***Cincy!***Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville

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MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:49 pm
dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:42 am
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 am With your conditions, Lexington is probably the best alternative. Sometimes considered a "city within a park" because of the surrounding farms. Cincinnati is too large and sprawling, is there a small city in southern Indiana?, Knoxville does have the Smokey's but no real airport and I've never seen the Asheville airport but nature is fantastic.
Bloomington is a typical college town in an area of rolling hills. If I were the OP, I'd consider Bloomington well before anything in the Indy metro area.

No Costco though. :twisted:
:D Bloomington is a wonderful small college town. The downtown is walkable and IU is beautiful. When I lived in Indianapolis, we would drive down to the area to get out of the city. Airport seemed to be high on the OP's list along with a little more access to urban amenities. Columbus, IN is also nice particularly because of the unique architecture.
I'm really surprised how much love Indiana gets. You never really hear much about it but many people talk about how nice it is.

Indianapolis airport is very highly ranked for affordable airfare and good quality facilities. I guess it's not a hub so all airlines service it and compete with each other.
We plan. G-d laughs.
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MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

flyninjasquirrel wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 2:11 pm I’ve lived in NC most of my life. Asheville does not escape the heat and humidity, it’s not high enough in elevation. It’s better than Charlotte, sure, but you’re not getting away from the heat and humidity in NC in the summer. It still cools down plenty overnight to be able to get out and do morning activities up until about noon before it starts getting terrible. IMO the tradeoff is worth it. I am outdoors hiking, biking, etc all winter long and the springs and falls are fantastic.
Thanks for the report. My heart sank a little when you said you can't escape the heat. But it's good to know the nights cool down. Florida and Georgia temperatures stay hot all night so there is never any relief.

I love mountains and I'm excited about seeing the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.
We plan. G-d laughs.
CoastLawyer2030
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by CoastLawyer2030 »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:16 pm
CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:03 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:17 pm Late July to early August were going to test drive the Midwest/SE for possible retirement home. We'll be in the area for 2+ weeks.

We need:

1. Close airport for international travel;
2. Good stores; Meijer, Costco, farmers markets;
3. 4 seasons of outdoor activity with mild winter and not terrible humidity; and,
4. Nice nature.

We'll start in southern Indiana, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Asheville and finish in coastal North Carolina. Never been to this area but interested to see if it would be a good fit for retirement.

I'm a small town boy from Maine and wife is big city girl from Northern Europe. We've been living in north Midwest for years. We've had enough bad winters for a lifetime. We both like suburb living as compromise between urban and too small town. Rural living is not appealing to either of us.

We want seasonal changes and a little snow. Sunny and mild winter weather would be perfect. Summers in the south are a concern. We want to have four season activities and not be prisoners in our house in hot and humid summers.

We like Colorado (Ft Collins to Colorado Springs) but we need to do some comparison shopping.

Retirement is 2 to 4 years away.

Any suggestions in the area will be most welcome. Also any other area is welcome.
I am going to throw an absolutely random suggestion out there -- Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This is only a good suggestion if you like the small town life and not an urban life.

My grandma lives about half an hour west (Versailles), and every time I drive through, I think Lawrenceburg would be an excellent place to live. It is surrounded by the Ohio River and state parks. Lots of old buildings and small town shops. Cincinnati is 25-30 minutes away. It has your classic small town feel but big enough to have the stores you're looking for.

My only complaint is that, since I was a little kid, it has really become "nationalized." There used to be a couple fast food places, and now every fast food place you can imagine is somewhere along the main strip. The main strip has gone from a two-lane road to a five-lane road. But, the same exact thing has happened where I live (NE Ohio), and seemingly every other town of the same size in the Midwest.

Out of the cities in your thread title, I like Knoxville the best.
Thanks for the suggestion. We'll check Lawrenceville out (and waive at g-mom if we see her) on our way to Cincy.
Lawrenceburg, not Lawrenceville!

Lawrenceville is a middle of nowhere town in Dearborn County.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

chazas wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:12 pm Not a huge fan of Lexington - I lived there for a couple of years. Too small for me - often you'll need to drive to Cincinnati for goods, and as a smaller city there are limited service providers in any given category. Horse form owners have oodles of money to throw around so the cost of higher end real estate and services is way out of whack.

Socially, it's a fairly closed circle. Also too conservative a place for me, personally. I had neighbors that would turn their back rather than talk to me and my then-spouse.

Medical services are good due to UK.

Finally, you better enjoy horse racing, bourbon and UK basketball.

I have lovely friends there but as a place, not my thing.
Thanks for the report. Unfortunately I'm 0-3 on your list but we do a lot of horseback riding so at least we can talk the talk.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:34 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:16 pm
CoastLawyer2030 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:03 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:17 pm Late July to early August were going to test drive the Midwest/SE for possible retirement home. We'll be in the area for 2+ weeks.

We need:

1. Close airport for international travel;
2. Good stores; Meijer, Costco, farmers markets;
3. 4 seasons of outdoor activity with mild winter and not terrible humidity; and,
4. Nice nature.

We'll start in southern Indiana, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Asheville and finish in coastal North Carolina. Never been to this area but interested to see if it would be a good fit for retirement.

I'm a small town boy from Maine and wife is big city girl from Northern Europe. We've been living in north Midwest for years. We've had enough bad winters for a lifetime. We both like suburb living as compromise between urban and too small town. Rural living is not appealing to either of us.

