Retiring to someplace warm without a car (weather, moving, community)

[Carolgre]

My husband and I currently live in New York City but the cold is really getting to us. My husband is 75 and recently developed very bad arthritis and can barely walk when it gets cold out. I'm 63 and the cold weather is really going through my bones and I barely leave the house when the temperatue drops below 40 degrees.

My question: we don't drive and at our ages, aren't about to learn and get a car. Is there anywhere with a relatively warm climate where you don't need a car to get around (to groceries, libraries, drugstore, etc.)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, we are renters (always have been, always will be) and are not looking to buy.

[RichCapeCod]

There are a number of pretty cities in those three southern states. Just be very careful to check the crime rates for those that you opt to consider. For example, Savannah would be perfect for you (excellent public transpertation, interesting and diverse historic district, close to a major airport) except for the fact that it has an unfortunate crime problem.

Best of luck,

Rich

[FLtoVA]

I live in a retirement community in Tamarac, Florida and although I am not yet retired and don't use the transportation, I understand that for a small fee, there are senior citizen buses that will pick up and drop off close to your front door and take you to the destinations that you mentioned and also to doctor appointments.

You can check larger condominium developments like Kings Point, also in Tamarac, that I believe have their own buses for such purposes.

[ontheroad]

I'm a former NYC resident, and understand about driving a car. I think I finally got a license at aged 40.

Some towns/cities that might work, if money is less important, than some of your other concerns:

Taos or Santa Fe, NM--in town apartments/houses are available, and there are buses in both towns. The weather is more moderate, and less fearsome for arthritis, of which I suffer.

La Cruces, NM is a smaller city, much warmer than either Taos or Santa Fe, and has many beautiful developed areas and shopping throughout the city. If you'd look at Mesilla, within La Cruces, you'll find yourself able to walk to nearly everything.

Scottsdale, AZ is a lovely area, and it has many houses and probably a fair number of apartments to rent, and appears to have many of the amenities you are looking for or sharing in this post.

In all these towns, the only problem is super-market shopping, but it is probably something that can be organised.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Carolgre

My husband and I currently live in New York City but the cold is really getting to us. My husband is 75 and recently developed very bad arthritis and can barely walk when it gets cold out. I'm 63 and the cold weather is really going through my bones and I barely leave the house when the temperatue drops below 40 degrees.

My question: we don't drive and at our ages, aren't about to learn and get a car. Is there anywhere with a relatively warm climate where you don't need a car to get around (to groceries, libraries, drugstore, etc.)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, we are renters (always have been, always will be) and are not looking to buy.

[sunshine girl]

Gosh I wish I could remember the name of the town on one of the FL west coast keys that everyone uses golf carts to get around to shopping, library, etc. No license needed! There is little to no car traffic there. Don't know about rentals there, though, I don't think there were many snowbirds in that area.

[knoxgarden]

How about San Francisco? Good transportation and in about the same price range as New York.
Downtown Houston is also a possible.
If you want something cheaper and smaller, look at some of the university and college towns in the South. Athens, GA., Tuscaloosa, AL, Lexington, KY. Even Knoxville. Most have lively downtowns and good transportation. You can rent a loft condo and have a good life.
In downtown Knoxville, you'd be walking distance to the museums, library, theaters, restaurants and there's a free trolley to University of Tennessee and other parts of downtown plus hospitals and other services. It's a lot warmer here than New York, although it's a bit chilly right now.

[somwhathip]

You don't need a car in Key West, FL. Some people have electric carts, most use bikes. It is a lovely place, the warmest winters in the U.S - but it is not inexpensive. And a devil of a place when a hurricane hits.

[sunsprit]

I'm LMAO at the suggestion of SanFrancisco ... it's got to be one of the "coldest" places I've ever been. I've foolishly thought I'd be comfortable without cool weather clothing there even on the 4th of July ... the cool temps and humidity get to you, and would aggravate one's cool weather sensitivity to arthritis.

Anyway, we've got elderly relatives who've moved to "The Villages" in FL. It's an ideal place for their retirement; warm weather and it's targeted to the needs of senior folks with lots of recreation, shopping, restaurants, medical services ... all accessible without needing a car. Public transport, in the form of local buses and community sponsored vans & buses abound, as does an extensive network of "golf cart paths" that connect all the living areas with the commercial and recreational. You can use your golf cart or bicycle or walk to all of the area's amenities, even the little lakes for fishing and boating, or golf courses, or just to be outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and warmth.

There's local dealerships for "fancy" golf carts, too. They build them up to resemble a car, with nicer seats, a lockable trunk, and a car-type front end styling. But they're still a small golf cart, with the usual simple to operate controls, and lights (and turn signals!) so that you can operate them on the paths after dark.

The main highway through the area stretches for miles, and the crosswalk signals are timed for slower moving seniors, so access and freedom of movement is excellent. Oh, and there's just about every medical practice you could want vying for your business ... last time I drove through, there were billboard ads for "exam specials" at various doctors and clinics. Really! ... I recall one doc's billboard advertising a "special" promo discount for a colonoscopy exam.

There's lots of additional shopping there, too. Super bookstores, and used bookstores, and flea markets and antique dealers, and jewelery stores.

I'm told there's other places like this in Florida that have been developed, too ... I'm just not recalling where they're at right now, but that whole stretch of FL heading down to Naples on the Central Area and West Coast have similar places targeted to retirement living ... although, I think that by the time you get as far South as Naples, it's a bit pricey and far warmer than I'd be comfortable for most of the year.

[KevK]

Peachtree City Georgia you can use a golf cart. Cobb, Fulton and Dekalb all have transit systems but you would want to live in Cobb to be safe. Another place with great 24/7 public transit is Las Vegas. Don't know how safe it is though.

[Tesaje]

Mark Twain famously wrote the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. It was a slight exaggeration but the summer temps stay at about 60 degrees with a brisk wind.