10 Best Mountain Places to Retire in the Southeast
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
June 17, 2024 — Brian, a long time visitor to Topretirements.com, had a problem. Retired in Beaufort, SC, golf and boating held no allure for him, and he felt stuck in the wrong place. The area was getting expensive too. Family members were urging him to move, but with conflicting advice.
Coming to Topretirements.com, he asked for help. The most important thing Brian wanted in a place to retire was to have access to the outdoors and mountains. Budget limitations ruled out a return to his native New England. Could Topretirements help him find some great places to retire in the Southeast that met his criteria? Here we go, we love a challenge!
10 Best Mountain Places to Retire in the Southeast
The Topretirements editorial team got to work combing through its capsule Reviews of thousands of great places to retire, looking for the 10 best mountain towns in the Southeast, which generally means the Blue Ridge mountains. Great possibilities immediately emerged in Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Here is the list of the 10 best mountain towns in the Southeast we developed for Brian.
Asheville, NC. Often named the #1 place to retire in the U.S.
Boone, NC. A college town and important outdoor recreation center.
Hendersonville, NC. Livable, with a cute and active downtown center. The highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mount Mitchell, is south of Boone and Blowing Rock.
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Dahlonega, GA. This old gold mining town was a top pick for its charm and location on the Appalachian Trail. It has a small town feel with beautiful restored homes. The University of North Georgia is here.
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Chattanooga, TN. This historic town has a picturesque setting above the Tennessee River and friendly citizens. This was a major battle area in the Civil War because of its strategic location.
Knoxville, TN. Home to the Vols of the University of Tennessee, it has college town appeal and plenty of nearby mountains. The Woman’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Norris Lake are other local attractions.
Winchester, VA. A great location atop the Shenandoah Valley with many wonderful 55+ communities to choose from. It is proximate to Washington, D.C. Winchester is home to the 3,400 students of Shenandoah University
Roanoke, VA. The outdoor life is excellent with plenty of opportunities to get out and clear the head.
Morgantown, WV. Home to WVU, this college town also has Cheat Lake and plenty of mountains to enjoy for hiking, hunting, fishing, etc.
Blue Ridge, GA. Lake Blue Ridge, the Toccoa River, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the southern tip of the Appalachian Trail make this a special outdoor town for people looking to retire with a mountain lifestyle.
Did we miss any?
Please let us know your favorite mountain towns, either in the Southeast, or anywhere. Use the Comments section below, because there are a lot more good ones than just these 10!
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Comments on "10 Best Mountain Places to Retire in the Southeast"
Brian says:
Thanks John !!! Some of these spots i added to my list. Yes the Northeast is to expensive ! i also added the Poconos area.
I still have 2 South cities on my list still have Baton Rogue area , i was there for 20 years , my son is still there and new homes are less then 300k, medical is good and taxes low . Sarasota adds the proximity of Tampa as one of the things i miss is pro sports ( yankees come there twice a year )
i know there is no perfect spot, as mountain areas don't really add the big sports teams but Knoxville has the SEC , i love great college baseball the area is really affordable, has mountains, nice seasonal change too. I have a roundtrip planned later in the year to pretty much hit the area of the towns you mentioned above especially Roanoke. Boone is great