We want seasonal changes and a little snow. Sunny and mild winter weather would be perfect. Summers in the south are a concern. We want to have four season activities and not be prisoners in our house in hot and humid summers.

We like Colorado (Ft Collins to Colorado Springs) but we need to do some comparison shopping.

Retirement is 2 to 4 years away.

Any suggestions in the area will be most welcome. Also any other area is welcome.
I am going to throw an absolutely random suggestion out there -- Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This is only a good suggestion if you like the small town life and not an urban life.

My grandma lives about half an hour west (Versailles), and every time I drive through, I think Lawrenceburg would be an excellent place to live. It is surrounded by the Ohio River and state parks. Lots of old buildings and small town shops. Cincinnati is 25-30 minutes away. It has your classic small town feel but big enough to have the stores you're looking for.

My only complaint is that, since I was a little kid, it has really become "nationalized." There used to be a couple fast food places, and now every fast food place you can imagine is somewhere along the main strip. The main strip has gone from a two-lane road to a five-lane road. But, the same exact thing has happened where I live (NE Ohio), and seemingly every other town of the same size in the Midwest.

Out of the cities in your thread title, I like Knoxville the best.
Thanks for the suggestion. We'll check Lawrenceville out (and waive at g-mom if we see her) on our way to Cincy.
Lawrenceburg, not Lawrenceville!

Lawrenceville is a middle of nowhere town in Dearborn County.
:oops: Good catch. Thanks!
We plan. G-d laughs.
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dogagility
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by dogagility »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:29 pm
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:49 pm
dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:42 am
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 am With your conditions, Lexington is probably the best alternative. Sometimes considered a "city within a park" because of the surrounding farms. Cincinnati is too large and sprawling, is there a small city in southern Indiana?, Knoxville does have the Smokey's but no real airport and I've never seen the Asheville airport but nature is fantastic.
Bloomington is a typical college town in an area of rolling hills. If I were the OP, I'd consider Bloomington well before anything in the Indy metro area.

No Costco though. :twisted:
:D Bloomington is a wonderful small college town. The downtown is walkable and IU is beautiful. When I lived in Indianapolis, we would drive down to the area to get out of the city. Airport seemed to be high on the OP's list along with a little more access to urban amenities. Columbus, IN is also nice particularly because of the unique architecture.
I'm really surprised how much love Indiana gets. You never really hear much about it but many people talk about how nice it is.

Indianapolis airport is very highly ranked for affordable airfare and good quality facilities. I guess it's not a hub so all airlines service it and compete with each other.
Bloomington is not typical Indiana (and that's a good thing, IMO). I'd live there myself if it was close to a beach!

It's about 45 minutes from Bloomington to the Indy airport. Newer facility. Easy in and out.
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tyrnup13
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by tyrnup13 »

I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Mr. Rumples
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Mr. Rumples »

The Outerbanks (OBX) makes for a nice vacation, but to live there all the time requires fortitude. The only hospital is a small critical care facility. Every year brings the fear of hurricanes and there are only two evacuation routes. My family in Chowan moved to the mountains of NC; the family in Luberton rebuilt 2 times due to flooding.
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Dottie57
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Dottie57 »

When I was about 8 or 9 my family drove to central South Carolina to visit family. We went in july. Hot and humid - like nothing I have experienced since. On the way back we stayed at a HoJo’s and it was were the stinking hot weather was gone. I remember the out door pool and seeing the great smokey mountains against the sky. I hope I get to Asheville again one day.
LittleMaggieMae
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:08 pm
LittleMaggieMae wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:45 am Have relatives in Lexington, KY (and I was looking long distance at houses/condos with the thought of purchasing a rental property so I was thinking about the area on many levels (not just the "would this rental be a good buy/profitable"))

It's a "College Town" and has a sports stadium and there's a quiet presence of the "money" behind the racing horses there.

My relatives say the weather is ok - but the winter ice storms can make travel dangerous. Also if they get an inch or two of snow - everything shuts down until it melts.

I do wish I had bought a condo there 5 or 6 years ago when I was looking. I liked the "down town" area (I'm an Urban Girl) and it was sort of urban with a whole lot of "well, isn't this quaint!". ADDED: I mean the quaint thing in a nice good way. I really wish I had bought the condo/townhouse... I'd rent it and would be willing to consider retiring there... :)
Thanks for the input. We'll be retired so we'll just stay home when it ices and snows. How are the summer. I'm most worried about hit temperatures and humidity because I just wilt.
Have you thought about New Mexico or Colorado (towards Utah/Arizona) - I hear that along parts of the border between the two states are some very almost all year "comfortable" temperatures. I've heard a few people wistfully say that area is where they would retire (but it's too far from family = where the kids/gkids are living). I wish I could remember some area/town names for you....
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dogagility
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by dogagility »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
I don't think TN or NC will solve the humidity issue.

