[Red Rose]

I would advise you to go online to thecottages@summervillage.com
It’s in Wells, Maine. You can buy a seasonal cottage there or rent by the month or for the whole summer. The season there is from May 1st through October 31st. Then the cottages all get winterized and closed. It’s a beautiful place. We used to own one of the cottages. We sold it just a couple of years ago because of our advancing age. The developer designed the complex like The Villages and he did a great job. It isn’t 55 and over, though. It’s a mix of families and retirees. We live here in The Villages full time now. Good Luck.

[millhouse]

Originally Posted by Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com

Hello Everyone, I have lived in Florida all of my life and would like to get a place up north to escape the heat from the Florida Summers. I live in The Villages and would love a Villages up north.

My question to you all is, " Does anyone know of an active retirement community up north?" I have searched hours on the Web and have come up empty handed."

My only criteria is some place cooler. Thank you

Hi! We have a summer home in Canadian Lakes, Michigan. Although it’s not a 55 and over community, it is primarily retirement age people that live there. It has one 18 hole course and two 9 hole courses with lots of other golf in the area. It is on a private all sports lake, there are clubs, indoor pool, outdoor pool, pickle ball, softball team, etc . As you can imagine, it’s hard to find the same thing as we have here in the villages. But Canadian Lakes is a small version of it. We go up to our lakehouse May through September, then live in The Villages for 7 months. It’s a great balance! Below is a link if you want to see more about it. I am also a realtor in Michigan and would be happy to answer any questions about Michigan summers. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you want me to send you some houses in the area. It truly is a gorgeous area. 😊


Thank you!
Jodi Miller
Keller Williams Lakeside
Jodimiller@kw.com

[Justputt]

First question is what do you want to do? Sit by a lake, boat, fish, peace, rural setting, or do you want more nightlife metro area? Do you need ready access to medical care? How much of the summer do you want to go and can afford? What you lose in temperature you may gain in mosquitos and black flies.

[Vermilion Villager]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Something that might interest you is the Summer Senior Rental Program at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Other Universities might offer similar programs. This particular program has five- and eight-week sessions, supplying an apartment at one of the residence halls which includes (from the website) "Each apartment has a kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and two bedrooms with two single beds in each room. Each apartment is furnished with a stove, full-size refrigerator, dining table and chairs, couch and chair, end table, desks and chairs, desk lamps, closet and dresser space, beds and mattresses, draperies and shower curtains. "

The University also offers summer programs, classes, etc. for Seniors who might be interested in taking them, or they could just use the program as a base of operations to enjoy what Northern Minnesota has to offer in the summer, and it is a lot: outdoor activities predominate with fishing, hiking, camping being the biggies. You're less than three hours from The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as Voyageur's National Park. Plus you're right next to Lake Superior, and with North Shore drive available it is incredibly picturesque. And it IS cool: Mark Twain once remarked that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in Duluth. A bit of an exaggeration but the "lake effect" keeps Duluth and other areas surrounding the lake cool even though it can get pretty hot inland.

Duluth itself is a bit of an inland cultural center with three Universities located there as well as one in Superior, WI just a short drive across the bridge. The port of Duluth/Superior is North America's most inland port and is a major shipping center, moving "a leading mover of bulk commodities ranging from iron ore, coal and limestone, to grain, cement and salt. Duluth- Superior is also recognized worldwide as the heaviest lift port on the Great Lakes for its expertise in handling wind energy cargoes, project cargoes, wood pulp, paper, steel coils and containerized cargoes." We used to spend hours watching the ships come and go, both "Lakers" hauling mainly iron ore out and coal in, as well as the "Salties" which come from ports across the world via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. A major attraction in that regard is the Duluth ship canal which culminates the the Aerial Lift Bridge which raises and lowers so that the ships can pass. The canal is not that wide but has a protected walkway along the side, and the when the ships pass it seems as if they are almost close enough to touch.

That's just a brief overview: you can get a better idea of the costs and availabilities by visiting the UMD website and accessing the Senior Summer Rental Program.

All good points! We are snowbirds from Northern MN and plan on relocating to Duluth when our stay in The Villages is done. The main reason among many is world class healthcare.
Motto is: If you are going to be a snowbird go big or go home......

[jamesrcorbett]

The Highlands in The North Carolina mountains is a favorite Floridian get away because of the weather but it’s not a Villages north it’s just great cool weather in majestic mountains.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

Unless I'm mistaken, I don't think Arkansas is a good place to "escape the heat" as to what the OP wants.

