Booth Bay Harbor is another nice small town in Maine further South on the coast.  We were booked to visit on Sept 12th, 2001.  The planes got ground and Delta had to give our money back.  We never had made that trip, but it is on our list to check out.

Some of the most popular small towns in Maine are Bar Harbor, Booth Bay Harbor, Camden, Castine, Ellsworth, Falmouth, Hampden, Newry, Old Orchard Beach, York County ME. Of coarse the bigger cites Portland, Bangor, Portsmouth. Maine’s coast is beautiful Kittery to Eastport, Western Maine has lots of small towns. Southern Maine is doing well.

A visit to check out Maine’s small towns would be a wonderful vacation.  Vacations sometiime turn in to a “let’s move here” decision. Of coarse Northern Maine has long
Winters so many people have seasonal homes for the Summer and head to other places like Florida for the Summer.

Maine Retirement Communities

Asheville NC is well know as a great retirement town. It is a college and trendy downtown with boutiques, art galleries, organic markets, bookstores, and is walkable.  You are surrounded by majestic mountains that offer sightseeing, hiking and day trips. Sounds good to me.

Austin TX is well know as a young person place with it’s music, urban loft living and a lot to see and do.  But these same traits are attractive to seniors.
Louisville Kentucky’s downtown is right on the river and is a well keep secret of a really neat place to visit (and live).  Art galleries, shops and entertainment.  In May Derby week is really something to behold (I have been twice!).

Pensacola FL downtown has a rich and long history evident with it’s brick streets and Art Deco buildings.  Very walkable downtown square.

source: Southern Living Magazine

Buyer beware is the watch word.

Well you may be interested to know that many of the active adult communities offer a “Vacation Getaway” program where you may visit their community for between 2 to 4 nights in most cases.  You would stay in one of their vilas or model home, use their golf cart to get around, use their activities center including pool, exercise room, etc.

These active adult communities are offering this Vacation Getaway program so that you may really get interested in their community and want to live there.  There are some strings attached, like you must live 100 miles away form the community and you must agree to take a tour with a sales agent.  However these are not high pressure “timeshare” type deals and are really enjoyable.  There is a reasonable fee charge per day for your stay and many communities give you a coupon for a free dinner at a nice restaurant.

Almost all the largest 55 plus community developers offer this Vacation Getaway program.

If you are a member of Facebook, seach Del Webb and you will see their page. Then click on the Explore DW tab at the top of the page.  They list the Vacation Getaways at many of their communities across the country. We did the one at Lake Oconee GA for two nights and had a great trip.
Robson has a preferred guest program that includes 3 nights at one of their communities.

There are many other programs but they change all the time.  Just search “retirement community vacation getaways” on google and you will find more.

Another month, another visit to 55+ communty at the lake.  Life is good.  This time Mary Ann and I visited the Del Webb community at Lake Oconee Georgia that was started about two years ago.  We did the vacation getaway for two nights staying in one of their villas. I think the price was about $190 including tax for the two night stay.
We arrived Sunday at about 3pm which is their check in time.  Sandy greeted us with big smile and good conversation at the sales center.   We met George our sales counselor and set an appointment for 10:30 the next day to meet with him and get the tour.  We followed Sandy over to check us in the villa model where we stayed.   It was clean and looking good.  The villas seem bigger once you actually stay in one. We jumped in the golf cart in the garage and headed to the lake front.  There was several boats at the community docks including 5 or 6 pontoon boats.  It seems everyone has one. We walked up to the covered pavilion which was large, including a fireplace, many sets of tables and chairs, an outdoor grill and a nice view of the lake and docks. On the way back, we saw the 80 sots for boat and RV storage with an automated gate and some of the walking trails.
Next we took the golf cart up to the clubhouse, oops I mean the Amenities Center.  Bob met us at the door (expecting us?) and gave us a tour of everything. Tom lives at the community and works part time, moving from Michigan via Canton GA.  The indoor pool was lovely, outdoor pool and spa also, giant ballroom with kitchen, game room, exercise room, pool room, craft room, etc.  But where was all the people?  It seems Sunday night is a slow time at the amenities center which is expected.

We head back to the villa and then head out to one of the restaurants mention by George, the Big Catch.  Mary Ann had a fish sandwich and I enjoyed a fish reuben sandwich, which were good.   Sleep well.

