Georgia Offers An Attractive And Varied Menu of Retirement Destinations

Georgia may not yet be high on your list of potential retirement choices. But then you may not realize the number of prestigious new golf course communities available in quaint and friendly small towns like Greensboro, Perry or Braselton... the inviting new and affordable neighborhoods in fishing villages like Brunswick or St. Mary's... or nestled throughout the lush foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of the northwest corner of the state, where there are some of the most spectacular golf courses and mountain retreats in the eastern U.S.

With a variety of temperate climates, a vibrant and dynamic economy and a world-class city that affords access to fashionable shopping, great restaurants, excellent medical facilities and airline service to every part of the globe, Georgia is rapidly gaining recognition as a great place to live and retire.

Retirees, having realized that there is a choice for almost any budget or lifestyle, are quickly raising the state's reputation as one of the country's favorite retirement destination.

Affluent golfers can choose from prestigious golf course communities in almost every corner of the state, whether it be in Greensboro, a small town of less than 4,000 people, but with a Ritz Carlton resort and executive-style master-planned lakefront developments featuring golf courses designed by the likes of Fazio, Crenshaw, Nicklaus and Palmer or along the Golden Isles, where fabled resorts such as St. Simons and Jekyll Island have long played host to corporate executive and millionaires.

But today, middle income couples who want an affordable retirement in a warmer clime are excited to find such opportunities in coastal communities as Brunswick and St. Mary's, two historic fishing ports with attractive restored town centers and proximity to nearby beaches and waterways. Each offers a wide choice of outdoor recreation, including both freshwater and deep sea boating and fishing, and access to challenging public and private golf courses.

Perhaps no place in Georgia is more inviting than Savannah, a city renowned for its hospitality, congenial climate, authentic culture and extraordinary natural beauty. Its residents enjoy a lifestyle built around the city's original 18th century squares, beaches and rivers, shopping and dining, museums and galleries, theatre and music, and abundant sports and recreation. Termed by Conde Nast as "the most beautiful city in North America.," Savannah presents an opportunity for an exciting, adventure-filled retirement.

Like several other urban centers throughout the country, Atlanta is becoming the hub of a new approach to retirement living, especially for local residents who may want to remain close to home yet downsize and opt for a resort-style community in their own backyard. Recognizing this trend, several major developers of active-adult communities, including Pulte Home's Del Webb Communities, are locating new retirement-oriented neighborhoods in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

For senior citizens who might want to use some of their spare time to continue their education, Athens, a college town of 102,000 and home to the University of Georgia, has recently been named as one of the best places in the country to retire.

It seems safe to conclude that Georgia offers a wide selection of options from which to choose your retirement home...one with a broad range, not only in terms of price, but also in regard to your personal lifestyle interests. If you want an oceanfront condo, a mountain cottage or an executive style home on a prestigious golf course, you have all of those selections available... in an area with a great climate, a booming economy and a varied landscape of scenic beauty, regardless of where you might elect to call home.

This Month's Spotlight City: Savannah