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.
We have decided to rule out Oregon and Utah. We want mild weather. Near enough to a city for outings. Near good hiking. Near water. Probably in a place where there are many other retirees to connect with. Texas is not for us because the weather makes hiking difficult about 4 months out of the year and there's little natural beauty. SC is too humid. Nevada and AZ, we worry about lack/expense of water. We don't want CA because we think taxes are high as well as real estate in any areas close to good cities. Same applies to Seattle & Portland.
Anyone happy in the Tampa Bay area? Anyone liking the Philadelphia area for retirees?
Any other ideas? We will use all of 2017 to travel to different potential destinations so I am planning now.....
If you don't like humidity you'll hate Philly. It's a sweat bath in the summer.
For hiking and temperate weather... have you looked at the Western Slope of Colorado... maybe the Durango area? Beautiful area, plenty of hiking, low humidity...
Northern New Mexico is also a great place, although it can get pretty hot in the summer.
I second checking out northern New Mexico and (especially) Colorado. Also check out Kentucky and Tennessee, although they're more humid than you might like in the summer. Gorgeous states, though!
There is a lot more to Oregon than Portland and a lot more to Washington than Seattle. In Oregon, consider southern or eastern parts of the state. Specifically, Roseburg, Ashland, Medford, Bend, etc. In Washington, possibly Spokane, however, it does snow in Spokane.
Not sure why you rejected Utah; you don't say so. Southwest Utah has become a retirement hotbed. Specifically Saint George. A bit hot in St. George during the dog days, but it is a dry, low-humidity heat, so not too bad. Further northeast, up the Grand Staircase, is Cedar City. I would not be unhappy to retire in Cedar City, and would if I didn't already find my own little personal paradise.
There is a lot more to Oregon than Portland and a lot more to Washington than Seattle. In Oregon, consider southern or eastern parts of the state. Specifically, Roseburg, Ashland, Medford, Bend, etc. In Washington, possibly Spokane, however, it does snow in Spokane.
Not sure why you rejected Utah; you don't say so. Southwest Utah has become a retirement hotbed. Specifically Saint George. A bit hot in St. George during the dog days, but it is a dry, low-humidity heat, so not too bad. Further northeast, up the Grand Staircase, is Cedar City. I would not be unhappy to retire in Cedar City, and would if I didn't already find my own little personal paradise.
We are spending this summer in Utah and it is a beautiful state. But at 80% LDS, we just don't feel its the right place for us longterm.
We have decided to rule out Oregon and Utah. We want mild weather. Near enough to a city for outings. Near good hiking. Near water. Probably in a place where there are many other retirees to connect with. Texas is not for us because the weather makes hiking difficult about 4 months out of the year and there's little natural beauty. SC is too humid. Nevada and AZ, we worry about lack/expense of water. We don't want CA because we think taxes are high as well as real estate in any areas close to good cities. Same applies to Seattle & Portland.
Anyone happy in the Tampa Bay area? Anyone liking the Philadelphia area for retirees?
Any other ideas? We will use all of 2017 to travel to different potential destinations so I am planning now.....
Sounds like you need to live in Nirvana. Or Heaven. Not sure how much those cost. Seriously, good luck. You won't find a perfect place, but if you can travel all 2017, you should find out enough not to make a huge mistake.
You have right to look for what you want. Personally I would not like being surrounded by Mormons 24/7 either because I am sure that POV colors almost every aspect of life in the state. In TX the Valley because of the higher ratio of Hispanic vs Anglo than other areas of the state has the same skewed atmosphere...like living in Mexico in many ways...
Tampa can be humid even in winter/fall and definitely wouldn't be a recommended summer location...
Our second home is south of Sarasota and we spend time there in every season...
Tampa not that different climate an hour north.
Have friend who retired/moved to Spokane area of Washington state because of the 4 seasons aspect..w/o rain of Seattle or too harsh winters...Don't know the specifics enough, though, to recommend it...
I think you will have trouble finding one area that has low enough humidity w/o being too hot in summer to work for all seasons.
Look more into the mountains in SC or TN--like Gatlingburg--
We have vacationed in Santa Fe in several seasons and summers are very hot even if humidity is considered low...temps at 100 are hot no matter humidity to me...
Sedona is great 3 seasons but summers are very hot as well...
St George is in flats and is hot in summer but doesn't get the snow as bad as in mountains like Zion Park area...
Las Vegas and Palm Springs are good probably 3 seasons but summers are brutal...
And there is water issue in Las Vegas...long term Lake Mead doesn't look good...
Maybe Tahoe might be better -- think the winter snow is manageable or Reno?
I Would research avg humidity levels for any location in each month and look for area with more constant %.
If only one month is excessive you can plan to vacation then in different location.
That is the entire idea behind the snowbirds coming to FL and south TX in winter and going home (Canada, east coast) after Easter...
Any other ideas? We will use all of 2017 to travel to different potential destinations so I am planning now.....
If you do not want cold and you do not want humidity you have pretty much limited yourself to the West Coast (WA and OR along western side of Cascades to Ocean) and CA. Plus the SW US which would mean Nevada, Southern Arizona and Southern New Mexico. And, of course, Hawaii...
Actually the OP should look at average dew point temperatures during the summer to evaluate relative humidity - a temperature from 56-60 is ok and anything less than 55 is pleasant. Dew points consider both temperature and humidity. But looking at a US map for the month of July, the only places in the southeast that are pleasant will be the mountains in areas like Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. Or I suppose a house on the coast with breezes. Given the OP's criteria which rule out the entire western area of the US (water issues or cost), I'd suggest retiring to an area that has the city amenities, nearby hiking, water, and good weather most of the year and vacationing elsewhere for the other months.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/weath...ints-year.html
Interesting info
Check Monzingo index
Also mentioned area with more constant temps, low humidity
Asheville which is resort/retirement area of interest supposedly qualifies--University area...
Think there is good airport in area
Love the weather in Santa Barbara most of the time because of ocean breezes but summers can be hot and you said RE prices are issue--totally get that
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.