Here's a nice site I like to use to examine year-round weather in different locales. https://weatherspark.com/
Make sure you check out my list of certifications. The list is short, and there aren't any. - Eric 0. from SMA
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

Mr. Rumples wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:11 pm The Outerbanks (OBX) makes for a nice vacation, but to live there all the time requires fortitude. The only hospital is a small critical care facility. Every year brings the fear of hurricanes and there are only two evacuation routes. My family in Chowan moved to the mountains of NC; the family in Luberton rebuilt 2 times due to flooding.
Thanks for the good information. I added the OBX because I miss the ocean. It's probably not a realistic option.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

Dottie57 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:28 pm When I was about 8 or 9 my family drove to central South Carolina to visit family. We went in july. Hot and humid - like nothing I have experienced since. On the way back we stayed at a HoJo’s and it was were the stinking hot weather was gone. I remember the out door pool and seeing the great smokey mountains against the sky. I hope I get to Asheville again one day.
HoJos! Do you remember the fried clams and they had a a dessert I was crazy for. But now I can't remember :| hot brownie?
We plan. G-d laughs.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

LittleMaggieMae wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:49 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:08 pm
LittleMaggieMae wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:45 am Have relatives in Lexington, KY (and I was looking long distance at houses/condos with the thought of purchasing a rental property so I was thinking about the area on many levels (not just the "would this rental be a good buy/profitable"))

It's a "College Town" and has a sports stadium and there's a quiet presence of the "money" behind the racing horses there.

My relatives say the weather is ok - but the winter ice storms can make travel dangerous. Also if they get an inch or two of snow - everything shuts down until it melts.

I do wish I had bought a condo there 5 or 6 years ago when I was looking. I liked the "down town" area (I'm an Urban Girl) and it was sort of urban with a whole lot of "well, isn't this quaint!". ADDED: I mean the quaint thing in a nice good way. I really wish I had bought the condo/townhouse... I'd rent it and would be willing to consider retiring there... :)
Thanks for the input. We'll be retired so we'll just stay home when it ices and snows. How are the summer. I'm most worried about hit temperatures and humidity because I just wilt.
Have you thought about New Mexico or Colorado (towards Utah/Arizona) - I hear that along parts of the border between the two states are some very almost all year "comfortable" temperatures. I've heard a few people wistfully say that area is where they would retire (but it's too far from family = where the kids/gkids are living). I wish I could remember some area/town names for you....
No we have not thought about that area. Thank you so much for bringing it to our attention! We'll fire up the Google and add it to our possible list.
We plan. G-d laughs.
sycamore
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by sycamore »

dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:05 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
I don't think TN or NC will solve the humidity issue.

Here's a nice site I like to use to examine year-round weather in different locales. https://weatherspark.com/
+1 to weatherspark. I was going to post about that for Asheville. It's "muggy" during the summertime but by comparison in Raleigh (near where I live) it's beyond "muggy" and into "oppressive" !
https://weatherspark.com/y/17114/Averag ... s-Humidity
https://weatherspark.com/y/20170/Averag ... s-Humidity

I know what Raleigh area is like so I think Asheville by comparison would be great :) Best to give it a try.

There's also Boone, NC which is higher in elevation so a bit cooler/less humid.
https://weatherspark.com/y/17975/Averag ... s-Humidity

Raleigh area has some Costco stores, but not Boone or Asheville.
Tib
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Tib »

Since the OP is averse to high humidity, the West seems a better bet. I suggest Reno or Carson City as a less expensive, less cold alternative to (most places in) Colorado. An added benefit: no state income tax, which (at a minimum) eliminates the bother of estimated state taxes and a state tax return.
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MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:05 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
I don't think TN or NC will solve the humidity issue.

Here's a nice site I like to use to examine year-round weather in different locales. https://weatherspark.com/
Wow what a great site! Very helpful.

Knoxville:
Knoxville, the summers are long, hot, and muggy; the winters are short, very cold, and wet; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 31°F to 88°F and is rarely below 17°F or above 94°F. Muggy 82%.

Asheville:
Asheville, the summers are warm and humid, the winters are short and very cold, and it is wet and partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 28°F to 83°F and is rarely below 14°F or above 89°F. Muggy is 58%.

Big difference.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

sycamore wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:06 pm
dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:05 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
I don't think TN or NC will solve the humidity issue.

Here's a nice site I like to use to examine year-round weather in different locales. https://weatherspark.com/
+1 to weatherspark. I was going to post about that for Asheville. It's "muggy" during the summertime but by comparison in Raleigh (near where I live) it's beyond "muggy" and into "oppressive" !
https://weatherspark.com/y/17114/Averag ... s-Humidity
https://weatherspark.com/y/20170/Averag ... s-Humidity

I know what Raleigh area is like so I think Asheville by comparison would be great :) Best to give it a try.

There's also Boone, NC which is higher in elevation so a bit cooler/less humid.
https://weatherspark.com/y/17975/Averag ... s-Humidity

Raleigh area has some Costco stores, but not Boone or Asheville.
Thanks to you and dogagility for weatherspark. I have a new toy to play with.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

Tib wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:16 pm Since the OP is averse to high humidity, the West seems a better bet. I suggest Reno or Carson City as a less expensive, less cold alternative to (most places in) Colorado. An added benefit: no state income tax, which (at a minimum) eliminates the bother of estimated state taxes and a state tax return.
I'm very averse to humidity. It just drains me. But I'd like to stay in the Midwest for family, friends and cost of living. But also get away from the long winters. Hence my dilemma.

I never really thought about Reno. But it looks like it's close to Sacramento for an airport.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Jack Burton
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Jack Burton »

Agree with many that if you’re looking for dry weather, really anywhere in the eastern US should be crossed off the list.

BUT, I’m in the Indy area and can say Bloomington is a wonderful area and worth checking out.

