Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Villages, Florida, is a 55-plus community so large it has its own ZIP code. It is estimated that 80,000 people reside, either full or part time, in this community where golf cart drivers rule and bars and restaurants are packed nearly every night.
This central-Florida community began as a mobile home park for seniors in the late 1950s. Today, it is a nearly self-contained community which spans three counties. The Villages has two major town squares with top-notch bars, restaurants, shopping, banks and salons. Live bands play at night in the town squares. Residents can participate in singles clubs, join any number of social and sports groups, and play golf at top-rated courses.
Show girls in their 80s? Former home of stars such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball? The best weather in the U.S.? Palm Springs, California, has it all. Long known as a getaway for Hollywood's biggest stars, this desert paradise is home to dozens of active senior communities.
Palm Springs and the neighboring towns of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert, are home to world-class performing arts, including the Palm Springs Follies, which stars showgirls and showmen ages 50 to 80.
The area also has museums, an annual film festival and the El Paseo shopping district. Sports enthusiasts can choose from golf courses and tennis clubs. The area also offers Las Vegas-style Indian-owned casinos, hiking and horseback riding.
Free entertainment, reasonably priced meals, gaming, golfing and plenty of sunshine are just a few reasons seniors love Las Vegas. Although Las Vegas sizzles during the summer months, for much of the year the weather is ideal.
Seniors can choose housing to fit their lifestyle,.from golf resorts and tennis clubs to simple apartment-style living. For seniors who enjoy outdoor activities, Las Vegas is minutes from Mount Charleston, Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam. Direct flights in and out of Las Vegas make this an easy commuter city for seniors on the go.
Asheville, North Carolina, is a little city known for big things --- including the elegant Biltmore Estate --- America's largest privately owned home. This Blue Ridge Mountain town is also known for big culture -- art museums, theater and a quaint downtown. Many seniors know Asheville because it is home to the University of North Carolina's innovative Center for Creative Retirement.
In Asheville, seniors find easy access to the arts, restaurants, bars, and sports facilities. They also enjoy a pleasant climate and a reasonable cost of living. "US News & World Report" in March 2009 named Asheville one of the 10 Most Affordable Places to Retire.