It's been a little over eight years that I have been traveling and living in hotels full time. Sometime in July I will hit 3000 straight nights in hotels.
And I'm getting burnt out. I just don't seem to have the energy or desire to keep this up. I think it's time to find a place to settle in. I'll still travel but my trips won't be as long.
Now, if I could only figure out where I want to live. (U.S. based).
Now, if I could only figure out where I want to live. (U.S. based)
How wide your choice of 'where', depends on how deep the pocketbook.
Happy Hunting
Gosh, Frank, I’m not surprised you’re burnt out after 3000 nights in hotels, although I imagine it’s been an interesting way of living.
What are your limitations/preferences? Where family/friends are, weather - do you like seasons, what do you do for recreation, will you still be working and if so, at what?
Challenging but a creative opportunity too - good luck!
It’s good to know when you have reached that point. And good to have options for the next stage of life.
I'm looking for a place that is:
--not hot. I hate high heat. Don't mind cold.
--quiet place. I don't need a big city. But easy access to an airport so I can still travel.
--I may look for an "over 55" place so that someone else can look after the outside and offer activites.
--I don't need a lot of space. I wouldn't mind a "tiny house" if it was in an nice place. After living in hotels for this long, I don't need much nor do I plan to have much. Think "minimalist."
I have been leaning towards New England but I'm open to suggestions.
I have ruled out someone outside the USA because of the hassles of visas, language issues, etc. (However, if I could I would move to the UK--at least for awhile. But I don't qualify for any visas.)
I have heard high praise from several sources about the RiverWoods retirement community in Exeter, NH. Too cold for me, but might be worth a look. Best wishes for your next chapter!
I relocated to the SF Bay Area - a temporary move - back in 1997. I loved living near SFO, perfect weather, never too hot, never too cold, good airports (Oakland and San Jose are easy enough to get to), and so many options for driving trips plus cultural attractions. The problem, of course, is $$$.
I grew up in Chicago and have been back often for long visits. O'Hare is another excellent airport for flight options. Chicago is a great town for culture. It's also a lot closer to Europe. I didn't want to live there because I can't abide the winters but if you're considering New England, it sounds like you'd be fine with it.
New Hampshire has no income tax ….only 6.25 tax on services not goods..I lived in the SW corner for 20 years in Keene…not far from Vermont and Massachusetts. Bradley International is 1 ½ away, Manchester airport is an hour and Boston Logan 2 hours.
We moved to Texas in 2000 as my husband worked for UTMB. Sadly he passed 5 years ago and I’ve been considering moving back….and downsize as well.
After " 3000 straight nights in hotels ... I'm getting burnt out "
My sweet spot is 3-weeks .. after that, I get burnt out. The way around it, for me, is taking 3 trips a year, that way I remain energetic and upbeat about my trips.
Good Luck in your search.
Hi Frank- I did 4 to 5 nights a week for about 5 years before I retired, and several weeks most months for 10 years before that. I ran out of airline miles just before the pandemic hit and am planning to use the last of the Marriott miles this fall. Before I selected my retirement home I had already lived at several places in the US on the East coast between Baltimore and Florida, places in the midwest like Kansas and Missouri, the southwest (Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona), Montana and North Dakota, and the 3 biggies in California (San Francisco, LA, and San Diego). Early on I spent almost 3 years in Europe (courtesy of Uncle Sam). I also had several work trips to a lot of nice places to retire, including Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East . (Thank goodness I wasn't tempted by Poland. Crummy winter weather...) The first time I saw the condos on the beach between Antibes and Nice I said "WOW, this is it!" but later I remembered I am not a good swimmer.. At my age I decided to give up 4 seasons and/or exotic foreign locations in exchange for excellent weather and medical facilities with good transportation in the US. Some folks (with deep -pockets as pointed out in a poster above) choose a summer home and a winter home, and some even throw second homes in foreign countries into the mix. . But two homes would feel like constant travel to me.
A lot of experts recommend that you try living where you might want to retire for at least a year or so before making a final decision. Rent a house, condo, or apartment, make some friends, and see how it feels. ( I bought my first house within a week after I started a new job in a new town - unknown to me were the interesting neighbors in the 2 story 5 bedroom house 4 houses away...) Take some time before you buy so you don't have buyers remorse...
Good luck!!!
This article was in my news feed just this week - not sure it provides the data points you're looking for but it's a thought. I was amused my the analysis of my current home town (and surprised it ranked in the top 100).
Frank, thanks for sharing - thats a amazing number of nights - does it qualify for a record? (asking seriously)
out of the box suggestion: Wilmington (or its suburbs like Greenville) Delaware. close to EWR and PHL (and BWi). lots of over 55 community. lots of parks, rivers. suburban yet close to major cities. on I95/east coast. Joe Biden's home. cooler weather (except August) - but not snowy like Chicago or Boston.
my next suggestion was going to be Chicago suburbs. but nothing like east coast for connections to Europe. around Boston/new england also sounds interesting.
