re: Where would you retire?

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Bend is the perfect town. It's like a movie version of the 1950s. You go there and there are packs of clean cut kids running around at dusk through the parks, jumping off the bridges into the lake and having fun with no one concerned for their well-being because there's no reason to worry; it has breweries; it has nature and exercise opportunities, everywhere; skiing is close by; there are lots of good restaurants; it's the ideal size; the weather is great. It's like the Twilight Zone in that somehow you are slipped into an alternate universe of perfection and you are like, wait, is this real? That neighborhood of big craftsman houses across the lake/river from downtown... holy moly, I would legitimately stab someone to be able to live there.

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Everything you said is spot on. It's almost too perfect to be real. Comparing it to the Twilight Zone is very accurate. My wife is from the Pacific Northwest and I went to Bend while we were out visiting her family. It is the only place I've ever been where I literally did not want to go home and I've been all over the U.S. The only problem I found there is the cost of living. The locals call it, "Poverty with a view." However, if I could talk my wife into moving there, I would be gone by this evening. She says it's too close to her family. I get that.

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Texas in the summer is the same thing, just the inverse. Stuck inside because it is so hot outside you can barely breathe and instantly sweat, paying out the rear end to water the lawn only for it to slowly die anyway, unable to make house repairs or work in the lawn without keeling over. The heat makes me angry just as the cold and darkness of winter makes other people depressed. I hate sweating. Unlike winter where you can bundle up, there's no escaping the heat in Texas in the summer other than staying in the air conditioning, which results in expensive electric bills and tends to break, requiring expensive repairs, and cabin fever.

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Yes, Yes, and Yes!!!!! Live in Alabama and could not agree any more with what you said.

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It's pretty. And pretty cool. There's a ton to do and see, history, great views, great eats, long walks you can have exploring all over. I e-know you well enough to know that there's no way in hell you'd want to LIVE there, but for a couple of days it's a nice place to visit for anyone but an absolute hater.

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Sounds like it's worth a trip to me!

A low Tax state.

Was think more the Dakotas

Eta: Aunt and Uncle bought a very nice RV and that's where they decided to make their permanent address for tax reasons. (South Dakota)

Norris Lake (TN)...already have the lot...just need to retire and build the house.

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I could see that. SF would be perfect for someone who likes consistency, I guess.

Never been. Furthest west I've ventured is Vegas. Need to check it out sometime. Maybe for a Spurs/Warriors game or something. Can't think of another reason I'd wanna go out there.

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I was the same way... until I got sent to St. Helens Oregon for a 6 month stint with work. The soon to be wife and I decided we would site see on the way there (shed never been West of Texas) so we took 8 days.

Day 1 - Houston to El Paso (boring af)
Day 2 - El Paso to Flagstaff AZ (better than day 1 but not by too much)
Day 3 - Went and saw the Grand Canyon (first time for both of us) Then to Vegas
Day 4 - Vegas (first time for both of us)
Day 5 - Vegas to Lake Tahoe (this was 4th of July and Lake Tahoe was amazing. Top of a big hill/mountain/peak whatever overlooking the lake and could see 3 firework shows at the same time)
Day 6 - Lake Tahoe to San Fran - Golden Gate Bridge and drove around town, found a cool putt putt course (putt putt is our favorite thing to do as a couple (i proposed on a putt putt course haha)
Day 7-8 - Hopped on the Pacific Coast Highway (best idea ever) rode it from outside of San Fran all the way to almost Washington (took two days) - gorgeous views, crazy winding roads with insane drop offs, got to see the redwoods, drove through a redwood, I mean just picture perfect scenery.

I suggest if you ever get the chance head out west and ride the PCH a bit. Never seen such amazing sites (we just got done touring the Black Hills in South Dakota last weekend and it was a kind of distant 2nd)

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My dad's actually working for the University of South Dakota these days. He says he got over the scenery pretty quick

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We did an open top tour of Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer St Park, Needles Highway, Mt Coolidge, Sylvan Lake.

It was beautiful!

Now I will say it literally rained every afternoon for a little bit, and it didnt just rain it hailed, hard. But our tour guy said that was par for the summer.

Regardless I would make a trip back to do some more exploring.

I am currently working in Montana so our next two stops will be Glacier National Park and Yellowstone.

Really excited for GNP.

6 more years

That's the ticket, retire near me so we can go fishing together and carpool to Aggie football games