Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"What part of Arizona are you talking about in terms of summer heat. Certainly not Phoenix. You get off the plane in Phoenix in August - it's like walking into a hair dryer set on high."
I'm absolutely talking about the Phoenix area. I'd take the summer heat there any day over the heat/humidity in Florida.
I admit, it was strange at first. My first night in AZ it was 98 degrees at midnight. I'd never experienced that before. But it really isn't that bad. There's a new invention called air conditioning.
I can relate to that summer temp in AZ. In my year in Iraq the evening hours were amazing. Once we got somewhat aclimated to the 120 to 130 degree temp (in the shade) the drop to 90 degrees at night was a God send. I never want to experience Iraq again but I know I could survive in AZ dust storms included.
RE crime in Phoenix.....like any big city, there are areas with crime. There are good areas with very little crime. Phoenix itself has some very nice, very suburban areas with low crime. Realize Phoenix has lots of ultra safe suburbs surrounding Phoenix, some of the safest in the nation like Surprise, Gilbert, Scottsdale, etc. We live in the suburbs of Phoenix for many years now in a master planned community(non-retirement) in the desert foothill mountains and it's very safe/we've had zero crime issues. If you are retired and want to live in an active retirement community, like Sun City Grand in Surprise or Sun City West or the retirement section of Sun City in the NW valley of Phoenix, or a place like Pebble Creek in Goodyear, that's about as safe as it gets anywhere in the nation. And they are very nice communities based on what I've seen.
As for allergies.....yes, we have tons of plants from all over the world here that drop pollen at various times of the year. Given I have allergy issues, I find it affects me much less out here for whatever reasons but everyone is allergic to different things. Mold and Ragweed were big one's for me that would make me tired, stuff my head, etc certain times of the year in other parts of the country but mold is not an issue out in the low desert(unless one has an issue in their house of course from a flood/leak) and ragweed I don't think exists in the low desert but I'm not sure....at least it doesn't bother me. A few days a year I may have watery eyes/ feel a bit tired from who knows what pollen but it's nothing compared to other parts of the country that would affect me much more. ymmv.
As for dust storms, where we live, we hardly know they exist. I think this year we saw a little haze in the air during one that rolled over Phoenix but that's it. Certain parts of the Phoenix valley get more dust than others as most roll up from the open desert between Tucson and Phoenix and ride over south mountain in Phoenix. And it only happens for the most part a few times a year and lasts a short time. Non-issue in my view but it's good not to be inhaling the dust of course/be outside when they are going on. Pretty easy to plan for though as like any storm, the weather monitors will warn you when one's on the way.
As for living out here, we have always loved the low desert, proximity to tons of beautiful national parks, the ocean in CA is only a 5 hour drive away, Las Vegas is about 4, etc. One can drive 2 hours north of Phoenix to Flagstaff and be up at a 7k+ elevation and ski in January in the Ponderosa pines and drive back down to the Phoenix area and pick an orange off your tree when you get home. Not many places in the country(except CA) or the world for that matter that one can do such a thing. The heat of the summers doesn't bother us. And the vast majority of the year, approx 8 months, are what most people would consider picture perfect weather. If you don't care for the summer heat for whatever reason? You might want to consider living in a place like Prescott or Prescott Valley AZ, which is about 1 1/2 hours north of the Phoenix metro, where the summers are cooler. You can pretty much name your weather and there's a place in AZ that will fit your goal as it's a game of elevation.
My best advice to you is to rent for a while in a place you might like and see if it's right for you. Good to get opinions and such but take them with a grain of salt of course, including what I've expressed here on the topic of enjoying living here as we all have different views on what is an ideal place to live. Good luck on your search.
I can relate to that summer temp in AZ. In my year in Iraq the evening hours were amazing. Once we got somewhat aclimated to the 120 to 130 degree temp (in the shade) the drop to 90 degrees at night was a God send. I never want to experience Iraq again but I know I could survive in AZ dust storms included.
I just want to thank you for your service. So glad you came back and add to these posts. Thank you.
I wanted Florida, wife wanted Arizona. Arizona won out, but we moved back to Alaska after one way too hot summer. Now we'll do the snowbird thing. Alaska in the summer and Arizona in the winter.
