What Makes Your Retirement Place the Best?

[Spanky]

Here is my list in the order of importance for selecting a place to live or retire:
1. Affordability.
2. Climate (clean air, low humidity, moderate all year), e.g., San Diego or any coastal cities in California.
3. Ethnic restaurants and stores.
4. Recreation: parks, mountains, biking and walking trails, creeks, river, beaches.
5. Theaters, libraries, book stores.
6. Mass transit system.
7. Heath care system.
8. Arts, cultural diversity.
9. Job and business opportunities (in case we need to return to work or our daughters - DW wants to be close to the kids).
10. Shopping malls (for DW)

Still searching .....................

 

[Dawg52]

One of my old buddies wasn't around when I went to New Orleans for a wedding last month.

They had their huge motorhome out in Colorado - ?cooling off?

heh heh heh - the opposite of snowbird is ?heatbird?

August sucks. Played golf yesterday and the temp was 100. Day before it reached an all time high here, 105. Didn't play though, hugged the a/c all day.

A couple of years ago I visited a nephew of mine in Vail, CO during the month of August. The temps were certainly nice at night and in the mornings but it did get a bit warm on the golf courses in the afternoon. Still much better than a MS August day. I might give it another try next August. Spend the entire month in Colorado.

 

[Sheryl]

Has anyone tried Mexico? I am going there on a two week fact finding trip in October. I am flying in to Guadalajara and plan to spend about a week in Lake Chapala area and then go to San Miguel De Allende for about a week. This should coincide with the day of the dead celebration which is a big deal in Mexico way more than Halloween. If all goes well I may rent a place for a while to see if I really like Mexico if I do then I will sell the farm and move there on a semi-permanent basis. As far as I am concerned everything is temporary any way.

So who has been to Mexico?

Kitty

Kitty - I've only been to the Carribbean side, so I can't comment on your proposed locations, other than I've read a lot about them being popular retirement location for "gringos." I hope you will report back on what you learn, I'd be very interested.

 

[Sheryl]

I live in [-]Minnesota[/-] Washington because:

--family and friends
--good health insurance availability
--beautiful spring, summer and fall weather
--the big [-]lake[/-] ocean and mountains
--liberal politics
--kayaking, canoing, hiking, skiing
--[-]cities[/-] state has [-]have [/-]amazing parks
--it is green in the summer, not brown
--I can intensely garden all year, [-]and then[/-] but I wish I could put it to bed in the fall and take a break

But. . .
Winters are long, dark and [-]cold[/-] wet and I have tired of them
Summers are getting [-]hotter[/-]colder and wetter
[-]Mosquitoes[/-] Slugs

I want to be Martha in my next life.
We think a lot about the "snowbird" life as well, though I think I'd prefer Mexico, Central or South America to Florida or Arizona. It's a subject that requires much research.

 

[unclemick]

Yawn - Wahkiakum County Washington is one of my ancient stomping grounds - think 1960's keg parties. 1950's take the kids to the beach.

Post Katrina - I'm not 'that' thrilled with water - think Missouri side of the river waaay above the flood plane.

Dang tornado siren went off the other day.

Oh well - where you're at is where you're at.

heh heh heh - if I get bored with Kansas City - I'll move.

 

[W2R]

Uncle Mick said,

Post Katrina - I'm not 'that' thrilled with water - think Missouri side of the river waaay above the flood plane.

Me too. We have been through a lot and I, for one, have had enough of it.

Missouri still looks very good to me from here. We checked out Huntsville, but decided that Springfield MO is still our likely destination.

 

[sagenx]

waves!

Hi, if your surfing safari passes South Africa, let me know, I am always up for a few waves and can show you some spots!

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Kitty,

We visited Mazatlan (west coast, just opposite the tip of Baja California) a few years ago. I had researched the area and made contact with the expat community there and met a few. I didn't want to go home. (From time-to-time Maz gets hit with a hurricane. Be aware.)

DW was put off by the beggars and their children in the streets. (They are organized, by the way. Don't know if that is bad or good.) She doesn't want to go back. We'll see.

However, there are places such as Guadalajara, Tepic, Zacatecas and Xalapa (possibly Puerto Vallarta and Mazanillo) that sound attractive. I have heard good things about the cities of Aguas Callientes, Pueblo and Morelia, too, but I think they may be too hot or too $$ for me. I look for weather, safety, stimulating activities (universities, etc.), quality of health care, cost of living (in no particular order).

Not especially interested in Lake Chapala or San Miguel de Allende (two famous gringo enclaves), except that Lake Chapala area has a few affordable, well-regarded rest homes (and a few that are not well-regarded) for our end-game. I hope we see a lot more of the world before we need that, though. We may never get that far.

I study this stuff in my spare time.

Cheers,

Gypsy

 

[HFWR]

On House Hunter International last week, a lady from Seattle was looking to buy a place in Cabo [-]Wabo[/-] San Lucas. They showed the customary three places, all fairly new/nice, and in the $200-300k range.

 

[Spanky]

I want to be Martha in my next life.
We think a lot about the "snowbird" life as well, though I think I'd prefer Mexico, Central or South America to Florida or Arizona. It's a subject that requires much research.

Where you live now (Washington) seems fine in comparison to Minnesota. I prefer the climate (as you described) over that of Minnesota. For "Snowbirding", palces in the Southwest are great -- Southern California coast, Mexican Costline, Palm Spring/Desert, etc.

 

[Sheryl]

Yeah, my "dream" retirement is to have one of those trailers like Rich in Tampa just got, and spend November thru January down in the Southwest with our kayaks.

I would take a a two-week dive vacation on either side of the snowbirding.

By March everything starts growing in the Northwest and I could be contented puttering in the garden and playing with the dog full time.

Sigh....