Our primary home in NorCal is so temperate that we have yet to turn on the A/C this summer. However, it gets a bit chillier than we'd like in the winter. With a goal of no A/C in the summer and no heat in the winter, we've been buying property in a retirement/resort community in Palm Desert, which is adjacent to Palm Springs.
One of the houses has a Casita, which we use as our base for now. Once DH fully retires, we will take over each rental property in sequence, update it while we live in it and then sell it off. We may keep one, we might not.
I saw a complaint upthread that I'd like to address. Yes, there are a metric craptons of strip malls, shopping centers and restaurants in Palm Springs/Palm Desert, but they are only superficial. The opportunity to commune with nature is immense. Joshua Tree, Living Desert, Running Springs, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Salton Sea, PS Aerial Tramway, multiple peaks above ten thousand feet. Literally hundreds of miles of trails and back roads. National parks and dense forests, free camping on BLM land. Then there's world class tennis and multiple casinos that offer an endless parade of headliners if that's your bag. Interesting architecture, a vast number of free activities, some high quality museums, great theater. A burgeoning concert and festival scene. (Coachella, anyone?) Wonderful hospitals and a huge Community College with a myriad of lifelong learning courses and a killer Swap Meet. And that gated community you sneer at? Over eighty different clubs delving into any topic that interests three or more people. Oh, and I think you can play a little golf if you like. Plus, the cost of housing is pretty low, especially compared to the rest of CA. [Wow, that got long quickly and I didn't even Google anything. I'm sure I've missed things, but I hope I've made my point]
Wherever you go in the world, you can always dig in a little more to find the hidden gems. (C'mon, if everybody knew about them, they'd be crowded. And expensive.)