Northern Arkansas Ozark mountains no different than north Tennessee, Georgia, or anywhere else except coasts.

[The Chipster]

Originally Posted by Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com

Hello Everyone, I have lived in Florida all of my life and would like to get a place up north to escape the heat from the Florida Summers. I live in The Villages and would love a Villages up north.

My question to you all is, " Does anyone know of an active retirement community up north?" I have searched hours on the Web and have come up empty handed."

My only criteria is some place cooler. Thank you

We moved from The Villages to Asheville, NC about 4 years ago. What an incredibly refreshing change, for many reasons. Only used our AC three times this summer. Asheville NC Insider’s Travel Guide

[fraurose]

Hello , there is very nice community 55 and older in Huntley Illinois , It’s from Dell Web . Single-family homes and Townhomes , lots of activities - shopping also very close by and many Restaurants .
Has approximately 5000 Homes .

[bjtraut52]

We have a house in Alaska. Cool summers especially this past one but almost 24 hours of daylight. Many recreational opportunities hiking biking canoeing kayaking.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Mlogan22@tampabay.rr.com

Hello Everyone, I have lived in Florida all of my life and would like to get a place up north to escape the heat from the Florida Summers. I live in The Villages and would love a Villages up north.

My question to you all is, " Does anyone know of an active retirement community up north?" I have searched hours on the Web and have come up empty handed."

My only criteria is some place cooler. Thank you

That is a smart thing to do because summers are predicted to keep getting hotter and setting records for, at least, the next 8 years.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Blueblaze

You won't find anything as active as the Villages up North, but we looked very carefully at Fairfield Glade in Crossville, TN before we finally decided on the Villages. You can have a real house with a hobby barn on an acre lot, if you want. The golf courses are nicer, bigger, and even cheaper than our executive courses, when you consider the higher cost of our amenity fees. And then you've got all the lakes just to the east, if you're into boating and fishing. If you want to actually live on the lake, check out Lake Tansi retirement village, also in Crossville, or Tellico Village, near Knoxville.

We also looked a lot around Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri (but its not a retirement village -- just cool summers).

The way I found places to check out was Home - Retirement Communities | 55+ Communities | 55places.

I spent several summers in a small house that I owned near Crossville TN. and knew retirees that lived in Fairfield Glade. Crossville is very inexpensive compared to The Villages. For example, dental bills cost about 50 % of what they do here. You could buy a simple home for 150K. They have a nice library and a big, beautiful park with softball fields, tennis court and Ugg....pickleball courts. Many places to go hiking. They have a Walmart and nice restaurants at reasonable prices. There is a river for fishing and canoeing.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by justjim

I would look in Tennessee’, Maine or North Carolina. Fairfield Glade near Crossville, Tn is worth taking a look. We have a place in Illinois where it’s cooler than Florida and family living in Southern Illinois makes it a “draw” for us. BTW, if you own in The Villages and go north in the summer I’m told you are a Sunbird. A Snowbird is one that goes south for the winter.

TN is good. I did NOT like Maine........flat with lots of mosquitoes. In the Northeast, I preferred western N.Y.

[Sunshinewoman]

Originally Posted by CarrieOn

We own a park model on a lake in Wisconsin.. tons to do.kayaking ,boating,fishing.,Green fees are cheap. Free pickle ball
Bar restaurant on campground
Free music at bars all over. Lots of concerts , craft fairs cute towns to visit
Campground spot right on lake $3500 season with pier.
You can put anything from a travel trail or to a mini home/ park model on it..
Best of both worlds
I usually fly back & forth
Leave enough clothes there.

I drove this last time home
Only 18 hours.
A one time only to rescue plants that. Would have froze in the gardens up there.

Where in Wisconsin is this located. We are originally from Appleton and looking to spend summers in Wisconsin. Thanks

[Marmaduke]

Look into nearby Tennessee Mts.

There's a beautiful senior community in the foothills of The Great Smokey Mountains.

It's called Tellico Village.

It is NOTHING like The Villages, but it's awesome in many ways.

You'd no longer be a Flat Lander only. FUN, gorgeous mountain terrain...
Not what you may envision when I say... Mountainous. It's spread out and easy to travel, and cool in the SUMMER.

...


Good Luck.

[LuvNH]

The replies to the OP on summering ina cooler area have been excellent and even if the OP has no interest, I am sure many people who just check in to TOTV have received some good and interesting information. I know I have.