Blacksburg and the state line.

 

[W2R]

I think that Chaos might be disappointed with the "mountains" in the Huntsville/Madison area. I might call them hills, and you'll only find them east of Huntsville. But the area has great lakes and rivers, the cost of living is pretty darn low, Huntsville is a great city to live in IMO, lots of greenery, nice people, and mild winters. But it's a bit "isolated" (2.5 hours from Nashville, 3.5 hours from Atlanta, 4 hours from Memphis, smaller airport), and it's pretty darn hot and humid in the summer.

Huntsville was #2 on our list, and we visited several times. The tax situation there seems quite advantageous for retired people, Huntsville's size was what we wanted, and in general it seemed pretty perfect to us on paper. But I think we wanted a town with more of a "Mayberry" atmosphere (where's Aunt Bea? ) and Huntsville is Rocket City, and not like that. Still, it seems like a wonderful place to live. Might be a little hot in the summers for someone from Pennsylvania.

 

[haha]

Supposedly the Atlanta to Raleigh/Durham stretch of I-85 is going to be one of the fastest growing megaregions over the next 20-30 years if forecasts are correct.

I hope so! It will keep some of the pressure off here.

Ha

 

[FIREd]

We ( Alabama) have what is called the "Foot Hills" of the Appalachia Mountains. Just east of Huntsville around the Gunterville area you can camp in areas that remind me of the Smokies. Come to think of it Huntsville has some good size mountains that you cross coming into it from the south. Look Out Mountain is the highest point in Alabama Lookout Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Steve
Appalachia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I live myself on one of those mountains in Northern Alabama. I agree, there are some good size mountains around, especially going towards Chattanooga. I was just pointing out that, in the immediate vicinity of Huntsville, you won't find many mountains peaking above 1500-1700 ft. With a base elevation around 700-800 feet, many of those mountains can be climbed in less than one hour. But the fact that I grew up surrounded by 10,000 foot mountains might alter my perception...

 

[Lakedog]

We ( Alabama) have what is called the "Foot Hills" of the Appalachia Mountains. Just east of Huntsville around the Gunterville area you can camp in areas that remind me of the Smokies. Come to think of it Huntsville has some good size mountains that you cross coming into it from the south. Look Out Mountain is the highest point in Alabama Lookout Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I have to admit Tenn. around the Smokies definitely blows Alabama away though.
Steve
Appalachia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The highest point in AL is actually Mt. Cheaha at a little over 2400'. There are some nice trails, waterfalls, wilderness areas in the Talladega NF which surrounds Cheaha. I think Lookout Mountain is in TN.
Cheaha Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Stevewc]

The highest point in AL is actually Mt. Cheaha at a little over 2400'. There are some nice trails, waterfalls, wilderness areas in the Talladega NF which surrounds Cheaha. I think Lookout Mountain is in TN.
Cheaha Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You are absolutely correct. I got my mountains mixed up it seems. My bad, sorry about that.
Maybe I should stop trying to post after medicating with the new "High Gravity Beer's" that Alabama just recently made legal .
Just now getting around to trying them. They obviously do what they are designed to do? Guess I'm getting my money's worth .
Steve

 

[Stevewc]

Huntsville was #2 on our list, and we visited several times. The tax situation there seems quite advantageous for retired people, Huntsville's size was what we wanted, and in general it seemed pretty perfect to us on paper. But I think we wanted a town with more of a "Mayberry" atmosphere (where's Aunt Bea? ) and Huntsville is Rocket City, and not like that. Still, it seems like a wonderful place to live. Might be a little hot in the summers for someone from Pennsylvania.

If you want Mayberry? All you have to do is travel a few miles south of Huntsville and you got it. I'm more familiar toward the south of Huntsville but you could probably head any direction and find the kind of small towns you are looking for.
The summers are definitely Hot and humid in Alabama. The AC's work over time from spring until fall.
Steve

 

[W2R]

If you want Mayberry? All you have to do is travel a few miles south of Huntsville and you got it. I'm more familiar toward the south of Huntsville but you could probably head any direction and find the kind of small towns you are looking for.
The summers are definitely Hot and humid in Alabama. The AC's work over time from spring until fall.
Steve

Nothing wrong with those towns, and I suspect the heat and humidity wouldn't both me much after years of living in New Orleans. We thought about these towns but I would rather be in a larger town (closer to the size of Huntsville) that is also somewhat Mayberry-esque and laid back, and has less of the "zoom zoom Rocket City" atmosphere of Huntsville.

I think intangibles like atmosphere can be really crucial when looking for a retirement location. I can't stress too much how important I think it is to repeatedly visit a potential ER location and become familiar with it.

For example, how laid back a town is does not constitute much of a difference between towns, but for this or whatever reasons we just didn't feel quite as comfortable in Huntsville (#2 on our list) as in Springfield, Missouri (#1 for us!). Springfield has just the right amount of Mayberry-like characteristics, plus we like the town layout a lot better than that of Huntsville, and it just feels like home to us. So, we have made our decision and plan to move to Missouri, probably sometime in 2010-2011. But thanks!

 

[Stevewc]

But the fact that I grew up surrounded by 10,000 foot mountains might alter my perception...

Kind of reminded me of traveling out West. Someone said: look there over by that tree. I said: What tree? That's not a tree, that's a bush.
I'm posting very early in the morning folks. Sure hope the "Old RasPutin Stout" (new beverage for me) has worn off. If not I'll be using that excuse for my hill billy ignorance, poor penmanship/grammar & spelling for a while, thank you very much.
Steve

 

[Dawg52]

You are absolutely correct. I got my mountains mixed up it seems. My bad, sorry about that.
Maybe I should stop trying to post after medicating with the new "High Gravity Beer's" that Alabama just recently made legal .
Just now getting around to trying them. They obviously do what they are designed to do? Guess I'm getting my money's worth .
Steve

My med's do the same. I'll have to get a prescription to your brand.

 

[Stevewc]

My med's do the same. I'll have to get a prescription to your brand.

Must be pretty good stuff.
I lost a whole mountain.
I don't think I've ever done that before. At least I don't remember doing it. That means it never happened, right?

 

[Chaos Abounds]

Ah, Goonie, but your present location has always sounded so peaceful and nice! Nice people, essentially crime free, and inexpensive, as I recall. But then Chattanooga has its own appeal as well.

We plan to relocate to southern Missouri. But I think Chaos Abounds wanted to be nearer to Pennsylvania. Often I wonder about western Virginia, which is a beautiful area and as I recall there are lovely wooded hills and mountains in Virginia near the border of West Virginia. It has been many years but looking at a map, the area I am thinking of must be between Roanoke or Blacksburg and the state line.

I've thought of Virginia. I lived there for a short while about 25 years ago. I loved the weather and it was really pretty but I was in an extremely small town. I'll have to go back and check out western VA. I have 2 sisters that are now living in WV. Haven't had a chance to visit them yet. When I ER DH and I plan on making a trip out there to visit and check out the area.

Lots of good input, thanks everyone.