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

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

Post by MishkaWorries »

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.
Last edited by MishkaWorries on Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:42 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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AerialP
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Location: Central Kentucky

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

Post by AerialP »

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.
Lexington is my hometown - I currently live a 20 minute drive from the heart of downtown but am definitely out in the countryside. They have had an Urban Growth Boundary for decades which does very well to preserve the idyllic surrounding rural areas. One of the largest cities I know of which does not have an expressway punching through the downtown. Lots of history, lots of culture (it is the home of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's flagship university), very good healthcare. Excellent farm-to-table options, a thriving Farmer's Market scene (various days of the week in different locations) and CSA options. Central Kentucky has some of the best soils on the continent and sustainable agriculture on small-scale farms is definitely a thing. Four unmistakable seasons (vibrant Spring and Autumn, humid spell in Summer but doesn't linger on for months like the Deep South, and winters can get quite cold but not for long) but also at a latitude and geography where year-round we have a dynamic of Arctic vs Tropical playing out above us.
A 75 minute drive gets you to Cincinnati Int'l Airport which is a bit of a hub and currently has direct flights to Paris, but the Lexington Bluegrass airport is not puny with plentiful direct flights to hubs in all directions.
Decently low cost of living, decently high quality of life. I hope you enjoy your visit and consider it strongly!
flyingaway
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by flyingaway »

I live in one of your mentioned cities (***). It us not too bad.
I personally prefer a warmer place without state income, Las Vegas or Tampa. But moving to a place in which you know nobody is difficult.
riskreward
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by riskreward »

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.
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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: 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,
What kind of activity do you like to do outdoors?
4. Nice nature.
I've lived in Indianapolis suburbs for a few years and many other places in the US too. I don't consider Indy a nature lover's place to live.
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.
Since you have only 2 weeks or so, I'd skip Indianapolis since (in my opinion) it doesn't check the box of "nice nature".

I'd be looking at the larger cities of Kentucky and Tennessee, or Asheville with your criteria. Wilmington, NC might fit the bill too; winters will be short.
Make sure you check out my list of certifications. The list is short, and there aren't any. - Eric 0. from SMA
bwalling
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by bwalling »

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

Post by MDfan »

If you're going to look in coastal NC, you should go a little more south and check out North Myrtle/Southern NC area. Asheville seems to check off a lot of your boxes. Close to Blue Ridge Parkway and Smoky Mountains. Not too far from Charlotte Airport and Asheville has its own smaller airport (2 hours maybe to Charlotte?). Maybe Knoxville, too (has all of the stores, the airport, and close to Smokies), but it gets hot in the summer.
oldfatguy
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by oldfatguy »

AerialP wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:11 pm
Lexington is my hometown ... Four unmistakable seasons (vibrant Spring and Autumn, humid spell in Summer but doesn't linger on for months like the Deep South, and winters can get quite cold but not for long)
Lived in Lexington for 4 very long years, and have an entirely different view of the weather. Way too hot and humid for me all summer. I can count on one hand the number of times there was any snowfall in winter (and never more than a dusting) ... much more common was cold rain that froze to ice on the roads overnight.

Personally, I would never live that far south again, but everyone's preferences are different.
The Stone Wall
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by The Stone Wall »

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

Post by TheDogFather »

Shenandoah Valley in northern Virginia might fit the bill.
Last edited by TheDogFather on Thu Jun 22, 2023 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bob60014
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by bob60014 »

Though it may be on the smaller size, but based on your overall criteria, Ashville would be high on my list. Being in "reasonable" distance to international airports CLT, RDU and ATL factors into this too.
aristotelian
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by aristotelian »

Outer Banks doesn't work for airport. I think the closest is Norfolk which is a couple hours away from anywhere nice (90 minutes to Nags Head). I wouldn't call Cincinnati winter mild. I don't know how you could see the whole "Midwest/SE" in two weeks enough to help you decide anything. I hear Chattanooga is nice. Maybe take a look at Maryland eastern shore or is that too far north? Or Charleston.
Rus In Urbe
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Rus In Urbe »

Or Charleston.
Charming city but be sure to visit anytime from June to September, when you will collapse in the heat and humidity and find out what it's like to huddle by your AC for 1/3 of the year. Ugh, not for me.

