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Hi, I've gotten a ton of great information from this forum on individual cities, so I wanted to see if you all could help with a broader challenge. Also, please ignore the Screen Name - it was created when we were solely looking at MT, but more on that later .
Background:
My wife and I have been saving up for a second home for the past 7-8 years and our budget is finally to a place where we think we can afford what we want/need in time for next summer. We are all set during school season in Alabama (Late-August through Mid-May) and want to stay close to our family here during that part of the year. But we have always dreamed of having a place to escape the heat/humidity of the South during the Summers (Mid-May through Late-August) where us and our kids (1, 4, 7 now) can get out of the suburbs and into the outdoors more to explore nature and experience something different than what they experience everyday here.
Activities:
We want to find a place that is close to amazing, kid friendly, world-class outdoor activities such a beaches, mountains, lakes, or rivers. The kids love exploring nature, swimming, hiking, climbing, biking, seeing wildlife, fishing, etc. They are busy, pretty adventurous, and great at entertaining themselves outdoors. They also seem to get cabin fever inside in the summers right now when it's simply too hot to go out in the middle of the day. Our ideal place has to be multi-dimensional, meaning it needs to have a nice diversity and variety of things to do.
Weather:
We'd like the weather to be Pleasant in the summer. Think 65s to 85s with moderate to low (or ideally no) humidity. Cooler at night is fine, but not cold. My wife hates the cold during the winter. I hate sweating all day during the heat/humidity in the summer. So somewhere in between. 72deg is really nice .
Small Town Feel:
We really don't want to be near a major city where we’d encounter the stresses of modern society every time we go to town. We’d like to avoid the stresses of traffic, congestion, tons of technology, distractions, constant subliminal marketing, and crowds. But it also Cannot be in the middle of nowhere. We must be able to access an airport in an hour or so, a grocery store and modern amenities (restaurants, shops, etc) within a short drive (or ideally bike ride). Having a Costco within 30-mins or so is ideal, for example. And of course, we want it to be safe - low crime, family oriented, etc. My wife loves the idea of a small town like the ones you'd see in Hallmark type movies (which she loves).
Work & Schools are NOT a Factor:
I am an entrepreneur and can work virtually from anywhere in the Lower 48. So while Alaska and Hawaii are out, anything else goes. And schools don't matter on the surface since we'll only be there in the summers. We might decide to rent the place out in the Fall/Winter/Spring, but would rather not have to if we don't want to. But we do want the place to appreciate in value, which usually means Schools probably need to be decent because not everyone can work virtually and we may eventually sell the place.
Our Top 10 Criteria Area:
1) Near amazing Beach, Mountains, Lake, River, etc
2) A House with an Amazing View (for example, we'd want to be on the water, not a row back)
3) Private and Safe Land (acreage doesn't have to be big - but we don't want to be on top of neighbors)
4) A House that fits our style (a home with character and charm, nothing cookie-cutter or suburban feeling)
5) Within 15-30 mins of a Small Town that meets our needs (think Hallmark Movie size with a Costco, nice shops, and unique restaurants/ice cream parlors, etc)
6) If it's on the water, my wife loves blue/turquoise/clear water - nothing brown or silty!
7) Full of amazing outdoor activities where the kids can explore and won't get bored.
8) With Pleasant Summer Weather (as described above).
9) A place that instills a true sense of Escape, encouraging a Slower Pace of Life with less stress.
10) Our budget is strong, but it also has to be something we can afford without any added financial stress so it's can't be outrageously expensive.
Multi-Dimensional:
Over our years of research, we have found that no place fits all of our criteria of course and that's okay.
However, we're looking for a place that fits a majority of them. Which honestly helps because it truly does narrow down the list quite a bit.
What have we looked at so far:
- Bozeman, MT: We thought it was going to be THE place, but just felt too "fabricated" when we got there.
Rows and rows of Trophy Homes sitting on top of barren hills. It just wasn't us at all. The Gallatin River area North of Big Sky was much nicer in terms of landscape (river, flowing hills, etc), but we still haven't found anything there that is a fit. Being close to Yellowstone was a big plus though.
