Monday, January 7, 2013

Retirement in South Florida - Say Hello to Fun in the Sun

By Jony Mozen


Your friends and relatives keep asking, "When are you moving to Florida?" You know you want to. You know that Florida's sunny weather, recreational opportunities, tax benefits, entertainment, and other advantages make it one of the most popular places in the world to retire. You know Florida is noted for its active adult communities that cater to the 55-plus crowd and everyone knows about discounts on earlybird dinners, movie houses, and eneterainment venues. You know Florida is one of the warmest states during the winter and that its great weather permits most retirees to enjoy active and leisure activities like playing golf and tennis, enjoying the beaches, and attending interesting and fun attractions. You know its year-round semi-tropical climate, moderate rainfall, abundant sunshine, and escape from frost, snow and ice all combine to make Florida a mini-paradise and an appealing place to live. You know it's wonderful to be able to get out and walk every day, or ride a bike, or just go shopping at the discount centers. So what else do you need to know?

Of course, you could buy a high-rise condo, sit by the pool or just watch TV all day, but that's not retirement. That's boredom. Move to a community where you can visit the clubhouse, enjoy the dances, shows and entertainment, play tennis, swim in the resort-style pool and take advantage of the many amenities available to all residents. They're called "Active" Adult Communities for a reason. You want new experiences, new scenery and new activities, and the clubhouse is the place to meet new people and make new friends.

There are many reasons to retire to South Florida and fun is one of them. In fact, fun should be at the top of the list! Most people retire to Florida with the intention of staying active and enjoying warmer weather. And fun is a major factor in staying active. You don't plan to continue to shovel snow in the winter and mow the lawn in the summer, do you? You're not seriously thinking about painting the front of the house again next summer, are you? That's not retirement. That's work. Where's the fun? Wouldn't you rather be playing golf or relaxing by a resort-size pool? You're not planning to stay indoors all winter cooking in that cramped old kitchen, are you? You're not planning to use a spatula again as a windshield ice scraper before you go shopping, are you? Do you really want to trudge back to the market in the winter for three items that you forgot to pick up earlier? Are you prepared to deal with leaving the movie theater at 10 pm only to find three inches on snow on your car and a dead battery? That's not the way retirement should be. You should be playing tennis in shorts in January or driving to the discount outlet centers or sitting at a sidewalk caf with you friends - where the only protection you need for the winter elements is sunblock. What are you doing?

A good master planned community has a clubhouse/lifestyle recreation center with swimming pools, exercise facilities, craft rooms, Internet rooms, arts & crafts, billiards and card rooms. Great communities also have a social hall, a theater, and a social director who plans trips, forms hobby clubs, and organizes dances and group activities. Another sign of a great active adult community is one where your neighbors are close to your age and have similar backgrounds and share the same interests as you. That's when the fun begins: card games, dances, tennis, lectures, classes, musical programs, organized outings and trips, Broadway-style shows and professional entertainment groups that regularly visit your community. Another reason to choose a top-notch active adult, gated community is to enjoy the benefits of having a concerned staff and friendly neighbors to help make your retirement a well-deserved and wonderful experience, where you can enjoy your hobbies and interests, attend dances, movies, and entertainment to keep your social calendar filled, and visit the clubhouse fitness center to remain fit and healthy.

Did you know that the health benefits of living in Florida are countless and warm temperatures and a relaxed lifestyle helps to promote healthy living? Did you know that Florida's healthcare is among the best in the world? Since Florida is a major retirement area some of the best doctors and medical centers in the nation are here, with some of the latest technology and treatment programs available. The health benefits of living in Florida are countless, and warm temperatures and a relaxed lifestyle promote healthy living. It costs nothing to walk along the waterfront, enjoy scenic ocean views or stroll along city sidewalks and community bike paths. Florida is relatively flat so smog rarely has any chance to form, and breezes from the Gulf and the Atlantic keep the air fresh and clean. Now you know.

Want to get the most fun out of retirement? Move to South Florida where the climate, dining and shopping, cultural attractions, outdoor activities and beautiful beaches combine to offer a wonderful lifestyle with you in mind. Come join the fun.




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