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Guide to the Best Places to Retire
Best Places to Live & Retire
Ideal-Living offers a free comprehensive service that begins with helping you find your ideal lifestyle. Until you know how you want to live, you can’t know where you want to live. We offer a wide array of tools to help you get answers to the questions that are keeping you from moving to your ideal destination. We can help you find the best places to live & retire.
There are lots of publications that put out annual lists of the best places to live. We have compiled a list of the cities and towns that are most often cited as the best places to retire. So, here is our list of the top 10 best places to retire.
- Naples, Florida
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Milford, Delaware
- Beaufort, South Carolina
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
- Fort Myers, Florida
- Williamsburg, Virginia
The fun is just beginning! We have communities in all of these cities and many more. We can provide you with information on communities in some of the most inviting locales across the United States and internationally.
We give you the information so you can compare across all the things you think are important for your ideal lifestyle. What makes a city or town one of the best places to retire? Weather? Taxes? Cost of living? Fun things to do? Sure, they all matter, but most of all it is your preferences, your taste, your dreams that make it the best place to retire for you.
Our free Retirement Guide, Digital Ideal-Living Magazine and e-Newsletter offer an abundance of information on which states, towns and cities are the best for retirees, vacationers and second-home buyers. All sent to you for FREE.
You can get specific information that is critical to helping you find best retirement cities, states and communities. You’ll find out information such as:
The Most Tax Friendly States
Tax Benefits for Retirees in Specific States
Best Climates
States with the Lowest Cost of Living
Population & Demographics
How to Get the Most for Your Home
Proximity of Schools, Hospitals, Airports & Entertainment
We can help you answer these and any other questions you may have concerning YOUR best place to retire. Our free resources can provide you with key information. Fill out the short form and get the information you need to decide where you can find your ideal lifestyle.
Sample Communities to Discover
K. Hovnanian’s Four Seasons at Crossprairie
Opening in February 2027, K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons at Crossprairie is a resort-style 55+ community in St. Cloud, Florida, where living fully comes naturally. With a dedicated Lifestyle Director and amenities like pools, fitness studios, pickleball courts, walking paths, dog parks, and a community garden, you can be as active or relaxed as you choose. Your single-story home features easy, low-maintenance living with open floorplans, space to relax and entertain, and professionally curated Looks interiors.
As the only active adult neighborhood within the 1,400-acre Crossprairie master plan, you’ll enjoy multigenerational connections while savoring your own intimate, gated enclave surrounded by natural beauty. St. Cloud’s lakefront charm, nearby Walt Disney World, Lake Nona Medical City, and Orlando International Airport keep family, adventure, and essentials within easy reach. From your home to your community and beyond, you’re perfectly placed to embrace an exciting, fulfilling new chapter.
This 55+ community features beautiful new single-family and villa homes, and offers a range of resort-style amenities designed for an active and social lifestyle.
The Shores at Brightwater
The Shores at Brightwater – 55+ Active Adult Living in North Fort Myers, FL
Discover a vibrant new way to enjoy Florida living at The Shores at Brightwater, a premier 55+ active adult community by D.R. Horton in North Fort Myers. Designed for those who want an exciting, low-maintenance lifestyle, The Shores at Brightwater combines beautiful new construction homes with resort-style amenities, social activities, and a private community atmosphere.
At the heart of the community is a stunning lagoon, creating the perfect atmosphere to relax, connect with neighbors, and enjoy the Florida sunshine. Residents can take advantage of the community’s private amenities, designed exclusively for homeowners of The Shores at Brightwater, offering opportunities for recreation, fitness, relaxation, and socializing—all close to home.
Choose from thoughtfully designed single-story homes featuring open-concept living spaces, modern kitchens, spacious bedrooms, and highly desirable finishes throughout. Many homes are designed with entertaining and everyday comfort in mind, making it easy to enjoy everything from quiet mornings at home to gatherings with friends and family.