- Whitefish, MT: The area around Whitefish Lake seemed perfect, but then we realized that the trains run the West side of the lake so only the East side is a wise investment. We also realized the water may simply be too cold for the kids (water temp is 62deg today at the end of July!). Being close to Glacier was a big plus though.
- Bigfork, MT: Similar pros and cons to Whitefish, but a little more natural and less ritzy feeling that Whitefish, although it's also a smaller town with less shops/restaurants. However, the water temp on Flathead lake is once again a concern.
- Couer d'Alene (CDA) and Northern ID: The homes on the lake didn't seem like a great fit and we were concerned being so close to Spokane. It just didn't seem to have as much of the pros (character and outdoor activities) as Whitefish/Bigfork and had more cons.
- Coastal Oregon (ex. Cannon Beach): Beautiful, but the kids can't swim in the ocean so that was out quickly. And the weather can be a bit too dreary in the Summer sometimes.
- NorCal (Napa, etc): Beautiful, but expensive and the water on the coast is simply too cold to swim.
- Lake Tahoe: Beautiful, but the water is again really cold for the kids. Also, I didn't love Truckee when I visited last year. It just didn't feel super family oriented. Being close to the Rubicon Trail would be really cool though and I spent some time in Grass Valley, which was nice but also very Granola.
- SoCal: Just too crowded, expensive, and more "desert" and barren feeling. Laguna beach, for example, the surfers were fun to watch, but it's way too touristy, the water is pretty cold, and it's really barren looking. I honestly think the kids would get bored fast.
- Park City, UT: Just felt very one-dimensional and more Winter oriented. We don't ski and it seemed to only have the mountains/town.
- Colorado: I've traveled in CO a lot - mostly in Denver / Colorado Springs area. But again, these felt more like Park City in being more Winter oriented and more one-dimensional (mountain town) where the kids might get bored over time.
- Upper Peninsula, MI (ex. Mackinac Island or Torch Lake with the beautiful turquoise water): We really thought the UP was going to be a solid fit, but again the water temp on the Great Lakes really turned us off and weren't sure if the upper Michigan small towns would be a fit or not. Torch Lake seemed more Party Oriented than Family Oriented, for example.
- Coastal Maine: We've looked up and down the Coast of Maine. It's beautiful, rugged, and intriguing. But other than the areas around Portland, it's mostly pretty remote. And unfortunately the ocean water temp (~60deg today) is an issue once again.
- Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket: The weather seems perfect here and the islands really checked a lot of boxes. However, it's really expensive to be on the water (not out of reach, but will be tough to make it work) and the Tick / Lyme Disease issue seems to really be getting out of hand. The water temp is better, but still a little cold (67deg water temp today on the ocean side, better on the bays side). We've had a few folks say they are really nice to visit, but they would get bored living there for 3-months during the summer.
- The Hamptons: Super expensive, enough said. We probably (or more like certainly) wouldn't fit in anyway.
- Outer Banks & NC Beaches: The weather seems to be a great fit here. 70s-80s air temp. 70s water temp. But we just love trees so much and the Outer Banks seems really barren overall. Beautiful beaches, but not a whole lot else.
- SC Beaches: We found homes that we loved on Pawley's Island, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, and Hilton Head Island. We could have a place on the beach, but also have a boat to fish and explore surrounding islands, making it multi-dimensional. But we watched the summer temps over the past 2-3 months and "feels like" temp with humidity and it often feels like over 100deg there, which is what we're trying to escape. I can't tell you how many times Heat Advisories have been issued on the coastal SC islands this summer! And the water there just isn't as pretty (more brown/sediment filled). And the bugs get pretty bad at dusk/dawn.
- GA Beaches: We visited Tybee, Saint Simon, Jeckyll, and other islands. Like SC, they seemed great on the surface, but ultimately had the same issues with heat, mostly brown water, and bugs.
