Retirement goals: baseball, beach, thriving downtown (moving, years, husband, students)
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Thank you for these helpful suggestions. I must say that, as I watch Hurricane Joaquin hype, Florida is looking far less appealing....I, of course, know that the entire state of Florida lives with hurricane risk, but viewing devastation from past hurricanes gives me pause....
RE: Charleston area - Although I know this area isn't immune to hurricanes, I'm under the impression that at least parts of Mount Pleasant are at higher elevations & are far enough from the shore that it is less vulnerable. Is this accurate?
We are in the beginning stages of retirement planning and we seek the usual amenities many retirees seek: escape from harsh winters, retiree-friendly tax state, access to quality healthcare, etc.
In addition, we seek the following:
1. Near at least one minor league ballpark
2. Walkable to a thriving downtown - we define "walkable" as a downtown offering restaurants, shops, & periodic community activities (e.g. farmers' markets, festivals, parades, etc.). This downtown area needn't be large, but large & established enough that it's a natural gathering place where there are things to see & do.
3. Reasonable proximity to a beach - we think we define this as a one hour drive or less to an ocean that offers public beach access
4. Reasonable natural disaster risk - e.g. what are the odds that our house will be destroyed by a hurricane/flood, or swallowed in a sinkhole?
5. Safe - we know that it's nearly impossible to avoid all crime, but some areas are clearly more susceptible to violent crime than others
6. Reasonable drive to all other necessities - grocery stores, quality hospitals, doctor's offices, airports offering jet service, etc.
7. Demographics compatible with our life stage, while offering age & ethnic diversity - we don't want to be the only "old folks" in a community swarming with young children, but we don't want to be exclusively surrounded by people their 50s or older either!
We realize that no place is perfect, but we would appreciate suggestions regarding cities/towns that come closest to offering the features we seek. Thank you.
Your number 7 is a variable that can offer a few challenges. Other than the drive to the beach, it would be more than one hour you might consider Chapel Hill, NC. Ethnic diversity in retirement isn't always jumping out at you in some locations.
Your number 7 is a variable that can offer a few challenges. Other than the drive to the beach, it would be more than one hour you might consider Chapel Hill, NC. Ethnic diversity in retirement isn't always jumping out at you in some locations.
An hour to the beach is hard in NC because no beach is mainland (barrier islands) and we have big sounds and salt marshes, so with a couple of exceptions, the decent sized towns are not that close to the beaches. The exceptions are Wilmington and New Bern. Kinston (minor league team) is 40 minutes from New Bern and Atlantic Beach is just under an hour in the other direction. It is a popular retirement town, but in the walkable part it is pricey.
Do you want to be able to drive back to NJ to visit friends and family? Or have them visit you? You might want to consider a place within reasonable distance to an airport. What price range are you considering? If driving to/from NJ then consider the Carolinas. Close to beaches (Charleston and Myrtle Beach for instance), not prime hurricane areas, lots to do, minor leaque teams in both, healthcare, airports. Both have lots of NJ transplants. Both have 4 seasons but a mild winter and you can throw away that snow shovel for sure. Both have lots of beaches and restaurants and plenty to entertain both yourselves and guests.
An hour to the beach is hard in NC because no beach is mainland (barrier islands) and we have big sounds and salt marshes, so with a couple of exceptions, the decent sized towns are not that close to the beaches. The exceptions are Wilmington and New Bern. Kinston (minor league team) is 40 minutes from New Bern and Atlantic Beach is just under an hour in the other direction. It is a popular retirement town, but in the walkable part it is pricey.
Yes, I live in Raleigh and Carolina Beach that's why I noted except for the drive about Chapel Hill. There are some planned communities in the Wilmington area that are nice and meet some of their needs. Also since ethnic diversity was mentioned I didn't consider New Bern. Then there is always the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees,
Yes, I live in Raleigh and Carolina Beach that's why I noted except for the drive about Chapel Hill. There are some planned communities in the Wilmington area that are nice and meet some of their needs. Also since ethnic diversity was mentioned I didn't consider New Bern. Then there is always the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees,
Chapel Hill is less diverse than New Bern, IMO. A lot of CH's diversity is students rather than full time residents also. However it is more liberal (again an opinion).
Wilmington does have some nice communities (like Landfall) on the drive to CB that seemed a lot shorter 20 years ago. Now it seems like when you hit the first traffic light you are only half way to the beach. That was one of our "go to" day trips with the kids. Drive down to Ft Fisher, do the aquarium early, lunch on their patio, afternoon on the beach.
You can retire to Phoenix , Arizona where...
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away from your house because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your hiney from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
OR
You can retire to California where...
1. You make over $450,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought
OR
You can retire to New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan ...
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature."
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
5. You've worn out a car horn. ( IF you have a car).
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.
OR
You can retire to North Dakota where...
1. You only have three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup ..
2. Halloween costumes have to fit over parkas.
3. You have seventeen recipes for casserole.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: almost winter, winter, still winter, and
road repair.
6. The highest level of criticism is "He is different, she is different or It was different!
OR
You can retire to the Deep South where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Joe Bob, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc etc.
5. Everywhere is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder"..
OR
You can retire to Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.
OR
You can retire to the Nebraska where...
1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is three cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at.
OR
FINALLY You can retire to Florida where...
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent cardiologist, dermatologist, proctologist, podiatrist, or orthopedist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.
Your number 7 is a variable that can offer a few challenges. Other than the drive to the beach, it would be more than one hour you might consider Chapel Hill, NC. Ethnic diversity in retirement isn't always jumping out at you in some locations.
Thank you for suggesting Chapel Hill. Although there is no beach within an hour's drive or less, it appears to offer all other amenities we seek.
What beach resorts are popular with Chapel Hill residents?
An hour to the beach is hard in NC because no beach is mainland (barrier islands) and we have big sounds and salt marshes, so with a couple of exceptions, the decent sized towns are not that close to the beaches. The exceptions are Wilmington and New Bern. Kinston (minor league team) is 40 minutes from New Bern and Atlantic Beach is just under an hour in the other direction. It is a popular retirement town, but in the walkable part it is pricey.
Thank you for suggesting New Bern. It hasn't been on our radar, but we'll check it out!
Do you want to be able to drive back to NJ to visit friends and family? Or have them visit you? You might want to consider a place within reasonable distance to an airport. What price range are you considering? If driving to/from NJ then consider the Carolinas. Close to beaches (Charleston and Myrtle Beach for instance), not prime hurricane areas, lots to do, minor leaque teams in both, healthcare, airports. Both have lots of NJ transplants. Both have 4 seasons but a mild winter and you can throw away that snow shovel for sure. Both have lots of beaches and restaurants and plenty to entertain both yourselves and guests.
We, definitely, want to throw away our snow shovels! We've had our fill of driving on snowy & icy roads too!
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