10 Best Outdoorsy Places to Retire

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Central Oregon home to all things outdoors. One of the best for road and mountain biking, golfing (dozens of courses) downhill and cross country skiing, Cascades mountains and lakes and a river running right thru downtown.
WE lived there for three years and are going to retire there soon we hope

Sammie of CA 11:49AM August 06, 2008

I guess traffic is a subjective thing. I lived in Orange County for several years and moved to Carlsbad awhile ago. Compared to Orange County, traffic is almost non-existent. Since the housing crisis, home prices have fallen about 20%. The southern half of Carlsbad is new so you have a choice of some very nice, but quaint homes in the north or newer, larger homes in the south. The city is well run. The weather is great with moderate temps and little rain. The city is working on a desalinization project to get fresh water from the ocean. There's great shopping and restaurants, but no crowding. People come from all over the world to vacation here, I feel fortunate that I live here.

of CA 10:02PM August 05, 2008

We originally retired where we lived; above the beach in Dana Point, CA with a second home in Palm Valley CC, Palm Desert, CA. After three retirement years we downsized to the Palm Desert location and spent July and August in the Northwest (Seattle, WA, Park City, UT and Sedona, AZ), however, after seven or eight years, even Palm Desert seemed too "urbanized." After spending two months in 1999 and 2000 in Sedona,AZ, we sold everything and in early 2002 relocated to within a block of Oak Creek Country Club in the Village of Oak Creek, Sedona, AZ. Best move we ever made. No streetlights, altitude of 4,300 feet, a village of 2,500 people eight miles from uptown Sedona, spectacular red rock mountain and white water creek views, great resturants, three first class golf courses, no land for the greedy developers to start expanding, non existant crime, no drug hustlers, etc; hells bells, we don't even have (or need) a police force! A Yavapai County Deputy drives through once a day; on the other hand we also have a trained, armed, voluntary Deputy Sheriff brigade that ensures the "Biker Gangs/Dope smugglers, etc. stay the hell out of here! Two drawbacks: (1) Home prices begin in the $400,000 range through $2.5 million and don't seem to be affected by the existing US downsized real estate market, and (2) You face a 55 mile drive to Prescott or Flagstaff for a typical suburban shopping mall.

Earl McLeod of AZ 9:02PM August 05, 2008

I'm starting to feel like some of the people in HI and Portland,OR. Thanks for visiting and spending your money here, but please go home!
The Texas Hill Country WAS an undiscovered little slice of heaven with a nice low cost of living. Several towns around the area have been listed by various magazines as "Best Place to Retire" over the past few years. Now the same people that ruined California with overcrowding and resultant high costs have found us.
I have my place at Canyon Lake and it is a great spot to beat the TX summer heat. Come visit, but don't totally unpack the car.

Art from PA of TX 4:07PM August 05, 2008

I've lived in Carlsbad for over 11 years and I've NEVER seen any smog. The breeze blows off the Pacific continuously almost every day. The people are friendly, the shopping and restaurants are great. It's got the best municipal golf course I've ever played (The Crossings). As far as cultural stimulation, you're just a short drive or train ride away from San Diego and Orange County, where you can attend plays, the symphony or watch the Padres or Angels play. There are free concerts in the park every Friday in the summer. The city is run by well with a great mayor and city council who actually run it like a business so the services are great. The police department is first rate. I wouldn't live anywhere else!

dave lord of CA 3:59PM August 05, 2008

We moved from affluent Westport, Ct. to Carlsbad, Calif. and it was awful............the air is polluted from the convergence from LA and TJ; the drinking water is a carcinogen (think Perchlorate..endocrine disruptor); and living 2 blocks from the ocean (always in the 60s water temp.) was not conducive to wearing a wet suit. We found the cost of living much lower than the northeast for sure. Not enough intellectual stimulation for us. We moved and did find Paradise in Naples, Florida. Cleanest beaches in the US, sand like sugar, water has no radioactivity, etc., and the air is pristine (no heavy industry). Lots of art galleries, Philharmonic, flat land to bike and lots of rules!!

Gail Marcus of FL 5:50PM August 04, 2008

Well written, Kim. Assume it is on line only-not in the printed mag.? Also current issue indexes "10 Brainiest Places to Ret." Do you know when this will be indexed?
My computer/browser does not down load your links to Hilo, HAW. or Winchester, Va., for example. Can get the Wichester web site with no problem, independently.
Winchester is a great location for mountain people, with Shenandoah University and a fine Medical Center. The mountains nearby include the Blue Ridge, all the MIddle Appalachians, the Alleghenies in W.Va. And two major National Forests as well as Shenandoah Nat'l Park. All with recreational facilities

Bill Jones of VA 10:11AM August 02, 2008

We live just south of Carlsbad, and I grew up and have spent most of my adult life in San Diego County. I just want to forewarn anyone thinking of retiring here of the high cost of living, high taxes and the hectic freeway situation.Homes near the beach are quite expensive (a million bucks, easily), so most folks have to drive in some of the heaviest traffic in Southern California to get to the beach. No, I'm not trying to scare you away (like the folks in Hawaii who post "Warning/Sharks" on the best beaches). Just approach this recommendation in USNWR with a grain of salt.

Southern Cal Gal of CA 8:11PM August 01, 2008

Don, You are correct that these topics are not addressed in the article but they are covered if you follow the links to the top 10 locations.

Scott Fort of AL 7:27PM August 01, 2008

We live at Canyon Lake,TX which is on your list. We sometimes say it is like little Colorado with the rolling hills and beautiful views overlooking Canyon Lake. Canyon Lake is 12 mles from New Braunfels, TX. South on I-35 will take you to San Antonio and North I-35 will take you to Austin, TX.
Canyon Lake is thirty miles from Boerne, TX and North of Boerne will take you to Comfort and up to Kerrville.From Kerrville going West you can visit Fredricksburg (peach country & wild seed farm).
A great area for retirees. Canyon Lake Texas. A
place where people are friendly and living is good.
God Bless Texas!
Carl Winters is a residential home inspector. Born and raised in the area. Therefore, knows the lay of the land.

carl & ceil Winters of TX 3:30PM August 01, 2008