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 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.

Coastal NC (the Outer Banks) is where I've spent summer vacations since childhood is an absolutely wonderful part of the world. But given the rise in sea levels and the increase in hurricane activities, I would never ever buy property there. Rent maybe. It's challenging, as pointed out earlier, to get to an airport (Norfolk is a long way away) and advanced medical care is lacking. Great for vacations, but you need to be rugged and committed to live there.

Have fun shopping!
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. ~Pablo Picasso
exodusNH
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by exodusNH »

Rus In Urbe wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:43 am
Or Charleston.
Charming city but be sure to visit anytime from June to September, when you will collapse in the heat and humidity and find out what it's like to huddle by your AC for 1/3 of the year. Ugh, not for me.
I second this! I was in SC for a week in October. My hotel room had air conditioning AND a in-room dehumidifier. I emptied the bucket before I went to sleep; it was full in the morning. In comparison, in New Hampshire, my basement dehumidifier needs to be emptied every 3-5 days in July-September.
kleiner
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by kleiner »

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 too lived in Syracuse for several years and loved the area. Much too cold and snowy for most people but I really enjoyed it.
Rus In Urbe
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by Rus In Urbe »

Rus In Urbe wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:43 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.

kleiner wrote:
I too lived in Syracuse for several years and loved the area. Much too cold and snowy for most people but I really enjoyed it.
Now that I'm retired we break up the winter by going away for the month of February (this year, to Rome). As we age, that gives us just enough snow (White Christmas and some snowshoeing in January), and a bit more in March when we return, and then it's time to dig in the garden. Works for us.

And housing in Syracuse is one of the very cheapest in the USA; great bargains here.
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. ~Pablo Picasso
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

I'm overwhelmed with all the helpful replies. Thank you all so much.
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 »

AerialP wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:11 pm
Lexington is my hometown - I currently live a 20 minute drive from the heart of downtown but am definitely out in the countryside. They have had an Urban Growth Boundary for decades which does very well to preserve the idyllic surrounding rural areas. One of the largest cities I know of which does not have an expressway punching through the downtown. Lots of history, lots of culture (it is the home of the Commonwealth of Kentucky's flagship university), very good healthcare. Excellent farm-to-table options, a thriving Farmer's Market scene (various days of the week in different locations) and CSA options. Central Kentucky has some of the best soils on the continent and sustainable agriculture on small-scale farms is definitely a thing. Four unmistakable seasons (vibrant Spring and Autumn, humid spell in Summer but doesn't linger on for months like the Deep South, and winters can get quite cold but not for long) but also at a latitude and geography where year-round we have a dynamic of Arctic vs Tropical playing out above us.
A 75 minute drive gets you to Cincinnati Int'l Airport which is a bit of a hub and currently has direct flights to Paris, but the Lexington Bluegrass airport is not puny with plentiful direct flights to hubs in all directions.
Decently low cost of living, decently high quality of life. I hope you enjoy your visit and consider it strongly!
What's the summer like? The reason we're going in July/August is to check the comfort level of heat and humidity.
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 »

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

Post by MishkaWorries »

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?
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 »

TheDogFather wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:57 am Shenandoah Valley in northern Virginia might fit the bill. We are moving to a Trilogy O55 community on Lake Frederick close to Shenandoah National Park.
That's on a future list. We'd love to be close to Dulles so we're looking western VA and eastern WVA but I've been in DC in the summer and the hear and humidity just melted me. We're hoping the mountains will moderate the temperatures.
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 »

bob60014 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:18 am Though it may be on the smaller size, but based on your overall criteria, Ashville would be high on my list. Being in "reasonable" distance to international airports CLT, RDU and ATL factors into this too.
Interesting thought about Atlanta for an airport. For some reason never considered it before. Don't know why.
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 »

aristotelian wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:26 am Outer Banks doesn't work for airport. I think the closest is Norfolk which is a couple hours away from anywhere nice (90 minutes to Nags Head). I wouldn't call Cincinnati winter mild. I don't know how you could see the whole "Midwest/SE" in two weeks enough to help you decide anything. I hear Chattanooga is nice. Maybe take a look at Maryland eastern shore or is that too far north? Or Charleston.
We're just doing a drive-by. More as a weather and nature check. I decided it's time to stop daydreaming about retirement and to start to actively plan. Hopefully that will help the time to go by.

