Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Snowbird in reverse?
Old 07-04-2016, 05:45 AM   #1
Moderator
braumeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,198
Snowbird in reverse?

I live in a temperate area where we get low (well below freezing) temps and a little snow in the winter, and hot (temps in the 90s Fahrenheit) weather in the summer, but most of the year it's pretty good.

The issue is that I really don't like hot weather and if I had my way I would be a reverse snowbird. Moving north for a few months in the summer would be ideal for me. It's not an option because DW is fine with our climate, has lived in this area all her life, and has no interest in going away for months at a time.

There are many threads here from people talking about snowbirding by going to warmer climate for the winter, but I've never seen one addressing my situation.

I wonder if there are others like me here? Is it really so unusual to prefer cool weather all the time?
braumeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-04-2016, 06:19 AM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Golden sunsets's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,518
I know plenty of people who live in FLORIDA for 9 months a year but head north for the summer.
__________________
"Luck favors the prepared mind"
Pasteur
Golden sunsets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 06:33 AM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Dawg52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Central MS/Orange Beach, AL
Posts: 9,067
I have thought about this myself. Haven't done it yet as I would miss playing golf with my buddies, but might start by going somewhere for the month of August. Colorado would my desired cool retreat and use it as a base to explore other states while out there. I'm going to do it, perhaps next year.
__________________
Retired 3/31/2007@52
Investing style: Full time wuss.
Dawg52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:01 AM   #4
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
pb4uski's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,264
I prefer cool weather too... I melt in heat and humidity... but cool is relative... I'm fine with anything from "sweater weather" (mid 40s to mid 50s) to shorts and t-shirt weather (60s to mid 80s). Anything more than the mid 80s and I'm usually not very comfortable.

A reverse snowbird would be if you went north for the winter and south for the summer.

I would think of you more as a snowbird who doesn't go as far south as most snowbirds.

But alas, since DW has no interest in going away for a few months during the hot Kentucky summer, perhaps air conditioning is your best option.... (or kidnap her and take her north).
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.

Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
pb4uski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:12 AM   #5
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Badger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,395
We live in Florida and until recently we would escape from the summer heat by going to Maine and Canada. We are hoping to return to that schedule in the future but for now try to get outdoors activities done in the morning and save the heat of the day for shopping, groceries, movies or anything indoors where there is air conditioning. We love the winters though.

Cheers!
Badger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:14 AM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
We have friends in Arizona that go north for the hot summer months. Places they go include Denver, San Diego, and Northern Idaho. There are some beautiful places on lovely lakes in Northern Idaho. If I was an American, that's where I would go if I wanted a "cool"place in the summer. As it is our place near Banff is quite similar to northern Idaho but with more spectacular mountains but less lakes.
Danmar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:18 AM   #7
Administrator
Alan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: N. Yorkshire
Posts: 34,054
Since retiring we have done 6 years of moving north for the summer to escape the heat and 1 year we moved south to escape the heat. (5 months in Australia and New Zealand).
__________________
Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55, moved to England in May 2016
Enough private pension and SS income to cover all needs
Alan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:46 AM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,362
Funny, my neighbor in Florida moves to Venezuela in the winter because Miami isn't hot enough for him.
__________________
Living well is the best revenge!
Retired @ 52 in 2005
marko is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 07:47 AM   #9
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 329
DW and I represent the extreme in Anti-Snowbirding... Salt Lake City in the winter and Scottsdale in the summer! We are skiers, so it worked for us.

Eventually, our lifestyle morphed so we would spend 7 months in Scottsdale and 5 months in SLC.

Most of our Scottsdale neighbors are from Canada and Colorado. We would only see them for a few weeks each year as we had little overlap.

Just sold the Scottsdale home and have a motorhome instead. We will spend the winters and summers in SLC and travel in the motorhome during the spring and fall.
UtahSkier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 08:40 AM   #10
Administrator
MichaelB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,585
Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister View Post
I wonder if there are others like me here? Is it really so unusual to prefer cool weather all the time?
It's not just the heat - there's also the hurricanes and bad tropical storms. DW loves South Fl, it has a climate very similar to where she grew up. I'm not such a fan, but the poor infrastructure really shows during summer storms when power fails regularly and supplies, such as water, fresh food and gasoline, are not always available.

We spend summer and fall in the Chicago area. Summer, because of the bad weather, and autumn because it is just so beautiful. We also have family in this area, but even of we didn't, I'd look for a summertime option out of the south.
MichaelB is online now   Reply With Quote
Snowbird in reverse?
Old 07-04-2016, 11:39 AM   #11
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Manhattan Beach
Posts: 195
Snowbird in reverse?

Agree w the other comments that it's more or less seeking temperate year round weather vs snowbirding or reverse snowbirding per se

You might also look at places in the western US. General as you get west of the Rockies you may find more temperate year round conditions - particularly coastal areas of CA WA and OR.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
TallTim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 12:01 PM   #12
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,894
I much prefer cool temperatures too.

