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NC has more hurricanes per mile of coastline than anywhere else (even FL) and the place that gets hit the most in NC is the OBX; lots of evacuations. I love visiting OBX, but I wold not want to live there.
I live in Fairbanks now, today is 20, no wind and sunny, just about warm enough for shorts and a T-shirt.
You sound like the people here (MN) - it was 38-40F here one day and I saw so many people running around with no coats - just a med sweater. When it hits 60F they are in shorts & T-shirts.
Yes, Rehoboth. The nearest hospital is in Lewes, 7 or 8 miles up the coast. U of Delaware has a satellite campus in Lewes for Earth Ocean & Environmental sciences.
Rehoboth is on the ocean, Lewes is on the bay. Between the two is Cape Henlopen State Park which is where the ocean begins.
I live on Topsail Island North Carolina and I would put in a word for this area and the beaches east and south of Wilmington. Wilmington is a short drive (45min) from here and has a fine university (UNCW) as well as Cape Fear Community College (where I have taken Art classes), museums, theatres, an excellent medical center, and many other resources. The beaches are beautiful and uncrowded and each has its own character. The water is much warmer than Delaware or Jersey because the Gulf stream is right off the coast. It takes off for England when it hits the outer banks.
We are hoping in a few years to retire to Wilmington, NC. The Outer Banks in NC doesn't offer much as far as medical, jobs, entertainment, shopping, etc. and is so crowded in the summer and awful traffic. But great for rental property. I have heard many people like the Southport area of NC and further south to the NC /SC border. Lots of options, different budgets up and down the east coast. VA Beach areas near the beach are pricey and if you like a lot of traffic, especially in the summer, then you will love Va Beach!
OP, you can go up and down the East Coast and you will find various trade-offs of COL, physical climate, and amenities. Unless you specifically want a cold winter, probably you will be looking at North Carolina to Florida. I recall from a previous post that you prefer a strong surf, perhaps somewhere on the NC coast, maybe Wilmington, is about as good as it gets for you.
Of course a place with good amenities is going to lean towards a higher COL, and higher real estate costs.
When I watch the news lately and see those beachfront houses getting hit with ocean waves, I think this was in MA - I think living that close to the ocean is just nuts. But go ahead if that's where you want to be.
Partial quote - I am a long time NC native and don't completely agree about "just a light jacket." Because of the moisture content and prevalence of stiff breezes, it can be brutal at 45 down on the coast and sometimes it does get to freezing. Short winters, but don't get rid of all your heavy jackets.
I certainly agree with that! I was on the rifle range at Camp Lejeune one February morning and I was frozen stiff. I thought we had cold winters in Alaska, but nothing prepared me for that. That was in 1975 and I'll never forget how freezing cold I was that morning.
OP, you can go up and down the East Coast and you will find various trade-offs of COL, physical climate, and amenities. Unless you specifically want a cold winter, probably you will be looking at North Carolina to Florida. I recall from a previous post that you prefer a strong surf, perhaps somewhere on the NC coast, maybe Wilmington, is about as good as it gets for you.
Of course a place with good amenities is going to lean towards a higher COL, and higher real estate costs.
When I watch the news lately and see those beachfront houses getting hit with ocean waves, I think this was in MA - I think living that close to the ocean is just nuts. But go ahead if that's where you want to be.
Not E.C. but many Malibu homes are right on the sand and are on stilts...I have no desire to live that close and I'm close but a highway and high hill (pacific palisades) stopping waves.
Another thread has inspired me, but I've narrowed my search down somewhat. Requirements include something akin to four seasons, walkable/bikable distance to beach and basic necessities (grocery, restaurants, etc.), an easy commute to additional amenities like a university, gym, Meetup groups, dance opportunities, kayaking, hospital, culture, natural areas, etc. This must also must be a popular vacation destination so I can rent out my property during peak tourist season. If it were also tax-friendly to retirees, with a relatively low COL, all the better.
Hope I get half the feedback the other poster got!
OP you still haven't provided us with any idea of what your budget is. Right now it could be anything from a trailer to a multi million dollar house. Any reason why you cannot say what type of property and price range?
I currently live in two paradises but we're selling our Florida home. When I'm here, I think of Cape Cod. When I'm back on Cape Cod, I think of Florida. There's no such thing as paradise.
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