Charleston is a great city but no way could we live there. I spent a summer in Macon, GA and hated every minute of the summer heat and humidity.
We plan. G-d laughs.
aristotelian
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by aristotelian »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:40 am
aristotelian wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:26 am Outer Banks doesn't work for airport. I think the closest is Norfolk which is a couple hours away from anywhere nice (90 minutes to Nags Head). I wouldn't call Cincinnati winter mild. I don't know how you could see the whole "Midwest/SE" in two weeks enough to help you decide anything. I hear Chattanooga is nice. Maybe take a look at Maryland eastern shore or is that too far north? Or Charleston.
We're just doing a drive-by. More as a weather and nature check. I decided it's time to stop daydreaming about retirement and to start to actively plan. Hopefully that will help the time to go by.

Charleston is a great city but no way could we live there. I spent a summer in Macon, GA and hated every minute of the summer heat and humidity.
I have never been there actually but was thinking being on the water it would be comparable to the Outer Banks but with an airport. I hate to say it, if you don't like hot and humid you should not be looking in the Southeast at all and even the Midwest is pretty bad. Seems like Pacific Northwest would be your ideal climate, or maybe the northern regions of the Southwest.
lostinjersey
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by lostinjersey »

[/quote]

I hate to say it, if you don't like hot and humid you should not be looking in the Southeast at all and even the Midwest is pretty bad. Seems like Pacific Northwest would be your ideal climate, or maybe the northern regions of the Southwest.
[/quote]

This. I’ve lived all over the US and you’re not going to escape the heat and humidity unless you head west. Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and northern New Mexico and Arizona are your best bets. Or the west coast. California goes without saying.
Topic Author
MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

Rus In Urbe wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:43 am
Or Charleston.
Charming city but be sure to visit anytime from June to September, when you will collapse in the heat and humidity and find out what it's like to huddle by your AC for 1/3 of the year. Ugh, not for me.

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 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.

Coastal NC (the Outer Banks) is where I've spent summer vacations since childhood is an absolutely wonderful part of the world. But given the rise in sea levels and the increase in hurricane activities, I would never ever buy property there. Rent maybe. It's challenging, as pointed out earlier, to get to an airport (Norfolk is a long way away) and advanced medical care is lacking. Great for vacations, but you need to be rugged and committed to live there.

Have fun shopping!
Thanks for the Louisville tip. If the weather is suitable in that area we'll definitely check it out.

I wouldn't mind going back to the NE but I'm just done with long winters.
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 »

aristotelian wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:50 am
MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:40 am
aristotelian wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:26 am Outer Banks doesn't work for airport. I think the closest is Norfolk which is a couple hours away from anywhere nice (90 minutes to Nags Head). I wouldn't call Cincinnati winter mild. I don't know how you could see the whole "Midwest/SE" in two weeks enough to help you decide anything. I hear Chattanooga is nice. Maybe take a look at Maryland eastern shore or is that too far north? Or Charleston.
We're just doing a drive-by. More as a weather and nature check. I decided it's time to stop daydreaming about retirement and to start to actively plan. Hopefully that will help the time to go by.

Charleston is a great city but no way could we live there. I spent a summer in Macon, GA and hated every minute of the summer heat and humidity.
I have never been there actually but was thinking being on the water it would be comparable to the Outer Banks but with an airport. I hate to say it, if you don't like hot and humid you should not be looking in the Southeast at all and even the Midwest is pretty bad. Seems like Pacific Northwest would be your ideal climate, or maybe the northern regions of the Southwest.
We're hoping the mountains will help with the humidity. We love summers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, etc. Even when it gets hot, the nights cool things down enough you can still enjoy most of the day.

The PNW is too grey, cold and damp. Eastern Washington/Idaho may be an option.

