Where is it that's warm, dry and intellectual?
 

Hi there, I'm looking for places to visit in the hopes of finding a place to live. Could be inside the US or outside.

My two main criteria are:

1) I'm a brainy person - a physicist - so some place that has an intellectual vibe would be nice. Maybe a university town, maybe not.

2) Also, weather affects my health greatly, I don't like cold or intense heat, and dampness/humidity absolutely KILL me, so a semi-desert where the temperature never goes over/under 40-90F would be nice. Or something close to that.

Bonus points if it has a good LGBT community.

Any places come to your minds? Thank you!

As in all things, budget? Do you have plenty to throw at this problem?

Let's say 5K$

No, I meant, if this trip is reconnaissance for the possibility of relocating, what is your budget for, say, buying a house? $250,000? $500,000? $1,000,000+? It makes all the difference to the sorts of places people might suggest, particularly given your somewhat narrow criteria.

Welcome to Fodor's forums. I see you're new here. Unfortunately very few people read this Travel Tips branch.

If you have any idea of possible places, you'll want to post on the various Destination Forums (like Europe, United States, etc.) where many more people will see your inquiry.

MmePerdu: Okay, so no more than 1K a month for rent or for a 20 year mortgage. Is that helpful to you? Looking into my crystal ball, sounds like you were going to suggest somewhere in California?

Well I love the state of California (place of my birth). It has a helluva lot going for it.

But from your weather requirements I was thinking more of someplace like Arizona or New Mexico.

That said, if you truly can live anywhere, what about Europe? Seems like cities in Italy, Portugal, Spain fit much of what you seek.

I suppose it might depend in large part on the intellectual level of his language skills.

Most, if not all, of AZ & NM would violate one temperature limit or the other. Maybe having a permanent home is the difficulty, moving with the seasons may be the answer, failing some sort of compromise.

I find myself stumped. All of AZ gets hotter than 90F in the summer except possibly the top of Mt. Lemmon. It is also humid during the (relatively brief) monsoon season. The San Francisco Bay area has a lot to recommend it; perhaps Berkeley or Palo Alto, while certainly not arid, would be dry enough? But they are expensive.

Interesting question. Perhaps moving with the seasons really is the way to go. I look forward to reading more ideas, though.

Check out Livermore CA. https://www.llnl.gov/
If that is too expensive, try Albuquerque, NM and the Sandia Lab.
Albuquerque is home to the University of NM. They also have the museum of the Atomic Bomb.

That's the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History:
http://www.nuclearmuseum.org

I don't think the OP can afford anywhere in the US with his very limiting criteria, especially climate. I also question whether it's actually "intellectual" he seeks. Having worked for physicists at Stanford, I found them, yes, highly intelligent but not what I'd call intellectual, limited to their own field, not expansive in their interests. So I think a more precise definition may be called for.

I also thought of San Francisco or Seattle but:
<dampness/humidity absolutely KILL me> eliminates both.

The San Francisco Peninsula is an obvious choice, not damp as parts of SF can be, SLAC at Stanford, but he apparently can't afford it.

He mentions outside the US but doesn't mention language - lots of places with intellectuals but no good if he can't communicate.

Maybe expend some brain power making more money.

$1000 a month for living accommodations isn't going to go far in CA. San Diego would fit requirements but not for that prices.

Phoenix is going to be too hot, Tucson might be a bit better. It sure won't be humid -- monsoon season hasn't been arose no for several years; the southwest is having an ongoing drought.

Albuquerque might work, it isn't all that cold in winter, though it does go below your lower limits at night. The days are usually sunny and it feels much warmer as a result. Summers aren't killer hot.

Housing here is reasonable. A fairly tolerant city, we have a big mix of people and LGBT seems to not be an issue here. We are pretty accepting to all.

Oh yes, as far as intelligent people -- I'm here.

$1000 wouldn't pay rent in Seattle or San Francisco either!

Long Beach, CA would probably fit your criteria but that rent is very difficult, even in so-called "bad" neighborhoods.

Unless you are willing to rent only a studio or a room in a share situation.

FWIW, I like the idea of Albuquerque. Weather is close to what is desired, cost of living is reasonable, surroundings are beautiful, and it's easy to drive to activities (cultural and outdoor) in Santa Fe and elsewhere. Whether it's "intellectual" enough is hard to say, but I won't mock the request, because we've lived in places that were certainly intellectually dull, and we couldn't wait to leave.