Best place to live as a retired diver

[Todd999]

I have dove several areas in south Florida. As my kids get closer to graduation I am thinking of moving south.

I am not sure where the best area is to actually live. I want to spend more time in FL over the next 5 years diving different areas and maybe look for a house to buy and rent it out till I am ready to move down full time.

My wish list:

- Access to good diving
- Access to a good airport
- Cost of living (housing) not too crazy - I live in NY so anything is an improvement
- People not too crazy LOL

Any thoughts from locals who know the areas would be greatly appreciated.


P.S. Posted in the Florida forum because it seems best option in the USA. I will also spend a few months a year in Thailand with my in-laws where the cost of living is much better. But want a "Home base" in the USA

 

[rongoodman]

Costa Rica?

 

[MB NZ]

I can't help, but it's so cool that you can move to a tropical environment within your own country. Same for Aussies, but they head north.

 

[CuzzA]

- Cost of living (housing) not too crazy
- People not too crazy LOL

Florida is no longer the retirement dream it used to be. Cost of living is on par with any expensive metro area in the nation.

Property values are grossly overpriced, consequently property taxes and insurance rates have skyrocketed. Due to demand inflation is higher here than anywhere else.

The S. Fla reefs are dying due to too many people moving here and over development. Lake O is back up to 15ft. One big storm and the ACOE will be doing toxic water releases to both coasts again.

And everyone here is crazy. Non natives don't know how to act in this heat and they certainly don't know how to drink in this heat. A ridiculous number of qualified captains who bought or rent boats are now on the water and are a danger to others and the environment.

Don't believe the hype. Old Florida is dying. These are the bizarre consequences of championing personal freedom and parental rights while other states went authoritarian.

 

[Johnoly]

My wish list:

- Access to good diving

There is so many different types of diving here.

So tell us about your best 3 dives that you did while visiting and why you like them. That will narrow where to live.

 

[davehicks]

Do you want to dive every week or a every month? You might explore the Puget Sound region on Washington state. Fine tune the location to your budget. You will trade some access to water for cost, but it is a mater of driving 30minutes-2hours for a dive to 1hour-3hours for many dive sites.

This is one of the best and most accessable dive locations in the country, you just need a dry suit for best results. Myself and many friends often dive a few days per week.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Cave Country - No doubt.

 

[GJC]

I considered retiring in Florida but quickly ruled it out for 2 major reasons:

1 -Hurricanes (I lived in South Miami for a year after Hurricane Andrew)

2 -Rising cost of house and car insurance

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Todd999

I went through this thought process 14 or 15 years ago. Like many, I had only dived the Keys and then discovered drift diving in Jupiter. I spent several years diving between Ft Lauderdale and Jupiter. I decided on Boynton Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.

My wife and I have had a townhouse just north of Boynton beach since the end of 2011. Of course, this turned out to be a very good time to buy. As stated, taxes and insurance have increased significantly.

No regrets, nearly 1,300 dives in SE Florida and I will be back down for Goliath Grouper aggregation in September. I still live in the Philadelphia area. Palm Beach International airport is a breeze to use, just 10 miles from our townhouse.

I have many trip reports in this forum. Click on one of the Trip Report icons and only trip reports will come up.

Good luck

 

[greeniguana]

Lived in FL all my life. Been diving since 1986. I quit going to the Keys around 2003, reefs there are trashed. Charters are expensive and full of lunatic carpet baggers. South Florida traffic is horrendous. FL inflation is one of the highest in the country. And good luck getting home owner's insurance.

Other than that, it's paradise.