Is there a US destination that you find yourself visiting over and over? Of course, it has to be one you can afford, which is problematic for many of those destinations.
There's The Villages in Florida, how can you possibly beat access to 56 golf courses?
Seriously, the heat is so limiting since there is hot weather nearly everywhere in North America, except tight against the west coast, the NE coast, and certain shores of the Great Lakes like the Minnesota Superior shore or the UP of Michigan (but not Chicago which is hot in the summer). Or some place at altitude somewhere in the West.
Places I have thought about:
Brookings, OR where it never freezes or gets hot
Santa Fe, which has a real winter and is only hot during summer days, nights are cool. Real estate was hot here 80s/90s, but now it looks reasonable-ish.
I would look at the Peace Corps for the burned out problem.
My first reaction to your criteria was Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia area. Anywhere in the coastal zone.
Frank,
You must have set some kind of endurance record for being on the road for eight years, assuming you travel via car and/or public transportation. But this guy must certaily top all. A few years ago, I met a fellow who has been bicycling the world for over thirty-five years, following the sun and warmer weather continent to continent. He moved out of his parents' house in his early thirties and has never had a plce of his own except his tent and the hospitality of other cyclists the world over.
Frank how about two bases? Primary in the US and a vacation home in the UK? You mentioned you would live there if you could. Perhaps you could still live there part of the year on a tourist visa.
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll figure it out. I'll probably narrow it down to half a dozen places then go to those places for a month or so to try them out.
I think you deserve a better label than burnt out. I mean no one says a mountain climber is burnt out after an impressive climb. More like spent, lol…ready to recuperate?
I thought of New England right away when I saw your list, but if you’d rather spend less, I know Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania have areas with similar, but slightly less extreme weather and bucolic and suburban areas within an hour of an international airport.
Ohio gets a bad rap, but there are cliffs over Lake Erie that will give you the bluster of an Irish inlet (I’m told) and the sunny summers of Northern California.
Lakeside views in Indiana (It looks and feels like the ocean in many places.) can get you quite close to Chicago O’Hare.
But I think you should give us a Rick Steves style list of superlatives now that you’re winding down this leg of your travels!
Thanks for sharing this next adventure you will have. I think it’s very smart to stay for a month or more in places you’d consider moving to. I really like the idea of the Northeast for you given the shorter time to reach Europe and less heat in the summer. You could start your search near Boston and expand out from there. We lived in a suburb a long time ago and still go back to New England any time we have a chance. Logan airport is excellent and easy to get around in. Recently we’ve spent a month in the fall twice near Manchester, NH and it’s airport with connection possibilities and enjoyed New Hampshire very much. There is even good bus service from Manchester to Boston for city exploring and access to Logan.
I was thinking New England before I even got to the line in your post that you were considering it. I live in Western Massachusetts and think it might be a good fit for you. Plenty of over 55 communities if that's what you decide. Lots of rural land where you could get a tiny house if you go that way. Springfield/Hartford (Bradley - BDL) airport is an hour away, Boston just over 2 hours. But New York is only about 3 hours and sometimes it's worth it to get there as their flight options (between JFK and EWR) are more extensive than Boston's. BDL, and also Manchester, Providence and a few others are also options but for international travel I always go to Boston or NY. Western Mass also has a bit more in the way of cultural opportunities than some parts of New England due to the large number of colleges here and the ability to get to both NY and Boston for quick visits (even day trips) is nice. And Europe is a shorter flight from the northeast than from the rest of the country.
I would strongly consider Isabel's suggestions . Having read your post earlier , my wife and I were discussing just this over breakfast . We spend time in Western MA quite frequently , the area is beautiful and the cultural opportunities abound . Both of our children attended college there , one in North Adams , and one in Amherst . If I weren't settled comfortably where I am in Westchester County NY , I would head to Massachusetts in a minute . Isabel , what town are you in ?
I traveled heavily before retiring in the U.S., and there are just so many great places to live. My preferences are:
No state income taxes
Low cost of living (housing and property taxes)
Towns 40-60 miles from a great larger city.
College towns with culture and great athletics
Cities with quality building codes--nice neighborhoods
Close proximity to beautiful lakes.
Great healthcare available within an hour's drive.
Obviously, the hottest places right now to move to are Texas, Florida and Tennessee. I have found City-Data.com to have absolutely great forums on states and cities that address your concerns. The advice is right on the money too.