I lived and worked in Dallas, TX for nearly 20 years. When I finally retired almost 2 years ago, I decided to relocate. This decision was largely based on the weather. I never acclimatized to those hot Texas summers. Anything over 95°F and I was miserable. The temperatures never cooled down much overnight, so I had my A/C running full blast for about 8 months every year. My electric bills were high.
After doing quite a bit of research, I decided southern and perhaps parts of northern California might be the ideal locations for me in terms of weather and retirement. I spent about 5 weeks last spring exploring CA and realized it wasn't for me. Housing had almost doubled (in price) in some of the locations I had been checking out for a few years. The traffic in a lot of places, even smaller towns, seemed much heavier than what I was used to which constantly had me thinking about the drought vs the population in California.
At the moment I'm renting a small apartment in Sequim, WA. This is much further north than I ever planned on, but the weather has been a pleasant surprise. Sequim is located in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and only receives about 17 inches of rain per year. The winter is similar to that in Dallas except in the PNW you don't really get the odd winter day up in the 70°F's or 80°F's. For the most part, the daytime temperature ranges between 32°F and 52°F. This past summer was lovely with it rarely going over 85°F. The climate here is quite temperate (I came across several well laden fig trees early last fall).
My main reservation with Sequim is its size. I'm used to larger metropolitan locations that have better transportation and medical services. The Seattle airport is about 2 hours from here and it's practically impossible for newcomers to find a doctor. I waited months for a doctor's appointment on Bainbridge Island (1 1/2 hrs from Sequim) and I was really disappointed with my physician. She charged my insurance company $600 for an annual checkup where all she did was have the nurse write down my medical history and take my blood pressure. I still haven't found another doctor and I have been looking for about 6 months now.
I'm planning on checking out Olympia, WA and Portland, OR next month; both much larger than Sequim.
We've lived in Texas almost the same amount of time. We are just a few degrees cooler than DFW typically in the summer, but the difference in the amount of humidity in the air makes west Texas much more bearable. 95 degrees is not a big deal in the summer for us, as long as we have a swimming pool available to us. Its really amazing what a difference a couple of jumps in the pool makes a couple of days a week. Cools you right down and makes the heat much more tolerable. Anyhow, as mold is one of my wife's big allergy problems, we're going to try AZ and see how it works. Once we retire, our plan is to snowbird, travel and then try a few places long term in AZ in the RV.
I lived and worked in Dallas, TX for nearly 20 years. When I finally retired almost 2 years ago, I decided to relocate. This decision was largely based on the weather. I never acclimatized to those hot Texas summers. Anything over 95°F and I was miserable. The temperatures never cooled down much overnight, so I had my A/C running full blast for about 8 months every year. My electric bills were high.
After doing quite a bit of research, I decided southern and perhaps parts of northern California might be the ideal locations for me in terms of weather and retirement. I spent about 5 weeks last spring exploring CA and realized it wasn't for me. Housing had almost doubled (in price) in some of the locations I had been checking out for a few years. The traffic in a lot of places, even smaller towns, seemed much heavier than what I was used to which constantly had me thinking about the drought vs the population in California.
At the moment I'm renting a small apartment in Sequim, WA. This is much further north than I ever planned on, but the weather has been a pleasant surprise. Sequim is located in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and only receives about 17 inches of rain per year. The winter is similar to that in Dallas except in the PNW you don't really get the odd winter day up in the 70°F's or 80°F's. For the most part, the daytime temperature ranges between 32°F and 52°F. This past summer was lovely with it rarely going over 85°F. The climate here is quite temperate (I came across several well laden fig trees early last fall).
My main reservation with Sequim is its size. I'm used to larger metropolitan locations that have better transportation and medical services. The Seattle airport is about 2 hours from here and it's practically impossible for newcomers to find a doctor. I waited months for a doctor's appointment on Bainbridge Island (1 1/2 hrs from Sequim) and I was really disappointed with my physician. She charged my insurance company $600 for an annual checkup where all she did was have the nurse write down my medical history and take my blood pressure. I still haven't found another doctor and I have been looking for about 6 months now.
I'm planning on checking out Olympia, WA and Portland, OR next month; both much larger than Sequim.
