I completely understand your realizations.

This is why one of my dreams for when I partially and later fully retire is to spend 1-3 months at a time at a destination city, to really experience it and get to know and enjoy the local culture, cuisine, wine, and people (not in order of importance :)).

Then, when we hit saturation, move back to our wonderful home in Maryland, where we still experience when driving down the driveway a sense of, "Wow, this is such a great resort!" And no, we don't live in a resort, it just looks and feels like it.

Then, the following year, rinse and repeat at a different destination.