Places that appear to be very favorable (except for the heat in some locales) are:
New Hampshire
Camden, Maine
Northeast Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Shenendoah Valley of Virginia (and the Charlottesville area)
East Tennessee
Cookeville, Tennessee specifically
Franklin, Tennessee (outside Nashville) is home to movie stars & music stars.
Auburn, Alabama
Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Mobile
Western North Carolina--highest mountains on the East Coast.
This is just a start.
Everyone has such different lifestyle preferences, individual values, financial constraints, and health conditions/age/mobility (including future expectations of health) that it's hard to give good advice. I am much more partial to the West Coast due to the natural beauty, weather (no extreme winters), the politics, and the cultural opportunities (California is probably unmatched, then Washington, Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico - not necessarily in that order). I would also want a car-free life when I get old, and no dependence on a car for daily activities - so that's a pretty big constraint that narrows a lot of choices. I'm really happy where I live now in a small(ish) but urban area in Northern VA, although it's expensive - but still high on quality of life, even though retirement is decades off and would probably cause me to rethink living elsehwere where I like the weather better.
Obviously, this would screw up any financial gains from claiming South Dakota residency that you have now. Finances, healthcare, and lifestyle...lots to consider. Great idea to camp out somewhere for a while to see if you like it. My only advice is to be totally open even to places you wouldn't have considered - they might surprise you. I never thought I'd end up here coming from Southern CA. Still miss it though and would go back and live somewhere like San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara area, central valley, etc...who knows?
My longest in terms of staying in hotels was in 2009 when I was 59, plus a few hostels , both dorm and private rooms thrown in, when I stayed 67 nights. Not enough then to feel the burn out, but should have had more stays in the hostels had I been more adventurous. It was the first of the post-retirement trips.
There's a Del Webb community in Nashville near the airport. Residents are mostly from the New England area and western states; California, Arizona, Colorado. So it's a pretty diverse group. Good pool, tennis facilities. Clubhouse where the travel group meets once a month. Good level streets with low traffic; perfect for running, jogging, walking. There's a lake with a nice path around it for same.
Obviously everyone has different values, and personally I would rather live in a copper smelter town than a college sports town where everyone is so worked up about THE GAME.
the cultural opportunities (California is probably unmatched, then Washington, Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico
Without defining cultural opportunities, I think this article itemizing the places with the most working actors is pretty interesting, especially considering half of them receive few tourists so these actors are locally supported.
Sorry David. Definitely no to Auburn, AL. And I think he will find the Gulf Coast way too hot and humid. But why not Huntsville?
Also, Frank II, a month may not be enough time to make a decision. Where I live in Charleston is very different in Oct than Jan than April than July in terms of both weather and tourist traffic. But because we had visited many times over the past 40 years, none of it came as a surprise to us-except for all the "outsiders" who have moved here.
RI is still reasonably priced in the general vicinity of TF Greene…I don’t mean under the flight path. Not a lot of good international flights out of there, but they have rail from TF Greene to Boston. Of course Providence also has rail to NYC so convenient to major airports.
Basically you can train from Bath, Maine down the coast to Logan, TFGreene to NYC. Manchester, NH, Bradley, TF Greene, Bangor are international in name only. IMO
NH doesn’t have income tax, but it taxes dividend and interest income, which is problematic for retirees. iMO. Plus it’s services are lacking.
"Manchester, NH, Bradley, TF Greene, Bangor are international in name only. IMO". They get to claim that because they have flights to Canada and sometimes some Caribbean destinations. For a couple years Bradley had a direct flight to Amsterdam. It was heaven but it was stopped. They also briefly had a flight to Edinburgh. But in reality to fly international from those airports will require a change in some other US city. And I always found it was better to fly direct to Europe and then change airports if I couldn't get direct to my final destination. Fortunately NYC and Boston are close enough.
You should have phrased it as a question. Where is the BEST place to settle down in the U.S.?
I think San Diego would be a very nice place to live. Good temps. But you must love the seasons if you are thinking New England.
Charlotte, NC. area. Good airport, some international flights, weather is seasonal, but not extreme.
Brookings, OR, is WAY far from an airport! (I lived in Coos Bay at one time.)
Ft. Collins, Colorado.
Frank II,
Wow, 3000 nights in hotels..... that's an impressive record!
I can somewhat understand your feeling of being "burnt out" as I've experienced that on a couple of occasions. I've found that my limit is about two months and I get to the point where I just have no interest or enthusiasm in seeing another museum or historic site. When that happens, I know I'm ready to come home.
The question of "where to retire" will probably take a while to sort out. Have you seen this - https://www.forbes.com/sites/williampbarrett/2021/05/14/the-best-places-to-retire-in-2021/?sh=39127eeb7106 .