You may find similar problems in Portland finding a doctor. Portland has become overpopulated, to the point it has overwhelmed many services. Finding a good doctor is one of them, or timely appointments. At least finding one taking new patients, and one you really want to go to. Also with the constant influx of people moving in, it has caused serious problems with housing and the out of control cost of whatever you do find. It really is a shame this has happened to the area, but it has been building for some time now. Portland has major gridlock much of time on its few fwy's. I lived in Portland for a number of years, but could see its problems building and the impact it would have on me. I decided I would have to retire elsewhere. I really do miss the transit options I had in Portland though. I barely ever drove but was able to get all over town on the transit. Give the area a look though, perhaps you could find a smaller town not far from Portland.
My nephew lives just outside of Olympia in Lacey, Wa. It's a handy location but he is always complaining, about serious traffic tie ups in and out of the region. I guess he means I-5.
I hope you will find a place that is appealing. It does seem like you are in a nice area, but I would agree with you. I think you are way to far away from Medical services. What you described with the doctor you went to, I'm afraid is quite common today. Their cost is a major ripoff and they know it.
I currently live in South Florida and have a home in Phoenix and live in both places throughout the year. So I'm probably the best person to answer this. In terms of retirement, it really depends on the individual and their background. Florida is large but when people are referring to retirement in Florida, they typically mean South Florida (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-W. Palm Beach) area. I will compare the two.
Weather: S. Florida wins. They have better winter weather and their summers are more tolerable in terms of heat. I'm being objective. Personally, I prefer Phoenix weather because I enjoy the cooler weather in the winter and being able to turn your air conditioner off. But if you are seeking warm and balmy, their winters are awesome.
Crime: Phoenix wins. South Florida is dangerous. Natives in S. Florida call it sunny Detroit. There are areas that are downright scary to drive through and they abut nice upscale areas so you can't completely avoid the crime. You can drive down Sunrise Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale during the day and people will ride bicycles toward you daring you to hit them. There are a lot of shootings. You can't fill gas at certain stations for fear being robbed. Pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS ieel like cheap convenience stores where you are just scared to go into them particularly at night. Forget going to a Wal-Mart in the evening. You have to be careful where you park for fear of your car being stolen or more likely your wheels being stolen.
Entertainment: Florida wins in a landslide! You have the beach, Orlando is just a 3 hour drive away. You have the Keys, You have South Beach. There are multiple zoos, water parks etc. Phoenix has a lot of great entertainment too but it doesn't have the sheer volume that S. Florida has. Phoenix has better golf courses if that's your thing. Cruises are also convenient. You can literally drive up to the port and hop on a cruise. There is no long flights, hotel stays or transferring luggage when attempting to take a cruise from out of state. And unlike Galveston or some of these dinky small ports, the Florida ones are premiere cruising ports and the best ships and carriers cruise out of there. Professional sports is also available although no one really cares about them since LeBron left. Their sports scene is dead. There are also large festivals in Miami all year
Dining/Food - Phoenix wins! The restaurants are better. S. Florida may have more restaurants but the quality is mediocre in general. The food in Phoenix is better and the chefs and restaurants take more pride in their food and providing a better service. It's a lot more like Las Vegas in that regard.
Shopping: Florida wins! They have world class shopping in South Florida...some of the best in the world. Phoenix has amazing shopping too but the difference is S. Florida has the upscale uber rich stores that are just not found in the Valley due the international tourists who travel there.
Health Care; Phoenix wins in a landslide! The hospitals are newer, bigger and more modern with better technology. Some of the best doctors in the country move from all over the United States to practice in Arizona due to the higher pay that they receive. And this divide is only growing as the Valley continues to receive more money and more hospitals. Also, the culture of the hospitals and medical staff in S. Florida is not patient friendly. Long waits are the norm. Customer service is non-existent.
Housing: Phoenix wins in a landslide. The condos and homes are not just cheaper but superior in every way. The homes are newer, better constructed, more modern in amenities, more energy efficient and better designed. The condos and homes in S. Florida are very dumpy and look like they are cheap 1970's looking dumps. They have some upscale modern condos in parts of South Florida but are overpriced.
Culture/Diversity: Florida wins in a landslide. The place is so incredibly diverse. There were places were whites were a minority. It's a vibrant culture and you have people from all over South America and the Caribbean as well as Europeans residing there.
Professionalism: Phoenix wins in a landslide. In Phoenix, people are punctual, respectful and when they say they will do something it gets done. They are also organized. In Florida, nothing gets done because their culture is not professional nor organized. No one is on time. When someone says they will do something, it doesn't get done. People deliberately try to do less of what is asked of them. In general, the culture and area embraces a poor work ethic. You have to follow-up and stay on top of people in order to get anything done there. This makes life difficult in South Florida. And this is incredibly stressful.
