Planning for Long Times Away
I'm in the real countdown mode as I leave in just two weeks for the UK! My time in Florida went so fast and next week will be wrapping up any loose ends for my contract job, with just a few hours and a few days the following week. I've just banked earnings to date as it's all above my budget and I truly don't know how it will impact my bizarre 2025 taxes. Having time to slow down last week also gave me thinking time.
I've come to sort of a decision. I do want to have regular longer stays in warm areas annually. I don't know if the Florida Gulf coast will work for me though, but I don't know what mid-January-early March, my likely get away times would be like. My friend says that's the slow time and traffic would be nothing like it's been. It was far better on the weekdays, but that weekend traffic was bad. Yet, I love that gulf view and getting my feet in the sand. Are there places that are less touristy, but same weather? I'm quite ignorant about the south. While I'd love to stay right on the beach with water views to have morning coffee, I guess it's not a requirement. However, a pool would be.
I have years to research and plan. I won't go anywhere while pup is with me. I'd also like to see what my son decides on putting down more permanent roots. His work has been nomadic, I guess is the term. My house has more been a home base (and storage and laundry facilities) than home. My youngest is in flux too with work, school, housing. Wherever I go, likely I won't buy anything until I truly know it's where I'd want to go for twenty years and others would want to visit.
Using a management company could keep the space cared for and potentially rented offsetting ownership costs. I'd have never imagined that June-September is the peak season in the horrid heat and humidity of Florida,but my friend assures me it is. I think it's just too hot, so I'd never be there those months. I could just be a rental snowbird too, never locking myself into one location. My friends BIL rents his unit every February to his friends until about the second week of March. That'll change I suppose once they want to retire themselves. I don't know. This is all post vacation wondering. Next month I'll have a new batch of thoughts. I miss my husband and having to think these things alone.
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| I'd never tire of this each evening. |
I can understand wanting to go somewhere warm in winter. I really wouldn't know where, tho. My few experiences with Florida were too crowded for me. I'm sorry you have to think it through alone. It'll take time to figure it out. Now the UK trip is coming on fast! I so hope you and Siobhan have a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteThere's options. I'm not big on crowds though, but like convenience
DeleteI am assuming you were in Panama City since the sun is setting directly over the water. Destin's best sunsets over the water are in the spring.
ReplyDeleteYour friend is right and the tourists and traffic are much less during the late fall through the first of May, except for spring break and then it is horrendous.
There are beach communities that are much less developed on the Gulf coast, but they are a bit south eastern. Cape San Blas, for example.
Glad you had a great trip.
Yes, that was our place for the week. I peaked at Cape San Blas and may be out of my price point.
DeleteIt’s cold here in southeastern Tennessee during January, February, and March, so I wouldn’t visit here at that time of year if you’re looking for warm weather. That time of year (June thru September) in Florida is brutal on the east coast around Jacksonville according to my friend who lives there year round. She only mows in the early morning hours as it is way too hot later in the day. You must be so excited about your trip to the UK! I know I would be. I hope you have the time of your life!
ReplyDeleteI can't see heading south in the summer. It's hot enough here!
DeleteWe had a house in Florida for a few years but to be honest found it very constraining because we always had to go to the same place - even though we rented it out when vacant. I've heard the same from friends who have/had apartments in ski resorts. They got sick of always going to the same place - just food for thought I think. My sweet spot seems to be taking a two-week warm weather vacation sometime around March when winter is beginning to grate. Two weeks is enough for me though as I'm always glad to get back home (still pondering a trip to India in March although I haven't booked it yet)! Your situation is more unsettled I suppose, what with the kids not being sure where they're going to end up. See how you feel after England and Greece and take it from there! And have a wonderful time in England! Can't wait to see the pictures!
ReplyDeleteI will test out a lot of places before even considering buying. Yep, I'll see how these first trips go by myself, even though not really solo.
DeleteI live several hours from the Gulf coast. That is close enough for me--Birmingham. I don't want to be closer to hurricanes. Every time I have been in Florida, our motels were on islands which cuts down on traffic. Panama City and party towns are not fun and crowded. Long ago, I liked the heat and sun on my skin. Now, I don't know. Have a good time.
ReplyDeleteI 💕 me the heat but not opposed to umbrellas and wide brim hats.
