Why Your 70s Look Better in San Miguel: Community, Comfort, and Culture

For many people, being in your 70s feels like the beginning of slowing down. For Nancy, it feels like the height of freedom, joy, and fulfillment. After nearly three decades in San Miguel de Allende, she has built a life filled with friendship, ease, and purpose—so much so that she says without hesitation: “This is my place to leave the planet.”

This is Nancy’s story of finding community, comfort, and culture in San Miguel—and why she never looked back.

Nancy’s Leap of Faith

Nancy first visited San Miguel in 1997. At 50 years old her children were grown, her ties in Alabama were loosening, and she was ready for adventure. She felt that perhaps Europe was   financially and geographically out of reach, but when a friend told her about a small city in Mexico that had great climate, a deep culture and you didn’t need to be fluent in the language, she decided to go see for herself.

Her first impression was unforgettable: “I walked into the Jardín and saw people in their 60s, 70s, even 80s—laughing, smiling, inviting each other over for coffee or cocktails . Everyone looked alive. Back in Alabama , people in their 70's were watching TV game shows every afternoon . I knew instantly this was the place for me.”

Within six months, she sold her house, packed her dog into the car, and drove south with no Spanish and no safety net—just the conviction that life was too short not to take risks, a lesson she had learned from her mother.

Community: The Joy of Belonging

Saturday Breakfast after a workout

From her first week in San Miguel, Nancy was welcomed. “I was in Spanish class for less than a week when someone invited me over for cocktails . I instantly made friends. That’s the kind of place San Miguel is—hospitality runs deep.”

Nancy with Louise Gilliam, President of the NGO Casita Linda

Unlike the social divides she’d known back home, Nancy found that here, people mix across ages, backgrounds, and professions. “Most of us who move here are adventurous, open, and fearless. Those are my people.”

Her community also grew through giving back. Nancy has volunteered  and served on boards of several local charities, where, she says, the friendships are as important as the causes.

“It’s twofold—you’re giving to the community, but you’re also building your own.”

Comfort: The Luxury of Time

Fresh breakfast at home

Nancy jokes that life in San Miguel is like living in “assisted living”. With the support of a housekeeper, a driver, and others she’s free to focus on the greatest luxury of all: time.

“I can focus on what I love—working in real estate, taking classes, staying active. I have a doctor who knows me, who makes house calls when needed. During COVID, she sent a portable x-ray machine brought to my home. That kind of personalized medical care is unheard in Alabama”

But it’s not just about conveniences. San Miguel also offers the rare gift of pace—the freedom to choose between doing everything or doing nothing at all. “Sometimes slowing down is exactly what you need to discover more about yourself,” Nancy says.

Looking back, she realizes that one of the greatest lessons came when she moved here in her 50s: “Don’t let society decide what you should be doing. Ask yourself—what do You really want?”

Culture: Depth, Tradition, and Inspiration

After arriving in San Miguel, Nancy realized how limited her perspective had been living in just one place her whole life. Experiencing a city with such age and depth was transformative. It made her see how young the United States is in comparison to the broader world. She had lived in the U.S. her whole life, where culture often felt like something you had to go out and find. In San Miguel, it became part of her daily existence.

Nancy and Katharine on Day of the Dead at Atrio

“The depth of culture here is extraordinary. This city is almost 500 years old. You feel the history in every cobblestone, every festival, every parade,” she says. “The dedication Mexicans have to preserving their traditions is incredible. It’s not just in the big events—it’s in the way the streets are decorated for Day of the Dead, the way families gather for a fiesta, the way music and color fill the Jardín on an ordinary Tuesday. The arts are everywhere—painting, ceramics, music, literature.”

Nancy quickly found herself swept up in this richness. She’s taken classes in art, ceramics and Spanish, attended countless concerts and art openings, and watched parades wind through the narrow streets from her favorite café table.

Why Your 70s Look Better Here

Now in her late 70s, Nancy has friends of all ages and in all stages of life, which she says keeps her young. She still works full time as one of the Principal Brokers at CDR Forbes Global Properties, one of the city’s leading luxury real estate brokerage. Her days are full—spending time with her daughter Katharine, supporting local NGOs, and enjoying evenings with friends. She feels safe, supported, and alive.

Her advice to anyone considering the move? “Do it. Don’t wait for the perfect time—it doesn’t exist. Here’s the thing: the right time is when it’s right for you. Come with an open heart and an open mind. You’re not going to change this culture, so allow it to change you. That’s where the magic lies.”

Nancy’s leap brought her a new life, and her story is proof that aging in San Miguel isn’t about slowing down —it’s about flourishing, with community, comfort, and culture. At the heart of it all is the magic that is San Miguel.