Author Topic: Vacation - Spring 2015  (Read 648 times)

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Mac

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Vacation - Spring 2015
« on: April 17, 2015, 05:11:48 am »
We fly off in a few hours.

Meeting up with my childhood best bud in New Orleans and his fiancé, for a couple of days.
The driving down to Fairhope, AL to see my wife's friend and check out the area for retirement.
Then continue to drive along Floridas Panhandle to check out possible retirement areas.

If you wondering, retirement is still 10-15 years away, depending on our finances.

Starting now to check places out.

Can't retire in Aruba.

Seriously want to check out Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic.
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Chiprocks1

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2015, 10:58:49 am »
Motherf*ckers' going on another vacation!!!!! Ack! Have fun dude and both of you be safe!!
Chip's Rockin' Art
Michael Scott To Meredith: "You've slept with so many men, your starting to look like one. BOOM! Roasted! Go here.

Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2015, 08:08:45 pm »
2 days of New Orleans has been, uh... A trip. An expensive trip.

This not for us. Way to many people. Way to many drunk people. I can now say... Been there, done that. Lots of unusual sightings. Fantastic music, great art.

Dirty ass town that stinks... Literally. Since this is early spring, it's mildly humid. Way more humid than St. Louis. I could not imagine this place in summer. Tomorrow we say adieu to my best bud and his wonderful fiancé. We take off mid morn for Alabama.

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Chiprocks1

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2015, 08:16:02 pm »
Are you guys driving cross country....well, driving 'round your neck of the woods this time around? I love doing my long-ass road trips. I've never been to NO. Always wanted to. But I never would have picked that place as a retirement destination though.
Chip's Rockin' Art
Michael Scott To Meredith: "You've slept with so many men, your starting to look like one. BOOM! Roasted! Go here.

Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2015, 05:38:30 am »
Flew from STL to NO.

Driving from here on out to Alabama and northern Florida. Small road tip.

NO is not a place I would want to stay.
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2015, 06:08:30 pm »
Fairhope, AL is next and I'm rather impressed. Small town feel with some big town resources. Lush green thick land. Lots of farm land. Lots of water lined properties. Cost of living is very good. Friendly people.

We just stayed a day and a half. But I could see a nice laid back life here. Adding it to possibilities.

We travelled down to Orange Beach, 1/2 hour away. Beach access a plus. Just need to know seasons, seasons, etc.
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2015, 06:26:33 pm »
Santa Rosa Island is amazing. Long thin outer island with a few homes and resorts. The beaches are sugar white, wide and long. Very few people, but that might be this is in between tourists seasons. Loved the area. We wound up sitting next to the dog access area. Now that was cool.

I now want a big dog, I can bring to the beach to play in the ocean.  ;D
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2015, 06:36:06 pm »
Today was supposed to be a wing it day. Flys in the face of my wife... Miss Organization. She wanted a hotel booked now. She called hotel.com after looking at one property. Her dads snow bird place. San Destin. I was pissed when we wound up paying $170 for just a place to sleep.

But we got here and it's freakin gorgeous. Had a nice dinner at one of the bay areas. The grounds are huge. They have everything. Homes, Villas, condos, hotels, golf courses, shopping. I was absolutely hating driving through Destin. I hate the area... It's a stupid huge tourist trap. But San Destin Estates are impressive enough to make me think otherwise. If I don't have to leave the area... Score.

It's just a thought. Will look into it more. It just looks expensive and it probably is.

We'll walk in the morning, drive around again and then head off south east.
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Chiprocks1

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2015, 06:54:15 pm »
Sounds like your having a blast. I hate you.  :P
Chip's Rockin' Art
Michael Scott To Meredith: "You've slept with so many men, your starting to look like one. BOOM! Roasted! Go here.

Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2015, 02:51:00 pm »
Oh give me a brake San Diego
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2015, 02:56:53 pm »
Today was on to Seaside, a place that has grown in notoriety. It is beautiful, but has become The Town in the panhandle. The traffic and crowds were pretty bad, and this is not the tourist season. Apparently it gets stupid crazy. No thanks.

Then some small communities.

The Alys Beach... Holy crap. It's gorgeous. And right now it's just starting with plans for 600 families one day. My wife instantly fell in love. Crazy expensive. The future of it looks awesome. Put it on our radar, for future possibilities/bargains. Beaches were awesome.
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2015, 02:58:28 pm »
We just arrived in Mexico Beach. I'll hold my thoughts for now.

I do have to find out about the current water conditions. I'm hoping the brown waters are an anomaly  :-[

Mexico Beach is our home port from here out. Well travel up and mostly down the coast. The unit is pleasing inside. Modern and updated. The outside see-ucks.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2015, 03:19:54 pm by Mac »
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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2015, 06:35:02 pm »
Mexico Beach is a bust. It's an old town with not much to see. Our rental is nice, but that's about it. We went to the next town of Port St. Joe. Bigger, but it seemed like any other town. My wife liked it, but I wasn't feeling it.

So today we started off early and our goal was Carrabelle, a town past the southern tip of the panhandle. My wife heard some friends just bought there. We decided to visit Cape San Blas, a remote peninsula off the panhandle point. Once you go far enough past the military test sites, a small community suddenly pops up. It looked awesome. Met some folks on the beach who go there every year. If you really wanted seclusion with a scenery and small town feel, the Cape is the place. Too remote for us. The couple we meet told us Carrabelle is just OK and ther are no beaches much further up the coast, beyond St. George.

Well 45 minutes later and arriving in Carrabelle turned out exactly as the couple said. We immediately turned around and headed back to St. George Island. This was our best move of the day. While remote also, it seemed to have life. The beach was gorgeous and the housing was classic beach. Loved it. We agreed it's too remote to live there, but something we definitely want to come back too and rent. Great people we met. Loved St. George Island.
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2015, 06:44:25 pm »
Forgot to mention, we stopped by a small upcoming community hiding off the coast around St. Joe. The setting was very nice with a handful of properties developed. It was VERY bizarre to drive though the middle of the finished town square and it was like a ghost town. No business's open, except the property management company. We decided to go in and ask questions. Receptionist didn't know sh*t. The pricing on the property was ridiculous. The access to the bay beach was nice, but small. Total shame. Lots of potential, but way overpriced for what seemed a dead project. Maybe not dead, but not thriving either. Check off the list. Maybe reexamine years down.
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Mac

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Re: Vacation - Spring 2015
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2015, 07:00:15 pm »
Last day to explore. We know where we didn't want to be. I suggested we go back through the areas we rushed through getting here. It's the 20 mile stretch on 30A. It obvious some area are too pricey and prestigious. So we visited realtors to give us the low down on value. They guided us and advised to some areas we should consider and areas to limit ourselves. We did just that and understood what they were saying.

We think we found the areas for us. Now we need to dive further and review options. Buy land? Buy in a community? Buy now? Wait?

I really love some of the areas and it works for me. My wife seems to be a little more selective. Single story, 2,000 sq feet, 3 bath, etc. those kinds of thing may need to be rethought.

Anyway, back home tomorrow. Lots more places to visit.
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