Retirement Options - riding the see-saw

Oh my.
How the thought of leaving my lovely home here in San Diego makes me sad.   I love the weather, the beaches, the mountains, the sights, the smells the sounds.    And most of all the wonderful friends and family I have here.

However,
Retirement means a fixed income.  And oh how California loves to tax it's residents!   Rent and purchased housing has reached the point of obscenity in price - even after the huge recession and drop in prices.   They'll never reach normal again, no matter how much they've come down.

I'm paying $1770 a month for a 2-bedroom apartment.  Granted - it is close to the beach and I am paying for that benefit....but no matter where I live it'll be high - if I move further inland I'd pay the same price but have more space for my money.  I decided I'd rather have the beach.

In 5 years I will be 66 years old.  Full retirement age for Social Security.  I will have worked 50 years of my life - and YES I do feel 'entitled' to a substantial SS benefit!  I paid into it for that long - and it was developed originally as a retirement benefit - not a death benefit, childrens benefit, fund to steal from or anything else.   (oops - stepping down off the box)...

I will have 10 years with my present job which should pay a decent amount (govt.) and have an IRA that my financial has well-invested for me.

Here's my present mindset:
I have looked at options beyond San Diego....
Considered Florida - spend 29 years there.
But only have a few friends and absolutely no family there.  The weather is okay but the bugs and humidity just don't do it for me.
Missouri - NO
Kansas - I have quite a few family members there.   It is close enough to Mo. that I could visit long lost friends, and not too far from Co. either (more family)

I hate winters, would miss the beach and mountains but would love springs and falls.   If I had a house with a basement that I could turn into 100% craft area - I could learn to like it there - as my playroom would be quite the escape.

AND - If I bought the house outright - I would have no house payments and all my income minus daily expenses (food, utilities, gas etc.) could be put away to go play during the winter (cruises, trips to warm places, etc.)

I'm sorta getting to like these ideas - and have found some interesting houses at ridiculously low prices (market is dead there right now) - I have my eye on 3 in particular.  Who knows.... I'm so up and down about it from day to day.   Stay tuned.  I'm still riding the see saw........