Closer to Indy proper, Zionsville is my favorite place as it has an actual historic downtown with shops and a brick road on its Main St. Half hour to the airport and is right on 65 which will get you to Chicago in under 3 hours.

If you like boating, Geist reservoir is worth checking out on the NE side. Very affluent neighborhoods immediately around it (think pro athletes), but you don’t have to go far for reasonably priced neighborhoods.
Tib
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Tib »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:33 pm
Tib wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:16 pm Since the OP is averse to high humidity, the West seems a better bet. I suggest Reno or Carson City as a less expensive, less cold alternative to (most places in) Colorado. An added benefit: no state income tax, which (at a minimum) eliminates the bother of estimated state taxes and a state tax return.
I'm very averse to humidity. It just drains me. But I'd like to stay in the Midwest for family, friends and cost of living. But also get away from the long winters. Hence my dilemma.

I never really thought about Reno. But it looks like it's close to Sacramento for an airport.
Reno does have an airport: https://www.renoairport.com/
Johnny Thinwallet
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Johnny Thinwallet »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:33 pm
Tib wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:16 pm Since the OP is averse to high humidity, the West seems a better bet. I suggest Reno or Carson City as a less expensive, less cold alternative to (most places in) Colorado. An added benefit: no state income tax, which (at a minimum) eliminates the bother of estimated state taxes and a state tax return.
I'm very averse to humidity. It just drains me. But I'd like to stay in the Midwest for family, friends and cost of living. But also get away from the long winters. Hence my dilemma.

I never really thought about Reno. But it looks like it's close to Sacramento for an airport.
Excluding Outer Banks, I live in one of the cities that are in your thread title and I've visited the other cities in your thread title numerous times.

With regards to the weather, based on my experience (with Weatherspark to help confirm) the only city that has any chance of meeting your criteria for humidity is going to be Asheville, NC.

You'll still see that in the middle of summer 40-50 percent of days in Asheville would be considered muggy, but the good news is very few days are going to have oppressive humidity. Those other cities, including the one I live in, is going to hit you with numerous days of just oppressive heat and humidity.

Going outside on a day that's 86 or 87 degrees with a dew point of 67 is going to be somewhat uncomfortable, no doubt about it. But compare that to a day that's 91 degrees with a dew point of 72. There's a big difference. The former day it can be tolerable to be outside while the latter day is one that you'll just want to sit in the AC all day. Asheville is likely to have a lot of summer days with the former while those other cities are going to have a lot of summer days with the latter.

The other pro with Asheville is that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is right in your backyard. You'll have options for day trips galore with just a 1-2 hour drive from home. Great hiking, great scenery and a lot of trails/activities will get you 3,000 to 6,000 feet elevation which will be more pleasant (Asheville is about 2,100 feet). There's a reason Asheville is one of the top retirement destinations in this part of the country.

That said, please do go explore those other places because only you and your wife can decide. And even if you just stop by for a few days and rule those cities out, your tourism dollars will certainly be well appreciated. :happy

I'd be happy to give you a few tips on my home city via PM if you'd like so just let me know.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Dottie57 »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:01 pm
Dottie57 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:28 pm When I was about 8 or 9 my family drove to central South Carolina to visit family. We went in july. Hot and humid - like nothing I have experienced since. On the way back we stayed at a HoJo’s and it was were the stinking hot weather was gone. I remember the out door pool and seeing the great smokey mountains against the sky. I hope I get to Asheville again one day.
HoJos! Do you remember the fried clams and they had a a dessert I was crazy for. But now I can't remember :| hot brownie?
Mom loved the fried clams. I learned to love them in my 20’s. I miss HoJo’s. Decent meal on a road trip. Loved the orange roofs.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by toomanysidehustles »

Fort Collins, Colorado.

I spent 25 years on the east coast in NJ, WV, Ga, SC, NC. No thanks, and you really dont escape humidity until you hit the CO, WY, NM, MT border.

You've clearly been here, you know why everyone wants to move here. :)

Winters are typically pretty easy but when i am older and closer to retirement we will likely airbnb in AZ, CA or Costa Rica in Feb and March to work on the base tan.
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Post by IMO »

toomanysidehustles wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:30 pm Fort Collins, Colorado.

I spent 25 years on the east coast in NJ, WV, Ga, SC, NC. No thanks, and you really dont escape humidity until you hit the CO, WY, NM, MT border.

You've clearly been here, you know why everyone wants to move here. :)

Winters are typically pretty easy but when i am older and closer to retirement we will likely airbnb in AZ, CA or Costa Rica in Feb and March to work on the base tan.
OP, you list Fort Collins, CO as a prime choice, and it seems like a great choice. Town is great and it really is the perfect size and location from Denver. Denver itself also being a great all round city.

