Gay retirement destinations

[+ Charlie]

I just retired, and have lived in NYC all my life. I thought about a change of locale, but ultimately, at 66 I couldnt imagine uprooting myself and starting all over in a place where I knew nothing and noone. Whether we like to admit it or not, we get "testy" as we age, and low on patience, and therefore its even harder to make new friends. Being old and alone in a new place was not not my idea of The Golden Years.

 

So here I am, staying in NYC and going thru an apt rennovation as my "NEW START"..... Although I can "make it here", I just wasnt sure "I could make it anywhere", so its NEW YORK, NY.....

I understand that motivation, but one of our reasons for moving was that so many of the good friends we had known for years had already left, and the city we had lived in for so many years had changed a lot from when we had arrived. Being old and alone in an old place that was no longer the same was not my idea of The Golden Years. It can be hard to make new friends as a newcomer in a very conservative, static community, but it is not that difficult to make friends as a newcomer in a place where many other residents are also new. I used to think it would be great to retire and die in the NYC I used to love, but now I couldn't afford to live in the neighborhoods I used to call home.

[MikeyGMin]

The whole idea of moving someplace else when I retire doesn't appeal to me. I love Northern California, wouldn't really live anyplace else, except possibly New Mexico. If we leave San Francisco, we will probably settle in Sonoma or Ukiah.

I am the exact opposite. I want to start a whole new chapter in my life -- not just continue my current life with less money to work with. Moving to a new country, adopting a new culture, really learning a new language, are the things that I figure will give me goals and keep me busy. I'm looking forward to some leisure but I also want some excitement.

[marylander1940]

OMG, the décor there is so horrendous. Buffalo carcass and cactus, and woven serape.... Fuck NO !

 

Judge by yinzselves!

 

 

If you like history it's a city with a Governor's palace built in 1610, an even older church, native ruins, and sky resorts within 30 minutes.

Horrible place to live for some... to each his own.

[jjkrkwood]

I am the exact opposite. I want to start a whole new chapter in my life -- not just continue my current life with less money to work with. Moving to a new country, adopting a new culture, really learning a new language, are the things that I figure will give me goals and keep me busy. I'm looking forward to some leisure but I also want some excitement.

 

 

Just the idea of packing sends me over the edge. Not something I want to have to deal with, although I have been steadily downsizing and purging. And I think Gay Life in NYC for seniors is plentiful, having sex clubs and such where you can always make a connection with someone when the mood strikes. That is important to me since my hiring is limited due to my "frugal" nature.

[jjkrkwood]

Judge by yinzselves!

 

 

If you like history it's a city with a Governor's palace built in 1610, an even older church, native ruins, and sky resorts within 30 minutes.

Horrible place to live for some... to each his own.

 

 

I am enough of a "Relic". I don't want to live in a place surrounded by them.

[marylander1940]

I am enough of a "Relic". I don't want to live in a place surrounded by them.

 

agree!

 

Long Island?

 

Any other suburb for you might be suitable?

 

Please name names of cities!

[Rudynate]

I am the exact opposite. I want to start a whole new chapter in my life -- not just continue my current life with less money to work with. Moving to a new country, adopting a new culture, really learning a new language, are the things that I figure will give me goals and keep me busy. I'm looking forward to some leisure but I also want some excitement.

 

Gives me the willies - retiring and keeping myself busy doing volunteer gigs, learning flower arranging, taking classes at the Alliance Francaise.

[jjkrkwood]

agree!

 

Long Island?

 

Any other suburb for you might be suitable?

 

Please name names of cities!

 

 

Long Island, NO. Hair gel boys with gold neck chains... Boring. I am the Queen from Kew Gardens, Queens.... and they will carry-me away from here in a lacquered pine box.

[jjkrkwood]

Gives me the willies - retiring and keeping myself busy doing volunteer gigs, learning flower arranging, taking classes at the Alliance Francaise.

 

Well that's exactly the trick to Retirement, KEEPING BUSY. On the rare day I wake up and have no plan or nothing to do, I AM LOST.....

 

Flower arranging ? Hmmmmm.... My plastic ones seem to "arrange" themselves.....