DeleteAs someone who has made the Gulf coast from Panama City, Florida to Ocean Springs, Mississippi her close by playground these are my suggestions. 1. Try several different locations for a week at a time. Mississippi’s Ocean Springs has an artsy vibe. The water color sucks however due to proximity to the mouth of the Mississippi River. The advantage of the Mississippi Coast is that the food generally is great bc it is close to Louisiana. Nice beaches to walk on but swim in the swimming pools. Which, you are not going ti be able to swim from generally December/ January until May ( I am a Southerner and don’t “do” cold water) on the northern Gulf coast. You would have to go to Tampa, Florida and areas south to swim in pools year round and even then they may need to be heated in January and February. If you like to gamble, Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi have great food, relatively cheap, and great hotel deals bc of the Casinos. Also Mississippi is just a short drive from New Orleans. Did I mention food? lol. Mississippi has much tamer Mardi Gras, as does Mobile Alabama where the first Mardi Gras happened. 2. Alabama Gulf coast of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach ( Anne jump in here anytime and had her experience as can PP) Dolphin Island Fairhope ( on the Bay and it artsy like Ocean Springs, Mississippi ) Lots of fabulous food places. Water much clearer than Mississippi in Orange Beach bc further away from the Mississippi River. I think Anne might recommend Magnolia Springs although i have never been there. OB and Gulf Shores eating places are Caribe, Original Oyster House, Gulf Coast Steamer, Doc’s Seafood, Bahama Bob’s Cobalt, Tacky Jacks, etc. Get the grouper if you can eat that bc I seem to remember a shellfish allergy? Mikes has great steaks. The sand is white like Florida and very safe. Pensacola Florida has gorgeous water color and again the sugar white beaches that are all along the Gulf Coast. My opinion only is that the food tends to be hit and miss on the Florida coast compared to say, Mississippi and Alabama. Anne may have a different experience. Mullet used to be served in a lot of restaurants In Pensacola and I like it but I don’t know if you can eat it? Destin and 30A are expensive but the same sugar white sand. I don’t do that crowd so I am not much help on recommendations there. Panama City has always been the poor cousin's stepchild of Destin and I prefer it bc it is generally cheaper, has great sand, and can have good deals. I am just not that fond of Destin with their gazillion rules regarding beach chairs and ai think their food generally sucks. Others may have had different experiences. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteAlso avoid Spring Break crowds (March - April) in Panama City and the whole Gulf Coast is crowded then. I forgot to mention Felix Fish Camp
Deleteon the Mobile Causeway. Great bay views and they have a lot of no shellfish options.
Cindy in the South
Excuse typos. I have fat fingers and small phone but you get the drift that Destin and 30A are expensive, the rest can be cheaper, it is too cold to swim in the winter, springs breaks can be wild and crowded, Mississippi has sucky water but great food, Alabama is happy medium, and Florida has sucky food and great water. Cindy in the South
DeleteI like Cindy's suggestion to try different locations for a week or two or even a month.
DeleteNo suggestions since I live in VA, and we have only been to Florida/Orlando for vacations, but I wouldn't be able to take the summer heat. I have enjoyed the Outer Banks, Myrtle Beach and many of the beaches on the East Coast, and they have more moderate temps than further south.
Hope you have a wonderful trip to the UK! So exciting, and I hope you will share your adventures with us.
I personally do not like the Mississippi coast because I am a fan of the gorgeous water east of there.
DeleteDauphin Island is close to Mobile, and is kind of the outlier of Alabama beaches. It is gorgeous, but a tad remote.
Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in Alabama and Perdido beach in Florida are all within spitting distance of each other. Again, very crowded in the summer but lovely other times of the year.
Across a bit of coastal roadway you run into Pensacola beach in Florida, which still has the gorgeous white sand, and has a city (not on the beach) of roughy 50+K, which gives it options most of the other beaches in the area do not have.
Head east just a tad and you run into Navarre beach. It is beautiful and used to be fairly secluded. I have not been there is several years, and I imagine it has changed a lot since then.
Next on the coast is Fort Walton, followed by Destin, then San Destin. This is condo heaven. At one time you could ride on 98 and see actual sand and water. Now you see mostly high rise condos. It is pricier than any of the ones mentioned so far, but the water there is by far the most beautiful of any beach on the coast. I guess you get what you pay for.
Next up headed east is 30-A. It is a series of beach communities and is by far the most expensive. Santa Rosa, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton, Water Color, Seaside, Seagrove . . .
Rosemary. It is just one little beach community after another and everything there is $$$$$.
Continuing eastbound is the Panama City beach area. The western beach is far less crowded but traffic is an issue during the summer, spring break and one weekend in October when there is a huge motorcycle rally there.