Life at The Shores at Brightwater is about more than just a beautiful home. It’s about having a built-in lifestyle and a community where there is always something to do. Spend the day by the lagoon, stay active with resort-style amenities, meet friends for a social event, or simply enjoy the laid-back Florida lifestyle.
Located in North Fort Myers, The Shores at Brightwater puts residents within convenient reach of Southwest Florida’s beaches, dining, shopping, entertainment, golf, and outdoor recreation. Enjoy easy access to Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and the Gulf Coast while coming home to a community designed specifically for 55+, active adults.
If you’re searching for new homes in a 55+ active adult community in North Fort Myers, The Shores at Brightwater offers the perfect blend of new construction, private resort-style amenities, a beautiful lagoon, and an active Florida lifestyle.
Come discover The Shores at Brightwater and find your place in this exciting new 55+ community by D.R. Horton.
Chambers Creek by Caldwell Communities
Chambers Creek is a 55+ gated lifestyle community in Willis, Texas, near Lake Conroe and within easy reach of The Woodlands. Designed for people who want more from the place they call home, it brings together natural beauty, distinctive homes, thoughtfully planned amenities and genuine opportunities to connect.
What makes Chambers Creek special is not simply the number of amenities, but the way they work together to make everyday life more active, social and enjoyable. Residents can start the morning on the trails, meet friends for pickleball, play a round of golf or head to the marina for a sunset cruise. Many destinations are easily accessible by golf cart, making it simple to move from one experience to the next without ever feeling far from home.
Shoreline Park and Marina offers direct access to Lake Conroe, reserved boat slips, private docks, community kayaks and places to fish, picnic or relax by the water. Throughout the community, fitness spaces, parks, gathering areas, social venues and planned activities create natural opportunities to participate, try something new or spend time with neighbors.
The Chapel, overlooking the vineyard, adds another meaningful place to gather. It hosts Sunday Bible services, special events, celebrations and quiet moments of reflection.
Chambers Creek also offers homes from nine respected builders, including three custom builders, giving buyers a wide range of floor plans, architectural styles and opportunities to personalize.
Residents often describe an immediate feeling the moment they pass through the gates — a sense of peace, ease, and welcome that’s hard to put into words. Chambers Creek is a community that feels alive with possibility, where thoughtful design, inviting spaces, and meaningful connections come together to create a lifestyle that feels deeply comforting, genuinely engaging, and full of joy. It’s a place that makes it easier to step outside, slow down, connect with others, and spend each day doing more of what you love.
BluestonePeak at Massanutten Mountain
BluestonePeak is a new 55+ active adult community at Massanutten Mountain in the heart of Virginia’s stunning Shenandoah Valley. Designed for those who believe life’s next chapter should be filled with adventure, connection and discovery, BluestonePeak offers mountain living with resort-style amenities and a welcoming neighborhood feel.
Surrounded by the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, BluestonePeak provides a setting where nature is always within reach. Thoughtfully designed homes, inspired by the region’s historic architecture, are woven into walkable neighborhoods with scenic trails, inviting gathering spaces and clubhouse amenities that encourage an active and connected lifestyle. Whether enjoying a quiet morning on the porch, meeting friends for pickleball or taking in mountain views on a hike, residents experience the best of Shenandoah Valley living every day.
A Lifestyle for All Seasons
What truly sets BluestonePeak apart is its connection to Massanutten Resort, Virgina’s premier four-season resort destination. In addition to a collection of private community amenities, residents enjoy convenient access to resort experiences, including snow sports, golf courses, dining, entertainment and more.
Built for Connection
A robust calendar of community-led events, clubs and activities makes it easy to meet people with shared interests. Residents can gather for backyard barbecues, guided outdoor adventures, wine tastings, cultural outings, recreational leagues, card games and seasonal celebrations. Whether you’re looking to stay active, pursue new hobbies, or simply spend time with like-minded people, there is always something to do and someone to share it with.
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 retirement 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.
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