Retirement Criteria (new to forum) (Duluth, Rochester: opthamologist, house, neighborhood)

[Middleoftheroad5]

Hi! This is my first forum post, so please forgive any errors.

We are going to be retiring in the next few years. Currently, we live in the sticks in SD. I feel like I've been in prison from civilization for 30 years. I grew up in Winona and have a summer cabin near Alexandria, so I'm quite familiar with MN, but visiting a place and actually living in a place are two very different things.

This is what we're looking for:
-proximity to an airport so we can travel
-proximity to a Trader Joes; Yes, I'm serious, please don't laugh. Again, having lived in the sticks, I want to do regular grocery shopping at a place other than Walmart.
-proximity to symphonies and professional-grade musicals/plays
-proximity to nature, in particular walking trails in wooded areas- I love trees!
-#1 priority is proximity to healthcare sub-specialists. We're in good health now, but obviously that changes for most people at some point. Right now I've got to drive 100 miles to see a periodontist, opthamologist, etc.
-somewhere safe

What I've ruled out and why:
-Alexandria. I love it there in the summer, but it doesn't meet the healthcare, arts and airport requirements.
-SW MN. No trees. Looks like where I live now.
-Western Twin Cities suburbs that feed into Hwy 7. It's mostly two lane with a lot of stoplights and I don't want to depend on Hwy 7 to get where I need to go. Would like a four lane access, such as 212.
-Winona. Still too far from a decent airport and the only good biking path is around the lake in town.

Right now I'm looking at:
-Lake Elmo because there seem to be some large parks there and I like the historic downtown. I also like nearby Stillwater.
-Stillwater itself. I don't like the hills, but it's pretty to visit.
-Duluth, although no TJs and I'm not sure about tackling those hills in the winter.
-Rochester. Slightly lacking in the nature dept.
-Farmington or Lakeville. Have never spent a lot of time in either of these, so I'm unsure of the nature.

I'm open to any and all suggestions and input. Thank you!!!

[601halfdozen0theother]

Rochester has a Trader Joe's. You can live in the prettier area east of there (Lanesboro for the theater and arts center?) and easily drive up to Rochester for symphony and shopping. Warning about Lanesboro, though - it's been sliding more towards the Biker crowd than the Artsy crowd for the past few years. Sadly the vroomers have discovered Hwy 16.

[wamer27]

Mendota Heights near the Mississippi, there’s a Trader Joe’s on Lexington and Randolph. Airport is nextdoor, either downtown isn’t too far away.

[Middleoftheroad5]

Thank you both! Is airport noise a factor in Mendota Heights? Once we stayed in a VRBO under a flight path in St. Louis Park. It was loud.

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by Middleoftheroad5

Thank you both! Is airport noise a factor in Mendota Heights? Once we stayed in a VRBO under a flight path in St. Louis Park. It was loud.

I think getting a VRBO in the area would be ideal in determining this. If you look at airports runways on a map, there’s two that would line up and can see flight paths. I can ask my brother as he owned a house in Mendota Heights near Mendakota Country Club. I’ll also ask a client who lives in a nice neighborhood off of hwy 13 in Ivy Hills Park area.

[wamer27]

My brother said he could hear the planes and it annoyed him at first, but got used to it right away. I lived there briefly and I don’t recall it. When I lived 50 feet from 4 rail lines in NE Mpls, I hated it at beginning, but also got used to it and liked it. Was too quiet once I moved.

[Middleoftheroad5]

Thank you. Yeah, rail lines would bother me, too. I've got one near my house, and for the most part, I don't hear it. However, there are more trains during harvest season and some blow their whistles in the middle of the night. THAT I hear.

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by Middleoftheroad5

Thank you. Yeah, rail lines would bother me, too. I've got one near my house, and for the most part, I don't hear it. However, there are more trains during harvest season and some blow their whistles in the middle of the night. THAT I hear.

Whistle blowing is the one train deal you cannot get used to!! Fast trains rock everything in people’s homes also.

[Middleoftheroad5]

Sadly, due to the latest round of legislation that was passed, we've decided to look at other states for retirement. We can't justify having such high taxes pay for programs that we don't like. I'm very sad about all of this.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Middleoftheroad5

Sadly, due to the latest round of legislation that was passed, we've decided to look at other states for retirement. We can't justify having such high taxes pay for programs that we don't like. I'm very sad about all of this.

I'm curious- would you be willing to elaborate on which programs/ pieces of legislation are influencing your decision here?