We really enjoyed Colorado. That really ticked a lot of boxes for us. There's the winter issue but it seems better since there is a lot of sun in the wintertime. We didn't connect with northern NM. It was so different it seemed kinda alien to us 😂
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 »

lostinjersey wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:05 am
I hate to say it, if you don't like hot and humid you should not be looking in the Southeast at all and even the Midwest is pretty bad. Seems like Pacific Northwest would be your ideal climate, or maybe the northern regions of the Southwest.
[/quote]

This. I’ve lived all over the US and you’re not going to escape the heat and humidity unless you head west. Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and northern New Mexico and Arizona are your best bets. Or the west coast. California goes without saying.
[/quote]
California is the ideal. But the cost of living would concern me. Taxes and benefits are pretty good if you're able to control your income but the other costs can be eyewatering.

If I had to guess, we'll end up in California or Colorado. But I'm one of those people who has to exhaust all options before making a decision.
We plan. G-d laughs.
aristotelian
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by aristotelian »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:18 am We're hoping the mountains will help with the humidity. We love summers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, etc. Even when it gets hot, the nights cool things down enough you can still enjoy most of the day.

The PNW is too grey, cold and damp. Eastern Washington/Idaho may be an option.

We really enjoyed Colorado. That really ticked a lot of boxes for us. There's the winter issue but it seems better since there is a lot of sun in the wintertime. We didn't connect with northern NM. It was so different it seemed kinda alien to us 😂
That makes sense. I was thrown off by Outer Banks being on your list as well as Lexington and Cincinnati. Problem with Wisconsin and Michigan is the winters are pretty extreme. In the southeast you might check out Asheville and Harrisonburg, VA which have some elevation.
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FrugalInvestor
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by FrugalInvestor »

The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 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.
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.
That would be Bloomington, Indiana (home of Indiana University) which would likely be a much better candidate than Indianapolis depending on your definition of 'close' to airport. It's one hour south of Indianapolis.
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lostinjersey
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by lostinjersey »

Coastal California around the big cities is expensive, yes. But a lot of CA is much more reasonably priced. You might be surprised - I wouldn’t write it off without a closer look.
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dogagility
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by dogagility »

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

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

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... :)
Last edited by LittleMaggieMae on Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
LittleMaggieMae
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

Friends bought their 'retirement' home in Knoxville - they spent a couple of years vacationing in various places that weren't too hot/too cold and that were closer to where their extended family had settled (they are 3 hours from said family).

They really like Knoxville... but then they were "suburbanites" when they lived here - so they do almost all of the things there that they did here (they garden, golf, do light sightseeing (go to a corn maze or visit the zoo or botanical gardens), go to the Movies and Dinner. They enjoy the view of the hills/trees from their enclosed porch or when sitting out at their fire pit.

They get a bit of snow - which shuts down everything (but it only lasts a day or two). Ice storms are the issue.
Last edited by LittleMaggieMae on Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
audioengr
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by audioengr »

The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 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.
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.
Lexington is lovely, we vacationed up that way a couple of years ago.

Knoxville is home for us, it does get warm in the summer (up into the 90s), but we have 4 real seasons. Not a lot of snow, maybe a couple/few inches every year. (Almost any snow does close the schools.)

For the outdoors, you can't beat Knoxville. We're building out the "Urban Wilderness" in South Knoxville. Miles of hiking/biking trails. Several parks in the city. The Tennessee River runs right though downtown, and forms 3 TVA lakes all within 30 minutes drive. The Smokey Mountains are an hour to the south (most visited National Park in the country). Knoxville sits in the valley between two mountain ranges, the Cumberlands to the west and the Appalachians to the east.

We do have an airport, Tyson McGee - it's not a huge airport, but does have direct flights to Florida and Las Vegas. And connecting flights to all of the major hubs. The good news is, never long lines to get through security. Lol

Asheville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Lexington are all about 2 hours away. Atlanta 3 hours, Charlotte 4 hours, and any number of great long weekend trips are within a few hours drive.

There are lots of cultural activities as well, including any number of things at the University of Tennessee. Go Vols.
CoastLawyer2030
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by CoastLawyer2030 »

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

Post by bwalling »

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

Post by TheDogFather »

MishkaWorries wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:33 am
TheDogFather wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:57 am Shenandoah Valley in northern Virginia might fit the bill. We are moving to a Trilogy O55 community on Lake Frederick close to Shenandoah National Park.
That's on a future list. We'd love to be close to Dulles so we're looking western VA and eastern WVA but I've been in DC in the summer and the hear and humidity just melted me. We're hoping the mountains will moderate the temperatures.
Yes, one hour to Dulles is a big plus as many long-haul flights are direct from there. DC for museums and tons of retail in the Virginia suburbs not too far away. And with the affluence of northern Virginia there are many very good restaurants, vineyards etc. nearby.