We will be moving back south in a few months. The weather there is good for 9 months out of the year. I love the Fall and Spring seasons, and winter is pretty cold but sunny and snowless and I like it that way. But the summers are brutal. The high temperatures, humidity, and the damn mosquitoes make it hard to enjoy the outdoors and we end up being cooped up inside, which feels so wrong during the summer. We plan on spending the summers in the Alps (long snowy winters, but great summer weather for outdoor activities and outside living).
FIREd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 12:15 PM   #13
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 2,650
I want alot of sunshine and cool weather too. Anything from -10 celsius to 20 is kind of perfect.

Still figuring out the optimal, but might go to Iceland for a few weeks this year to escape the few months here [=Netherlands] that can be toasty.

Koppen climate variation cfc is my target Maybe a touch colder in winter.
Totoro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 12:39 PM   #14
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Sunset's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 17,010
Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger View Post
We live in Florida and until recently we would escape from the summer heat by going to Maine and Canada. We are hoping to return to that schedule in the future but for now try to get outdoors activities done in the morning and save the heat of the day for shopping, groceries, movies or anything indoors where there is air conditioning. We love the winters though.

Cheers!
I have a friend who does that as well, goes to Canada for 4 months spanning the summer.
Sunset is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 01:14 PM   #15
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
haha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister View Post
I live in a temperate area where we get low (well below freezing) temps and a little snow in the winter, and hot (temps in the 90s Fahrenheit) weather in the summer, but most of the year it's pretty good.

The issue is that I really don't like hot weather and if I had my way I would be a reverse snowbird. Moving north for a few months in the summer would be ideal for me. It's not an option because DW is fine with our climate, has lived in this area all her life, and has no interest in going away for months at a time.

There are many threads here from people talking about snowbirding by going to warmer climate for the winter, but I've never seen one addressing my situation.

I wonder if there are others like me here? Is it really so unusual to prefer cool weather all the time?
People from your area used to send the family up to some lake or other in Michigan, or if more upscale was wanted to Cape Cod.

I used to live on an island in North Sound which was very cool and nice. Seattle is hotter, though I think it has been unseasonably hot the last few years. I hate hot weather. My GF just got back from a Texas visit, she says it was at or near 100F everyday. But she likes this.

Ha
haha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2016, 03:25 PM   #16
Moderator
braumeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,198
Quote:
Originally Posted by haha View Post
People from your area used to send the family up to some lake or other in Michigan, or if more upscale was wanted to Cape Cod.
Even the UP gets pretty hot in midsummer, and Cape Cod would be impossible due to the hordes of tourists clogging the roads (same goes for the Maine coast which I love otherwise).

I would probably be happiest along the west coast, about from Monterey to Vancouver, or northern Washington/Idaho.

And in fact I do sometimes go to those areas, but I don't enjoy being away from DW for more than 2-3 weeks at a time and I have to get back.

Sometimes I think I'm just a Canadian who happened to be born in the US.
braumeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2016, 01:10 AM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
kcowan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pacific latitude 20/49
Posts: 7,677
Send a message via Skype™ to kcowan
Even when we lived all year in Vancouver, we found the gray skies depressing all winter once we had retired. Now that we winter in PV, we could probably enjoy summer anywhere from Monterey to Bracebridge, anywhere west to east. But inertia keeps us where we are.
__________________
For the fun of it...Keith
kcowan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2016, 03:59 AM   #18
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 335
Our plan is 2 months in Florida (Jan-Feb) and two months in Maine (July-Aug). Other than those months, we're happy in middle GA. We're caring for an elderly parent right now, so the plan is on hold.
davismills is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2016, 06:12 AM   #19
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcowan View Post
Even when we lived all year in Vancouver, we found the gray skies depressing all winter once we had retired. Now that we winter in PV, we could probably enjoy summer anywhere from Monterey to Bracebridge, anywhere west to east. But inertia keeps us where we are.
Beautiful in the Kawarthas this morning, but heading up to low 30's this PM. Hard to beat Ontario cottage country in the summer.
Danmar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2016, 06:14 AM   #20
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister View Post

Sometimes I think I'm just a Canadian who happened to be born in the US.
Danmar is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Looking for places to become a Snowbird kevin92610 Life after FIRE 20 06-14-2008 06:04 AM
Snowbird email Mysto Life after FIRE 9 08-22-2007 05:44 PM
New Snowbird?? unclemick FIRE and Money 12 01-10-2006 05:40 PM
Canadian looking for snowbird health insur greenhm Life after FIRE 35 12-21-2005 09:03 PM
I wanna be a Snowbird! Calgary_Girl Life after FIRE 16 01-28-2005 04:57 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:34 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.