Airport: Florida wins in a landslide. South Florida has 3 airports (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach) Miami has so many international flights that you can go anywhere in the world out of Miami. Ft. Lauderdale is a lot like the Phoenix airport in that it's a really nice domestic airport with direct flights everywhere. West. Palm is like the Tucson airport but it's very convenient.
Friendliness: Phoenix wins. There are no manners in S. Florida. S. Florida is East Coast in culture. If you are too friendly or nice, it's perceived as a sign of weakness and people will not respect you or will try to exploit you. People are entitled and demanding for no reason. There are times where you quite literally have to be a complete a-hole to get things done otherwise people don't pay attention or care. For example, if you go to a hospital to get medical records, you will get the run around and not get anything until you quite literally make a scene. If you go to the Motor Vehicle Department, they will try to scut you to another MVD because they are being lazy unless you "insist" they help you. If you go to the grocery store, you are expected to shove or walk in front of people because they don't care if they spend 10 minutes blocking the aisle. If you hold the door for someone, people will keep coming and no one will take over and hold the door for others; and they won't say thank you. You can cross the street at Target to enter the store holding a child's hand, and maniac drivers will drive fast through the pedestrian intersection and won't stop. That's Florida for you.
Traffic: Phoenix wins. The traffic and congestion is South Florida in horrible. It's not L.A. or Dallas for that matter but it's far worse than Phoenix.
Wealth/Prosperity/Upscale factor: Phoenix wins by a slim margin. Yes, South Florida has some incredibly wealthy people who are multi-millionaires. However, they have a much larger poor ghetto slum area too and this is what most people are unaware until they live there. It seems like 25% of the area is ridiculously wealthy and that's what you see on TV. But the other 75% is extremely poor and that's what you don't see on tv. South Florida looks a lot like Detroit and Cleveland in many areas. They have two extremely large poor populations: the African American community and the poor Immigrant community (Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans and Puerto Ricans). As a result, the schools are run down. The highways are not maintained well and are peeling. Lots of buildings have broken windows. Phoenix may not have the gazillionaires that Florida has but they don't have the Detroit factors either and nearly the entire city is fairly prosperous relatively speaking.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 01-07-2016 at 04:11 PM..
... My main reservation with Sequim is its size. I'm used to larger metropolitan locations that have better transportation and medical services. The Seattle airport is about 2 hours from here and it's practically impossible for newcomers to find a doctor. I waited months for a doctor's appointment on Bainbridge Island (1 1/2 hrs from Sequim) and I was really disappointed with my physician. She charged my insurance company $600 for an annual checkup where all she did was have the nurse write down my medical history and take my blood pressure. I still haven't found another doctor and I have been looking for about 6 months now...
I think your message shows there's always a "gotcha" unless one has an infinite amount of money. An "on the one hand" - "on the other hand". If my father predeceases us - we could go anywhere. But where I don't know.
Note that having convenient health care and senior services and living facilities is just that - convenient. And very time and money saving. I can't imagine what the last 10+ years of our lives would have been like dealing with our elderly widowed fathers if we didn't have both of them living here - or adequate facilities here to deal with their issues. Probably like the 5 years before that. When we were dealing with our elderly dying mothers. Always on the road/on a plane - dealing with this/that/the other health care crisis. In the year before my late MIL died - my husband had to make numerous trips to North Carolina to ferry his father daily from his home to the tertiary care facility where my late MIL was a patient. Three hours round trip a day. For months.
I know we don't live in the most perfect place in terms of anything. But our lives are certainly devoid of hassles/aggravations. When my father got jaundice last summer (as a result of pancreatic cancer - new) - all it took was several hours at Mayo here to get a diagnosis - and a day to fix it up (through a high tech gee whiz out-patient micro biliary stent procedure). If we had to deal with something like that long distance with lesser medical facilities - well - at a minimum - it would have been a lot more difficult/time-consuming.
Heck - even our local airport (JAX) is "milk and cookies" convenient. Forty five minutes away from our house and max 10 minute TSA lines. I can get anywhere in the world from there when I want a "big city fix" - or a "small town/exotic getaway". Almost always with 1 stop. Before 9/11 - there was even a short term parking lot right next to the main terminal with 45 minutes of free parking. Robyn
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