- FL: We looked at the Panhandle (we used to vacation in 30-A, Destin, Panama City, etc) areas a lot. The water is beautiful (turquoise/blue), but it's really crowded down there now, very hot, and pretty barren. It's less barren than the Outer Banks, but not by a ton. We also looked at areas East of Panama City, but they are either really barren (ex. St. George Island) or the water is more bay like and brown (ex. Saint Teresa, FL).
- FL Islands (Amelia, Sanibel, Marcos, etc): We've also looked at a ton of the smaller islands in FL including the ones listed and others. Overall, they just get too hot in the Summer (again Heat Advisories issued all the time). Places like Clearwater are too big and crowded for us. Also, the No-See-Ums are getting bad - especially on Sanibel. I'd rather not have the kids attacked every day by almost invisible attacking creatures.
- The FL Keys: Again, beautiful water, great fishing, but too hot. And the vibe down there is more retiree then family from what I can tell (with Key West being a little too wild for us).
So Here Lies the Challenge:
If you've read this far, THANK YOU! So, here's my challenge:
- What are we missing?
- Where do we need to take a deeper, second look at one of these particular places?
Right now many feel either too hot or too cold. For the ones right in the middle air temp wise, sometimes the water temp is just too cold. Some feel more barren, others feel too remote or one-dimensional. Is there someplace (other than Hawaii) that would be a solid fit that we've overlooked or simply got wrong upon first glance? I'd love to have your feedback.
Hi, I've gotten a ton of great information from this forum on individual cities, so I wanted to see if you all could help with a broader challenge. Also, please ignore the Screen Name - it was created when we were solely looking at MT, but more on that later .
You can change your username by contacting the mods.
This is not my area of "expertise" if you will (small towns and nature). With that said, as I read your description I was thinking Lake towns in MN, or WI or MI. Not necessarily UP, but Mackinac Island, Grand Haven, St Joseph, etc. And you could incorporate some city excursions to Chicago (that's more my expertise lol) from there.
Or small town TN, GA, or Carolinas around the Smoky Mountains.
There's also the option of leaving the country, like Western Canada. One of the small towns in BC, near Whistler, or AB near Jasper and Banff, would be idyllic for a summer home. Or look into Panama/Costa Rica.
Which brings me to my last thought: if this were me I'd forego buying a second home and just travel each summer. You can pick one spot so you don't have to constantly be on the move, but now you have the flexibility to go to different places each year including Hawaii (which would probably be my top choice). And between the purchase and upkeep costs I think you'll usually be saving money by renting over buying in each specific location.
Hi, I've gotten a ton of great information from this forum on individual cities, so I wanted to see if you all could help with a broader challenge. Also, please ignore the Screen Name - it was created when we were solely looking at MT, but more on that later .
Background:
My wife and I have been saving up for a second home for the past 7-8 years and our budget is finally to a place where we think we can afford what we want/need in time for next summer. We are all set during school season in Alabama (Late-August through Mid-May) and want to stay close to our family here during that part of the year. But we have always dreamed of having a place to escape the heat/humidity of the South during the Summers (Mid-May through Late-August) where us and our kids (1, 4, 7 now) can get out of the suburbs and into the outdoors more to explore nature and experience something different than what they experience everyday here.
Activities:
We want to find a place that is close to amazing, kid friendly, world-class outdoor activities such a beaches, mountains, lakes, or rivers. The kids love exploring nature, swimming, hiking, climbing, biking, seeing wildlife, fishing, etc. They are busy, pretty adventurous, and great at entertaining themselves outdoors. They also seem to get cabin fever inside in the summers right now when it's simply too hot to go out in the middle of the day. Our ideal place has to be multi-dimensional, meaning it needs to have a nice diversity and variety of things to do.
Weather:
We'd like the weather to be Pleasant in the summer. Think 65s to 85s with moderate to low (or ideally no) humidity. Cooler at night is fine, but not cold. My wife hates the cold during the winter. I hate sweating all day during the heat/humidity in the summer. So somewhere in between. 72deg is really nice .
