Five Paradisaical Intracoastal Communities Perfect for Retirement

By Kara Masterson

When you’ve retired after logging 30 or more years on the job, you may have plans to relocate. Choosing the right place to spend your retirement can be tough, and it’s different for every retiree. What everyone has in common in this situation is a desire to find their own personal paradise, and in a large, diverse country like the United States, it’s easy for everyone to locate just such a place. Here are five places that might be your personal paradise after retirement.

Norfolk, Virginia

This area of Virginia is often overlooked in favor of Virginia Beach proper, but Norfolk holds some distinct advantages. With a slightly inland location, property is better protected from coastal weather. It also bypasses the beach traffic, allowing faster movement to the west toward Williamsburg, Washington and the Shenandoah.

Brownsville, Texas

Short of the Keys, Brownsville is about as far south as you can get in the U.S. Situated near the Mexican border and along the Gulf of Mexico, Brownsville has a fascinating mix of cultures that creates a unique mix of food, music, art and society. A retirement in Brownsville is sure to provide endless variety.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Who says you can’t live on the coast but still get a little snow once in a while? Cape Cod is situated in the midst of Buzzards Bay and the Nantucket Sound, giving you a true beach lifestyle. At the same time, it’s a classic New England community that will inevitably provide some festive snow every year.

The Florida Keys

This group of islands contains the southernmost point in the U.S. Once you see the words “islands” and “southern” in the same sentence, you know you’re looking at a retirement on the beach. There’s an ample supply of waterfront condos for sale along with plenty of other living options in this area, making it the perfect destination for those who crave a salty retirement.

Savannah, Georgia

There’s no reason for beach culture to wash away local identity. Just as Brownsville has that great Tex-Mex feel, Savannah is undeniably Dixie. The culture and architecture have a clear Southern feel, yet the city is just 20 miles from the suntan lifestyle of the Atlantic Coast.

Retirement is all about finding something other than work to do with your days. The options available along the coast are a perfect fit for this requirement. One of these five locations just might hold the address that will one day be printed on your pension checks.