- Green Valley, Arizona – Arizona gets a lot of praise for its amazing weather, beautiful vistas, and a plethora of activities, many of which involve getting out in nature. Green Valley is particularly beloved for many reasons, including its hot summer days and refreshingly cool nights, for its affordability with a median home price of $189,000 per Forbes in 2019, and its dozens of well-maintained desert retirement communities. According to Drivin’ and Vibin’, Green Valley boasts one of the largest retirement communities globally, with 77% of its 21,000 residents comprised of retirees. The town lies just 20 miles south of Tucson and 40 miles north of the border along the Santa Cruz River’s western edge. The semi-arid climate makes it a great place to explore outdoors and for activities such as swimming, golfing, and star gazing at the base of the nearby Santa Catalina Mountains on Tucson’s north side.
- The Villages, Florida – Florida, known for its glorious sunshine and agreeable year-round temperatures, boasts a plethora of over 55+ communities. The Villages, located in Sumter County and in Lake and Marion counties, is a master-planned retirement community that lies between the cities of Ocala to the North and Leesburg to the South. It is also a little over 65 miles northwest of the Orlando Airport. Per Florida Back Roads Travel, the Villages boasts about 122,460 residents per a 2019 estimate. However, this number is ever-growing. The median home value in the Villages is currently $282,400 per the Homes.com app. Part of the attraction of the adult-only community is the plethora of activities catered to the 55 and older community. Each section of the Villages offers its own golf venues, many of them consisting of championship courses. Part of the residents’ claim to fame is making it into the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the world’s largest golf-cart parade. In addition to golf, there are pools, shopping districts, restaurants, theatres, music venues, and more, enough fun to keep everyone entertained.
