10 Undiscovered Places to Retire
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
April 20, 2021 — Our mission here at Topretirements is to find great places to retire, so we are always on the lookout for undiscovered gems. Today we are going to spill the beans about some undiscovered retirement towns that you might not have heard about before. See end of article for more ideas for underappreciated places to retire.
By definition, most of these places are small.
Boca Grande, Florida. This small, upscale and beautiful residential community is located on Gasparilla Island between Fort Myers and Sarasota. It is home to many retirees and seasonal residents with an average age of 66. The Boca Grande Pass is the deepest natural pass in Florida, and is considered to be the world’s best tarpon fishing spot. That makes the small town not only a tourist destination, but a haven for fishermen. The seven mile island also offers white sand beaches and a quaint downtown and restaurants, but you won’t find any high rises, traffic lights, grocery stores, or gas stations.
Comments on "10 Undiscovered Places to Retire"
Roland says:
I have been to many of the places mentioned in the article. All I can say is that there is a reason why they are still "undiscovered." Vacations okay; to living there, well....
HEF says:
We lived in Westerly for 6 years and LOVED IT! The photo is of the the library where we spent a lot of time. The town beach is great - with a pavilion and plenty of room. The town is practically equal distance to NYC and Boston plus easy access to New London, Hartford and Providence. Its right on the Amtrak line and the Providence airport is 45 mins. It was a welcoming place where they cherish family and their children. We were close to going back there but ultimately decided on Maine due to the better Parkinsons medical support.
Ed LaFreniere says:
I would second (or, more precisely, third) the recommendation for Westerly. Beaches with rolling surf, the gorgeous Watch Hill and its harbor, the proximity to Providence, Boston and New York. I great central starting point if you enjoy weekend trips -- Main, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, the unparalleled foliage of the northern New England States, and, of course, less than an hour from Newport, one of the most glorious cities in this country as far as this former sailboat owner is concerned.
B Dodson says:
Roland is right. Most people nearing or at retirement age almost exclusively want a new location to have quality health care. I am suspicious that any of those listed are within a reasonable drive of a quality medical center. With aging comes health issues--- diabetes, hypertension, knees and hips needing replaced, cardiovascular disease, etc etc. It's more that sunsets and golf courses that the majority are seeking.
A lot of the info on this site might be on target for those retiring in their 50s. Not so much for the >65 crowd.
I would suggest one free source is the cms.gov site, which lets you compare hospitals and providers, dialysis facilities, etc. It may not be the final word, but one can get an idea of how a center ranks on categories the government tracks-- effective care, complications, etc. Best to do the homework when you think about all the things you will need to access if you pick up to move. I lived in the SW once and it was beautiful. I could find a physic or a plastic surgeon on every corner but finding a good internist was next to impossible. Just sayin'......
Maimi says:
Hef, Westerly is a lovely town, but a distance to high quality health care. Most people who live there drive to Yale New Haven. Nobody in their right mind would go to Westerly Hospital or South County Hospital. I don’t know that Maine is any closer to a top rated hospital? I suppose people in Southern Maine could drive a few hours to Boston. I chose a small coastal college town about an 60 miles south of Boston, but still hard to find quality health care in RI.
B. Dodson, thanks for the website.
kw says:
Mt Dora, FL is a northern suburb of Orlando so proximity to great air connections at MCO or budget links at Sanford's SFB are easy, also close to Canaveral National Seashore. Healthcare options are plentiful.
Clyde says:
I lived in Orlando for six years and visited Mt. Dora on a number of occasions. Although it could be considered suburban, I found it to have a very charming small-town feel. The downtown is very attractive.