[+ Topseed]

I've lived in Santa Fe. Quality health care is NOT available. Santa Feans go to Mayo in Scottsdale for everything. NM is a dirt-poor state. Yes, it's beautiful. The food is great. The hiking is wonderful.

 

But then you need a plumber. Or a roofer. Or a dentist. Or a stucco guy.....

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I am the Queen from Kew Gardens, Queens....

 

I'm a Forest Hills gal myself

[Kenny]

I say head south of the border, perhaps Merida, the capital of the Yucatan. You can get a great house with a pool for under 200k and live very comfortably for under $2,000 a month.

Lovely, indeed, but the heat and humidity get to be a bit much...

[Kenny]

I love Palm Springs but the hot weather in the summer worries me as did the icy weather of the great white north when I lived in the upper Midwest.

One winters in the desert, and summers in the mountains or by the sea. Doesn't one?

[mike carey]

Lovely, indeed, but the heat and humidity get to be a bit much...

I'm no expert on Central America, but I agree that as nice as it is, Merida is too hot and humid. I would be more inclined to pick somewhere in the highlands, Guadalajara or nearby, Antigua or San Jose. San Jose has the advantage of the comparative political stability of Costa Rica.

 

Within the US, climate and politics are factors, as are the types of communities. I couldn't deal with the heat and humidity of Florida or the extreme heat of Palm Springs or Phoenix. Other places have their plusses and minuses. Face it, what the deal killers are differ from one person to another. Most big cities have enough positives to be persuasive, smaller cities become more problematic and subject to individual requirements.

[+ Lance_Navarro]

I'm no expert on Central America, but I agree that as nice as it is, Merida is too hot and humid. I would be more inclined to pick somewhere in the highlands, Guadalajara or nearby, Antigua or San Jose. San Jose has the advantage of the comparative political stability of Costa Rica.

 

Within the US, climate and politics are factors, as are the types of communities. I couldn't deal with the heat and humidity of Florida or the extreme heat of Palm Springs or Phoenix. Other places have their plusses and minuses. Face it, what the deal killers are differ from one person to another. Most big cities have enough positives to be persuasive, smaller cities become more problematic and subject to individual requirements.

 

Or Mexico City! We were just there in late July and it was absolutely lovely, never gets too hot or cold, lots of culture and things to do, and though it's not as cheap as other parts of Mexico, your dollar will still go a long way.

[Kenny]

Or Mexico City! We were just there in late July and it was absolutely lovely, never gets too hot or cold, lots of culture and things to do, and though it's not as cheap as other parts of Mexico, your dollar will still go a long way.

One of my most-favorite cities in the world. (I was last there in the spring.) Of course, the little earthquake problem can be an issue, not to mention a frequent shortage of breathable air. But Mexico City is pretty much worth whatever hassle there might be.

[mike carey]

But Mexico City is pretty much worth whatever hassle there might be.

I agree, but I think I would pick Guadalajara ahead of it. It's easy to visit Mexico City if you want.

[Rudynate]

I'm no expert on Central America, but I agree that as nice as it is, Merida is too hot and humid. I would be more inclined to pick somewhere in the highlands, Guadalajara or nearby, Antigua or San Jose. San Jose has the advantage of the comparative political stability of Costa Rica.

 

Within the US, climate and politics are factors, as are the types of communities. I couldn't deal with the heat and humidity of Florida or the extreme heat of Palm Springs or Phoenix. Other places have their plusses and minuses. Face it, what the deal killers are differ from one person to another. Most big cities have enough positives to be persuasive, smaller cities become more problematic and subject to individual requirements.

 

Having lived in Colorado for 15 years, I have a special fondness for that region - Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, parts of Arizona - Flagstaff, Sedona. The only way you could handle Phoenix or Tucscon would be to summer over somewhere else. The popular Phoenix escort Don Blueyes (retired) used to do that. He stayed home in the winter servicing all the snowbirds and traveled in the summer.

[MikeyGMin]

Just the idea of packing sends me over the edge. Not something I want to have to deal with, although I have been steadily downsizing and purging. And I think Gay Life in NYC for seniors is plentiful, having sex clubs and such where you can always make a connection with someone when the mood strikes. That is important to me since my hiring is limited due to my "frugal" nature.

