Updated 2026. My mother passed at age 97 (2024) RIP. I will be updating this site so I can help retirees again. Write to me!

Retirement Location: So. California to Central California

I retired to the beautiful Central Coast of California. It's absolutely gorgeous. You have beaches, and rolling hills and the wine industry is surpassing even the Napa Valley.

Recently San Luis Obispo was rated the top happiest place to live in the country. It boasts a stellar university in Cal Poly and yet still enjoys that small town ambiance.

I moved here from Southern California and opened my own business, a small diner which blossomed into 8 locations!! I retired from that in 2008 and now just enjoy the area.

Low crime, friendly people, wonderful weather. The cost of living is higher than most of the state but I find it well worth it. I watch my pennies and made some good investments so I am blessed enough to live the SLOW town life.

Comments for Retirement Location: So. California to Central California

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PARADISE
by: GOLDIE

Still searching for PARADISE!!!

I dream of a place with interesting activities and wonderful people to enjoy!

One day my dream will come true!
Proceed with Caution
by: Barbara

Alejandro,
Do your homework BEFORE you move. Proceed with caution. Go online and check out the community to find out exactly what you can expect.
Difficulties deciding to retire
by: Alejandro

I am very close to retire and have a hard time deciding to retire. Deep inside I think about working longer in order to get a better retirement pension check, but at the same time I don't know is it is worth it.

My wife and i would like to be closer to the ocean and San Luis Obispo County sounds great but I am not sure I can afford it. I thought of buying a modular home for my my wife and my son diagnosed with Autism. I worry about services for him and I am not sure if i can find them there. Out priority is our son.

Hopefully we can manage to buy a modular home or the least rent a home close to the ocean as my son loves it. thank you for allowing me to share my thought.

alejandro
Nice place
by: Barbara

The Central Coast seems to be a very popular place. My sister and her husband moved to Pacific Grove last year and they feel like they are in heaven. It is definitely a small town but if you can afford it and want a slower pace... Central California seems to be the place to go.

I worry about earthquakes and am not certain anywhere in California is a good place to be. I've lived here all my life and love it (especially the weather), but things can change quickly. I pray for this beautiful state.....
San Luis Obispo, CA
by: Linda Helen

I was reading your post and for an instant, I thought it was my own ~ I moved from Southern CA to Central California in early 1980's ~ my husband worked for Cal Poly for quite a few years ~ we lived in Shell Beach, on the hill overlooking the water and the big rock ~ we had a great name for that rock, lol

We made many friends and experienced many fun things ~ we loved Morro Beach and many of the other fun places, Pismo Beach included ~ it was the best years of our life ~ however, our family was living in Southern CA and growing up fast ~ I got very homesick for my kids and grandsons.

After 10 years we returned home to Southern CA and have been here since ~ we take trips back and forth to SLO and enjoy it each time ~ always talking about moving back ~ we had a great home and lots of friends ~ oh where to those wonderful and very youthful years go? Time passes, we get older, life changes ~ ho hum!

Memories ~ you brought them back to my heart.
Would you want to be a pen friend? If yes, let me know ~ I would love to chat about life in SLO.
Be happy in my favorite place in the world ~ in God's Country as I remember calling it.

Linda

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