Ideal Living Logo Dark

Receive your complimentary relocation guide

Guide to the Top Active Adult Communities



Yes! Please send me The Digital "Choose Your Ideal Place" Guide
Yes! I want to receive ideal-LIVING Magazine
Ideal Living Relocation Guide Package Reflection

Guide to the Top Active Adult Communities

Active adult communities are designed for retirees and working seniors who prefer a dynamic lifestyle in a fun, social environment. These master-planned communities offer resort-style amenities such as clubhouses and pools, as well as lively social and activity calendars

While many active adult communities are age-restricted—which typically means that at least one member of the household must be 55 years or over—others welcome residents of all ages.

Homes Built for Comfort and Entertainment

Single-family, one-story homes are the norm in active adult communities. They can be customized to each household’s needs. Homes usually offer layouts and features that are standard in modern homes. Generally, master suites are complete with a spacious closet and an en-suite bathroom with a walk-in tub. Newer homes also include office spaces for working seniors.

Houses in these neighborhoods are made for entertaining. Open living spaces, large patios, and screened porches make for ideal social gatherings. Visiting friends and family can stay overnight in the guest bedrooms.

Elevated Amenities for Residents

While many active adult communities operate independently, some are located within larger master-planned residential developments. Both types of communities offer exclusive amenities such as pools and clubhouses.

Workout facilities deliver classes and programs that cater to all fitness levels. Low-impact aerobics and yoga are some of the most popular programs offered.

Those who would rather be outdoors can take advantage of walking trails, parks, and picnic areas. Pickleball courts, tennis courts, and lawns for croquet and softball games are available for athletic residents to use.

Active adult communities may also include services that cannot be found in regular neighborhoods. Residents can walk to onsite restaurants, golf courses, and water features like lakes or ponds. For those who want services to come to them, hair stylists and physical therapists may be available on-call.

Hubs and Clubs for Various Interests

Activity directors help new residents connect with their neighbors. They organize clubs for community members of various interests such as gardening, cooking, and woodworking.

Residents can keep sharp by attending academic classes and visiting lectures in the community centers. Live concerts and film screenings will appeal to those who love performance arts.

Community service clubs are popular, too. Neighbors can organize charities, drives, and other public service events for the community at large.

Idyllic Communities in Ideal Locations

The best active adult communities are located near town or city landmarks. Hospitals and healthcare facilities, for example, are situated nearby. Residents have easy access to physicians and dentists that specialize in senior wellness.

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.

Sample Communities to Discover

South Carolina Gated Community | Woodside | Best Places to Retire in SC
FEATURED

Woodside

Aiken, SC
Homes: Priced from $500,000 - $1 million+ and Lots: Priced from $60,000 - $150,000+

Enhanced by the region’s lucrative cost of living, mild climate, stunning natural beauty, and charming
Southern hospitality, Woodside’s 3,000-acre community is ideally located in one of the Southeast’s best-kept secrets, Aiken, SC.

Meticulously designed from concept to creation for discerning active-active adults, downsizing retirees, and anyone else with a taste for the finer things in life, Woodside’s location in one of Southern Living Magazine’s “South’s Best Small Towns” offers residents walkable access to the best of both worlds. On top of Woodside’s world-class amenities, including 4 championship golf courses, 2 clubhouses, more than 60 member-led social groups and clubs, 2 resort-style pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, over 21 miles of hiking and nature trails, 7 landscaped parks and green spaces – including a Certified Butterfly Park – Woodside residents enjoy 10-minute access to downtown Aiken’s Gilded-Age avenues filled with exceptional local restaurants, designer boutiques, art galleries, and more.

Whether you envision yourself perfecting your swing on our Nicklaus Design course, dozing by the pool,
or creating new memories with friends you’ve yet to meet, life at Woodside is designed to deliver you a
home that extends far beyond your property line!

Read More...

North Carolina Coastal Communities | Compass Point Lanai Night Pool Fountain
FEATURED

Compass Pointe

Leland, NC
Homesites from $200K. Homes from $500K.

Located on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, only 10 minutes from Wilmington, Compass Pointe is a gated, private community that offers an unmatched resort lifestyle. Every day feels like a vacation where you can relax by our award-winning pool, float along the lazy river, join one of 100+ community clubs, or get some exercise at our fitness center, indoor pool, or golf club. Come see for yourself why Compass Pointe was honored with the 2020 Best Health & Fitness Community and America’s Best Places to Live 2021.

Amenities:

  • Private, Gated Entrance
  • The Grand Lanai
  • Resort Oasis Pool
  • Compass Pointe Golf Club
  • Clubhouse (under construcion) & Pro Shop
  • The Pointe Wellness Center & Spa
  • Indoor Pool
  • Lazy River
  • Tennis & Pickleball Courts
  • Recreation Lawn
  • Putting Greens
  • Latitudes Restaurant and Bar
  • Dog Park
  • Cardinal Lake with Canoe & Kayak Launch
  • Outdoor Amphitheater
  • Sidewalks Throughout for Walking and Biking
  • Golf Cart Paths Throughout

Future Amenities:

  • Club Member Pool & Bar
  • Club Member Fitness Center
  • Club Member Golf Simulator

Read More...

Shell Point Retirement Community

Fort Myers, FL
Lifecare Units from studio to homes. $120K - $1M+

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.

Read More...

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 active adult communities, 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.

© 2024 ideal-LIVING Magazine • 265 Racine Dr #201 • Wilmington, NC 28403 • 910.763.2100