Small Town Feel:
We really don't want to be near a major city where we’d encounter the stresses of modern society every time we go to town. We’d like to avoid the stresses of traffic, congestion, tons of technology, distractions, constant subliminal marketing, and crowds. But it also Cannot be in the middle of nowhere. We must be able to access an airport in an hour or so, a grocery store and modern amenities (restaurants, shops, etc) within a short drive (or ideally bike ride). Having a Costco within 30-mins or so is ideal, for example. And of course, we want it to be safe - low crime, family oriented, etc. My wife loves the idea of a small town like the ones you'd see in Hallmark type movies (which she loves).
Work & Schools are NOT a Factor:
I am an entrepreneur and can work virtually from anywhere in the Lower 48. So while Alaska and Hawaii are out, anything else goes. And schools don't matter on the surface since we'll only be there in the summers. We might decide to rent the place out in the Fall/Winter/Spring, but would rather not have to if we don't want to. But we do want the place to appreciate in value, which usually means Schools probably need to be decent because not everyone can work virtually and we may eventually sell the place.
Our Top 10 Criteria Area:
1) Near amazing Beach, Mountains, Lake, River, etc
2) A House with an Amazing View (for example, we'd want to be on the water, not a row back)
3) Private and Safe Land (acreage doesn't have to be big - but we don't want to be on top of neighbors)
4) A House that fits our style (a home with character and charm, nothing cookie-cutter or suburban feeling)
5) Within 15-30 mins of a Small Town that meets our needs (think Hallmark Movie size with a Costco, nice shops, and unique restaurants/ice cream parlors, etc)
6) If it's on the water, my wife loves blue/turquoise/clear water - nothing brown or silty!
7) Full of amazing outdoor activities where the kids can explore and won't get bored.
8) With Pleasant Summer Weather (as described above).
9) A place that instills a true sense of Escape, encouraging a Slower Pace of Life with less stress.
10) Our budget is strong, but it also has to be something we can afford without any added financial stress so it's can't be outrageously expensive.
Multi-Dimensional:
Over our years of research, we have found that no place fits all of our criteria of course and that's okay.
However, we're looking for a place that fits a majority of them. Which honestly helps because it truly does narrow down the list quite a bit.
What have we looked at so far:
- Bozeman, MT: We thought it was going to be THE place, but just felt too "fabricated" when we got there.
Rows and rows of Trophy Homes sitting on top of barren hills. It just wasn't us at all. The Gallatin River area North of Big Sky was much nicer in terms of landscape (river, flowing hills, etc), but we still haven't found anything there that is a fit. Being close to Yellowstone was a big plus though.
- Whitefish, MT: The area around Whitefish Lake seemed perfect, but then we realized that the trains run the West side of the lake so only the East side is a wise investment. We also realized the water may simply be too cold for the kids (water temp is 62deg today at the end of July!). Being close to Glacier was a big plus though.
- Bigfork, MT: Similar pros and cons to Whitefish, but a little more natural and less ritzy feeling that Whitefish, although it's also a smaller town with less shops/restaurants. However, the water temp on Flathead lake is once again a concern.
- Couer d'Alene (CDA) and Northern ID: The homes on the lake didn't seem like a great fit and we were concerned being so close to Spokane. It just didn't seem to have as much of the pros (character and outdoor activities) as Whitefish/Bigfork and had more cons.
- Coastal Oregon (ex. Cannon Beach): Beautiful, but the kids can't swim in the ocean so that was out quickly. And the weather can be a bit too dreary in the Summer sometimes.
- NorCal (Napa, etc): Beautiful, but expensive and the water on the coast is simply too cold to swim.
- Lake Tahoe: Beautiful, but the water is again really cold for the kids. Also, I didn't love Truckee when I visited last year. It just didn't feel super family oriented. Being close to the Rubicon Trail would be really cool though and I spent some time in Grass Valley, which was nice but also very Granola.
- SoCal: Just too crowded, expensive, and more "desert" and barren feeling. Laguna beach, for example, the surfers were fun to watch, but it's way too touristy, the water is pretty cold, and it's really barren looking. I honestly think the kids would get bored fast.
