If you didn't live here...WHERE would you live?

I used to say that I'd want to live in New Orleans - I love the food, warm climate (yes, I don't mind hot, humid weather), and culture. But it's kind of a scary place to me now, and the Garden District that I adore seems to be getting more and more run-down, thanks to crime and the economy which caused people who could afford to keep those beautiful homes maintained to leave NOLA.

I love the laid-back and gorgeous region of Tuscany, but it's too far from my roots.

Actually I'm happy where I am - I love being relatively close to my home town Atlanta, 30-A, and my family. Whenever I want to visit an exotic location like Tuscany or Maui, I'm only an hour away from the Atlanta airport.

The coast of Maine is a wonderful place to live as well, except the winters are long and very cold. I lived in Rockport, Maine, for a few years a few decades ago (or was it 3 decades ago?). I remember driving over a little bridge into Rockport on a snowy winter night thinking I was driving right into a postcard. It was amazing and I've never forgotten that moment. The cheap lobsters were great, especially when we bought the one-clawed ones for a few dollars right off the boat from the fishermen. And we'd go to the beach and look for mussels. I also lived in Portland, Maine, for a few years as well and that was a great place to live (but I liked Rockport better).

Congratulations on the empty nest, Lisa!

We've been pondering the relocation dilemma for two years now. We had hoped to be in SoWal (or close by), but here we still are.

We have one kid who just graduated from college, and another who has two more years in high school--but if the right job came up, we would not be hanging around here. Colorado is really changing and it's not for the better.

After many landlocked years, the water beckons us. I lived on both coasts before moving to Denver and miss the ocean. And I am sick of shoveling snow.

We loved Hawaii (esp Kauai), but there are social issues there and yes, it is far away. One friend of ours built a condo in Playa del Carmen, another is interested in both Belize as well as Costa Rica. I loved Guatemala, but only as a place to visit.
If our kid settles in Europe or anywhere else, we'll visit there, but I am not interested in aging in a non-USA location.
Sarasota is very nice, "but it's full of old people," says my husband. 🙂 We like the Keys, were just there in February, and they 'felt' right, don't know how to describe it.
We have looked into the Carolinas as well.

I like the big boat/little boat idea.

Spouse wants out of Denver. We shall see what shakes out.

We had an almost "empty nest" for awhile --- now THEIR BAAACCKK!!!
I need a vacation at the beach!!

We had an almost "empty nest" for awhile --- now THEIR BAAACCKK!!!
I need a vacation at the beach!!

And they're EATING MACHINES, aren't they? It's amazing!

Every day is a grocery run!! Plus - all the tv's are set to something different (usually some sort of SPORTS!), the dog is barking, the phone is ringing, someone is at the front door and 3 more friends just showed up to EAT!! I'm secretly planning an escape!!!

At our house it's all of those MTV shows (Jessica and Nick, etc.) and other stuff that college kids watch that I can't relate to. They also seem to "own" the sofa. I complain, but I really enjoy having time with my daughter and her friends - besides, she's a great cook.

BTW it's amazing how many partially empty Diet Coke cans I find EVERYWHERE!

Paula,

My roommate is a native of Bridgeton, ME.

How about all of you move to Nashville and we will party all the time? 🙂

Dream on --

I've done my time (actually, I am DOING my time) --

I don't know Bridgeton. I do know of a Bridgeport I think - it's a bit inland. I've never been there. I lived in Rockport and Portland when I lived in Maine for about 4 years, and we go back to visit my mother-in-law in S. Portland every other summer or so. I find the coast of Maine absolutely striking. Kind of the opposite of SoWal since it's rocky, dark sand. I feel like I see the best of both by visiting Maine and SoWal. I am spellbound by the beach wherever it is pretty much...

I find it interesting that those who live here, don't want to retire here. What is the reason?

I'd like to eventually live in a bigger city. Or a smaller town about an hour and a half from a big city. While there's about 90% of everything I want within an hour's drive of where I live, having to drive 4+ hours for that last 10% is kind of a drag, and I don't want to be making that kind of drive to New Orleans/Atlanta when I'm 75 years old.

I find it interesting that those who live here, don't want to retire here. What is the reason?

Yeah, I've wondered that, too. Is it that they just don't want to deal with the hurricanes? That's what one friend of mine who lives in south Floroda decided - they're moving to Asheville.

Does it have to do with an absence of good medical care? My husband and I would want to be assured that top-quality medical care is available before we decided to retire in South Walton. We go for yearly checkups at Duke, but it's kind of a pain to get from here to Durham, especially when we're 20 years older. We have 10 years to think about it. Some of our friends have beach places near Jacksonville so when they retire, they can get top-quality medical care at Mayo Clinic.