LOL. I know what you mean. I hate packing and moving. I have hired an estate agent to sell every stinking thing I own that won't fit into two suitcases and one trunk. If the hustle and bustle or the heat of San Jose become too much for me, I want to easily move out to the Central Valley where the average daily temperature is 75 degrees.

[jjkrkwood]

I'm a Forest Hills gal myself

 

Then I probably groped you on the F train ? :D:p

[Epigonos]

I was born and raised in Southern California. It was a wonderful place to live in the 50's, the 60's and even the 70's. As far as I'm concerned I absolutely hate what it has become today It is now a land of too many people, too many cars, too little water, too little electricity and an infrastructure that is falling apart. It also has a state government that appears incapable of addressing these real problems. The state legislature, earlier this summer, passes an eleven cent per gallon gas tax increase to improve the state's infrastructure. Sounds great, however, the problem is that so many caveats where attached to the law, by legislatures with pet projects, that in the end very little of the money will go to improving infrastructure.

As appealing as moving to Southern Mexico, Central America or South America might appear I am simply NOT willing to abandon my friends of a lifetime and my family. Another consideration is medical and dental care. In these areas medical care is frequently superior to dental care.

If I were to move out of the country it would definitely be to Mexico. Although I like Puerto Vallarta the summers are terribly hot and humid. Guadalajara if nice but for me the most beautiful city in Mexico is definitely Morelia. I am not a big fan of Costa Rica. Over the last few years the San Jose suburbs have come to look just like suburban Southern California including both Costco and Walmart. Costa Ricans are wonderfully smug about the fact that they don't have a standing army, however, the federal police do have tanks and armored vehicles -- I don't really get the difference. I have not been in Uruguay or Argentina for years. Additionally Argentina and Uruguay and VERY LONG flights from the U.S.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Epigonos

[TruthBTold]

If you want to think big, Ecuador has been picked as the best place to retire for many years. It has moderate temperatures, quality health care in its cities, and very reasonable property costs. Cuenca is the country's capital and is a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site. It is inland on a river. In the city, a home with a living room, a great room, a kitchen and laundry area, a dining room and three parking places listed for $115,000. Condos listed for much, much less. The next major city, Manta is right on the Pacific Ocean. A condominium on the beach near the city was recently listed for $18,000. There was also a Mediterranean-type beach house with 1,937 square feet that was listed at $170,000. I am not sure of what the gay life is like but I am sure you can research and find out. I am sure that with all big cities there are gentlemen who would be happy to work out relationships. Ecuadoran cities are particularly culturally diverse.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-peddicord/best-places-to-retire-overseas_b_5440999.html

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/ecuador-worlds-best-place/2015/01/02/id/616095/

[LivingnLA]

Great thread! Thank you for the many suggestions.

 

My wife brought this up after her last business trip. We still have a few years to go before our "youngest" goes to college, but we're ready to buy more real estate and she wants this next place to be a potential retirement spot.

 

She's adamant about certain things, so there's no way we'll end up in a place like Florida because of the politics. We do not want to support communities that are willfully blind to equality, climate change, women's rights, etc. Yes, I know there are more thoughtful local communities in FL, but the state government is toxic and probably won't change in my lifetime. That restricts us to mostly "blue" and "purple" states in the USA and a handful of other countries. I'm glad to see many on our short-list mentioned here by so many forum members. Some of the places we're exploring: California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand, or Ireland.

 

What criteria do y'all consider? Culture? Cost of living? Active gay subculture?

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

In all this talk about retiring to Mexico, do keep in mind that anything (roughly) 65 miles from a border or 35 miles from ocean is considered the restricted zone: A foreigner cannot own, outright, their property and must setup a real estate trust through both a Mexican bank & attorney to hold the title.

 

Those are extra hurdles I'd be unwilling to jump over in figuring out where to invest my nest egg.

 

#NoBueno

Edited September 13, 2017 by Benjamin_Nicholas

[Epigonos]

OK two things to correct here. First Cuenca is not the capitol of Ecuador QUITO is. Second the law in Mexico not allowing foreigners to own land within 35 miles of the ocean is long gone. I know many Americans who own their homes and condos in Puerto Vallarta. I don't know about the 35 mile limit from an international border but I can't imagine anyone wanting to live anywhere near the US/Mexican border.