Next morning we made coffee and had cereal and toast.  The villa has all appliances, micro and toaster.  We meet up with George and after chatting got the overview.  This community will have 850 properties and about 130+ have already sold.  The sign in the lobby says 11 sales in the last 40 days.  We let George know Bob already gave us a tour of the Amenities Center the day before.  Most of the people who bought homes come from all over.  I was surprised to see so many states represented by yellow pins in the map of the US where people are from.  Must have been 25+ states or more, mostly in the Eastern half of the US (and some from overseas).

Next we toured the models. George got us started with the first one to show us what was included and what was an upgrade.  It starts with the smallest and then every model gets bigger.  Must have been 7 model homes we toured.  At first we thought we needed a basement, but after touring the models, we changed our minds.  You can get a loft and upstairs bath if you need more space, and at a lot better price.  George offered to show us a home with the loaf and Mary Ann said she would like to see it.  George really was very helpful and not pushy at all.   I think Mary Ann was ready to sign up for the Vernon Hill with the Loft.  I agreed that was our favorite.  Another feature we really liked for the sunroom and why not add a screened porch to boot?   Yes, that would do it.

We spend about 2.5 to 3 hours and before leaving George presented us with a card for $50 credit at Filet’s, the fancy steak house at the corner of Linger Longer Road, and two tickets to the movie theater.  We had our evening planned.

So we drove hwy 44 up to the town of Greensboro which I don’t think we have ever visited.  It has interesting little downtown of antique stores, sidewalks and restaurants.  We asked a local for a place to go for lunch and she pointed across the street to Yesterdays.  Since we were going out for steak later, we both got vegetables.  We loved this place.  Southern style food, fried okra, squash casserole, fried green tomatoes, collard greens, etc. Of coarse they had meats and fish also.  All at a very reasonable price. Out tab was $10 for both our meals.

Back to the villa to take a nap.  Then to the Amenities Center where a group was out playing Pickleball.  You play with paddles kind of like ping pong but on a court smaller than a tennis court.  There were maybe 15 people at this outing.  Inside I check my email one of their computers.  That night we did visit Filet Steak and Seafood at Lake Oconee Village. Mary Ann got the encrusted salmon and I got the filet. This is a top notch restaurant and we both enjoyed our meals.  Thank you George.

Overall I was very impressed with Del Webb at Lake Oconee.  No they did not pay me anything. They didn’t even know I have a web site and are not a paid advertiser.  We just try to visit with the eyes of someone looking at 55+ community to live in and at age 62 and retired, that just comes naturally.
More retirement homes at Lake Oconee Georgia.

A month ago I had never heard of Lake Lure NC.  Then researching Western NC retirement towns, I stumbled upon it, at least on the web.  It sounded like a great place to check out with it’s mountains and a beautiful lake.  We decided to check it out.

One of our friends recommended The Lodge on Lake Lure, a bed and breakfast right on the lake, as a place to stay during our scout trip.  We booked a 3 night stay, actually getting a special of 3 nights for the price of 2 nights.   Breakfast included and wine each day at 5pm. Not too bad.  We went Monday - Wednesday, returning Thursday.

The town of Lake Lure is a quite charming small town right on  Lake Lure, a clear 700+ acres lake right in the mountains of Western NC.  Next door is the Chimney Rock park, which is now at NC state park and at the park entrance is the village of Chimney Rock.  You can get anywhere in Lake Lure or Chimney Rock in 10 minutes.  The lake and beach are actually owned by the town of Lake Lure.  Parts of the movie Dirty Dancing were filmed in Lake Lure.  The 2006 HGTV Dream House is in Lake Lure.

We toured two communities and spoke with more folks.  It seems everyone wanted to move to Lake Lure in 2007, a lot on new developments were started, and then the financial crises hit.  There are plenty of lots in failed subdivisions around the area.  Also plenty of seconds homes, some may be in trouble.  Some of the communities say there are about 50% permanent residents and 50% seasonal residents.  People have come from all over, many from Florida to escape the hurricanes, and high costs.  You can see the communities and other info about Lake Lure on the page we did at Lake Lure NC

The area was certainly appealing and gorgeous.  From the Lake Lure marina we took an hour boat ride tour and enjoyed it very much.  Some really large homes and some regular older homes lived in by the locals, make a good mix.   Living in a town this small may get take some getting used to by city folks used to Whole Foods, Publics, Targets, and such. I spotted on Ingles grocery store.  When my air pressure light came on in my wife’s care, the only place I found was a general store with a gas pump (and a air pressure pump).  I ask the guy at the counter if there was a full service gas station or repair shop around and he replied “nope, this is it”.  Luckily for us adding some air did the trick and made the warning light go off.  But it did bring home the point that living here would be very different from living in a metro area.

