Trudie, I think this forum would be a great place to start looking for all of those things if you wanted to let us know where you're going. I live in a university town and they certainly are a popular post-FIRE destination for mustachians! Chances are some of us live/went to college/have researched where you are planning to go.
Ames, Iowa (ISU) is the destination. My husband works for a college a few hours away and we've always been in/around college towns, so we know what it is we like about them in general. And we're particularly familiar with Ames (close to my husband's hometown).
I particularly like some of the Mustachian aspects of the town: low COL, great public transit, nice community feel, bikeable and walkable. There's enough commerce, but not too much. We're ISU sports fans.
ISU is the land grant university in Iowa, so there are lots of great extension and outreach programs. The local community college is also excellent. The list of things I can see myself considering doing is long: community gardens volunteer, public library volunteer, establishing my own "serious" kitchen garden/potager, writing a blog or book for fun, cooking classes, volunteering in some capacity at a church, running (with a running club... I've already run with them on a Saturday). I'm not sure about paid work. I may continue on as a tax preparer (working with someone else) or as a contract employee for short-term jobs. I don't want total tyranny of a schedule.
But, knowing a place from a distance and being connected are two different things. We have lots of acquaintances there (and family nearby). But we want to establish a deep rootedness, and I know that takes time and effort. I love my family, but we are also different people and like to spend our free time differently. Any one of the interests I've listed above probably could be done in relative isolation (and I am an introvert), but I strive to be connected.