- Park City, UT: Just felt very one-dimensional and more Winter oriented. We don't ski and it seemed to only have the mountains/town.
- Colorado: I've traveled in CO a lot - mostly in Denver / Colorado Springs area. But again, these felt more like Park City in being more Winter oriented and more one-dimensional (mountain town) where the kids might get bored over time.
- Upper Peninsula, MI (ex. Mackinac Island or Torch Lake with the beautiful turquoise water): We really thought the UP was going to be a solid fit, but again the water temp on the Great Lakes really turned us off and weren't sure if the upper Michigan small towns would be a fit or not. Torch Lake seemed more Party Oriented than Family Oriented, for example.
- Coastal Maine: We've looked up and down the Coast of Maine. It's beautiful, rugged, and intriguing. But other than the areas around Portland, it's mostly pretty remote. And unfortunately the ocean water temp (~60deg today) is an issue once again.
- Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket: The weather seems perfect here and the islands really checked a lot of boxes. However, it's really expensive to be on the water (not out of reach, but will be tough to make it work) and the Tick / Lyme Disease issue seems to really be getting out of hand. The water temp is better, but still a little cold (67deg water temp today on the ocean side, better on the bays side). We've had a few folks say they are really nice to visit, but they would get bored living there for 3-months during the summer.
- The Hamptons: Super expensive, enough said. We probably (or more like certainly) wouldn't fit in anyway.
- Outer Banks & NC Beaches: The weather seems to be a great fit here. 70s-80s air temp. 70s water temp. But we just love trees so much and the Outer Banks seems really barren overall. Beautiful beaches, but not a whole lot else.
- SC Beaches: We found homes that we loved on Pawley's Island, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, and Hilton Head Island. We could have a place on the beach, but also have a boat to fish and explore surrounding islands, making it multi-dimensional. But we watched the summer temps over the past 2-3 months and "feels like" temp with humidity and it often feels like over 100deg there, which is what we're trying to escape. I can't tell you how many times Heat Advisories have been issued on the coastal SC islands this summer! And the water there just isn't as pretty (more brown/sediment filled). And the bugs get pretty bad at dusk/dawn.
- GA Beaches: We visited Tybee, Saint Simon, Jeckyll, and other islands. Like SC, they seemed great on the surface, but ultimately had the same issues with heat, mostly brown water, and bugs.
- FL: We looked at the Panhandle (we used to vacation in 30-A, Destin, Panama City, etc) areas a lot. The water is beautiful (turquoise/blue), but it's really crowded down there now, very hot, and pretty barren. It's less barren than the Outer Banks, but not by a ton. We also looked at areas East of Panama City, but they are either really barren (ex. St. George Island) or the water is more bay like and brown (ex. Saint Teresa, FL).
- FL Islands (Amelia, Sanibel, Marcos, etc): We've also looked at a ton of the smaller islands in FL including the ones listed and others. Overall, they just get too hot in the Summer (again Heat Advisories issued all the time). Places like Clearwater are too big and crowded for us. Also, the No-See-Ums are getting bad - especially on Sanibel. I'd rather not have the kids attacked every day by almost invisible attacking creatures.
- The FL Keys: Again, beautiful water, great fishing, but too hot. And the vibe down there is more retiree then family from what I can tell (with Key West being a little too wild for us).
So Here Lies the Challenge:
If you've read this far, THANK YOU! So, here's my challenge:
- What are we missing?
- Where do we need to take a deeper, second look at one of these particular places?
Right now many feel either too hot or too cold. For the ones right in the middle air temp wise, sometimes the water temp is just too cold. Some feel more barren, others feel too remote or one-dimensional. Is there someplace (other than Hawaii) that would be a solid fit that we've overlooked or simply got wrong upon first glance? I'd love to have your feedback.
Thanks so much in advance!
I don't know your budget but have you checked the prices on Couer d'Alene, Park City, Bigfork, Kalispell, Whitefish, or Bozeman? Those are pretty damn expensive and you can't eat scenery.