I also thought of this - https://bellinghambusinessnews.com/2015/02/20/forbes-bellingham-top-25-retire/ . It has a small airport and also not far from Vancouver or Seattle where you can access direct international flights.
Thanks for all the suggestions. In my life I have lived in NYC, central NY State, South Florida, North Florida, Los Angeles and The Triangle in NC.
I would move back to California in a heart beat--not the major cities--but the real estate and cost off living is ridiculous.
I don't like heat. I mean I really don't like heat. Over 80 and I'm miserable. So, I have ruled out the east coast south of the Mason Dixon line, the southern border states, and just about every state that was part off the Confederacy. Mostly for the weather, some for the politics. Additionally, living in NC, I had to face snakes, lizards, and large bugs getting into my house somehow. And this was in a city. (Granted I lived next to the woods.) No more of that.
I don't mind cold weather as I can always wear more or choose not to go out.
I want a low crime rate, access to decent healthcare, easy access or a short flight to JFK (I like to take the daytime fight to Europe), like the idea of no state income tax but that has to include income investments and dividends, not be forced to go food shopping at "the Walmart," and an area not too religious.
I would like a place that won't bankrupt me just living there, doesn't have an extremist government in either direction, and is quiet. I'm also not a big fan of crowds.
I don't know if I'll be accepted in eastern Mass as I am a NY Yankees fan.
Frank II, I would like to know where you end up in the US. Seems we have some similar preferences. I have thought about this once in a while if I ever return to the US from Germany. Age and circumstance will definitely play into it. Good luck.
Frank, I definitely want to know where you can find a non-extremist government in the US.
I like to take the daytime fight to Europe
Daytime flights to Europe: Boston, Chicago, Dulles as well as JFK.
There you go, Marquette Michigan, daytime flight to London via O'Hare and it's rarely hot. ("Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 7°F to 75°F and is rarely below -12°F or above 84°F.) https://weatherspark.com/y/146529/Average-Weather-at-Marquette-Michigan-United-States-Year-Round#Figures-ColorTemperature. Lots and lots of lake effect snow, however.
Michigan definitely does not have an extreme government. It's not a terribly prosperous state though.
Because of the odd placement in Eastern Time, Marquette gets late sunsets year round, the opposite of New England which has early sunsets due to unfortunate time zone placement.
Michigan is actually a state of many extremes. As with any state it depends on which Michigan locality is being considered.
For instance Oakland county's median income by household is $86,567, making Oakland County the 21st wealthiest county in the United States. It's the 2nd most populous county in the state and it's one of the largest knowledge-based employment centers in the United States. It borders Wayne county which is MI's most populous and it contains Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia and other suburbs. Wayne county itself is obviously a county of extremes.
I view my state's government as containing two extremes that are highly polarized in an unproductive gridlock.
I do enjoy the really diverse population in Wayne county and I like a 20 minute drive to the airport. I live in a Detroit suburb but I managed to have woods on 2 sides of my property and a large lot outside of a subdivision. I've got Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford museum virtually in my backyard and Ann Arbor a short drive away. What I have here would be much more costly in the most prosperous states.
Consider the need for a support system as you age and your siblings/cousins/friends age. That's one of the reasons I've maintained my southeast MI residence as a number of close relatives suffering catastrophic illnesses needed assistance. I myself needed help 10 years ago when I was receiving retina treatment. Fortunately the preeminent Avastin pioneer practiced in Oakland county.
I did enjoy my daily commute to Dearborn through Hines Park and I'm thoroughly enjoying a fabulous retirement provided by Ford. There are pockets here of extreme prosperity and bleaker prospects as well.
MI unfortunately does tax retiree income to an extent. My retiree relatives have untaxed income in PA but may have other concerns as they live in rural areas with a lack of health care providers. Their winter weather in Somerset county is much worse than ours even though they are somewhat southeast of MI.
Health care can be excellent in Oakland and suburban Detroit while more scarce elsewhere in other MI locales.
The Big 3 ensure that there will be sufficient overseas travel available at Detroit Metropolitan Airport which was maintained during the pandemic.
The winters have been in a moderating pattern in southeastern Michigan for a number of years but are very different elsewhere in MI.
I will dislike the effect of year round daylight savings time in MI. We will be among the states with the latest sunrise year round. That would of course impact people raising children of school age more than me though.
It's important to also drill down beyond the state generalizations to prospective communities. There are so many concerns that determine where you will be most content.
Edit - I'm surprised to see MI's government ranks 16th among the states. This is an interesting assessment of issues by state: https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/state-by-state
I don't mind cold weather as I can always wear more or choose not to go out.
I want a low crime rate, access to decent healthcare, easy access or a short flight to JFK (I like to take the daytime fight to Europe), like the idea of no state income tax but that has to include income investments and dividends, not be forced to go food shopping at "the Walmart," and an area not too religious.