Those who have a seasonal home in Lake Lure may have the answer and the best of both worlds.  At least they would transition to full time if they wanted or just enjoy the season. I have the feeling it is a buyers market, like it is throughout the country. Maybe more so because of all of the second homes and failed subdivisions.

Lake Lure is worth a trip to check out.  A 3 or 4 day trip would make a nice vacation. Vactions sometimes turn in to a “nice to live here” decision.

Well these terms are confusing to many.  In addition to those terms, there are many more.

I would say that people searching for a Senior community are older or are searching for an older person, say 75 years of age or better.  The reason I say that is the use of the word “senior” is not used by most baby boomers to refer to themselves or their age group, expect to get a senior discount.   So Senior community would refer to retirement communities for seniors.

Over 55 community is used in marketing the newer Active Adult Communities and to Age Quailified communities where at least one person needs to be ago 55 over better, as the marketing people say it.

Assisted Living Facility is for people needing help with the daily chores of living.  Usually includes meals, a nurse on duty, and group transportation and more.

It can be a wide range of things. Whatever you enjoy.

Collecting and/or restoring muscle cars from our youth is appealing to some men. Of coarse outdoors activities like hiking, fishing and hunting are popular.  For social activities check out meetup.com to check on groups near you.  You may be amazed to see how many qroups and interests there are available to you to get involved.

Many women enjoy gourmet cooking, books clubs, volunteering,  and shopping. The Internet is a great source of hobbies and even a hobby unto itself.  If you are a book reader, just have to check out PaperBackSwap.com.
Couples like traveling to new places and of coarse cruising is exciting and affordable.  Gardening is making a comeback and Victory Gardens are enjoyable and rewarding.  Stamp collecting, coin and collecting medals is also making a come back and could be a good investment.  Keeping up with your investments becomes a hobby for some.  Having time to go to the library and museums becomes enjoyable again.  Reading and bookstore visits, attending government and civic meetings, and getting involved in politics are major activities.

Gosh how did we ever find time to work?

Reynolds Signature Communities and Linger Longer Homes, the same people who developed the hugely successful Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee GA, are the developers of Achasta, a mountain retirement community in Dahlonega.   My wife spotted the ad for the 2009 Southern Living Idea home that is in Achasta, and we took a ride up from Atlanta to give it a tour. The price is only $5 per person and well worth it.  Besides the Idea House, there are three vacant model homes you can tour as well to see how informal mountain living can be.

The Southern Living Idea House was beautiful as you might expect.  Designed by Stephen Fuller.  It was full furnished and decorated.  We liked the openness of the home.  The master bedroom is on the main level on this house and all the models we visited.  The master bedroom, called the retreat, is open to the outside tower deck. Call tower because fo the 15ft high ceilings. The other bedrooms are on the lower terrace (basement) level.  Both level were very open to the decks outside which were covered, plenty of stone, an outdoor fireplace,  and nice views of the mountains and natural wooded areas.   The kitchen was really unique in that the whole wall was a retractable sliding door that open to the outside deck.   It seemed your kitchen was outdoors.  I guess you could have a sliding screen door.  The family room open up also to the outside deck with a nice seating arrangement around the outdoor fireplace.  Same on the lower level with access to the lower terrace.  That openess to the outside was the main unique feature of the home it seems to me.  It was nice and a feel good experience.  There was also an inviting living room.  The house flowed well from room to room. The lower level had two bedrooms, an family room, bath and another room.   All with high ceiling and nice carpet. There was an upstairs as well with a family type room and again opening up to the outside deck with great views to the mountains.

The Idea House didn’t seem too large but offered many spaces so as not to be crowded.  The two other model homes we visited were very nice as well.  I asked the attended the asking price of one of the model and she replied $975,000 with the accessories.  There were some middle aged couples but most were around my age early sixties.  There was a large clubhouse and excellent golf coarse in the community.   Achasta is in Dahlonega.  From Atlanta take GA 400 north to Dahlonega, turn left on Hwy 60 and go about 4.5 miles and you will see Acasta on the right. For the Southern Living Idea House the  HOURS:  Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.  No reservations needed.