The other box I think it really ticks off is how relatively convenient it is for both you to visit friend/family (close enough to the midwest), but for those friends/family to come out and visit to partake in the many activities the area provides. I think it's easy to overlook how moving too far away means that it is inconvenient to continue to maintain long time friendships and family relationships. If it's not convenient, as time goes on you'll find it harder and harder to maintain those priceless relationships simply because of the long distances involved to physically spend quality time together (vs. texts/facetime/skype, etc). As friends/family get older and often get health issues, this becomes more crucial as time goes on. Personally, this is my biggest regret of geographically moving away from long time friends/family.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Monster99 »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
East of the Mississippi river and south of the Ohio river will have humidity in the summer. I live in Indy and the humidity is high in the summers... you tend to get used to it.... (but my DW would disagree😄) we have been planning a relocation and Bloomington is on our short list along with West Lafayette, IN. The DW is more of an urban girl and wants to be in a college town...
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by OpenMinded1 »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:21 pm
bwalling wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:13 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:27 am
bwalling wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:20 am
MishkaWorries wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:17 pm We'll start in southern Indiana, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, Asheville and finish in coastal North Carolina. Never been to this area but interested to see if it would be a good fit for retirement.
Having lived in Lexington for a few years, my thought when I drive up to Cincy is "holy heck, how do people live with all this traffic and sprawl". Cincy just seems so out of place with the rest of your list. Metro Cincy is north of 2 million people.
Interesting. I thought Cincy was more a small Midwest type city. I have nothing against a big city I just don't want to live in the urban parts.

Lexington ranks high from all reports but I'm concerned about the heat and humidity. Do the nights get cool enough to make the heat and humidity tolerable?
I'm from Florida, so maybe that colors my answer, but yes. I don't find Lexington too hot at all.

Florida's summer is awful.
I love the idea of living in Florida with the beaches and Gulf of Mexico. December-April is amazing. But I know I could not do the summers.

We're also thinking of snowbirding. Stay in New England for spring, summer and fall and (I guess) rent something in Florida for a couple three winter months. I'm not interested in having two homes.
I have been to Lexington a few times. I live a couple hours from there. Not sure it would meet the OP's objectives of having nice natural features. It certainly isn't in the same class as Colorado or the Carolinas. It isn't near any mountains, oceans, or large lakes. However, there are some picturesque horse farms/ranches there.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by rascott »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:23 am
riskreward wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:44 am I live in Indianapolis area. Winters are not exactly mild but compared to upper midwest may be tolerable.
If interested in this area, I would recommend the community of Carmel. It’s an upscale north suburb of Indy.
We were more thinking of southern Indiana like Nashville or Bloomington. Again not sure about the heat and humidity. Maybe the hill country is cooler?

It's not really cooler...probably slightly warmer than Indy. But not drastically different enough to matter. Still get 4 full seasons, including occasional snow and even some little ski hills in the area. Fall is fabulous.

That area of Indiana is beautiful and tons to do in nature, as far as forests, hiking, boating, etc,. Nashville is a touristy in the fall, but mainly an outdoor/ nature area. Bloomington a great college town.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by rascott »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:29 pm
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:49 pm
dogagility wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:42 am
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 am With your conditions, Lexington is probably the best alternative. Sometimes considered a "city within a park" because of the surrounding farms. Cincinnati is too large and sprawling, is there a small city in southern Indiana?, Knoxville does have the Smokey's but no real airport and I've never seen the Asheville airport but nature is fantastic.
Bloomington is a typical college town in an area of rolling hills. If I were the OP, I'd consider Bloomington well before anything in the Indy metro area.

No Costco though. :twisted:
:D Bloomington is a wonderful small college town. The downtown is walkable and IU is beautiful. When I lived in Indianapolis, we would drive down to the area to get out of the city. Airport seemed to be high on the OP's list along with a little more access to urban amenities. Columbus, IN is also nice particularly because of the unique architecture.
I'm really surprised how much love Indiana gets. You never really hear much about it but many people talk about how nice it is.

Indianapolis airport is very highly ranked for affordable airfare and good quality facilities. I guess it's not a hub so all airlines service it and compete with each other.
I69 is being constructed.... it's almost done with the last leg between Martinsville and Indy now underway. When complete the drive from Bloomington to the Indy Airport will be a breeze. Indy Airport is terrific (was built new from scratch within last decade) as far as ease of access and efficiency. Pre-covid they were continuing to add a lot of nonstop destinations... may take a while to get back to that, but still not a big deal getting most places.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by 3CT_Paddler »

There are several towns west of Asheville by 30-45 minutes that are higher in elevation than Asheville with an even better climate. While it does get hot at times in those areas, it also cools down in the evenings… unlike the Piedmont/coastal areas of NC, SC and GA. I have family in Western NC and it is one of my favorite places on the East Coast.

North Georgia, Greenville/Spartanburg and Chattanooga are similar areas you might want to check out.

Also would second the Reno suggestion if humidity is a big deal. No state income tax. It does get hot in the summer (high desert climate) but depending on where you live in Reno you can be 30 minutes from Tahoe and 2 or 3 hours from Napa. Some pretty good hiking available as well. Reno is vowed as kind of an odd duck place, but there is a strong outdoors culture there and we enjoyed living there the short time that we did. Airport is actually decent… there are direct flights from Reno to the East Coast.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by bwalling »

OpenMinded1 wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 7:51 am
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:21 pm
bwalling wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:13 pm
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:27 am
bwalling wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:20 am

Having lived in Lexington for a few years, my thought when I drive up to Cincy is "holy heck, how do people live with all this traffic and sprawl". Cincy just seems so out of place with the rest of your list. Metro Cincy is north of 2 million people.
Interesting. I thought Cincy was more a small Midwest type city. I have nothing against a big city I just don't want to live in the urban parts.

Lexington ranks high from all reports but I'm concerned about the heat and humidity. Do the nights get cool enough to make the heat and humidity tolerable?
I'm from Florida, so maybe that colors my answer, but yes. I don't find Lexington too hot at all.