For many years we had 2 condos in Panama City. They stayed rented most of the time, so we mostly used the condo during the fall. The summer rentals were great, and since they were bought primarily as an investment we wanted them filled with paying guests rather than ourselves.
PC is not my favorite beach, but we bought them at a pre-construction price and it was a good financial deal. I was not unhappy when we sold them.
Panama City (the town not the beach) has a population of 30+K but does not have as much to offer as Pensacola.
That is really it until you head southeast and hit Mexico beach, Cape San Blas, Port St Joe and Apalachicola. They are not overdevelped ___yet!
One consideration for visiting or buying is some condos have multiple pools with one or more being indoors. (That is true for both Alabama and Florida gulf beaches) If you want to swim in the winter that or a heated pool needs to be a primary consideration.
Of course you might be able to tolerate cooler water than I can.
To all of you, so much to look into. I definitely need to explore before settling. Maybe I'll always just send it explore and not be in one place.
DeleteIf you have never been to Savannah Georgia, I highly recommend it. I also think Saint Augustine Floria is amazing. SW Florida is beautiful but add 5-10 degrees to the heat of northern Florida.
ReplyDeleteAs for tourists in Florida, January thru May are the best times to avoid them, and it is the best weather of the year.
Living in Minnesota, you do have very long winters so I would look into the Carolina, Georgia and Florida areas. They will all have much warmer weather than you're used to.
Yes, I love Tybee Island but have not been in twenty years . It reminds me of the Alabama Coast before it became
Deleteso developed. Or at least 20 yrs ago Tybee was laid back and not overly developed.
I do not know about now. Cindy in the Soutj
I like the idea of islands and a bit more remote.
DeleteMy niece loved her time here while studying at 'Bama: https://www.dauphinislandtourism.com/
ReplyDeleteHugs as you figure out the future you never planned to have.
Ann suggest d above as well. Adding to my list.
DeleteWe were close to Destin . Like another commenter, I started to feel constrained by going to the same place over and over again, for all the beaches were beautiful. The kids there started school in early August, and I must say that by mid August the traffic cleared noticeably, but the development was disheartening. I would blink and more construction was complete.
ReplyDeleteIf I were going back to Florida, I would look at buying a place around Micco. But I won’t touch Florida again. As a native New Englander, I know the ache the cold puts in one’s bones come February! I always despised the winters there, but DH couldn’t bear the summers of the southwest, so here we are!
If it’s a milder climat, but you don’t need the ocean, you might want to investigate New Mexico? My longtime childhood friend lives there. If you get away about 40 minutes from Santa Fe it’s very affordable, but still accessible to all of the perks.
Or, you could look at cabins here!
-Meg B.
(Forgive typos)
DeleteI took a peak at all the suggestions including cabins for n Washington coast. Options!
DeleteWe own 3 weeks at a Hilton timeshare on Marco Island on the Florida west coast. We just got back from 2 weeks there last night. It is a lovely place with gorgeous sunsets. Timeshares get a bad rap (in some cases, very deservedly so), but we picked ours up on the resale market for very little. Our timeshare is very well managed. The members of our board own multiple weeks there and have done an amazing job with keeping the place in great shape. We are about 500 feet from the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico, with lots of friendly Midwesterners and great restaurants.
ReplyDeleteAn old boss had a place on Marco Island. She loved it.
DeleteHow exciting! It sounds as though adventures are in your future!
ReplyDeleteI complain a lot about the cold and snow, but I think I would miss it a bit. There is something beautiful about the ice and snow along the lakeshore. In fact, it is the only part of winter I do like. I know a lot of people from Michigan do go to Florida for the winter, but I don't think I could do it.
I can get my full 🌕 n December and early January. By the end of January I have cabin fever so bad.
DeleteWould that make you a "Snow Bird"? I love the thought of you chasing the sun! We used to spend winters in India but I've got spoilt with all our short haul trips, not sure I want to go bcak to any more those epic 26 hour journeys! xxx
ReplyDeleteSort of, but they usually go even before December. I want to run away Jan- March.
DeleteNavarre is my favorite. We went to St Augustine for our first trip to Florida. We went the week they have some sort of festival in late summer. There was much to do and fun for children as well as adults.
ReplyDeleteMy friend has a second condo in Navarre Beach. Not sure I'm spelling that right or if the same place you're referring to. She suggested we try that the next girls trip. She had people staying there already.
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