The Woodlands in Texas, about 30 miles north of Houston often makes the lists of "best" retirement communities, although many younger families live here as well. The reasons are obvious - the cluster of 8 master planned villages and a Town Center is attractive, pleasant, and has something to offer everyone. These master planned communities offer every type of housing…...

Bethesda is one of the most affluent suburbs in the country, located just to the north of and bordering on Washington, D.C. The population is 60,000 and the median household income is over $135,000. Photo of An aerial view of National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, courtesy of Wikipedia and U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (public domain);…...

Retirees will find a style of life in Berkeley, California, that is as fine as anywhere in the world. This university town (University of California, known as Cal) is set on the slopes of a mountain rolling away to the east from San Francisco Bay. On most days the Golden Gate and the City are a constant view below. City…...

History lovers will find Natchitoches (NACK-uh-tush), Louisiana to be an interesting retirement community. Located on the Cane River Lake, this charming southern town of 18,500 was the picturesque setting for the movie Steel Magnolias, starring Sally Field and Shirley MacLaine. An older movie set here is The Horse Soldiers with William Holden and the Duke, John Wayne. The town was…...