Guide to Best Places to Retire in Florida
Best Places to Live & Retire in Florida
Our free Digital Retirement Guide and Ideal-Living Magazine offer an abundance of information on which states, towns and cities are the best for retirees, vacationers and second-home buyers. This includes retirement communities in Central Florida, as well as the panhandle and Southern Florida.
In Florida, we have many communities for which you can get all the information you need. You can compare locations within Florida as well as vacation and retirement communities all across the U.S. Our Ideal-Living Digital Magazine includes numerous articles such as the top travel destinations, tips on selling your home, and how to make the most of your retirement. Our Guide allows you to compare cities and communities on variables such as climate, population, home values, cost of living and the proximity of schools, hospitals and airports.
Besides its natural beauty and incredible coastline, Florida is one of the most tax friendly states for retirees and seniors. The tax benefits of living in Florida include:
- No state income tax
- No tax on social security benefits
- Permanent residents qualify for Homestead Exemption
- Seniors may qualify for additional property tax exemptions
Idyllic Communities in Ideal Locations
Prospective residents should choose a community that best fits their lifestyle. Some neighborhoods are only a short walk or ride away from bustling city centers. Others are closer to quieter, small-town shops.
We can help you find your ideal location to live and retire in the beautiful state of Florida. Our resources put all the information at your fingertips to make the best decision for you, including putting you in contact with representatives from the top retirement and resort communities in Florida, this includes FL Del Webb communities and Minto communities.
Sample Communities to Discover
Lakewood Ranch
Live the Florida lifestyle you’ve been dreaming of—with 30+ villages, each featuring distinctive homes, amenities, and features, Lakewood Ranch is designed to support every aspect of your life. New homes include townhomes, condos, attached villas, single-family homes and estates, with prices from the $300s to over $1 million.
We set out to build a community that is more than just the homes it’s made up of. Here, you’ll find all the shopping, dining, entertainment, education, healthcare, nature, and recreational options you could want to make the most out of every day. And the best part is that it’s all already here. You don’t have to envision it—you can simply start living it.
Our 48% open space plan and mixed-use component work together to provide each village on The Ranch with easy access to parks, trails, and recreational opportunities like three town centers, a sports campus featuring pickleball, Sarasota Polo Club, and The Farmers’ Market.
Just beyond our backyard you can enjoy Sarasota’s white sand beaches and arts scene, Tampa’s sports teams, and quick access to four airports.
ideal-LIVING has named Lakewood Ranch Best Health and Fitness Community and Best Golf Community. Lakewood Ranch has also earned the spot as the #1 multi-generational best-selling master-planned community since 2018.
Come explore Florida’s favorite place to call home. LakewoodRanch.com
What to expect at The Ranch:
• 30+ villages, 2 are 55+
• 3 town centers & 8 neighborhood shopping plazas with Publix Grocery stores
• 150 miles of multi-surface trails
• 10,000+ acres of lakes, parks, and preserves
• 60+ clubs and groups
• Over 200 shops and eateries
• 13 community parks
• 192 holes of golf
• 32 courts for racquet sports
• A-rated schools & higher education campuses
• Sarasota Polo Club
• Farmers’ Market voted #1 in Florida
• Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club
• 22 fields at Premier Sports Campus
• Sights and Sounds Performing and Fine Arts Series
Ready to discover it? Great. Request more information below to receive discovery tour packages
and specials. You won’t know until you go!
Shell Point Retirement Community
THE BEST PLACE TO BE
Shell Point® is an award-winning lifecare retirement resort located along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, Florida just minutes from Sanibel Island and the Gulf of Mexico. When you retire at Shell Point, you have the comfort of knowing that your needs will be taken care of – both now and in the years to come.
RECREATION FOR EVERYONE
Shell Point offers an unparalleled lifestyle in an unparalleled waterfront setting. For those who enjoy exploring Florida’s waterways, there’s boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing. For sport and fitness fans there is Shell Point’s championship golf course, four Har-Tru tennis courts, five pickleball courts, a bocce court, fitness centers with trained professionals and four heated swimming pools. Nature lovers will enjoy the boardwalks, bridges, bike paths and miles of walking trails. Residents who are interested in gardening enjoy individual garden plots, a lovely rose garden, and a fully-equipped orchid greenhouse and a butterfly garden.
ARTFUL LIVING
No other community offers the variety of outlets for creativity and personal expression that are available at Shell Point. Shell Point provides extensive craft and hobby facilities, including a complete woodworking shop, lapidary room, train room for miniature train enthusiasts, digital photography lab, modern pottery and ceramics studio, and an art studio with classes for beginners as well as advanced artists in a variety of media. Performing arts are enjoyed through choral ensembles, a jazz band, and multiple musical groups for participants at all levels.
DISCOVER SHELL POINT
Discover for yourself what residents of Shell Point already know – that Shell Point is the perfect place for retirement living – all in a resort-style setting. Shell Point offers private appointments with a tour of the community. Schedule your visit by calling (239) 466-1131, press 1 for Sales.
WaterSong at RiverTown
WaterSong offers a truly unique take on active 55+ living. As a charmingly styled and self-contained neighborhood, WaterSong is designed in harmony with the rest of master-planned RiverTown. Enjoy a one-of-a-kind setting on the banks of the St. Johns River, with gently lapping waves and ancient oaks beckoning you for a kayak ride, pier fishing session or amphitheater concert.
Two separate amenity complexes — RiverHouse and RiverClub — offer fitness, dining, social and recreational options, with pools, playgrounds, parks and trails galore. WaterSong also has its own exclusive, resort-style amenity center featuring a fitness center, social room, pool, hot tub, fire put, pickleball court, events lawn and more — plus a full-time activities director to lead the fun.
Within this gated, low-maintenance community, you can choose from thoughtfully designed villas or single-family homes. Our splendid variety of exterior styles and convenient features make everyday living more spacious, stylish and fun.
Get Started
Finding and choosing the right active adult community can be a daunting task. This is where ideal-LIVING can help. Sign up below to receive our complimentary relocation package, which offers tips on how to find a community that suits your needs. In this guide, you’ll discover the top communities in Florida, as well as what you can do to get started. Sign up for this free package to take the first step in your exciting journey.
Free Package includes:
- ideal-LIVING Relocation Guide
The ultimate guide to find your ideal destination, life and home. This annual guide contains more than 15 state maps, a location-based cost of living and climate comparison chart and discovery travel packages.
- ideal-LIVING Magazine
Quarterly print magazine features the best places to retire and/or purchase your ideal second home.
- ideal-LIVING E-Newsletter
Receive our digital newsletter, two to three times a month, highlighting communities around the country and abroad.
- Tickets to ideal-LIVING Live Events
The ideal-LIVING Resort & Retirement Show has helped retirees and second-home buyers find their ideal community and home for more than 30 years.