You might also consider upstate New York --specifically around Lake Champlain, which is quite a large lake in a beautiful natural setting. Great summer weather there that's certainly less humid than the deep south. Plenty of outdoor activities aside from the lakes and beaches themselves. Home prices vary depending on how close you are to the water, of course, but nowhere near the prices of similar places on Cape Cod or the Hamptons, even for the top properties. Nearest airport would be Albany NY (or a four or five hour drive from NYC).
IIRC correctly Lake Champlain is less expensive than two other big lake spots upstate, Lake Placid and Lake George, because it is further away from NYC. You could also consider the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, I know less about that, although there appears to be lakefront property at reasonable cost near Burlington --which would give you access to lively little city (Burlington is also a university town) as well as nature.
Add: My bad, I see that Champlain is closer to a six hour drive from NYC, depending on exactly where you end up.
SE is best bet for warm waters, maybe not too hot and mountain views.
Lake Lure, east of Asheville NC.
Highland Lake (or nearby), Highlands, NC (southwest of Asheville).
Lake Jocasse, west of Greenville SC.
Lakes near Blue Ridge GA / Murphy and Hayes NC (north of Atlanta).
Claytor Lake, South of Blacksburg VA. I recall beautiful water color and probably mountain views.
Near Park City, you might check to see if there. are suitable properties / warm enough water on Jordenelle or Deer Creek Reservoirs (to east and south of PC).
Did you consider Sebago Lake (or nearby), north of Portland ME? Conway Lake NH (foot of White Mtns / ME border)?
Would the kids wear a mini-wet suit (short sleeve / short pants)?
Lake Michigamme Michigan (west of Marquette) or some lake east of Finland MI (and north of Duluth). The point here is low mountains in addition to lakes.
Outstanding feedback everyone! Please keep the ideas coming!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaleighSentinel
I’d toss in the Ozarks for consideration. A place like around Eureka Springs as an example...
I was guessing the Ozarks would be hot and humid since they're mostly just West of us now. I'll check it out though!
Quote:
Originally Posted by projectmaximus
This is not my area of "expertise" if you will (small towns and nature). With that said, as I read your description I was thinking Lake towns in MN, or WI or MI. Not necessarily UP, but Mackinac Island, Grand Haven, St Joseph, etc. And you could incorporate some city excursions to Chicago (that's more my expertise lol) from there.
Or small town TN, GA, or Carolinas around the Smoky Mountains.
There's also the option of leaving the country, like Western Canada. One of the small towns in BC, near Whistler, or AB near Jasper and Banff, would be idyllic for a summer home. Or look into Panama/Costa Rica.
Which brings me to my last thought: if this were me I'd forego buying a second home and just travel each summer. You can pick one spot so you don't have to constantly be on the move, but now you have the flexibility to go to different places each year including Hawaii (which would probably be my top choice). And between the purchase and upkeep costs I think you'll usually be saving money by renting over buying in each specific location.
The dilemma with traveling is we hate the packing, traveling, unpacking, and repeat process. We've been doing that for 15-years now and are ready for a place of our own. We really want to be grounded. Also, while owning a place isn't cheap, if you buy right you can make money given appreciation. I've always been opposed to renting for financial reasons.
We have looked at Mackinac Island quite a bit (it was an obvious early contender), but the water temp there is pretty cold. It's still in the running though. Canada seems a bit far and we'd rather stay in the US if possible. And no offense to big-city lovers, but if I can stay away from Chicago, I will . We just aren't into big cities - I've been there 100x times for work (along with NYC, LA, and 100 other big cities), so I'm confident when I say it's not for us.
I'm trying my best to keep Hawaii off my list simply because I do fly to see clients (pre-pandemic) 1-2 times a month and could see Hawaii getting "complicated". But, if it ends up being the best solution when all is said and done, I might have to add it as an option...
Quote:
Originally Posted by NDak15
I don't know your budget but have you checked the prices on Couer d'Alene, Park City, Bigfork, Kalispell, Whitefish, or Bozeman? Those are pretty damn expensive and you can't eat scenery.
