Best Places to Retire

Happyflowerlady said:
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Ohop Lake is beautiful , Pappy ! Even though I used to live in Western Washington, I had never heard of Ohop, so I had to look it up and see just where in Washington that it is.
I used to live near Mt. St. Helens, but not until after it erupted. I lived near the small town of Mossyrock, and out in the foothills, so in about a 10 minute ride, I could be loping my horse up the trail towards the mountain. It is an awesome area to live in, and is about a 2 hour drive from there to the ocean.
You would like Lake Mayfield, and it has a lot of good fishing, if you enjoy that. They have Tiger Muskee planted there, and they grow several feet long.
The only worrisome thing out there is that they expect Mt. Rainier to erupt anytime. Eatonville has regular drills for people to get out when it erupts, or if there is an earthquake there. Even when I lived there, the state was reinforcing the bridge at Mayfield Lake to try and make it secure if there were a heavy quake there.
But, I guess, anywhere you live is subject to the whims of Mother Nature, so we just pick our place we want to be, and take what comes our way from there.
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My son, who will be retiring soon, lives in Lakewood, WA, a suburb of Tacoma. Years ago, he retired from Ft. Lewis after 20 years in the Army. We expected him to come home then but he loves the beautiful state of Washington, and has stayed there all these years.

When he sent me this picture, I thought wouldn't it be great to finish up my time on earth in a place like this. We also worry about Mt. St. Helen blowing her top, but like all Washinton natives, he doesn't think much about it. Guess anywhere you like is a crap shoot when he comes to Mom nature.
 

Pappy, my story reads almost like yours, but opposite ! My daughter retired out of the military, and she didn't move back home to Idaho, or Washington, she stayed out here in Alabama. So I moved out here to be closer to her, and I really like it here.
Idaho has all that fresh air , and is not muggy like the South is, but it also has all of that cold and snow, and I really don't miss that part of it at all.
Of course, you don't have much of that near Tacoma, but if you get further up into the mountains, then they have it out there, too.
It is actually Mt. Rainier that is causing the concern of eruption now . St. Helens could go off again, but not likely as much, and it is far enough away that Seattle is not a concern. However, when Rainier goes, the lava is going to be heading right for well-populated areas, and probably over the I-5 freeway , as well. That is why the smaller towns, like Eatonville, are having citywide escape drills. They would only have about 20 minutes to get everyone out of town if the mountain blows up.
 
Boo's Mom said:
Best place to retire is where the heart is.
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Unless of course you've had a transplant, then I think it would be pretty confusing as to where you're supposed to settle ... ;)

My heart tells me I want to retire to an old Scottish castle - my head laughs at the improbability.

My heart then tells me it will settle for a one-bedroom condo in Key West - my head spins around with the very thought.

Meanwhile, my wallet sits, thin and quiet, shaking its head at all the silliness ...
 
Article on the lame rah-rah-rah company website about a guy who has been on the job for over 60 (count 'em!) sixty years. Big hoopla but actually very sad...
 
We like it just fine where we are

Spouse and I took early retirement and have been enjoying it since 2010. We infinitely prefer city life. Live in the San Francisco Bay Area and plan to stay. Expensive, yes. We love the diversity, the conveniences, the magnificent scenery, friends/neighbors/family.

Great to live 10 min. away from our doctor & hospital. A good thing, too, because Spouse suffered a major stroke at age 50. If I hadn't gotten him to the hospital ASAP, he'd be a vegetable. Instead, he's active and energetic, and no one can tell he ever had one. But there are residuals, in fact - he can't drive in the rain or at night any longer, and he lost 50% of the hearing in his left ear that no artificial aid will help.

Many people have asked us why we spend so much time traveling around Northern CA instead of taking exotic trips abroad. I tell them people come from ALL OVER THE WORLD to spend a few precious days in our area. Retirement means we can avoid rush hour commutes and crowded weekends. We can travel mid-week and leisurely drive wherever our fancy takes us.

Even after 5 yrs, we keep finding new things to do, different restaurants to eat, scenic roads to travel, in places like Mendocino, Monterey, Tahoe, Napa Valley, and Sonoma. California is really an amazing state to travel in.

