First Southern Migration - Snowbirding

[mebden]

Beware of auto and homeowners insurance costs, along with property taxes. We keep our Pennsylvania residency since we spend more time there because of the grandkids. Just want to caution you about other expenses here. Insurance costs have skyrocketed.

Yes, Dash I've looked into a lot of this stuff already as I'm already in a high auto and homeowners insurance cost state (Louisiana) and their state taxes and Parrish taxes are crazy here

 

[Scuba]

Interesting, and a familiar take. We are New Englanders also. I have never really liked Florida and I swear every time I go there I like it less. Our son lives in the Tampa area, and a couple of our very best friends, who we have known for 35+ years, snowbird in a townhouse in a Golf community in Naples. I tell them that we would come visit them if they lived in Zimbabwe. They are very active there, he is an avid golfer (I am not) they play a lot of Pickleball, weekly social events, etc. and I will agree that some of the best restaurants we have ever been to are there.

But it's still Florida and not our lifestyle. While we/they are very busy, it just feels like Groundhog Day to me. And then the crowds/traffic. Ugh. Like Flyfish1, I have hobbies at home, antique cars, woodshop, and I am always working on SOMETHING. I was bored to tears in FL after just a few days, in spite of doing "stuff", it just wasn't the kind of "stuff" that fuels me. I need to change the oil on something, cut down some trees, make a walkway, put up some shelves, take an old convertible for a drive on a nice day to a favorite local brewery, etc. etc. We live on a large very private lakefront lot in south central NH. Summers are WONDERFUL here. In fact, we are demoing our 125yr old house here and building a new this year, a bit closer to the water.

BUT, we have also come to hate New England winter. A LOT. 23/24 we did a 75day trip hauling a 21 ft RV to San Diego and back (we are actually living in that RV most days this year while the new house is being built). The adventure and fun of the cross country trip was great (we have RV'ed across the coutry a couple times in the past), but we found precious little warm weather. In fact, woke up on morning in Carlsbad CA and it was 16 degrees.

With 20+ mph winds.

And that same morning it was 40 degrees back home in NH!

DW enjoyed it more than me, but we may try it again. Sedona AZ and Temecula CA were favorite spots. Interestingly, DW and I looked at each other around the first of March and said "Yeah, I'm ready to be home now". We got home mid-March.

Then, April 3rd of last year, we got 18" of snow and lost power for 4 days.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. But I was wondering if others who were "never FL" people but wanted to snowbird to warmer climes, have found good alternatives? We do not like high density living of any kind. We travel with our dog and always will have (at least one) dog. And we are fairly social people. Enjoy the outdoors, nature and travel adventures. We are both retired, 63/65 yrs old and pretty healthy.

Have you tried the Tucson, AZ area? It’s much less crowded than many of the other areas and has wonderful hiking and scenery. Another popular alternative is Mexico.

 

[youbet]

Scorpion is an animal (arthropod), not a BUG! Scary little buggers, though!

It "bugs" me that you would get that particular when someone throws a little slang around!

 

[marinauser]

We visited Coronado many years ago. We loved it and I think we could have adapted to it (Not sure we could have afforded it). Since then, we have heard from former residents of San Diego that it has become much less safe. I don't know if that translates to Coronado and don't know if one needs to go to San Diego for such things as shopping/entertainment,

Homelessness can be an issue in San Diego. Not really an issue on Coronado. Couple of grocery stores and tons on restaurants in Coronado. Have to leave for Target or Walmart or Costco. Crime very little of an issue in Coronado - big crime report is a bike theft of DUI mostly. Kids ride their bikes and walk to school. Significant military presence most of the time. This year there are two aircraft carriers in port so inbound traffic can get heavy in the morning with outbound traffic heavy say 2:30 to 4:30pm. Movie theater here and two different live theater companies. If you don't want to drive the bridge, there are two ferries crossing the bay regularly during the day.

 

[Koolau]

It "bugs" me that you would get that particular when someone throws a little slang around!

It looms large in his legend.