Seniors Searching for the Four S’s

Judging from reader response to a column by Hank Kovel that dealt partly with retirement possibilities in Mexico, many local mature and senior readers are always on the lookout for retirement areas during their travels.

“That’s normal. That’s the way seniors are--always looking, checking, comparing,” says Peter A. Dickinson, author of two highly rated retirement guides: “Sunbelt Retirement” and “Retirement Edens Outside the Sunbelt.”

But why should anyone in Southern California want to look elsewhere for a retirement area? They’re already living in one of the major chapters of Dickinson’s Sun Belt book.

“Many reasons,” Dickinson explains. “One man’s haven is another man’s hell. Some may yearn for the change of seasons instead of perpetual summer. And, of course, it doesn’t have to be far away at all, maybe just 50 miles away in their own state.”

What do or should seniors look for when seeking the best places to combine a vacation and retirement area search?

“Most are seeking what I call the four S’s--small, sophisticated, secluded, special,” Dickinson claims.

Healthier, Wealthier Haven

“If it’s a place you’ve chosen as a vacation site, a true retirement Eden must also be a place where you’d love to live as well. It should be a haven where you’ll be happier, healthier and wealthier than you are now.

“And it should be a place where you can make as well as save money,” he adds.

How do you judge such an area on a vacation trip? Not just by looking around, although that tells a lot. But by seeking out answers to questions such as these:

What’s the climate? How many days is the temperature 66 degrees and humidity 55%? This climate allows your body chemistry to function without strain. The more days like this, the better you’ll feel.

Could a retired couple live modestly on $14,000 a year? (A single person needs at least 75% of that figure.) Are state and local taxes less than 10% of income?

Dickinson suggests checking further on housing and rental costs, medical facilities, recreational and cultural activities and other pertinent factors.

Under AARP Auspices

Details on all of these are in the introductory chapters of his two books. Both are published by Scott, Foresman & Co., sell for about $11.95 paperback in bookstores and are also available through the American Assn. of Retired Persons, under whose auspices the guides are published.

For those in the just-looking-around stages on their vacation travels, Dickinson offers a free eight-page report on 14 U.S. communities among the best retirement spots in the United States plus lists another 35.

(Nearest of the 14 top spots are Durango, Colo.; Roswell, N.M.; Prescott, Ariz., and Ashland, Ore. California locations among the 35 other sites are Hemet, Nevada City, Ramona, Santa Barbara and Sonoma).

For a free copy of his report in his “Retirement Letter; A Money Newsletter for Mature People,” send a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope to Peter A. Dickinson, 47 Chestnut Ave., Larchmont, N.Y. 10538.

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The Ensenada Express, which offers day cruises and overnight stays to the Mexican resort area from San Diego, has lowered its rates for seniors (age 55 years and up) for the fall and winter season as well as offering new, lower group rates for seniors.

Seniors get $10 off the normal adult fare of $79 on the regularly scheduled cruises aboard the 100-foot vessel. The group rate for seniors drops to $64 for 20 or more and to $59 per person for groups of 30 seniors or more.

Free rolls and coffee are included. A full breakfast is available for $3.50 per person on the way down to Ensenada. Sandwiches are available on the trip back.

For more information on the cruise, which was only inaugurated this summer, write to Ensenada Express, B Street Pier, P.O. Box 81823, San Diego, Calif. 92138-1823. Or call toll-free (800) 422-5008 (within California) or the regular number, (619) 232-2109.

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At Disney World in Orlando, the Hotel Royal Plaza has a “Seniors Royal Treatment” package of four days and three nights for $225 per person, double occupancy, through Dec. 20.

In addition to accommodations and shuttle service within Disney’s Vacation Kingdom, the package also includes a three-day passport for unlimited admission to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center, plus a $100 “Official Bonus Cheque Pack” for savings in dining and entertainment in central Florida.

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On a local note, the Inland Express Service, which operates airport shuttle services for the desert areas of Hemet, Sun City and San Jacinto as well as the Inland Empire and eastern section of the San Gabriel Valley, provides a 5% discount to senior travelers. Its door-to-door service is based on passenger departure time, not a regular schedule. For information and reservations, call (714) 989-4063.