I would like a place that won't bankrupt me just living there, doesn't have an extremist government in either direction, and is quiet. I'm also not a big fan of crowds.
Burlington, VT area meets all your needs except that taxes can be steep, depending.
What an exciting challenge to consider. As in all things, once you find that "perfect" choice it will still involve some compromise. We faced this a few years ago. We had family parameters that set the stage, and then we created a short list of "dealbreakers" and worked from there.
Health care was #1. We had Kaiser, and knew how excellent the Senior Advantage coverage was for Medicare folks. For example, you are covered no matter where you travel in the world. And we had to test that out, and know it actually works.
Our plan covers all costs of hospitalization, and surgeries. For example, my cataract surgery cost me $20. That was for the pre and post-operative specialist doctor visits. The rest cost nothing.
Beyond health care, we had equally competing priorities:
Having spent most of our adult working life on the West Coast, we knew that politically we had to stay west. Where we are now there are still pockets of extremists, but overall it is a place with humane laws that look at the greater good. We don't want the aggravation of living in a location where science is ignored, and comprehensive education deemed a bad thing.
We also detest heat. So we chose the traditionally cool, rainy PNW. Where we had record breaking hot temps last summer. Go figure right? With climate change I don't think you can count on climate anymore. Having said that, we are close enough to get to the shore or up in the higher mountains if we need a break.
No state income tax. Property taxes are high (which we had before), but all other costs are much lower than we paid in CA. Utilities are a third the cost, insurance is half the cost, etc. Housing is inflated, but not as exaggerated as some areas.
We wanted an excellent airport close by. We are currently about 25 minutes from PDX, which is a gem of an airport. There are not as many nonstop flights to international destinations, but we have found the connections easy especially through SFO.
Leaving from an airport where there is never any scrum makes the connection issues moot for us. Domestic connections are generous and offered through several airlines.
Additional bonuses were to have access to concerts, good restaurants, and shopping choices. We enjoy the proximity for day/weekend trips to places with different geography from mountains to the ocean. And the trees! So many trees and forests. Even a trip to the grocery store is a beautiful journey.
Figure out what your own Must Haves are. Then spend time in your Top 5 places during what would be considered their worst weather time of year for your parameters. (hottest, wettest, coldest, etc)
Good luck during this transition time!
" I don't know if I'll be accepted in eastern Mass as I am a NY Yankees fan. " I.m sure that you wouldn't be drawn and quartered for that . The Massachusetts Coast from Cape Ann up to Newburyport is also one of my favorites . A pristine area of natural beauty , The Great Marsh encompasses some 25,000 acres , and the towns of Essex , Ipswich . and Newburyport among others put you within an hour of Boston by the " T " commuter rail .
Silas Marner, that is an interesting list.
TravelingMom, great thought process.
Frank II, I was reflecting more on your list of priorities and find that, interestingly, it nearly exactly matches mine. "A short flight to JFK" is not something that's specifically important to me (but I do have that out of BTV), but everything else is.
I can tell you that I've lived in multiple states (California, Washington, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, Vermont) and have traveled extensively and frequently to many other areas for work and family (Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, all of New England, plenty others). I've been to, and spent time in, every state many times except Alaska.
I moved to Vermont nearly 25 years ago and it was an immediate "aha" experience. For all the reasons you list, it is the ideal place for me -- except for those taxes. We do pay more than we'd like, but we get a lot in return, so it's an acceptable tradeoff. We have a good life, with good people around us, lots to keep us busy, and a very low stress environment. We'll never leave (well, maybe for a couple months in the winter -- it's starting to feel loooonnnngggg).
Some of the best advice I ever got was from my friend when I moved here from Connecticut. She said, "Never forget that you're moving to a place where everyone else wants to go for vacation."
I hope you find where you belong. You'll know it when you find it.
Burlington, VT area meets all your needs except that taxes can be steep.
The Burlington area is high on my list. Not Burlington itself as I believe the city council is on hallucinogenics but I like the area. I know people who live in Vermont and every one of them loves it.
Edit - I'm surprised to see MI's government ranks 16th among the states. This is an interesting assessment of issues by state: https://www.americandreamprosperity.com/rankings/state-by-state
Note that the above ranking is from a foundation in London funded by a pro-Brexit billionaire Kiwi family. I was surprised that it rated Minnesota the worst state for "suppression of free press." What on earth do they mean by that?
Not Burlington itself as I believe the city council is on hallucinogenics
lol, agree with you on that one! We are close enough to enjoy the benefits of being near "the big city," but far enough away in a small town where we don't really care about the Burlington wackiness.
Feel free to PM me with any questions.
Good luck with your search.
