Where would you move?

[Grizzly]

If money and employment were absolutely NO factor I might seriously consider moving to the Fife region of Scotland---great golf, beautiful scenery, and only a couple hours away from the opportunities o do all those other things I love, as well as wear a kilt without sticking out like a sore thumb.

Sorry Jeff but you still would stick out like a sore thumb. Have spent quite a bit of holiday time in Scotland and in all that time apart from myself I have only ever seen one person (other than tourists or tour guides) wearing a kilt as normal attire. In fact you will spend most of your time being photographed by overseas tourists. Even resident Scots know your a tourist if you are wearing one. Its sad as you would expect there to be quite a lot of kilties in show but last time I was there last August my other half would wander off in front of me as I was deluged by photo hunters wanting a pic of a "kilted Scotsman" I didnt have the heart to tell them I was anglo welsh. Although it wouldnt have made a difference. .

That being said, and in line with the OP I would quite happily retire to the West Coast of Scotland. Stunning scenery, great people and mostly a great climate tempered by the gulf stream. Mull or Skye would be my choice although I have to say it would be for retirement reasons as there are not many opportunities for employment.

[cessna152towser]

I moved with my career to my present location in the Scottish Southern Uplands in1989, and I am still here now that I am more or less retired.
I can echo much of what Chrisupyonder said earlier in this thread about his move to the North of Scotland.
Almost no crime, not much traffic, wonderful scenery. But no big cities, nearest is Carlisle, across the border into England and just over an hour's drive away.
I would not choose to live anywhere else and I do not like a hot climate.
My late wife had the best of health care here in her last years and now I have found a new partner who is in the process of moving here from Germany.

[auld argonian]

Would never live anywhere else but Chicago. If I had the money, I'd buy a boat and live in the harbor here...a tugboat...with a good kitchen and a nice deck where I could sit in my boxers and sip coffee and read the newspapers during the morning rush hour...waving to the commuters as they drove by. Always promised myself, though, that if I won the lottery, I'd buy an apartment in Amsterdam and spend the summers there.

Best

AA

[ThistleDown]

It has taken me a lifetime to get it right, but I think I have it -- finally. We have homes just south of Inverness in Scotland, at the edge of the wilderness on Vancouver's North Shore in British Columbia, overlooking the Straits of Georgia on the Sechelt Penninsula in BC, and a condo in Davos, Switzerland. Obviously we like four distinct seasons and can pass on temps over 80F

[Really a McQueen]

...
Even though the cost of living is a little higher than eastern Washington, I'd say anywhere between Bellingham, WA and Ashland, OR, is a good place to be. My top choices would be Portland, Grants Pass or Astoria Oregon, or anywhere in the Puget Sound area. ...

Unless you are willing to live a bicycle-centric lifestyle in the Portland area, I'd stay away from southern Oregon. I live in Grants Pass, and unless you are independently wealthy, the job market here is the pits. Our 'official' unemployment rate finally dropped below 12%. However, there are a lot of people who have stopped looking for work, or who have exhausted all of their available benefits. The soon-to-open, Home Depot interviewed almost 2,700 applicants for 70 openings (the majority of applicants were interviewed).

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

When we moved from Ireland five years ago the decision as to where to live boiled down to two choices: Victoria, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, or somewhere in Virginia in the United States. Looking at taxes and cost of living, Virginia won. (Actually my first choice was Montenegro, but my wife flat refused!)

[Dangerdean]

It has taken me a lifetime to get it right, but I think I have it -- finally. We have homes just south of Inverness in Scotland, at the edge of the wilderness on Vancouver's North Shore in British Columbia, overlooking the Straits of Georgia on the Sechelt Penninsula in BC, and a condo in Davos, Switzerland. Obviously we like four distinct seasons and can pass on temps over 80F

I lived on the Sunshine Coast twenty years ago, and it's an outstanding place to live, if you have a job. I have never been more relaxed in my life than in Roberts Creek.

[azwildcat96]

All great suggestions and comments! Thank you! I look forward to reading more in the future. And, hopefully this helps out anyone else thinking of making a move.

[TurboKittie]

If I were able to move anywhere I wanted within the US, it would be as close to the western part of Washington State or Oregon. I miss the Pacific ocean, and I hear the weather there would probably be closer to what I like.

[azwildcat96]

If I were able to move anywhere I wanted within the US, it would be as close to the western part of Washington State or Oregon. I miss the Pacific ocean, and I hear the weather there would probably be closer to what I like.

You sound like my wife...She briefly lived near Seattle a long time ago, and can't stop thinking about it! Got to admit, everything I've read about it sounds great, and worth considering, but there are other places to look at too.