Vibrant US beach community w/in 90 mins of airport and access to healthcare

[Anonymous]

I’m looking for tips on where to travel to scope out areas for retirement. I’d love to be oceanfront OR in a walkable beach community (where I could walk to the beach), and I’ll need access to an airport and good healthcare.

DH would prefer a warm/mild climate. I’m open to anything.

Thoughts on actual beach towns we can visit?

I’m not throwing out a budget. Assume money isn’t an issue.

[Anonymous]

SAt Augustine? It’s right at the 90 minute mark to u Florida which has a great medical center.

[Anonymous]

Any of the towns with train stations in Monmouth County, NJ.

[Anonymous]

Most of coastal Florida would fit this bill, as would the coastal California.

Hilton Head has an airport and doctors that retirees would likely need.

Virginia Beach.

Most of the Jersey Shore.

How far north are you willing to go?

[Anonymous]

Pinellas County beaches. They took a hit in the recent hurricanes. You might consider St Petersburg on Tampa Bay they tend to do better. Check elevation and flood lines.

[Anonymous]

When we were in La Jolla last year there was a retirement community right across from the beach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pinellas County beaches. They took a hit in the recent hurricanes. You might consider St Petersburg on Tampa Bay they tend to do better. Check elevation and flood lines.

My parents are in Gulfport on Boca Ciega Bay, and I would never recommend going to Pinellas County after what happened this year. They had mild flooding from TS Debbie. Major flooding from Hurricane Helene which destroyed both their cars and put 2 feet off water in the house. Hurricane Milton (which required me to drive down there and get them since they had no vehicles to evacuate and they have large dogs so flying was out of the question) then ripped part of the roof off and dropped a tree on their shed.

Because of Helene they were in the process of gutting the house, but that was put on hold because of Milton. What was high enough off the ground to be spared the Helene flood was mostly wrecked by Milton. They lost nearly everything. They're rebuilding and that's their choice, but frankly I think they're insane.

[Anonymous]

My mother is a doctor and after watching various friends/relatives deal with aging in Florida, I would avoid. Health system is a mess. Even if you have money.

[Anonymous]

Downtown St Petersburg would fit the bill, if you can afford there. We're in St Pete - outside of a flood zone, about a mile from downtown - and we really like it. Though the hurricanes this year are definitely make us wonder how many more times we want to deal with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pinellas County beaches. They took a hit in the recent hurricanes. You might consider St Petersburg on Tampa Bay they tend to do better. Check elevation and flood lines.

My parents are in Gulfport on Boca Ciega Bay, and I would never recommend going to Pinellas County after what happened this year. They had mild flooding from TS Debbie. Major flooding from Hurricane Helene which destroyed both their cars and put 2 feet off water in the house. Hurricane Milton (which required me to drive down there and get them since they had no vehicles to evacuate and they have large dogs so flying was out of the question) then ripped part of the roof off and dropped a tree on their shed.

Because of Helene they were in the process of gutting the house, but that was put on hold because of Milton. What was high enough off the ground to be spared the Helene flood was mostly wrecked by Milton. They lost nearly everything. They're rebuilding and that's their choice, but frankly I think they're insane.

+1 crazy to live on the coast of FL now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we were in La Jolla last year there was a retirement community right across from the beach.

+1 OC or SD beach communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pinellas County beaches. They took a hit in the recent hurricanes. You might consider St Petersburg on Tampa Bay they tend to do better. Check elevation and flood lines.

My parents are in Gulfport on Boca Ciega Bay, and I would never recommend going to Pinellas County after what happened this year. They had mild flooding from TS Debbie. Major flooding from Hurricane Helene which destroyed both their cars and put 2 feet off water in the house. Hurricane Milton (which required me to drive down there and get them since they had no vehicles to evacuate and they have large dogs so flying was out of the question) then ripped part of the roof off and dropped a tree on their shed.

Because of Helene they were in the process of gutting the house, but that was put on hold because of Milton. What was high enough off the ground to be spared the Helene flood was mostly wrecked by Milton. They lost nearly everything. They're rebuilding and that's their choice, but frankly I think they're insane.

+1 crazy to live on the coast of FL now.

I live on the gulf coast of FL - don't buy in a flood zone or an evacuation zone. Make sure you have a good, solid house. And only buy if you are able to tolerate living through hurricanes. It hasn't been as bad as it was this year, in other years. With climate change who knows if this will be the new norm - but, now, it's aberrant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pinellas County beaches. They took a hit in the recent hurricanes. You might consider St Petersburg on Tampa Bay they tend to do better. Check elevation and flood lines.

My parents are in Gulfport on Boca Ciega Bay, and I would never recommend going to Pinellas County after what happened this year. They had mild flooding from TS Debbie. Major flooding from Hurricane Helene which destroyed both their cars and put 2 feet off water in the house. Hurricane Milton (which required me to drive down there and get them since they had no vehicles to evacuate and they have large dogs so flying was out of the question) then ripped part of the roof off and dropped a tree on their shed.

Because of Helene they were in the process of gutting the house, but that was put on hold because of Milton. What was high enough off the ground to be spared the Helene flood was mostly wrecked by Milton. They lost nearly everything. They're rebuilding and that's their choice, but frankly I think they're insane.

+1 crazy to live on the coast of FL now.

I live on the gulf coast of FL - don't buy in a flood zone or an evacuation zone. Make sure you have a good, solid house. And only buy if you are able to tolerate living through hurricanes. It hasn't been as bad as it was this year, in other years. With climate change who knows if this will be the new norm - but, now, it's aberrant.

^ Me again - and PP, I'm sorry your parents went through that in Gulfport. I can't believe how hard little Gulfport was hit. It's heartbreaking.

[Anonymous]

Sandbridge, VA? You'd be close to Norfolk International Airport, slightly farther from Richmond. Sentara Norfolk is a level 1 trauma center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we were in La Jolla last year there was a retirement community right across from the beach.

Was going to suggest this. My parents lived in La Jolla.