We don't want the aggravation of living in a location where science is ignored, and comprehensive education deemed a bad thing
TravelingMom, while you may not have though this was a political statement, there may be some who view it as such ... I am not going to get into any debate (this is not the place) on your comments concerning the political environment of where you live, but may I respectively suggest you try to keep this out of future comments ... the rest of your post was awesome and provided great information to the author (and I even copied the name of your Medicare plan so I can look into that when I retire and start Medicare) ... I just think this statement did not belong. Everywhere you look there are comments and opinions on our country's / world's state and the battles between all the different sides of those comments and opinions ... I would like to think this forum is a place to get away from those discussions so, for those brief moments when we read comments on topics concerning travel and related subjects, remember our own travel experiences and dream of future travels, we are not thrown back into the reality of our confused world. Thank you.
In Calif you will be paying CA state tax and federal tax plus the highest price, or one of them, for gasoline. There is population decline here, losing that one House seat revealed that to be the case, but there are still people moving in here too, depending on the which county it is, and above all, the buying of property, houses and the like, not just in the Valley but also the greater SF Bay Area goes on., sometimes less, sometimes more when houses are pretty much snatched up. Other times selling it might take 3-6 months.
Flying from the SFO, OAK , or LAX to Paris, Frankfurt, London, Munich, etc, one can always get a night flight for this 11 hour flight, best is non-stop, landing in the morning between 9 to 11 am. I always take the night flight. Once I didn't, landed in 1995 in Paris at 2 pm or so, felt weird. The night flight would have been much more preferable getting in before 10 am.
Oh, someone else mentioned Bellingham, WA. Nice area close to the Canadian border. And another area is Sequim, WA sometimes called the banana belt, with the Olympic National Park right by it. Gorgeous area.
Years ago I used to visit my great aunt and great uncle in Sequim with a bunch of my friends. She was a pilot when women weren't pilots. We would spend the night listening to her stories before catching a ferry to Victoria, or prior to camping in the National Park. Fond memories.
Sequim, WA sometimes called the banana belt
I had to google that. Interesting!
When we were looking at places to retire, we considered FL. My WA husband said no. Bugs. Hurricanes. Flat. Humid. I said maybe. White sandy beaches. Clear water in the far south. Culturally diverse. Good food. Gorgeous sunsets from the west coast over the Gulf of Mexico. ❌
We considered Santa Fe, one of my favorite places anywhere, because it's laid back, beautiful, artsy, architecturally and culturally different from anywhere else and has great food. But it can get very cold and snowy in the winter. ❌
We considered TX, my home state, but neither my home town of San Antonio nor my university town of Austin were appealing. They'd both gotten too big and crowded due to their appeal to people from other parts of the US. Corpus Christi and Galveston were more attractive, but had many of the same negative qualities as FL. ❌
WA and CA were already out of the running due to costs.
Many years before when my husband was going to a race car driving school in Phoenix, I'd drop him off and go exploring in our rental car. One place I went was Tucson and I thought, hmmm?! This looks interesting.
So we took a closer look in 2004. We'd gone to Santa Fe in the winter and decided it was too cold. We went to Tucson for a week in June, the hottest month, to see if we were nuts. My PNW husband had had it with "life under the great gray dome," as he called it and actually enjoyed the heat.
My primary research included asking many people we met first where they were from.
If it was Tucson or AZ, they didn't get the 2nd question. That question was, why did you move here? The #1 answer, first out of literally everyone's mouth, was "the weather." "But it gets soooo hot," I'd say. And along with the usual "but it's a dry heat" comment, they'd point out that the "seasons are upside down." People in cold climates heat their houses a large part of the year and people in hot climates cool them.
Having lived in WA for 20+ years, very high on my wish list was the opportunity to sit outside at a restaurant without propane heaters in the summer. Misters cool things down here. ✅
Having lived with nearly constant overcast, I was craving clear skies, but especially sunsets and dark skies with lots of stars. Tucson has some of the darkest skies of any city in the US. We actually live about 30 miles from the city limits in the 2nd most restricted light area in Pima County. ✅
Having some pre-existing conditions, we needed good medical facilities. The University of AZ and its medical school are in Tucson. That's where my doctors are. My husband goes to El Rio Health, a now very large system in Tucson created to primarily serve the underserved Native American and Latino communities. ✅
Cultural diversity? Obviously, but the guy who recently serviced our AC was from Congo. ✅ Great food? Mostly Mexican, but the last time we ate out we went to a Bosnian restaurant. ✅ Alternative electricity resources? Solar everywhere. ✅ Water restrictions? If you go over a basic level of use, you gotta pay extra. If you live in a community that provides a pool for its homeowners, you can't have a private pool, ✅
We did exactly what someone up thread mentioned. We rented for a year before committing to anything.
