Best Places to Retire?

So I've been giving a lot of though lately as to where I want to retire. Just curious where others have retired or considering retiring and why.

As it stands right now, Asheville North Carolina is really high on my list. I love mountain/forest areas and I also want a temperate climate. I really don't want to be somewhere with a ton of snow and cold weather. The other thing that is appealing is that there is an urban core with good restaurants, hospitals, and other arts & entertainment. I want to feel like I am in the middle of nowhere but never more than say 30 minutes from some sort of civilization.

The other area I am considering is Martha's Vineyard, MA. MV is an island off the coast of Massachusetts. It is known for being a vacation spot for Presidents (Kennedys, Clinton, and Obamas still vacation there.) It is a beautiful island. I've gone every year for almost 20 years. A lot of people also don't know that it is also where a lot of the black upper class (politicians, bankers,judges, academics, and other leaders) have vacationed for 100 years. The island is absolutely gorgeous and very low key culturally. While there is a ton of money there it isn't very flashy. Only about 20,000 live on the island year round, but it swells to like 500,000 during the summer. Winter are brutal though. Cold and isolating.

My other option is I also want to basically just get rid of everything and get an Airstream and travel the country continuously. I want to see every national park and other landmarks and curiosities. The US is a big beautiful country and it could take years to explore all the nooks and crannies. I envision driving to an area say like the Pacific Northwest and staying for a week or two. I also want to bring my motorcycle so I can do some riding around the area. Check out the towns and other sights. Once I tire of an area, pack it up and go somewhere else to explore. I've discovered quite a few youtube vloggers doing this and jealous I didn't do it sooner. A lot of millenials seem to be on this lowkey living too as it is fairly cheap to live while also getting to experience a lot of new things.

Anyway, just curious what other folks are planning in retirement.

a reply to: Edumakated


Thermopolis, Wyoming.


( My choice)

a reply to: Edumakated

I recommend Ashland, Oregon, Ashville NC on steroids. Crater lake, Rogue river, Lake Klamath, Pacific ocean 2 hours away, Salmon, Steelhead, Mule Deer, Black tail, lions, bears...I cant wait, moving there soon!

Oh and its 5 hours from Portland, which puts a nice barrier to the madness, but ya can still visit for the food!

originally posted by: BlueJacket
a reply to: Edumakated

I recommend Ashland, Oregon, Ashville NC on steroids. Crater lake, Rogue river, Lake Klamath, Pacific ocean 2 hours away, Salmon, Steelhead, Mule Deer, Black tail, lions, bears...I cant wait, moving there soon!

Oh and its 5 hours from Portland, which puts a nice barrier to the madness, but ya can still visit for the food!

Interesting. I will have to check it out. Spent sometime in Bend, OR and loved it. I think I could live there.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Edumakated


Thermopolis, Wyoming.


( My choice)

Looks nice. Don't know if I am up for the Wyoming winters though.

a reply to: Edumakated

Costa Rica or New Zealand. For some reason a whole lot of ex-military and high up government people are buying land and walling it off in these areas.

Maybe they know something.

If the coming apocalypse isn’t your thing, Asheville is cool. I have a lot of friends there. A lot of LIBERAL friends. So be warned.

a reply to: Edumakated

Absolutely, Bend is great, but cost of living is getting out of hand...much like Portland. Ashland still is semi reasonable, but you can buy in nearby towns affordably and still partake in all the area has to offer.

originally posted by: underwerks
a reply to: Edumakated

Costa Rica or New Zealand. For some reason a whole lot of ex-military and high up government people are buying land and walling it off in these areas.

Maybe they know something.

If the coming apocalypse isn’t your thing, Asheville is cool. I have a lot of friends there. A lot of LIBERAL friends. So be warned.

I actually prefer being around liberals in an urban environment. Despite my ATS personality, I do have a thing for arts and culture and that tends to go hand in hand with liberal areas.

It is a balance. I live in a very liberal town now. A few of us conservatives have to fight to keep the taxes reasonable or else the libs around here would run it into the ground fiscally.

