Hopefully this fits under the category of "Travel" because I have no idea where else to put it. My wife and I spent some time visiting different parts of the country planning where we might end up in retirement. I'm 52 now but have no plans to work past 56. We really liked Coeur D'Alene Idaho. Has anyone been? Do any Ags live there? How do you like it? Any other places in the general area that we should check out once we pull the trigger on retirement?

We've been talking about similar trips to scout retirement potential. Haven't done any yet and have only been to Boise.

We plan on checking Durango, flagstaff, some areas in Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Carolinas.

I suspect first 2 are too cold in the winter for my wife

I lived up in Idaho for a spell and it was cold, but I welcome it. 75 degrees on Christmas day is a real downer for me. If I never see one of these giant cockroaches again, it will be too soon. Idaho has none of that. I welcome the cold!

You might know all this.

It's nice up there but winters feel very long. Starting by Halloween usually it starts getting cloudy. Then that last until May. December and January the highs are just above freezing so the snow melts and refreezes as ice on the roads. I was working so if the one sunny day every two weeks in the winter didn't fall on the weekend , might not see the sun for a month or more. Inversions happen and the visibility goes to nil.


Still gorgeous outdoors. Skiing. Hiking. Lakes. Biking. Lots of pluses. Airport in Spokane is very user friendly but you will have to connect to get most places.


It's a bit white nationalist and racist in northern Idaho. .

Garrelli 5000 said:

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We've been talking about similar trips to scout retirement potential. Haven't done any yet and have only been to Boise.

We plan on checking Durango, flagstaff, some areas in Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Carolinas.

I suspect first 2 are too cold in the winter for my wife

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Boise was nice. Almost ended up there in 2015.

Check the snow totals and not just the cold. If you haven't had to deal with shoveling all winter…..it matters.

Durango is great but Flagstaff gets a lot more snow.

Idaho is one of the few places I've been where people don't lock the doors when they leave. My car broke down once and I had five different people stop to offer help. Looking forward to seasons. When we left for Houston on Thursday, it was 43 degrees there, but during the day it gets up into the 80s.

RightWingConspirator said:

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Idaho is one of the few places I've been where people don't lock the doors when they leave. My car broke down once and I had five different people stop to offer help. Looking forward to seasons. When we left for Houston on Thursday, it was 43 degrees there, but during the day it gets up into the 80s.

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Many people still lock up in Northern Idaho. Probably more so after the murders in Moscow.

It is pretty friendly. Moscow has an amazing farmers market and that's an hour away. It is quiet and I really liked it up there

Durango is great but Flagstaff gets a lot more snow.

This surprises me. But then I have never been to Flagstaff nor to that area of Arizona.

Waiting on a Natty said:

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Durango is great but Flagstaff gets a lot more snow.

This surprises me. But then I have never been to Flagstaff nor to that area of Arizona.

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63.7 to 90.1 inches. So over 2 feet more. I did research on both because like others on this thread I was researching places I'd like to live.

My wife and I are both fully remote so its a real possibility.

I've lived in Arizona for 2.5 years. The variety of terrains and climates surpise a lot of people.

Waiting on a Natty said:

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Durango is great but Flagstaff gets a lot more snow.

This surprises me. But then I have never been to Flagstaff nor to that area of Arizona.

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Its snows enough that it's not uncommon for flagstaff to get snowed in. The interstate even gets shut down.

I have said that if I ever left Texas, it would be for Idaho. It would have to be Boise for me though because of the more temperate winters. I've spent a decent amount of time in CDA and it's a nice town. For me, Sandpoint has it beat though. Similar vibe, just on a smaller scale and not oversaturated with people yet.

However, I have also spent time up there in January, enough to know that I want nothing to do with being that cold for that long. And I wouldn't know how to handle myself in that much snow.

But up until the winter, it's perfection.

We're definitely not looking for a small mountain town. CDA is large enough to have all the stores and conveniences of a large city without being too large. We like that it has a Costco! We also like that it's only 30 miles from a much larger city in Spokane so we have a good airport to use when we'd need it. I'll checkout Sandpoint as I don't know much about it. Thanks for the reply.

RightWingConspirator said:

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We're definitely not looking for a small mountain town. CDA is large enough to have all the stores and conveniences of a large city without being too large. We like that it has a Costco! We also like that it's only 30 miles from a much larger city in Spokane so we have a good airport to use when we'd need it. I'll checkout Sandpoint as I don't know much about it. Thanks for the reply.

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Spokane is also big enough to host NCAA sometimes with Gonzaga. They have a good performing arts center that gets decent shows if you/your wife like that. You can get to Kalispell and the west side of Glacier in under 4 hours. Seattle is under 5 hours away in the summer for Mariners or Seahawks or just to visit. WSU sports just down the road. Vandals as well.

There are lots of positives. I would just plan for a week or 2 in the winter to go vacation somewhere warm if it were me.

My wife's family lives up the road in Sandpoint. Beautiful area. Couer d' Alene has a lot of traffic. Really growing. Sandpoint is similar just smaller. Very expensive places to live housing wise. You'll need to go to Spokane or Seattle if you need serious medical care.

Outdoor wise it's paradise. Water ski, snow ski, hike, backpacking, hunting, fishing. Very close to other beautiful outdoor areas. People are friendly. Not Texas or Southern friendly but friendly.

Winters are worse in Montana. Summers can have 100 degree days. Just not as many as Texas. You'll also have smokey summer days because of forest fires.

No TexMex

If our grandkids weren't in Texas we would live in Dover ID or in the Selle Valley east of Sandpoint.

Wrong emoji!

RightWingConspirator said:

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I lived up in Idaho for a spell and it was cold, but I welcome it. 75 degrees on Christmas day is a real downer for me. If I never see one of these giant cockroaches again, it will be too soon. Idaho has none of that. I welcome the cold!

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when your kids are scattered to the wind will they want to come to Idaho for Christmas?

They loved it. We scouted the area with my two daughters.

RightWingConspirator said:

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They loved it. We scouted the area with my two daughters.

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loving and wanting to travel all the way up there when they have limited vacation, costs money, have families, and all that stuff. I am just saying it presents and opportunity for skipping and separation. Out of site out of mind.

Coming from someone who travels 16 hours each way to the in-laws once a year for thanksgiving or Christmas. It's a challenge. We drive and sacrifice the time because of the cost and ability to haul all of the kids stuff.

Right now one of my daughters lives in Provo, UT with her husband. My senior in HS will also be going to BYU in Provo. Should not be a problem at all for any of them. My youngest will likely also attend BYU. Who knows where they'll end up after graduation, but even staying in Texas, we could have the same problem. Decided long ago that we will not chase our kids or base retirement decisions on where they end up. Which kid to follow?

If my parents chased me, they'd have ended up in California at one point, Singapore at another point, Houston, etc. We're going to pick a place that we like and worry about the other stuff when the time comes.

Perfect. Now all you need is to take up triathlon and do the 70.3 race up there every year.

Do the bridge swim in Sandpoint too!

Now that would be a problem!