Newport News is a busy port, shipbuilding center, and military center in Virginia's Hampton Roads. The population is about 180,000.  Photo of Oyster Point City Center, a redevelopment project, courtesy of Wikipedia and Durrock. The North End is an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city has its rough edges as well as its charms.…...

Old Saybrook, Connecticut is a potential retirement community that combines New England history, a vital downtown, pristine beaches, and a friendly, small town feel. Located where the Connecticut River empties into the Long Island Sound, this charming old town of just over 10,000 (founded in 1635 ) was one of the original 3 colonies in Connecticut. Strategically important, it has…...

Located in the Chilean Lakes District, Puerto Varas bills itself as the new Bariloche. With similar lakeside views and stunning surrounding mountains, the town is certainly justified in making the comparison. However, while every other shop in Bariloche sells souvenirs and ugly apartment buildings block views for most people, Puerto Varas remains a much more tranquil and undeveloped town. Considerably…...

Oak Ridge is a town of about 29,000 people that is west of Knoxville in eastern Tennessee. Oak Ridge is famous for being home to the Manhattan Project in WWII.  The Oak Ridge National Laboratories are a major employer in the region. Retirees here enjoy terrific recreational opportunities in the nearby mountains. A reflection of the community is the fact…...