I sure wouldn't want to retire in a place that has politicians there often. I have nothing personal against Obama, but I would rather not have politicians around stirring up people. I would not want to go retire in an area frequented by politicians. I like it here, if you want to get away, you are usually less than a mile from the woods or a lake to go chill out at. There are trails to go RV and snowmobile riding on and hiking trails and cross country skiing and ski hills around. We have farmers markets and the cost of living here is pretty decent.

But we get lots of snow and cold, I am glad that keeps people away. Also lots of mosquitoes and sandflies and other bugs. Otherwise nature would not be abundant. No rattle snakes though, but you might get run over by a deer.

a reply to: BlueJacket

shhhhhhh. Don't tell EVERYBODY for crying out loud. This is one of the best kept secrets and should remain that way. So point them all in other directions. mm, some where in say, Arizona, yeah, that's the ticket.

Well, I don't think immigrating to other countries is very easy even if you have money. There are maybe a few countries that have legalized physician assisted suicide. That would be the ideal place to retire while you still have your wits about you before you end up laying in a nursing home with people changing your diapers and milking whatever savings you and your kids have for as long as it takes you to die "of natural causes".

In the US, you're looking at a pretty sad decline and ending no matter what. If you're going to stay here you'd better find a doctor you like (a lot) and trust with your life and that will not be easy. Nobody gives a damn about you when you're old and your health starts failing. These filthy insurance vultures will abandon you the first chance they get and when you're stuck with Medicare, the doctors suddenly become strangely distant and unmotivated.

a reply to: Edumakated

I actually prefer being around liberals in an urban environment. Despite my ATS personality, I do have a thing for arts and culture and that tends to go hand in hand with liberal areas.

Actually Ed, there are glimmerings of this in some of your statements in other threads. The conundrum of art appreciation and culture that you express to find in more ''liberal'' environs is worthy of a thread in itself don't you think? Might it go some to the ''left'' brain, ''right'' brain thing?

Anyway, if not a thread, I would be interested in how you juxtapose those seemingly polar tendencies within yourself.

St. Petersburg, FL. I know what ya'll will say but we are undergoing a new era-the oldsters have left and there is new vitality here-lots of fresh cheap side of the road markets, flea markets-every weekennd there are new entertainment opportunities-plus the lovely weather and culture-lots of museums and a great orchestra. It's my retirement choice and still kinda in the south close to Georgia family. And I think you're from Atlanta like me? Yes. Much much Floriduh but no state taxes. I love it here. Sarasota is great, too-with world class culture. Just more spendy.

a reply to: Edumakated

Fontana Dam, NC

a reply to: Edumakated

My wife and I are currently downsizing to travel full time. We have a 29ft class C motor home that we travel in.
We originally wanted an airstream but the class C seemed to be a better fit. The ability for passengers to move around while traveling was a big selling point. I don't want to pull over every time my wife needs to pee.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

doh! youre right!

originally posted by: Justso
St. Petersburg, FL.

lovely weather

Anybody who thinks Florida has lovely weather is insane.

a reply to: Edumakated

I have relatives living in the Asheville area. It is a beautiful and vibrant area and if you find property outside the metro area the home prices (and property taxes) are far more reasonable than Asheville proper. They do have snow---it is the mountains after all---but if you are retired, you don't have to worry about driving in the bad weather as long as you stay fairly prepared. The tiny town of Mars Hill is in the next county over to Asheville but is only a 20 minute drive on the interstate. Their medical centers are top notch, with an excellent VA hospital in Asheville.

Good luck. Should be fun checking out all the possibilities.

originally posted by: trollz

originally posted by: Justso
St. Petersburg, FL.

lovely weather

Anybody who thinks Florida has lovely weather is insane.

Indeed. And if they think it's affordable, they must be from California. That's the only way people can justify it being cheap livin'. God's Waiting Room gets VERY expensive very quickly.

Something most people retiring NEVER consider is food costs. For some reason, that's always an afterthought when it should be a heavy consideration.
The food down there is twice the cost of what I pay in MI now, I don't miss paying asinine prices to eat simple food, I rather enjoy paying a buck for a head of broccoli as opposed to $2.50+ at Publix back in Tampa.

I'd base my choices on overall CoL (groceries included, not just rent & utilities) and go from there. Where ever you look at, find the local grocery stores and look at their ads/online ordering for price ideas on stuff you eat. Sticker shock might make it very unappealing in hindsight.