Ideal summer/winter location combo in retirement for northerners (1 Viewer)

[NutterButter]

If you were retired in your 50's and/or 60's and you wanted to live in the northern US or canada for the summers as well as a few months on each end, but you didn't want to live there in the winter, what would be your ideal summer and winter location combo? Just to keep this realistic for those of us that aren't millionaires, let's say you have a 50k per year budget to work with to cover your expenses along with all expenses that come with owning/renting a house/apartment for both places. Disregard if you already own a place in one or both places and treat this as if you were starting from scratch with just the 50k budget to work with.

Keep in mind that you're in your 50's and/or 60's so you're looking for a lifestyle that's in line with that.

 

[ChiefD]

I would move to central Wisconsin so I could catch Muskies and smallmouth all day. Right around the Wausau area.

 

[Parrothead]

Colorado/ Rocky mountains - Summer

Florida Keys - Winter

 

[CletiusMaximus]

My dad and his wife had a log cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains near Burnsville NC, and a small house in Cedar Key FL. Both very small places on a limited budget. They did it for about 10 years before they got sick of moving back and forth. Both were great places to live and visit.

 

[pantagrapher]

Door County in Wisconsin is great, but can get a bit overcrowded on holiday weekends.

I also like Ely, Minnesota; beautiful area and has great, easy access to the BWCA, if you're into outdoorsy stuff.

Also the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but it can be pretty isolated up there.

ETA: These are all for the summer side of the equation.

 

[Tom Servo]

A lady in my church is a snow bird. She lives here in NW PA most of the year but late October - early April she lives near her daughter in northern Alabama.

 

[NutterButter]

Colorado/ Rocky mountains - Summer

Florida Keys - Winter

Houses in both locations? Side note, I'm in love with the VRBO house rental site. I could literally see myself renting a house a month at a time in different parts of the country for a few years if not more. I was pretty sure I'd do the RV thing for awhile, but now I think I'm just going to rent instead. There's some really nice places at very reasonable prices.

 

[Parrothead]

Colorado/ Rocky mountains - Summer

Florida Keys - Winter

Houses in both locations? Side note, I'm in love with the VRBO house rental site. I could literally see myself renting a house a month at a time in different parts of the country for a few years if not more. I was pretty sure I'd do the RV thing for awhile, but now I think I'm just going to rent instead. There's some really nice places at very reasonable prices.

since I make FBG money- yes.. I can pay for a property management company to maintain when I'm not there..

 

[Apple Jack]

Colorado/San Diego (or FL gulf coast)

 

[Spanky24]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

 

[NutterButter]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

If you like that environment. I'm a northern outdoorsy type. I love spring and fall in the northeast.

 

[DCThunder]

A lady in my church is a snow bird. She lives here in NW PA most of the year but late October - early April she lives near her daughter in northern Alabama.

Going to Northern Alabama for the winter is hardly being a snow bird. I've been in Huntsville at Christmas and it was pretty cold. Maybe not compared to NW Pa, but still...

 

[fantasycurse42]

NYC/Aventura

 

[Mr. Ected]

Go to visit In-laws near GB in the summer and we head north, to Eagle River. Nice area, temps are wonderful, stays light forever in the summer, just got to deal with mosquitoes!

(Oh and Packerfans!!)

 

[mr roboto]

I'm assuming 50k budget for housing only? Otherwise this isn't possible.

Honestly, i'd want to be in a city condo during the summer (Chicago) and somewhere quieter in the winter (iow not Miami, Tampa, PHX). Maybe Chicago summer Cali coast winter. Don't know if there's a nice part of So Cal coast that quiet and not outrageous though.

Can't stand florida.

 

[chauncey]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

Pretty hard to live on $50k/yr there isn't it?

 

[Zow]

Summer - Denver or NYC

Winter - Scottsdale

Anytime - San Diego

 

[Zow]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

Pretty hard to live on $50k/yr there isn't it?

Yep. That's the problem.

 

[Guest]

I also like Ely, Minnesota; beautiful area and has great, easy access to the BWCA, if you're into outdoorsy stuff.

Love that place.

 

[NutterButter]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

Pretty hard to live on $50k/yr there isn't it?

You can't rent a place in SD for 50k/yr? No one said you have to own.

 

[AcerFC]

Deleware has some no taxes on retirement or something like that. Rheboth beach is nice. Wish I would have gotten my beach place there instead of ocmd.

 

[NutterButter]

I'm assuming 50k budget for housing only? Otherwise this isn't possible.

Honestly, i'd want to be in a city condo during the summer (Chicago) and somewhere quieter in the winter (iow not Miami, Tampa, PHX). Maybe Chicago summer Cali coast winter. Don't know if there's a nice part of So Cal coast that quiet and not outrageous though.