Florida's summer is awful.
I love the idea of living in Florida with the beaches and Gulf of Mexico. December-April is amazing. But I know I could not do the summers.

We're also thinking of snowbirding. Stay in New England for spring, summer and fall and (I guess) rent something in Florida for a couple three winter months. I'm not interested in having two homes.
I have been to Lexington a few times. I live a couple hours from there. Not sure it would meet the OP's objectives of having nice natural features. It certainly isn't in the same class as Colorado or the Carolinas. It isn't near any mountains, oceans, or large lakes. However, there are some picturesque horse farms/ranches there.
Just depends on what you want out of nature. Red River Gorge is my happy place. I could disappear into there and never come back out.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Elsebet »

I love PA, OH, and KY. There are a lot of great places to live in those states! I haven't lived in Indianapolis but visited there quite a few times when we lived in Columbus/Cincinnati. I liked Indianapolis but have no direct experience living there.

My husband was born in Lexington, KY and lived there most of his life. He loved it there and I imagine we may consider retiring or at least living there at some point in the future.

We lived in Cincinnati for about 7 years from 2004-2013. We loved it there too - great theater community there if you like plays and musicals. I didn't think the traffic was bad at all compared to bigger cities like Seattle. We used to go downtown in the evenings for shows with no issue. It is often hot and humid in the summer though.

You may consider Columbus, OH also. We lived there from 1996-2004 and I loved it there. I didn't think it was as hot as Cincinnati in the summer but I could be mistaken, it was a long time ago now. Good art and food scene there, but I don't recall as much of a theater community compared to Cincinnati.

We are currently living in Erie, PA. There is definitely snow in the winter but the summers have been long and pleasant. The traffic crews are good at clearing the snow and there are plenty of people to hire to clear snow for you if needed. There are sometimes a few humid days in the summer but we live near the lake and it hasn't really been noticeable compared to Cincinnati. You may want to consider the Great Lakes area also, like Buffalo, NY, Erie, PA, or Cleveland, OH.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by OpenMinded1 »

Elsebet wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 9:12 am I love PA, OH, and KY. There are a lot of great places to live in those states! I haven't lived in Indianapolis but visited there quite a few times when we lived in Columbus/Cincinnati. I liked Indianapolis but have no direct experience living there.

My husband was born in Lexington, KY and lived there most of his life. He loved it there and I imagine we may consider retiring or at least living there at some point in the future.

We lived in Cincinnati for about 7 years from 2004-2013. We loved it there too - great theater community there if you like plays and musicals. I didn't think the traffic was bad at all compared to bigger cities like Seattle. We used to go downtown in the evenings for shows with no issue. It is often hot and humid in the summer though.

You may consider Columbus, OH also. We lived there from 1996-2004 and I loved it there. I didn't think it was as hot as Cincinnati in the summer but I could be mistaken, it was a long time ago now. Good art and food scene there, but I don't recall as much of a theater community compared to Cincinnati.

We are currently living in Erie, PA. There is definitely snow in the winter but the summers have been long and pleasant. The traffic crews are good at clearing the snow and there are plenty of people to hire to clear snow for you if needed. There are sometimes a few humid days in the summer but we live near the lake and it hasn't really been noticeable compared to Cincinnati. You may want to consider the Great Lakes area also, like Buffalo, NY, Erie, PA, or Cleveland, OH.
I was thinking about mentioning PA too. In south central PA, you can be near some nicely preserved mountainous areas. Also, it's a three hour drive from the coast, two and a half hours from Philly and Pittsburgh, and two hours from Baltimore and Washington. You would have four seasons, but none are real extreme. Northwest PA has some things going for it too like Lake Erie, but winters might be somewhat harsh with all the lake-effect wind and snow. PA is also fairly friendly tax-wise for retirees.
Last edited by OpenMinded1 on Wed Jun 23, 2021 6:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by ychuck46 »

Rus In Urbe wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:43 am I live in Syracuse NY, love it, especially the people, the affordability, the excellent medical care (3 major hospitals with world-class cardio & cancer care), many parks and lakes, and fabulous spring/summer/falls. But the winters are snowy, so wouldn't work for you.
I lived in Syracuse for over 30 years, finally escaping the winters and costs there 11 years ago. I don't think I would minimize the winters there by saying they are merely "snowy"; it is the snowiest city in the country, year after year, and winters can be six months long! The winters are bitter, and when the snow comes it sometimes doesn't melt completely until May in a bad year (I remember the city snow pile up in Oswego very well, just to the north of Syracuse, which sometimes didn't melt completely until June or July). And while Syracuse can be less costly than other areas in New York, that is a relative thing. You are still dealing with high state income taxes, high property taxes compared to most of the country, and the bureaucracy and politicians of New York, which are probably the worst negatives of all.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by rascott »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:51 pm
tyrnup13 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:54 pm I will pile it on for Bloomington. I have lived here 13 years and it is a phenomenal community. Very high amount of culture per capita--ethnic food, music, opera, etc. The biggest negative is humidity in the summers. I like cardio, and in the summer it is done either early in the morning or indoors. This lasts two or three months. Winters are mild.

