Retiring to Vacation Destinations
Many Baby Boomers Stay Where They Played
the coastal region from North Carolina to Florida recently scored 43 of the top 100 spots on a
W BY PATRA TAYLOR
list of North America’s best retirement communities published annually by
www.topretirements.com, a user- friendly website designed to help the nation’s 78 million baby boomers make informed decisions about where to retire. Even more impressive is that Florida dominated the list with 23 of the top retirement towns, followed by North Carolina with 11 and South Carolina with eight. Interestingly, the list of top
retirement communities in the coastal Southeast is similar to the list of top vacation destinations in the region. It just makes sense that retirees, especially those who enjoy an active lifestyle, would want to continue participating in the vacation activities they love after they stop working for a living. Outdoor enthusiasts who opt to spend their well-deserved downtime in a climate where year-round activities abound – tennis, hunting, fishing, hiking, biking and swimming – often begin their search for a retirement community in the same areas with which they became familiar as visitors. And retiring in a tourist town with
HEN IT COMES TO retirement, the Southeast is still the place to live. In fact,
a variety of attractions and a number of shopping and dining opportunities guarantees there is always plenty to do when friends and family visit. Certainly the climate attracts a
growing number of retirees from the Northeast who want to escape the often-harsh winters there, but the moderate-to-tropical temperature isn’t the only reason they continue to flock to the coastal Southeast. Baby boomers seeking the cultural opportunities often available in a tourist town, particularly in the college towns that dot the region, often return to the community where they or their children attended school. In addition to cultural activities, they offer a little bit of everything, including athletic events, educational opportunities and excellent medical facilities. As a bonus, the small college towns in the Southeast often are located near the amenities of larger cities, making them increasingly popular retirement destinations. While Florida consistently ranks high on the list of great retirement states – always one of the top three – North Carolina and South Carolina have inspired a new retirement faction known as half-backers. Te term refers to retirees who move halfway down the coast from the Northeast to escape the winters, as well as those
who move halfway up the coast from their previous retirement community in Florida to be closer to their family and friends still living in the Northeast. In addition to the temperate climate, many retirees prefer the change of seasons in the Carolinas. Vacation time is the perfect time
for baby boomers to take a look at the retirement options available in their favorite tourist towns. Te cost of retirement or pre-retirement homes across the coastal Southeast has reached a 20-year low. Tat, coupled with minuscule interest rates available on mortgages makes this the perfect time to start making retirement dreams a reality.
www.CharlestonVacationGuide.com |
www.CruisesLeavingCharleston.com |
www.ILoveCharleston.com 57
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