Hello. . . . .

I was born and raised in Bend Or but had to leave the state in order to make a living.    Now 30 years later I have done very well and I'm looking to retire.       I had always planed to retire back in Bend Or but all the CA imports have really screwed up the state.         I will be bring my own money so finding a job/income is not required.    

Looking for a place with 4 seasons, with lots of sunny days.    Bend has an ave of 300 sunny days a year.     Mountains, and rivers close by.    Someplace close (hour) to a airport where I can at least get a regional airline service.   Also some place with a GA airport real close

For a new house something along 2,500sf on enough land to have room to store some toys, (jeep, snowmobiles and other stuff)  Say .25 acre or larger for under 500K

In a area where I can go off roading with my jeep and ATV's, do some fly fishing, and gets snow in the winter.

Got any ideals.

Thanks

Congrats on your retirement!

Did this come off wrong?     What mid size towns in ID would be good to retire in with easy access to areas for off roading, fishing and what not.

Thanks

Not saying Idaho has anything wrong with it, but you should widen your looking a bit and include Western Montana, we have some great buys over here as well.

Draw a 1 hour circle around Boise, Lewiston and Idaho Falls.  I think you’ll be disappointed with the totality of recreation choices.  Draw a 2 hour circle and you can’t miss.

A 2 hour circle around Missoula gives you awesome choices, but real estate prices are higher.

Most of what you're looking for in N. Idaho.  Maybe not 300 days of sunshine, but definitely get seasons.
GA airport in Hayden is small, but growing.  Spokane INTL will get you anywhere you need to go.
Recreation not far away.  Great fishing on local lakes and rivers.
Real estate is going up again, local construction is busy, new housing being built, prices going up, but you could still get a great place with a few acres within your budget especially on the outskirts/outside of towns.

Lots of retired LEO/First responder/.mil up here.  Overall very conservative population.
There are some really fantastic areas outside of the towns that would be great to live at.


Downsides:  CdA/Rathdrum/Post Falls/Sandpoint areas are growing rapidly.  Lots of out of state city type folks moving in from all over.  Some folks from out of state move to Idaho then try to make it like the place they came from.  
Traffic can be bad as infrastructure was never built up for rapid population growth.  Some locals resent new transplants.  
There is a very broad representation of wealth spectrum, can see a million dollar place next door to a trailer park.
There are some very, very liberal pockets of very influential people scattered around (mostly infesting CdA and Sandpoint) in local media, tourism, politics, art/culture scene and healthcare...
Close proximity to WA state leads to some cultural "enrichment" from Spokane, but most of Eastern WA is also pretty conservative.

Moscow/Lewiston are beautiful as well, but somebody else can give you a better rundown on those towns.

Are you a pilot?
Again, congrats on your retirement!

Old town Bend looks a lot like Moscow. Quaint Main Street with brick buildings and trees. Great restaurants. Not much shopping. Local airport will get you to Seattle with runway construction underway to increase flight options. Lewiston airport goes most anywhere and is 40 min south. Town is 50/50 liberal and conservative due to college. Both sides own guns. Lots of forest nearby to recreate in. Fishing and hunting are good with a little drive. More sun than CdA or Sandpoint in winter with less snow.  Housing is overpriced in town but some land outside of city limits should be attainable at your budget.

We like it here.

Yes but not a airline pilot.    


Thanks for the feedback from everyone.