One hour to the IND airport door to door.
Lots of grocery stores including a coop. No Costco but there is Sam's.
Large lake for recreation. There is also Brown County State Park 20 min away--great mountain biking and hiking trails there.
Uh oh. Everything sounded great until the humid part. That's why we're also going to Tennessee and NC. I'm hoping getting some elevation will solve (or lessen) the humidity issue.
I've spent a lot of time in the Smokeys. The humidity is no better there than in Indiana (and sometimes much worse) and is it's generally hotter for longer. MAYBE some of the higher elevations in NC are a bit better, but it will not be "dry" in any manner during the summer. It will be hot, and possibly very humid.

Winters aren't generally sunny in Indiana. May get a week here or there of nicer weather. But there are a lot of gray days. Probably the biggest negative of Ohio Valley winters.

Honestly Colorado probably has closest weather to what you want. But everyone else has figured that out as well, and property values in suburban areas are Rocky Mtn high now.

California (some) is basically the only place that has great weather year round (maybe Hawaii, if you like tropical). Anywhere else is tradeoffs.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by zeep »

Definitely check out Asheville and surrounding area. It's got an odd mix of funky, hipster vibe coupled with retirees in surrounding areas and country club communities around Biltmore Village. Real estate has skyrocketed, and the cost of living is higher than you'd think. Make sure you spend sometime in Asheville as well as some close by communities with a different feel (Black Mountain, Hendersonville) or read some of the area profiles posted by realtors. [For example, if you don't like the Austin/Portlandia vibe in Asheville proper, check out nearby Hendersonville]

Asheville's airport serves most of the major East Coast and Midwest hubs, and is an Allegiant focus city. If you are a Delta/Skyteam flyer, note that there is very frequent service to ATL. Greenville-Spartanburg airport is one hour away with more frequent nonstop service to most hubs and major Eastern US destinations, and is served by Southwest. Charlotte is 2 hours away with decent international service thru AA. ATL is 3 hours away without traffic.

For destinations where there is not a nonstop flight from AVL, I think you'd most likely either (i) use GSP, (2) connect thru ATL on DL/Skyteam, (3) drive to Charlotte and fly AA/Oneworld. Getting in and out of AVL and GSP is so much easier than ATL and CLT that it offsets some of the driving time since you need to arrive so much earlier at the large hubs. The trade-off is less frequent service and the risk of misconnections.

Good luck
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by JackoC »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:33 pm
Tib wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:16 pm Since the OP is averse to high humidity, the West seems a better bet. I suggest Reno or Carson City as a less expensive, less cold alternative to (most places in) Colorado. An added benefit: no state income tax, which (at a minimum) eliminates the bother of estimated state taxes and a state tax return.
I'm very averse to humidity. It just drains me. But I'd like to stay in the Midwest for family, friends and cost of living. But also get away from the long winters. Hence my dilemma.

I never really thought about Reno. But it looks like it's close to Sacramento for an airport.
Really depends just how much you dislike humidity (I would say I dislike it, but live with it in the NY area). But as others said if you want to just not deal with it, nor very cold winters, you're talking the West and loads of places open up. Then it's a matter of how far they are from family and/or cultural comfort zone. Again for example we, long time residents of NY area, like Reno on paper and also liked it when we visited...but it would be awfully far from our kids, and a pretty different place.

We just did a very long car trip (~7k miles) including Asheville (first stop) and out as far as NV and eastern OR and WA. There was a 'heatwave' but 100F, which we encountered in both Lewiston ID and Helena MT (both nice places IMO), at single digit % humidity, is nothing compared to 90 with typical accompanying humidity in NY, not worse than 80 and humid, to me. A very interesting place for weather that we stopped was Ely NV (to see Great Basin NP about 1hr away). It has the second highest number of nights below freezing per year of a long list of municipalities in the US, significantly more than Duluth MN (not as *far* below 32 obviously), first is Alamosa CO where we also stopped (to see Great Sand Dunes NP, in the San Luis valley, a pretty severe desert in south/central CO). The day we drove to Ely it had been 92 and sand storming in Goblin Valley State Park in UT in the afternoon, but reached 29 in a mountain pass that night approaching Ely, in mid June. :shock: I don't know how bad Western heat waves might get in the future but I love the dry, and the precipitous drop in temperature when the sun goes down.
Last edited by JackoC on Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by dogagility »

rascott wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 12:08 pm Winters aren't generally sunny in Indiana. May get a week here or there of nicer weather. But there are a lot of gray days.
That was one of the two reasons we left Indiana. Just too many gray days in winter.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by NancyABQ »

ychuck46 wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 12:06 pm
Rus In Urbe wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:43 am I live in Syracuse NY, love it, especially the people, the affordability, the excellent medical care (3 major hospitals with world-class cardio & cancer care), many parks and lakes, and fabulous spring/summer/falls. But the winters are snowy, so wouldn't work for you.
I lived in Syracuse for over 30 years, finally escaping the winters and costs there 11 years ago. I don't think I would minimize the winters there by saying they are merely "snowy"; it is the snowiest city in the country, year after year, and winters can be six months long! The winters are bitter, and when the snow comes it sometimes doesn't melt completely until May in a bad year (I remember the city snow pile up in Oswego very well, just to the north of Syracuse, which sometimes didn't melt completely until June or July). [...]
I grew up in Rochester, NY. We got tons of snow there, but we also got less than Syracuse, Buffalo, and Erie, just because of how the lake effect patterns work. I remember as a kid watching the weather and being disappointed because the big storms seldom hit us, while they were hitting all around us. I would really not recommend those places to anybody who is trying to avoid significant snow!
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by JupiterJones »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:09 am
Rus In Urbe wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:43 am Put Louisville KY on your list instead of Cin. It's not where I live but Louisville is young and vibrant (good for us retirees) and mild climate. Great restaurants, up and coming. Affordable too.
Thanks for the Louisville tip. If the weather is suitable in that area we'll definitely check it out.
I was about to mention Louisville too. If you're willing to live in Bloomington, IN, you might as well consider heading a bit further south. You'll get a bigger, but still navigable city, with all the amenities that gets you (art, theater, restaurants, healthcare, etc.) Plus a good-sized airport that's right in town.