Yes, after saving up for 7-8 years, we're blessed that we an afford any of those places (minus the Hamptons ).
Quote:
Originally Posted by citylove101
You might also consider upstate New York --specifically around Lake Champlain, which is quite a large lake in a beautiful natural setting. Great summer weather there that's certainly less humid than the deep south. Plenty of outdoor activities aside from the lakes and beaches themselves. Home prices vary depending on how close you are to the water, of course, but nowhere near the prices of similar places on Cape Cod or the Hamptons, even for the top properties. Nearest airport would be Albany NY (or a four or five hour drive from NYC).
IIRC correctly Lake Champlain is less expensive than two other big lake spots upstate, Lake Placid and Lake George, because it is further away from NYC. You could also consider the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, I know less about that, although there appears to be lakefront property at reasonable cost near Burlington --which would give you access to lively little city (Burlington is also a university town) as well as nature.
Add: My bad, I see that Champlain is closer to a six hour drive from NYC, depending on exactly where you end up.
We had looked at Maine, but not upper state NY. I've been to a few spots up there (ex. Ithaca), so I'll definitely check them out including Lake Champlain. My wife and daughters wouldn't mind seeing NYC a time or two - but I'll skip if I can. I like to Escape NYC whenever possible .
Quote:
Originally Posted by NW Crow
SE is best bet for warm waters, maybe not too hot and mountain views.
Lake Lure, east of Asheville NC.
Highland Lake (or nearby), Highlands, NC (southwest of Asheville).
Lake Jocasse, west of Greenville SC.
Lakes near Blue Ridge GA / Murphy and Hayes NC (north of Atlanta).
Claytor Lake, South of Blacksburg VA. I recall beautiful water color and probably mountain views.
Near Park City, you might check to see if there. are suitable properties / warm enough water on Jordenelle or Deer Creek Reservoirs (to east and south of PC).
Did you consider Sebago Lake (or nearby), north of Portland ME? Conway Lake NH (foot of White Mtns / ME border)?
Would the kids wear a mini-wet suit (short sleeve / short pants)?
Lake Michigamme Michigan (west of Marquette) or some lake east of Finland MI (and north of Duluth). The point here is low mountains in addition to lakes.
I forgot to mention we've also tried the Mountains of NC. Asheville didn't work out well - who knew that it had become so trendy. I'll never forget the looks we got in the restaurants with 3 kids. But it was an early contender that got crossed off the list earlier this year. We're actually leaving tomorrow to check out Lake Toxaway, Highlands/Cashiers, and Brevard for a long weekend. I'll report back on them. We've also done Gatlinburg/Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, TN and while certainly fun for a 1-week vacation (Dollywood, The Island, Gatlinburg), those places are very Touristy and would get old fast.
I'll have to check out Claytor Lake near Blacksburg VA, Sebago Lake near Portland ME, and Conway Lake near NH. But, if we do a lake, we'd probably either do NC or MT just because the National Parks (Smokies or Yellowstone/Glacier) would add a new dimension besides just Lake/Mountains. And if the coast is cold in ME, I'm guessing the lakes will be warmer than the coast but possibly just as cold as Flathead/Whitefish Lakes in MT. Lake Lure, Lake Jocassee, Lake Toxaway, and 10+/- other Mountain Lakes in NC are actually a bit cold per my research given the elevation...and so far we just haven't found many homes we like up there that are close to an actual Small Town community.
Yes, the kids would probably wear a mini-wet suit. Funny you bring that up as my Wife just showed me some the other day saying "well, if the water is going to be cold, we can get the kids to wear one of these!". It'd also help them avoid Swimmers Itch (which per my reading happens in Flathead Lake and others in MT).
You might also consider upstate New York --specifically around Lake Champlain, which is quite a large lake in a beautiful natural setting. Great summer weather there that's certainly less humid than the deep south. Plenty of outdoor activities aside from the lakes and beaches themselves. Home prices vary depending on how close you are to the water, of course, but nowhere near the prices of similar places on Cape Cod or the Hamptons, even for the top properties. Nearest airport would be Albany NY (or a four or five hour drive from NYC).