One of our hobbies is dining out as we're foodies. We don't need to leave our own city for great choices (although we do). If we go a couple of miles in one direction, there's Mexican and Guatemalan restaurants where nobody speaks English and the menus are entirely in Spanish. In another neighborhood several Ethiopian restaurants jostle against Korean fusion, Burmese, Sicilian pizza, and down-home Southern.

French is thattaway and Italian (including a bacalhao dish that knocks our socks off) is thisaway. Handmade Japanese noodles tonight? Or Peruvian cebiche? Or maybe the wine bar with 21 separate flights and a quarterly rotating menu that picks a different country when it changes (did you know Mexico is the oldest wine-making country in North America?).

Do we want German Nurnberger sausages and sauerkraut, Chinese dim sum, or Nepalese curried fried goat? Gastropub meat pies? Housemade charcuterie? Gourmet delis, Parisian croissants and kouign amann, first/second/third-wave coffee roasters - all here, crammed into 78 sq. miles.

Can't get outdoors? Have it delivered. The big supermarket chains deliver; plus there's a specialty food service delivery that specializes in gourmet artisanal vendors, which also comes to your doorstep. There's four competing services doing pick up from local restaurants that don't normally do take-out, to bring it to your doorstep for a $5 fee.

We seldom go into stores. Amazon Prime delivers everything from facial tissue to pens in 2 days. Our inkjet printer died so we simply ordered a new one. Took half an hour of on-line research and less than 10 seconds to buy it. No standing in line with listless sale clerks or searching endless aisles muttering, "So where did they move it to this time?"

Our DIY financial planning started 20 yrs ago and included planning for disability and extreme old age. Our CFP told us we were the best-prepared couple he had ever seen in a modest income bracket, and one of the very few who knew how to use insurance properly for risk mitigation (I worked in insurance for 15 yrs, and financial services for 10 more).

No guarantees that we covered everything, of course. But we did the best we could, and so far everything's worked out well. Costs have gone up, but planning properly helped us manage without needing to cut back. A lot of work to plan, but well worth it.
 
My wife and I keep pondering this question as I near retirement (she's just stopped working in the past few months). We're pretty certain that we want to move, but the question is where and what type of community. She and I like the idea of a 55+ community somewhere with a more moderate climate than Massachusetts. Have thought about the Northwest, perhaps out on the Olympic Peninsula. Also considered down around Maryland/VA area since I have family there. Tough decision after being in only one house for over 30 years. Will be hard to leave it after all we've put into it, but the climate here in New England, particularly in the winter, is just getting too hard to take. I think last winter was the straw that broke this old guy's back (and it really felt that way some days after shoveling all that snow!)
 
A friend has a hse in a tourist area (only in the summer is it touristy). They are right on the Gulf. They moved away from Tallahassee after they retired. Built a lovely home on the bay with ocean across the road. Sounds idealic. 10 yrs later and 70 yrs old they have health problems. They have no grocery store. The closest is over a hr away. No health clinics, no doctors, no ambulances. Before you move to a place do your homework.
 
Bobw235 said:
... Have thought about the Northwest, perhaps out on the Olympic Peninsula. Also considered down around Maryland/VA area since I have family there. Tough decision after being in only one house for over 30 years.
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Don't confuse "house" with "home". A house is 4 walls, ceiling and floors. A home is memories, good and bad. You carry your home with you, always. Remember how happy and proud you felt when you first bought the home? Someday a new homeowner will feel exactly the same way you did, because it will be theirs and they will be just as thrilled.

Now, we love our cottage and have over-improved it ridiculously. We are spending a fortune this summer remodeling the master bedroom. But even if we only get five years of enjoyment out of it, it's worth it to us. But in the end, it's a SFH and we don't want to be burdened with upkeep forever.

We will downsize and move to a CCRC - because if there's one thing we learned from taking care of my MIL, it's that it's better to move sooner rather than later. Do lots of research; visit different communities, investigate their financial footing, make multiple visits in all seasons.