Your housing needs appear to be pretty easy to fill, but perhaps not some of the others. One thing you might try is to compare all items on your list to each other. It's called a "pair wise comparison" and it forces you to choose between each pair, assigning points to your choices and hopefully ending up with a ranked list of priorities. Look it up.
as long as you're open to a wide range of states, I would take taxes into consideration.
Not too hot and not too far from a good size airport is tricky. Maybe the salt lake City area or Denver area, quite central and the altitude keeps the temperature reasonable. Definitely not as expensive as the West Coast.
Sequim is fine. It's also an enormous hassle to get to an airport, takes a long time and is not an easy long time.
We chose Tucson solely for health reasons. An important reason of course. We had always planned to live on the water, buy a boat. We leave in May as can’t stand being cooped up inside during the hot season. So we now have two small homes. I don’t mind winter in the NE and miss urban settings when in AZ. Love NYC and Chicago. Life is about compromises.
If interested in a senior community in AZ, check out Hacienda at the Canyon in Tucson. Beautiful location, and our friends living there are very happy. The apartments and cottages are rentals.
Florida was like living in a sauna for about 8 months out of the year.
"I don't know if I'll be accepted in eastern Mass as I am a NY Yankees fan." LOL I know what you mean. But Western Mass is better in that respect, as long as you don't flout it. Lots of other former New Yorkers here. I live in the Pioneer Valley (Connecticut River Valley) but in the Berkshires I've even seen Yankees banners and bumper stickers, etc.
Western Mass has everything you mentioned in your latest post except the taxes are a bit high. Southwestern NH would give you the no income tax but you'd be further away from NY (and JFK). Massachusetts is most definitely a blue state but we do have quite a lot of republican governors (and local government is not all that blue all the time either).
Pointing out that western Mass and Burlington do not satisfy the “I hate heat over 80°” requirement.
I was recently in the Adirondacks and the mugginess was incessant, it was never was comfortable any time of day. The whole week. We rented a house (thankfully with air conditioning) and the owner said about 5 years ago periods of mugginess in the summer became normal.
Note that the above ranking is from a foundation in London funded by a pro-Brexit billionaire Kiwi family. I was surprised that it rated Minnesota the worst state for "suppression of free press." What on earth do they mean by that?
It's difficult finding valid and timely state-to-state comparisons. Other suggestions are welcome. I reviewed this study because it considered many other issues and was produced by the partnership between Legatum (the London think tank) and MCAAD. The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that will be opening a center on Pennsylvania Avenue in DC next year.
Funding appears to be from the same donors I routinely see on any new PBS program.
Perhaps they could answer inquiries about their methodology?
Frankly state prosperity would be most important if I was launching my professional life. I've already "prospered" and now I'm more interested in a location where that nest egg covers more of what I want from life for the longest amount of time.
A friend of ours just moved from Florida to New Hampshire and loves it there.
He had worked for NASA for most of his career, and couldn't wait to retire and get away from the heat of Florida.
He bought some land on a lake and will build a house of his own design.
I suggest New Hampshire.
Our friend lives between Manchester and Portsmouth.
Instead of settling down in one place, have you thought about adapting your travel style to long stays in rented apartments so you don’t have that constant hotel experience? Eating out and depending on hotel services tires me in a few days, but a month in my own digs with kitchen and independence is like home-away-from-home. We also like getting to know a community better by staying long in a more homey situation, shopping, cooking, just being.
Frankly state prosperity would be most important if I was launching my professional life. I've already "prospered" and now I'm more interested in a location where that nest egg covers more of what I want from life for the longest amount of time.
This is a tangent but kind of relevant:
Some of the trappings of a higher tax state include extensive public bike trails (varied biking is a high retirement goal), good public libraries, high standards of development to make for a pretty built environment (not visually blighted— Florida is the most blighted IME)— you don’t get these in a low tax environment. I wouldn’t consider the impact of taxes unless your personal circumstance requires it.
As someone who has visited every state but Georgia, the maps and stats from the London place link jibe with my observations, I’m just pointing out the odd source,
@Rebecca: I couldn't help but laugh at the notion of your friend moving from Florida to New Hampshire. My SIL moved from NH to FL a few years ago. She was done with the snow, the ice dams on her roof, the rust on her car, etc. My MIL moved from Boston to FL in 1990 but has since moved back to New England. It just goes to show that we all have our own priorities. One of the big drawbacks of NH for retirees is the state income tax on investment income.
Hello Trotter,
Yes, our friend just experienced his first winter in NH in a rental house. He sent us emails expressing amazement at every new snowfall and ice storm. By early February, he announced with delight that a friend had asked him to house-sit their home in Tampa for 6 weeks while they went to Europe. So he flew down about Feb. 15 and spent the rest of Feb. and all of March in Tampa. We didn't have the heart to rib him about running from the ice and snow in NH.
