20 Ultimate Fantasy Towns

Tired of the daily grind? Pick your paradise: woodsy, tropical, wine country, or Pacific Rim. Find a slower-paced, stress-free life in these dream towns. Here are 20 places that prove a big move is doable, along with expat advice on how to make the switch to your perfect plan B. Affordable, beautiful, and friendly--welcome to Dreamville(s).


Nelson, B.C.
Four hundred miles and hoooours from Vancouver, British Columbia--Spokane, Washington, is the closest "big city," 150 miles south--this quirky-quaint town in B.C.'s Selkirk Mountains is truly in the middle of nowhere. In a good way, say the outdoorsy types, off-the-grid pot growers, and entrepreneurs who call Nelson home. Up here, it's all about community: Networking takes place on the sidelines of the kids' soccer field, folks tend to boycott big chain stores, and if you choose work over family here, you stick out. There's killer powder skiing (at two resorts, Whitewater and Red Mountain), snowcat skiing (with five outfitters, including acclaimed Baldface), hiking, and expert-level mountain biking. Plus, western Canada wants more immigrants, so newcomers with business ideas are welcome.
Population: 9,800
Median home price: $306,343
discovernelson.com
> 4 more woodsy dream towns

Steven Kaup and family
Steven Kaup and family


EXPAT CHEAT SHEET: Steven Kaup, 42
Moved:
From Vail, Colorado, to Nelson, B.C., in 2007
Old life: Corporate architect in the fast-paced Aspen-Vail-Denver scene.
New life: Owner of a small, green architecture firm (studio9architecture.com)
Take my advice: The immigration process is fairly straightforward: Have a solid background and a reliable prospect for employment and it should take only about 12 months.
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McMinnville, OR
The Willamette Valley has fantastic Pinot, of course, but the towns along the highway are, well, less than picturesque. McMinnville, 35 miles from Portland, is the exception. It's got that historic brick-lined main drag. Acres of farmland that feed a burgeoning farm-to-fork restaurant scene (largely spurred by Eric Bechard of Thistle and the town's first non-dive bar, Oak & Ivy). And it's the kind of progressive small town attracting 20-, 30-, and 40-somethings from Portland to Napa; where full-on houses are affordable; people post online pleas like, "Who wants to split 25 pounds of CSA carrots?"; and Saturday nights are spent swing dancing in the local ballroom. Plus, the feel is refreshingly middle class. As one local puts it, "The rich people must be hiding in their wineries."
Population: 32,601
Median home price: $170,000
ci.mcminnville.or.us
> 4 more wine country dream towns


EXPAT CHEAT SHEET: Dominique Bjorlin, 33
Moved: From Vancouver, Washington, to McMinnville, Oregon, in 2006
Old life: Preschool teacher in the burbs
New life: Bakery owner
Take my advice: If you want to start a business here, finding a niche is important. I don't know if I would've succeeded with a regular bakery; it helped to be vegan and gluten-free. The Saturday market is a great place for people who have an idea and want to try it out before opening a full-fledged business.
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Big Island, HI
Anywhere on this lush, easygoing island would suffice for the average overworked Mainlander, but hot spots to consider include Puna (the fastest-growing district in eastern Hawaii), with its black-sand beaches and macadamia nut farms; and timeless towns like Waimea and Hawi, where artists, surfers, and disenchanted daily grinders are filling up the cafes. But daydreamers, prepare for sticker shock the first you buy a carton of OJ or fill your gas tank.
Population: 185,079
Median home price: $250,000
gohawaii.com/big-island
> 4 more tropical dream towns


EXPAT CHEAT SHEET: Christie Cash, 42
Moved: From Los Angeles to the Big Island in 2007
Old life: Executive producer for a film post-production company
New life; Owner of Puakea guest ranch in North Kohala; lives in Waimea
Take my advice: You will always be an outsider to folks who have been here for generations, and you may need to work a bit to make friends. I volunteer at my kids' schools, and most of my close friends are other parents or business owners. Respect the fact that you're a newcomer in a place with deep roots, and you'll be fine. Don't speak pidgin!
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Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Imagine: Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef every weekend; sailing, nightly if you like, into a killer sunset; a house with a water view (it's hard to find a place in the Whitsundays without one); all the mango, passion fruit, and barramundi you can eat. Not as a trip-of-a-lifetime, but as your life. Oh, sure, people who actually occupy the Whitsundays' 8 inhabited islands (there are 74 total) and gateway town of Airlie still have to work--living in a "holiday" destination doesn't come cheap. but there's a serious laid-back vibe to this subtropic, turquoise-tinted region. You want in? Yeah, so does everybody else. The younger you are, the better educated, and the more moola you can bring in, the better. In a nutshell: Have a sought-after skill set (high-tech, medicine, engineering); get sponsored; or find yourself a charming Aussie and get hitched.
Population: 32,107
Median home price: $222,341
immi.gov.au
> 4 more Pacific Rim dream towns


EXPAT CHEAT SHEET: Suzanne Haddon, 46
Moved: From Seattle to the Whitsunday Islands, Australia, in 2009
Old life: Senior design director for Starbucks
New life: Self-employed graphic designer, artist, and painter
Take my advice: Have a financial plan. I'd run my own business before and was able to keep a lot of clients in the States while I found new locals to work with. Don't wing it.
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