IDEAL RETIREMENT LOCATION

G

gary

Guest
In anticipation for people's retirement in the future, just wondering where you all think the best place to retire is. What is your opinion as to where the MAJORITY of retirees want to live? The key word is MAJORITY. A place with all the available amenities nearby, medical facilities, recreational activities, restaurants, culture, etc. We can break it down to two options too just to get the brain thinking and dreaming today:

Best Place to Retire - MAJORITY

Best Place to Retire if money was no object.
 
There's a very good book called "Retirement Places Rated." Check your local library.
 
In anticipation for people's retirement in the future, just wondering where you all think the best place to retire is.  What is your opinion as to where the MAJORITY of retirees want to live?  The key word is MAJORITY.  A place with all the available amenities nearby, medical facilities, recreational activities, restaurants, culture, etc.   We can break it down to two options too just to get the brain thinking and dreaming today:
 
Best Place to Retire - MAJORITY

Best Place to Retire if money was no object.
Click to expand...

This is a very odd question. Unless you are plannning to open an assisted living facility, why should you care where the majority want to live?

I figure no matter how nice someplace is, if the majority favor it it will soon be FUBAR. At least for a middle income person like myself.

Mikey
 
If money were no object, I'd be close to Santa Barbara, California. Great weather, history, and culture in a beautiful natural setting that offers mountains, beach, and its own "wine country". Or I'd be on Coronado Island right across the bay from downtown San Diego.

Desert locations would be a close second and they're more affordable. So that's where we're headed (Arizona).
 
Desert locations would be a close second and they're more affordable. So that's where we're headed (Arizona).
Click to expand...
Any place in particular in Arizona? As I was thinking the same.
 
I thought the question a bit unusual also.

Assuming snowbirding, and with money no object, I would choose Michigan, Montana, Idaho or Wyoming
in the summer, and Texas or Florida in the winter.
We must be either way out in the sticks and/or on the water.


JG
 
For Martha_S about retirement in Arizona. I'm drawn to the entire state, except for the far western part that shares the border with California. Yuma is sunny, to be sure, but rather grim. (I apologize to anyone living in or around Yuma if I've offended.)

If you enjoy the outdoors and don't need anything resembling a city, Arizona still has plenty of places to choose from. Page (the "gateway" to Lake Powell) is becoming increasingly popular with retirees. Not close to a major airport but that may not be a factor for a lot of folks. Southern Arizona has smaller towns in and around Tucson and there's a lot of growth going on. Nice communities springing up geared toward retirees.

Really like Prescott northwest of Phoenix. Historic mining town. Very nice neighborhoods, good restaurants, but prices are climbing fast. Very fast. We snooped around in October and saw Victorian-era fixer-uppers in the $300,000 range. I was aghast. A suburb called "Prescott Valley" may be worth looking in to, along with the small towns in and around Cottonwood.
 
For my wife and I: We live out best case: Winter at our existing home in a nice 'burb of Phoenix, and we have been summering for the last two years on Puget Sound. We plan to spend this summer traveling in eastern Europe. Arizona Winters, Washington State Summers are a nice combination. I like to travel too much to stay put in any one place year long. ;)
 
Everyone should listen to John Galt and Winter in Texas or Florida -- but not Arizona. Or I've heard that there are still a few square inches of uninhabited space in Southern California. Move there -- but not Arizona. You know, some people really like Winter activities. Try Michigan, Utah, Wyoming -- but not Arizona.

Arizona is hot and dry. They have rattlesnakes and scorpions and tarantuals. The plants are filled with thorns and stickers. Don't go to Arizona.

Listen to me. I know. I've lived there for 17 years.
:D :D :D
 
Alot of people have the idea that Florida is a good place to retire.  There are already ALOT of old people here, I can't wait to move to the sticks.  My plan is to find somewhere that is currently way out in the sticks and buy land.  I figure by the time I get to retirement the area will have grown some and only be out in the sticks and will definately be out of a city.

I refuse to say where I'm looking because then everyone will start looking there and I'll be in the middle of the city again.
 
Er, Uh, why yes, Arizona is awful. There are gila monsters and wild Bandidos. And the water is bad. And most of the Governors are either criminals or total idiots, so one can imagine what the state is run like. Texas is way better, and last I checked, they are giving away free Cowboy hats and boots to the first ten thousand snow birds to arrive in this year. Send for your free Texas Outfit at : www.redneckparadise.com ;)
 
We already have enough of you damn yankees in
Texas. :) :)

Charlie
 
Everyone should listen to John Galt and Winter in Texas or Florida -- but not Arizona.  Or I've heard that there are still a few square inches of uninhabited space in Southern California.  Move there -- but not Arizona.  You know, some people really like Winter activities.  Try Michigan, Utah, Wyoming -- but not Arizona.

Arizona is hot and dry.  They have rattlesnakes and scorpions and tarantuals.  The plants are filled with thorns and stickers.  Don't go to Arizona.

Listen to me.  I know.  I've lived there for 17 years.
:D :D :D
Click to expand...

You sound a little bit like Ed Abbey, or sometimes called Cactus Ed, who loved the desert and didn't want any modernization. Big environmentalist he was, who wrote a book called "Desert Solitaire". Maybe you've seen it.
 
Everyone should listen to John Galt and Winter in Texas or Florida -- but not Arizona.  Or I've heard that there are still a few square inches of uninhabited space in Southern California.  Move there -- but not Arizona.  You know, some people really like Winter activities.  Try Michigan, Utah, Wyoming -- but not Arizona.

Arizona is hot and dry.  They have rattlesnakes and scorpions and tarantuals.  The plants are filled with thorns and stickers.  Don't go to Arizona.

Listen to me.  I know.  I've lived there for 17 years.
:D :D :D
Click to expand...

Thanks SG, I've been here for about that long and pulling water from that d**n well is really getting tiring. It's near dry. There IS NO WATER in Arizona. Save yourselves! :eek:

judy
 
To add a little diversity here, our plan has a more international flavour.

We plan to spend summer (April through September) in Europe, probably France or Italy 8) 8) , then winter (October through March) in Hong Kong (or Singapore/Malaysia) - with a few weeks of regional travel thrown in.

Suspect this arrangement might be in the minority.

Hope to get this kickstarted in about 10 to 12 years.

Simon888 :)
 
Yeah I heard about all the snakes in Arizona. That emergency room doc on the animal planet always has his hands full treating snake bite victims out there. I guess I will just stick to all the blood sucking mosquitos here in MS. :(
 
Best Place to Retire if money was no object.
Click to expand...
Right where I'm standing right now. 'Course I'd probably move after retiring. :D

I see you capitalized "majority" and mentioned it three times. I also noticed in another thread you were disappointed when the thread expanded from your framed topic. I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed with a question like this because I doubt there's a majority opinion, even if money were no object.

However, common themes seem to be warmer climate, non-urban living and low taxes.
 
Played a lot of golf in AZ, and have never seen a snake !

.
Vacationed in Tuscany last year. If I had the money, I'd own a villa in or near Colle Val D' Elsa or San Gigminano.
Beautiful country and friendly people,,,, and the food is awesome.
 
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