Poll- Where to retire?

[Midpack]

I went to Sante Fe last August on business for 4 days. I thought it was a very poor choice of location (for August) and was dreading the trip. Because of the elevation the weather was gorgeous, and I found the town fascinating. Had no idea there was such a big art community there. Bottom line; I really liked Sante Fe, much to my surprise.

 

[Moemg]

Really getting the urge to stick my butt in the sand and my heels in some warm ocean - trying to convince my gal to fly into Tampa Fla post hasty and check out Venice and the Weeki Wachee mermaids. Perfect weather to check out property in that area right now!

The sand is warm but I think the gulf is still a little coolish . My sister just bought a house in Weeki Wachee . That town is a little remote for my tastes .

 

[OldGuy]

Spent the first 9 months after I ER'd (in '01) building a house in the Finger Lakes of NY. And that's where we're staying. Some folks look at us like we're crazed (especially after 12" of the fluffy stuff & a little sleet in the past 2 days), but we're willing to trade these over-hyped winters for 3 beautiful seasons where it rarely goes above 90F, and always drops into the 70s at night. Besides, that's why Orville & Wilbur went a'flying - so all of us could go to warm climes when we ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO SEE THE SUN ! ! ! Winter is over rated, especially when you don't have to make the daily trek to w*rk. Give me my loungers & another pot of coffee; I'm staying here.

 

[haha]

Winter is over rated, especially when you don't have to make the daily trek to w*rk. Give me my loungers & another pot of coffee; I'm staying here.

Once when I was living in Southern CT I drove over to Ithaca to see a friend. I started down into that beautiful valley and though it was lovely, there were still snowbanks all over the place in May!

I think if I were to go anywhere in upstate New York it would be Rochester. I never went there that I didn't have a ball.

Ha

 

[OldGuy]

Ha, the first time I drove up here from FL - after having been on Guam & other places in WestPac for 18 months - there were snowbanks tucked into the hills in mid-April. I agree on your opinion of Rochester - we're ~35 miles south of there, and it's the only place we'd live.

 

[Kronk]

I grew up an hour west of Rochester, NY. I went to the University of Rochester, then spent an additional year there after college, waiting for my then-fiance, now-wife to graduate.

Plenty of good things there, but honestly I can't see myself going back. Snow isn't as much of a problem -- outside of Philly, 3 inches of snow means nearly everything shuts down. There, a foot of snow overnight isn't necessarily a problem. But the winters feel very long (some snow mounds still around in May at times) and are often gray and overcast. I feel like I've had enough snow to last the rest of my life.

On the original topic, I'm really not sure where we'll retire to. My vague thought involves maybe full-time RV-ing and seeing the country for a couple of years before we settle down. Not sure if DW will really go for that when the time comes, though. Otherwise, it is more likely that we'll retire within 25 miles of where we are now.

 

[SteveR]

I voted for what we are going to do....not what I would like to really do. We are moving to the southern part of the state. It is a compromise. It is 4 hours or so from kids and grandkids and 8 hours from her extended family. We will have mild winters but very hot summers. We plan to being somewhere else in the summer...maybe Oregon or WA if we can find a good spot to be Sunbirds.

My choice would be to go full time in our RV for a few years to really get the feel for different places before we decide to put down roots. But, that is not going to happen. DW wants a house and wants to stay fairly close to her family. I am OK with seeing mine a couple of times per year so distance away is not an issue.

My other choice would be in east TN on a lake.

The desert southwest has a lot going for it but I do miss GREEN. The areas south of here are red and brown with few trees. It is boring at times but the lack of humidity and resultant fewer bugs helps make up for it.

Sedona and Santa Fe are nice. So are the Prescott and Flagstaff areas of AZ. We drove through there on a trip last year and I could see living there for a while...DW says NO: snow...ice...cold and too far from family. So much for compromise.

 

[freebird5825]

Spent the first 9 months after I ER'd (in '01) building a house in the Finger Lakes of NY. And that's where we're staying. Some folks look at us like we're crazed (especially after 12" of the fluffy stuff & a little sleet in the past 2 days), but we're willing to trade these over-hyped winters for 3 beautiful seasons where it rarely goes above 90F, and always drops into the 70s at night. Besides, that's why Orville & Wilbur went a'flying - so all of us could go to warm climes when we ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO SEE THE SUN ! ! ! Winter is over rated, especially when you don't have to make the daily trek to w*rk. Give me my loungers & another pot of coffee; I'm staying here.