I love the Olympic Peninsula/PacNW but distances can be difficult. There are only a few major freeways in WA and I-5 is a mess, literally. The little towns are beautiful, but the major medical facilities are mostly in greater Seattle. Getting there in an emergency situation is not ideal. The towns are wonderful for active retirement seniors, but when you get elderly you may have to move again.

Many couples fail to consider what they would/can do if one becomes disabled and then later the other develops partial disability. Because these are small towns, people are helpful, but you don't always have the large pool of labor for in-house assistance. Move from Port Townsend to Port Angeles, and friends can still visit. Move from either town into Seattle, and you'd be lucky to see anybody once a year.

If you are talking about the "real" Olympic Peninsula; e.g., the west coast of WA, it is beautiful but the distances are immense compared to the East Coast. I find the Oregon coast more accessible to urban services, with equally pretty small towns.

I'm NOT saying you shouldn't move there. It's marvelous country! But there are downsides to it - stay a month in winter and you'll see what I mean - and I always think that big moves should be undertaken very carefully. There is a different culture and lifestyle in West Coast vs East Coast. You might find that liberating (I did) or you might find it difficult to 'break in' to established social circles. That's why there's an almost equal number that leave the West, as the numbers that arrive, every year.

So come visit the West in January as well as August (if you haven't already), and do the same for the Maryland area. Remember, many senior communities will let you rent for a few days or a week to do a "try out". Remain resolved to visit at least three or four places so you can compare them; don't get swept away by thinking CCRC #2 is so fabulous compared to #1, that you don't need to look any further! You do need to look at a third and even a fourth, because although they all provide similar services, they will have different social communities.

Also the contract differences - that "fine print" - is really, really important. As a couple, for example, you need to know how they treat residents when one spouse needs nursing care but the other is still capable of asst. living. CCRCs make their own rules; outside of meeting health & safety standards they are autonomous. Many residents are shocked to find they have little recourse about CCRC decisions, such as moving residents out of an AL unit to skilled nursing.

Those are just a few thoughts off the top of my head. I hope you and your wife have a long and successful retirement together, and best wishes for the future!
 
Before retirement my wife and I had been homeowners (3) since 1970. Each had their pros & cons. One was in a rural settings nearest large hospital was 50 miles away no ambulance service. I enjoyed the limited isolation with less stringent laws but the downside was virtually no law enforcement to speak off. Reported several incidents of vandalism over the 11 years we lived there. Took 45 min or more to respond. Two were actually investigated over the phone. The other two homes were located in a smaller community, < 25,000. We had most amenities but the hospital was small and everyone was on a first name basis. Doctors had great bedside manners but reluctantly was mis-diagnosed occasionally. Adequate hospital was 30 miles away.

In 2011, 2 years after retirement we decided to downsize and relocate to a more hospitable climate. We chose the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Mild temps (summer average is 83 and winters average 33), rain, little snow, no smog, friendly people with liberal attitudes. Terrible drivers (no idea how to enter an express highway) keep to the 2 lanes. No one seems to be in a hurry and the new pot laws are a plus for some with your usual nay-sayers warning about the destruction of morals. Not a drinker-smoker and have dealt with my children's indulgence that they all survived. 50 miles from the beautiful Pacific coast.

I did look at moving to Las Vegas but since it's like putting an alcoholic in charge of the liquor store (I had a problem with overindulgence in games of chance), I would have been divorced and living alone. The crime rate was too high with inadequate health care. Nevada has horrendous Mal-practice insurance rates and according to reports I read it makes an undesirable place to practice medicine. I also looked into RVing it from Montana (summers) to Arizona (winters) but my wife refused to drive around the country with me at the wheel. Not that I'm an unsafe driver it was something she put her foot down about. California was out of the question expensive and crowded. Wyoming has no state tax but I've driven I-80 too many times to want to do another winter trek there. Colorado has it's weather related driving problems and most of the residents are way out of my 'We're-better-than-you' tolerance range. Besides I didn't want a black lab issued to me and have to walk him in the snow. Anything east of those states were off my retirement radar chart.

