<p>I think we will retire where we are now. Northern Michigan. Lots of people want to retire here. If we can swing it, I’m sure we will travel or rent a place warmer in March. That’s when the snow and cold are still here but the winter activities are over. We went on vacation last year in December and March. We weren’t able to travel this year and it’s been really really long. </p>
<p>Even though H and I really are happy living in HI, we do plan to have extended visits to be with our kids–wherever they are (currently in VA & CA). When they are away for longer, we may rent a place for a month at a time or so. We also hope they will travel with us. Seems to be the best of all worlds, while we are all healthy enough and have resources to travel.</p>
<p>i’ll add #24: No state income tax.
<a href=“23 Reasons Florida (Yes, Florida) Is Quite Possibly The Best State In America | HuffPost Impact”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost;
<p>I just thought of a reason why not to move to Bellingham.
My daughter tells me, she often sees deer in her back yard.
Seattle may have raccoons but we don’t have deer.
I will share my worms with the robins and even some of my blueberries, but not prepared to battle with large herbivores.</p>
<p>I live where it is very nice 6 months of the year and not so much the other 6. I love the four seasons and love a good snow storm. I think the ideal would be to stay here and leave 2 months of the year, February and March, and go someplace warm.</p>
<p>We are relocating/retiring next month. We have always wanted to live on the water. We built a riverfront home in 2010 in our home state (North Carolina) not far from where we grew up. We have family scattered about eastern NC… We’ve spent weekends, holidays ,vacations there for the last four years. All those trips were a good introduction to living there full time and solidified in our minds that it was for us. We’re leaving a busy crowded suburb for a slower paced rural life on the Inner Banks of NC. The closest grocery store is 10 miles away! </p>
<p>We will be leaving S2 behind here in the suburb. His job is here. He lives with two friends in our town. We will be 5 hours away from him when we move. S1 is in the military and will be 2.5 hours fr. our new home. Sons are age 24 and 27. Neither is married nor have girlfriends.</p>
<p>PackMom,I had never heard the term “Inner Banks” before. I googled it and that is a nice area. It looks like Edenton is one of the towns considered to be in that area. We stayed in a bed and breakfast there years ago and enjoyed it. </p>
<p>I LOVE the deer in our backyard…and even enjoy the occasional bear, and all the other wildlife in the woods here. It’s one of the things that would make leaving here difficult. </p>
<p>My guess is we won’t buy a second home anywhere, but will choose to vacation in a warmer weather locale for a month or two in the winters.</p>
<p>A big hello to robyrm2!!! Its been ages since you have posted. Please, add something about your kids. sorry you are going it alone.</p>
<p>We’ve had the most perfect weather here in Fl for weeks now. I look forward to visits from my northern friends. I will happily visit son a few times a year, even if in a cold climate. I hope son and his future family will enjoy visits south. Like others,I have no idea where he will settle. </p>
<p>sevmom, Yes, Edenton is part of the Inner Banks. Our retirement house is an hour’s drive from Edenton. DH’s sister and her family live in Edenton. </p>
<p>A plug for Auburn - It really is the loveliest village on the plains.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mjf45hfje/abilene-tx/”>http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mjf45hfje/abilene-tx/</a></p>
<p>We stayed at the Lords Proprietor Inn in Edenton many years ago. Not sure if it’s still there or not but had a lovely time. That really is a great area . Not the Inner Banks but I really also like the New Bern and Beaufort area of NC.</p>
<p>Retirement seems a long way off for me, and not just financially. I am focused on what the next chapter of my life will be when my daughter graduates from HS next year (my son is already in college). Although I love the midwestern college town where I have raised my kids, as a city girl at heart it is seeming pretty small lately–especially on the career and dating fronts. So I will likely move once more before retiring–the “where” is entirely dependent on where I can find a good job. I would miss my friends here terribly but I really don’t see my kids moving back after college and I would prefer to be closer to a major airport. If Miami weren’t so expensive I would consider going back there, at least while I still have my dad. </p>
<p>sevmom, Beaufort such a pretty historic town. Love the old houses everywhere. We spent a weekend there years ago. It’s also about an hour from us. We planning a day trip there this summer. You can take a boat fr. Beaufort out to spend the day at the Cape Lookout National seashore and climb the Cape Lookout lighthouse. We’ve driven through New Bern a several times but haven’t gotten out to walk around and see all the historic stuff. It’s one more place to put on my “things to do when we retire” list! New Bern is only 35 miles from my house.</p>
<p>Visiting Beaufort NC is on our list of things we want to do while at our place in SC. We haven’t gotten there yet but we do love Beaufort SC and spend an afternoon there each time we’re down. My husband always jokes about the locals not pronouncing it correctly, as it’s meant to be with the French etymology. :)</p>
<p>Hilton Head SC.</p>
<p>I second HHI. Will also explore the Charleston area and the west coast of FLA.</p>
<p>alwaysamom, If you get to Beaufort,NC, try to get to New Bern NC as well. It is only about 40 miles from Beaufort and is a great little town and the birthplace of Pepsi!</p>
<p>VAmom brought up an interesting point I had forgotten. My pension is not taxed as long as we live in PA. Yet another reason we can’t move, although I’m fine with that.</p>
<p>tsdad and bigdaddy, HH is wonderful. We have enjoyed it tremendously so far, at all times of the year.</p>
<p>sevmom, thank you for the suggestion. I’ve made a note in my SC notebook so I don’t forget the name. :)</p>