It is often humid and warm in the middle of summer but being on a lake and with the option to get up a 3000 or 4000 foot mountain in a relatively short drive is another attraction. Once you find somewhere that is cool enough in the summer you run the risk of long winters. The WV mountains certainly are like that, and lack resources if you want more than isolation.
stan1
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by stan1 »

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?
May as well look at Columbus, too.

When you said Southern Indiana I was thinking Evansville, which I would not recommend because there is not a lot of economic opportunity. A retiree might think economic opportunity doesn't matter but I do think retirement will be more enjoyable when your neighbors and community members are optimistic about the future. Similar decision on whether to move to a location where the economy is primarily tourism. Or, depending upon where the economy heads, a desirable location where people move to and are able to telework from.
The Stone Wall
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by The Stone Wall »

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

Post by flyninjasquirrel »

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

Post by MishkaWorries »

FrugalInvestor wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:28 am
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 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.
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.
That would be Bloomington, Indiana (home of Indiana University) which would likely be a much better candidate than Indianapolis depending on your definition of 'close' to airport. It's one hour south of Indianapolis.
We're definitely going to check out Bloomington and Nashville (IN). A lot of people say Indianapolis is a nice city and southern Indiana is beautiful. So we'll go explore.
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 »

lostinjersey wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:37 am Coastal California around the big cities is expensive, yes. But a lot of CA is much more reasonably priced. You might be surprised - I wouldn’t write it off without a closer look.
Shhh. Don't tell the wife. She really likes just about everything California. The weather, the vibe, ocean, mountains, beaches (except the homeless problem-- one crazy tried to attack her). The costs of California scare me!

If you have any suggestions of reasonable cost California cities close to airport with the nice weather and easy access to good airport, we'll be all ears.
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 »

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:
:annoyed
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 »

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.
We plan. G-d laughs.
chazas
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by chazas »

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.
Last edited by chazas on Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MishkaWorries
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Re: Looking at Retirement Area Indianapolis->Cincinnati->Lexington->Knoxville-> Ashville->Outerbanks

Post by MishkaWorries »

audioengr wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:50 am
The Stone Wall wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:37 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.
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.
Lexington is lovely, we vacationed up that way a couple of years ago.

Knoxville is home for us, it does get warm in the summer (up into the 90s), but we have 4 real seasons. Not a lot of snow, maybe a couple/few inches every year. (Almost any snow does close the schools.)

For the outdoors, you can't beat Knoxville. We're building out the "Urban Wilderness" in South Knoxville. Miles of hiking/biking trails. Several parks in the city. The Tennessee River runs right though downtown, and forms 3 TVA lakes all within 30 minutes drive. The Smokey Mountains are an hour to the south (most visited National Park in the country). Knoxville sits in the valley between two mountain ranges, the Cumberlands to the west and the Appalachians to the east.

We do have an airport, Tyson McGee - it's not a huge airport, but does have direct flights to Florida and Las Vegas. And connecting flights to all of the major hubs. The good news is, never long lines to get through security. Lol

Asheville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Lexington are all about 2 hours away. Atlanta 3 hours, Charlotte 4 hours, and any number of great long weekend trips are within a few hours drive.

There are lots of cultural activities as well, including any number of things at the University of Tennessee. Go Vols.
Are summers too humid to enjoy the outdoors? We're big on walking and enjoy the walking and bike trails they're building now. So much better than walking through our neighborhood every day. :D
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 »

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.
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 »

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.
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 »

stan1 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:44 pm
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?
May as well look at Columbus, too.

When you said Southern Indiana I was thinking Evansville, which I would not recommend because there is not a lot of economic opportunity. A retiree might think economic opportunity doesn't matter but I do think retirement will be more enjoyable when your neighbors and community members are optimistic about the future. Similar decision on whether to move to a location where the economy is primarily tourism. Or, depending upon where the economy heads, a desirable location where people move to and are able to telework from.
Thanks for the suggestion. We'll look around there too.
We plan. G-d laughs.
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