Finger Lakes of NY is a dream of mine also. i go there often during nice weather. I'm 2 hours away, to the northeast just below the tug hill. a bit colder than your area. can't grow decent fruit trees or grapes here. brrrrr.

 

[frenchy1961]

Has anyone here considered Mexico? That's all the talk up here in Minnesota.. can you let me know what you here, . Thanks

 

[travelover]

Marquette.. what is the Marquette you are dreaming of? The fact that you use this as your 'handle' says that it's an important place to you.

Is it a city, a town, a university? (There are many Marquettes.) Sounds like the university.. and you're not alone in your nostalgia for a time and place where possibilities were infinite. I feel the same about my college town.

I think Marquette has come out as a Yooper.

 

[lightspeed]

I'm sticking in town until I know where my 2 kids (now 9 and 7 y/o) end up, then, if they end up somewhere nice, and they still like my wife and I, hope to relocate close to them.

 

[REWahoo]

I'm sticking in town until I know where my 2 kids (now 9 and 7 y/o) end up, then, if they end up somewhere nice, and they still like my wife and I, hope to relocate close to them.

Ask 73ss454 how well that's working out for him...

 

[Spanky]

I'm frustrated being stuck in Minneapolis..

I feel the same way about this place -- long cold winter and hot-humid summer. I like to move back to (or near) the Bay Area, but DW prefers to stay because of her mom still lives here. DW complains about the weather a lot but makes up a lot of reasons why she would not like any place suggested, such as traffic, bad school system, inadequate number of shopping malls, etc.

 

[Spanky]

Is it a city, a town, a university? (There are many Marquettes.) Sounds like the university.. and you're not alone in your nostalgia for a time and place where possibilities were infinite. I feel the same about my college town.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

[Marquette]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

No. Marquette, Michigan in this case.

 

[mountaintosea]

Khan,
Exactly my situation. 30 years in this place and I have an old cat and dog both around 13 years. The cat in better shape than my dog. I'm toying with the idea of moving but really haven't checked it out yet as the dog is diabetic, blind and requires shots twice a day along with pills and eye drops. But she still loves her walks and food!

 

[mexmeme]

Has anyone here considered Mexico? That's all the talk up here in Minnesota.. can you let me know what you here, . Thanks

We spent 9 months in Mexico right after my husband retired, and loved it. With our rental we only spent 2,000/month and lived like kings with a gardner, no maid though. Startling blue skies every day and temps of 75. The lowest night time temp was 59 degrees. We were in Ajijic, just south of Guadalajara. It is only 3 hours to Manzanillo and 4 hours to Puerto VAllarta, both of which we visited. The ideal arrangement though in my estimation is to live in S. Texas in the winter and the summers in the highlands of Mexico. My ideal. Now if only I could pry my husband from Indiana, the armpit of the US.

 

[HFWR]

Now if only I could pry my husband from Indiana, the armpit of the US.

And leave all this...

HFWR (former Hoosier)

 

[Grizz]

Six months here in Canada at our lake lot (guess which months) and six in the southern U.S. Probably in an RV.

 

[Dean]

Hey mexmeme

Indiana -- the armpit of the world?? I spent my first 22 years there as a born and bred Hoosier, and do I still live there?? Heck no -- and even though much extended family still does, I can't see my DH or myself ever deciding to either --- just had to have my say!!

 

[unclemick]

1966 - out of UW Seattle at Boeing - space cats transferred up from Huntsville, New Orleans - yucky armpit of--yadda, yadda!

1974 - transferred to New Orleans on new Space Shuttle Program - man I'm glad I made it outa of Seattle - yucky armpit of --yadda, yadda!

Something to be said for the eye of the beholder.

heh heh heh - me I drive across the wide Missouri to Kansas and look for for 'The Yellow Brick Road' now that I have plenty of time in ER. .

26 yrs PacNW, 4 Colorado, 2 Huntsville, 30 New Orleans, 2 and counting above the wide Missouri north side of Kansas City.

agile, mobile, and hostile - also an American Passport should the itch to travel get really itchy.