Rebecca: your friend quickly became the species known as “snowbird”. 😁
Hahaha! Yes, Trotter!
Frank, an interesting topic you began here. I have enjoyed reading all the responses, as I am sure you have. With all the travel you have done, I suspect you know which of your priorities weigh most in your decision. No heat rules out a lot of places. Sounds like you prefer a "blue" state. No crowds, rules out major cities. Taxes and real estate pries matter so much of the west coast is out. The north-central states get REAL cold, so they are probably out. You have kinda limited your search to some of New England, it sounds to me. Travel around that area and check places out would be my advice. Rent an apartment for 6 months in the place you think might be "The One". While living there you will learn where the good restaurants (by your definition) are or if there are any. You may fall in love with the place you rent, or while there you may discover a place nearby that is even more wonderful.
Have fun!
Frank,
Logan Airport (BA/AA) has a day flight to London. FYI
We’ve fallen in love with Gloucester, MA. We’re on the island and hate to leave (except to travel). Beautiful place, and still a working person’s town…still a great working harbor, not ruined by all sanitized condos, etc. It is all things…country, city, coast, history and has the train to Boston. And it has the best light, which is why so many artists have and still come here. Summers are cooler and winters are warmer than off the island. As I meet my daughter’s and SiL’s friends and colleagues, it strikes me that the island also has a lot of well educated, interesting people who have put creativity and quality of life ahead of money. Just my 2 cents.
For anyone with an interest in Cape Ann , MA or has made a visit , this book is a winner - https://www.amazon.com/Last-Fish-Tale-Atlantic-Gloucester/dp/0345487273/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Yes, I love that book!
As someone who travels a lot across the country, the “blue state red state” thing is more a figment of the media than actually a real thing. A person can drive for days in California, from the SE desert up and thru the Central Valley and around Redding then east into the Great Basin around Alturas and stay in “red” America despite the “blue” label California has.
If people would actually drive across the US they would find that most Americans want the same things and aren’t divided.
Anyway I don’t think the red/blue state thing is a helpful criterion in this search. If the goal is a blue rural area you are likely stuck with some parts of the Upper Midwest and New England, maybe parts of rural NY but my recent experience around the Adirondacks was multiple flying high confederate flags and white supremacist decals on trucks.
" my recent experience around the Adirondacks was multiple flying high confederate flags and white supremacist decals on trucks. "Quite so ! Actually it is fairly well known that outside of the Metro NY City conurbation , the bulk of the state is decidedly quite " Red " . New York shows up as " Blue " due to the high concentration of Democratic voters in and around the city . This phenomenon can also even be seen in more rural parts of New England Some areas of Vermont , and interior Maine , as examples , By the way , the concept that most Americans want the same things , doesn't seem to hold water when observing various legislative initiatives in any number of states
the concept that most Americans want the same things , doesn't seem to hold water
Recognizing this is the kind of tangent that gets topics locked, I’ll just suggest that too many elected politicians are out of step with their constituents.
I think you deserve a better label than burnt out. I mean no one says a mountain climber is burnt out after an impressive climb. More like spent, lol…ready to recuperate?
I agree!!
Indeed, I think it sounds like somewhere in New England is the place for you (although I always assume anywhere there is expensive).
I always think that's where I would like to live if I came back, although it would still be far from all my family — but I guess far is relative at that point. I'm like you and can't stand the heat — and I like being able to get to Europe more easily (in a shorter time) than one can from the West Coast. Many of the other elements that you mention are also important to me.
Good luck with your decision, search, and considerations !
This is an easy one presuming that "trending" is not part of the decision process.
Hanover New Hampshire or somewhere in that surrounding NH/Vermont area should be a perfect fit.
It's not deep in the bowels of less inaccessible Vermont or NH. It has a cultural base that pairs well with the surrounding rural region, but it is close enough to the resources that you find in larger cities. It does not share that over-the-top vibe that Burlington has acquired. The rest of New England is in easy striking distance and the traffic that plagues Massachusetts, Southern NH, Portland is not a problem.
If you ski, like to toss a fly, paddle, cycle, enjoy college sports and the atmosphere of a collegiate community look no further.
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Reno, or somewhere in northern Nevada,
since you will be on travel most of the summertime anyway and not there when it is hot,
and there are constant flights from the major hubs and cities to connect you to Europe and everywhere else.
Low taxes, and the unpleasant folks are mostly confined to the streets immediately around the casinos. (and of course within the casinos). If I had the means I would set up in a small place on the Truckee River that was just a stones throw (or two throws) from the airport.