Disclaimer: I mean no insult to anyone living in any of the states mentioned, the comments are just my attempt at humor.
 
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charlotta said:
A friend has a hse in a tourist area (only in the summer is it touristy). They are right on the Gulf. They moved away from Tallahassee after they retired. Built a lovely home on the bay with ocean across the road. Sounds idealic. 10 yrs later and 70 yrs old they have health problems. They have no grocery store. The closest is over a hr away. No health clinics, no doctors, no ambulances. Before you move to a place do your homework.
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Wow, definitely a good heads up... Definitely worth visits to the list of possibilities and a lot of research before making the move!
 
Bob, hubby and I live in a retirement community in SE PA where we were born and raised. This is PA Dutch country and it is a beautiful area. There are lots of retirement communities here and they are very popular because of the proximity to Phila, NYC and DC. Also the facilities are affordable unlike those near Phila or NYC.
We also love MD and the Eastern Shore to visit. That would also be a nice place to retire but I'm not familiar with
the retirement options in that area.
 
We didn't move because we were already living in a beach town on the gulf coast of Florida. A few years later we did move to Arizona intending to be closer to our kids. That part didn't work as planned, but AZ was a great base for exploring the western states by in our camper. Age snuck up on us and after family discussion we decided to return to Florida, this time to stay.

My #1 requirement for a retirement place: I have to be able to look out the window and see palm trees.
#2 no stairs.
#3 somebody else takes care of exterior maintenance and landscaping.
 
My second wife was a Kiwi with dual citizenship and when I retired we spent half of each year in New Zealand which was quite affordable because of the favorable exchange rate.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
Before retirement my wife and I had been homeowners (3) since 1970. Each had their pros & cons. One was in a rural settings nearest large hospital was 50 miles away no ambulance service. I enjoyed the limited isolation with less stringent laws but the downside was virtually no law enforcement to speak off. Reported several incidents of vandalism over the 11 years we lived there. Took 45 min or more to respond. Two were actually investigated over the phone. The other two homes were located in a smaller community, < 25,000. We had most amenities but the hospital was small and everyone was on a first name basis. Doctors had great bedside manners but reluctantly was mis-diagnosed occasionally. Adequate hospital was 30 miles away.

In 2011, 2 years after retirement we decided to downsize and relocate to a more hospitable climate. We chose the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Mild temps (summer average is 83 and winters average 33), rain, little snow, no smog, friendly people with liberal attitudes. Terrible drivers (no idea how to enter an express highway) keep to the 2 lanes. No one seems to be in a hurry and the new pot laws are a plus for some with your usual nay-sayers warning about the destruction of morals. Not a drinker-smoker and have dealt with my children's indulgence that they all survived. 50 miles from the beautiful Pacific coast.

I did look at moving to Las Vegas but since it's like putting an alcoholic in charge of the liquor store (I had a problem with overindulgence in games of chance), I would have been divorced and living alone. The crime rate was too high with inadequate health care. Nevada has horrendous Mal-practice insurance rates and according to reports I read it makes an undesirable place to practice medicine. I also looked into RVing it from Montana (summers) to Arizona (winters) but my wife refused to drive around the country with me at the wheel. Not that I'm an unsafe driver it was something she put her foot down about. California was out of the question expensive and crowded. Wyoming has no state tax but I've driven I-80 too many times to want to do another winter trek there. Colorado has it's weather related driving problems and most of the residents are way out of my 'We're-better-than-you' tolerance range. Besides I didn't want a black lab issued to me and have to walk him in the snow. Anything east of those states were off my retirement radar chart.

Disclaimer: I mean no insult to anyone living in any of the states mentioned, the comments are just my attempt at humor.
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I spent almost half of my life in the Willamette Valley. Dallas/Salem/Turner. Love it there. Still have family there.
 
We would love Asia, Canada and NZ. But still very much undecided! My husband prefers Asia, specifically Thailand or the Philippines. I would love Thailand and Vietnam too, as my friend lives in Hanoi, but NZ is just irresistible! I need to gather more information about these places to weigh the pros and cons. Hopefully, we'd be able to decide on the 1st quarter of 2016!
 

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