Plentiful outdoor recreation, although water activities are limited. Emphasis is on mountain sports such as camping, stream fishing, hiking, snow skiing (downhill and cross-country), whitewater rafting and rock climbing. Rocky Mountain Park, home to a wonderful variety of bighorn sheep, elk and deer, is less than an hour away and draws people from across the United States. Eight other wilderness areas are nearby, and a handful of top-notch ski resorts are two hours to the west. Fort Collins itself has 36 public parks, seven golf courses and 75 miles of bicycle trails.
Cost-of-Living: Below the national average
For anyone seeking to retire to golf heaven, Asheville, North Carolina could indeed be the promised land. The area has 14 public golf courses and numerous private ones. There are also 23 tennis facilities, with retirees found on nearly all of them. Asheville is nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Shining Rock Park Wilderness is just outside of town. Opportunities for hiking, rafting, kayaking, snow skiing, horseback riding, backpacking and rock climbing are plentiful. Asheville is also known as a Mecca for folk art and antique collectors.
Cost-of-Living: Equals the national average