IIRC correctly Lake Champlain is less expensive than two other big lake spots upstate, Lake Placid and Lake George, because it is further away from NYC. You could also consider the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, I know less about that, although there appears to be lakefront property at reasonable cost near Burlington --which would give you access to lively little city (Burlington is also a university town) as well as nature.
Add: My bad, I see that Champlain is closer to a six hour drive from NYC, depending on exactly where you end up.
Outstanding feedback everyone! Please keep the ideas coming!
I was guessing the Ozarks would be hot and humid since they're mostly just West of us now. I'll check it out though!
The dilemma with traveling is we hate the packing, traveling, unpacking, and repeat process. We've been doing that for 15-years now and are ready for a place of our own. We really want to be grounded. Also, while owning a place isn't cheap, if you buy right you can make money given appreciation. I've always been opposed to renting for financial reasons.
We have looked at Mackinac Island quite a bit (it was an obvious early contender), but the water temp there is pretty cold. It's still in the running though. Canada seems a bit far and we'd rather stay in the US if possible. And no offense to big-city lovers, but if I can stay away from Chicago, I will . We just aren't into big cities - I've been there 100x times for work (along with NYC, LA, and 100 other big cities), so I'm confident when I say it's not for us.
I'm trying my best to keep Hawaii off my list simply because I do fly to see clients (pre-pandemic) 1-2 times a month and could see Hawaii getting "complicated". But, if it ends up being the best solution when all is said and done, I might have to add it as an option...
Yes, after saving up for 7-8 years, we're blessed that we an afford any of those places (minus the Hamptons ).
We had looked at Maine, but not upper state NY. I've been to a few spots up there (ex. Ithaca), so I'll definitely check them out including Lake Champlain. My wife and daughters wouldn't mind seeing NYC a time or two - but I'll skip if I can. I like to Escape NYC whenever possible .
I forgot to mention we've also tried the Mountains of NC. Asheville didn't work out well - who knew that it had become so trendy. I'll never forget the looks we got in the restaurants with 3 kids. But it was an early contender that got crossed off the list earlier this year. We're actually leaving tomorrow to check out Lake Toxaway, Highlands/Cashiers, and Brevard for a long weekend. I'll report back on them. We've also done Gatlinburg/Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, TN and while certainly fun for a 1-week vacation (Dollywood, The Island, Gatlinburg), those places are very Touristy and would get old fast.
I'll have to check out Claytor Lake near Blacksburg VA, Sebago Lake near Portland ME, and Conway Lake near NH. But, if we do a lake, we'd probably either do NC or MT just because the National Parks (Smokies or Yellowstone/Glacier) would add a new dimension besides just Lake/Mountains. And if the coast is cold in ME, I'm guessing the lakes will be warmer than the coast but possibly just as cold as Flathead/Whitefish Lakes in MT. Lake Lure, Lake Jocassee, Lake Toxaway, and 10+/- other Mountain Lakes in NC are actually a bit cold per my research given the elevation...and so far we just haven't found many homes we like up there that are close to an actual Small Town community.
Yes, the kids would probably wear a mini-wet suit. Funny you bring that up as my Wife just showed me some the other day saying "well, if the water is going to be cold, we can get the kids to wear one of these!". It'd also help them avoid Swimmers Itch (which per my reading happens in Flathead Lake and others in MT).
I'm thinking you'll love Brevard but we'll see I guess. Highlands and Cashiers are nice but more geared toward adult empty-nesters in my opinion. You might also check out the town of Black Mountain NC which is 30 minutes from Lake James. In terms of Claytor Lake in VA I would recommend the nearby town of Radford that while still a college town (Radford U) is more well-rounded with a cute little downtown area and an emphasis on outdoor recreation like canoeing/kayaking and mountain biking.
Last edited by kyle19125; 07-31-2020 at 06:02 AM..
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