And a beautiful river. And bourbon. Worth a stop on your trip at least!

BTW, the "Louisville area" includes some of Indiana, so you could still live in that state if you wanted to (New Albany, Jeffersonville, etc.). Although retirement taxes are a much better deal in KY if I recall correctly.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by andypanda »

In addition to only having a single 21 bed hospital on the Outer Banks, the airports are single lane. :) There's a strip at the Wright Brothers Memorial, one at the village of Frisco and one on Ocracoke Island. Okay, I forgot the twin strips of the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island.

To put some numbers to it.
"the Outer Banks is easily accessible from Norfolk International Airport (82 miles north), Raleigh Durham International Airport (192 miles west), or Coastal Carolina Airport (138 miles southwest). Expect a scenic drive in and one filled with anticipation." That 82 miles can turn into much more than 2 hours if you try it on a Saturday when the weekly summer rentals turn over.

I love the Outer Banks, just got back from Ocracoke. The free ferry from Hatteras Village takes 65 minutes fwiw. And humidity is good for you. :) At least it's not snow and ice.
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MP173 »

Consider (as many above have indicated) both Bloomington and Columbus, Indiana.

In fact, if you want nature...find a house on Monroe Lake (between Bloomington and Columbus near Nashville). Yes, it will be somewhat hot and humid in the summer, but manageable. Yes, there will be snow (more ice) in the winter. Fall is outstanding. Indiana University is nearby for that U - vibe and the Indy airport is fairly close. Good healthcare in Indy...probably in Bloomington also.

Columbus is an interesting town. Lots of corporate money (Cummins) and surprisingly for a small town - unique architecture.

Evansville is a little more gritty but the economy is solid. I grew up close and the humidity in the summer is high.

I like Louisville and Lexington both. Lexington is a very pretty area. Stunning.

South of Cincinnati in Ky is also pretty.

Good luck on your research...keep us posted.

Ed
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MishkaWorries
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Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:39 pm

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

Thanks to you all for the posts. We decided to chop off the Outerbanks area in favor of adding more time to southern Indiana and to add Louisville.

Looking at weatherspark.com (what a great site!) It looks like Indianapolis is about as humid as Asheville. The Knoxville humidity is much higher. Us it really that bad there? We'll have to see what it feels like when we're in the various areas.
We plan. G-d laughs.
Golf maniac
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Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2017 1:02 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Golf maniac »

I live in Florida year round (moved back to my home state a little over 2 years ago in a 55+ retirement community) but I have several friends who spend 6 months here renting (November to April) and 6 months in Indiana. They love the split between the two and love spending the summers in Indiana. I have lived in North Carolina and know both the Outer Banks and Asheville. I don’t think the Outer Banks will meet your requirements. Asheville is beautiful and may meet your needs, however, it can be cliquish and newcomers sometimes have a hard time. A split between a winter place and summer place may be the best way to meet all your requirements. There are some great 55+ communities in the warmer states including Florida or Arizona. It shouldn’t be an issue finding a rental for the winter. Best of luck.
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BogleFanGal
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Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:59 pm

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by BogleFanGal »

OP: I hope you'll update the thread upon your return...following everyone's suggestions with interest and would love to hear your impressions after you visit some of these destinations in person.
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Kenkat
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Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:18 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Kenkat »

Today would have been a great day to visit Cincinnati. High of 71 degrees and the dew point is 41.

Spoiler Alert: it won’t last

All of the cities mentioned in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and North Carolina are going to be hot and humid in the summer.
stan1
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Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:35 pm

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by stan1 »

Seems like quite a few places that people leave for AZ or FL are being listed. So it really is what you want. If lack of humidity and fewer flying/biting bugs and are key considerations then Front Range seems a better choice.

Maybe a tornado, but at least no hurricane evacuations there either.

And if you are considering Colorado you should also consider Utah: Midway/Heber City (now becoming expensive though), Utah Valley, St. George.
hudson
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Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:15 am

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by hudson »

From your choices, I like Colorado and Asheville.
Why? Mountains, steep creeks, valleys, hiking, mountain biking, camping, whitewater
Don’t throw me in that briar patch!
rbslos36
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:56 pm

Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by rbslos36 »

“Put Louisville KY on your list instead of Cin. It's not where I live but Louisville is young and vibrant (good for us retirees) and mild climate. Great restaurants, up and coming. Affordable too.”

I live in Louisville and will retire in Louisville in a few years. It is a fantastic retirement city-theater, bourbon, arts and very scenic parks (Deigned by Frederick Olmsted) for walking, biking and running. The cost of living is lower than most similar size cities. The food scene is exceptional. The Winters are fairly mild, Summers can get hot but not unbearable and Spring and Fall are amazing. My family btw began in Maine!
Best of luck!
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