Can't stand florida.

Correct. Just for housing and the expenses that come with housing like electricity, prop taxes, etc.. Could you pull off a condo in both places or are you talking 6 month rentals?

 

[NutterButter]

Deleware has some no taxes on retirement or something like that. Rheboth beach is nice. Wish I would have gotten my beach place there instead of ocmd.

Yeah, Rehoboth is really nice

 

[Koya]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

If you like that environment. I'm a northern outdoorsy type. I love spring and fall in the northeast.

What about San Diego / Taos NM?

Both year round places, once with seasons and a winter. Skiing, Surf, SD has some really good restaurants, Taos has great culture.

SD and cost may be an issue though.

 

[mr roboto]

I'm assuming 50k budget for housing only? Otherwise this isn't possible.

Honestly, i'd want to be in a city condo during the summer (Chicago) and somewhere quieter in the winter (iow not Miami, Tampa, PHX). Maybe Chicago summer Cali coast winter. Don't know if there's a nice part of So Cal coast that quiet and not outrageous though.

Can't stand florida.

Correct. Just for housing and the expenses that come with housing like electricity, prop taxes, etc.. Could you pull off a condo in both places or are you talking 6 month rentals?

I don't know. I honestly wouldn't need much in the 'winter' home because I'd be outside all the time. This works out to 4,166/month. If you could do Airbnb from time to time you could pull it off easily.

 

[beer 30]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

If you like that environment. I'm a northern outdoorsy type. I love spring and fall in the northeast.

Anywhere around Charlotte, north you get all 4 seasons in the mountains, south you have the beach. All about 4-6 hours apart depending on where you start.

 

[chauncey]

Two birds/one stone - Move to San Diego.

Pretty hard to live on $50k/yr there isn't it?

You can't rent a place in SD for 50k/yr? No one said you have to own.

I misunderstood your op, thought you meant $50k for total expenses, not just housing expenses. In that case San Diego year round or Scottsdale winters and Denver summers. Keep us updated. The idea of airbnb for a month at a time and just traveling around the US for a year or two sounds awesome.

 

[msommer]

Copenhagen/Somewhere in Brazil at the coast

 

[pecorino]

Summertime in Pittsburgh is great. There is a ton to do, the Pirates are playing, lots of outdoor activities available. Housing is dirt cheap, too.

 

[Quez]

Not sure about northern but FL is very affordable. Particularly areas outside of the major metro areas. New Port Richey, Sun City, Bradenton, Lee High acres, Deltona, etc. There are a ton. It depends on what they want.

 

[ditka311]

I would move to central Wisconsin so I could catch Muskies and smallmouth all day. Right around the Wausau area.

In-laws live in the Lake Tomahawk area. I love it up there and for the reason you mentioned above. Winters suck though.

 

[Ilov80s]

Summer: Traverse City

Winter: somewhere in Florida on the gulf

 

[Koya]

FWIW, if you are looking East Coast, a couple thoughts...

New Hampshire is beautiful during the summer. If you are in southern NH you can be less than an hour from Boston, not far from the beaches (or could be at the beach) and it provides a close option to pretty good skiing as well. Hardly worthless in the winter, stunning in the fall, wonderful springs and great hiking, camping, id assume hunting as well plus fresh and salt fishing.

Maybe consider Savannah if you dont mind a little chilly at times and arent looking at beach. Georgia shore or St Augustine FL are beautiful as well.

that said, a combo of NH and the keys would be a pretty awesome life.

 

[PIK95]

Cranston R.I.

 

[mon]

Hawaii in the winter, Portland in the summer.

 

[Tom Servo]

A lady in my church is a snow bird. She lives here in NW PA most of the year but late October - early April she lives near her daughter in northern Alabama.

Going to Northern Alabama for the winter is hardly being a snow bird. I've been in Huntsville at Christmas and it was pretty cold. Maybe not compared to NW Pa, but still...

I think the daughter is the key factor. Compared to here, Alabama is warmer.

 

[fdas2]

A lady in my church is a snow bird. She lives here in NW PA most of the year but late October - early April she lives near her daughter in northern Alabama.

Going to Northern Alabama for the winter is hardly being a snow bird. I've been in Huntsville at Christmas and it was pretty cold. Maybe not compared to NW Pa, but still...

I think the daughter is the key factor.Compared to here, Alabama is warmer.

You should come visit Huntsville. I'll fight you.

 

[cosjobs]

Portland Oregon / Austin TX is my desired combo. But it will take more than 50.

 

[the moops]

I could easily live anywhere in the country on 50 grand a year and live comfortably. you people are nuts