America's Most Luxurious Retirement Community Amenities

Think of the perfect retirement, living in luxurious surroundings with ready access to most any amenity you desire. Gourmet food, spa treatments, endless rounds of golf, time to pursue your neglected interests — after years of caring for others, you deserve it all. In many luxury retirement communities, these options (and many, many more) are a given. Of course, fees, services, and policies vary, but as we're being hypothetical here, feel free to dream on — and start saving up for days when such pampering can be the norm, not the exception.

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Never got around to making your home your castle? You still have the chance. At The Preserve at SaddleBrooke in Tucson, Arizona, for example, homes feature "entertainer's kitchens, grand great rooms, expansive outdoor living, and spacious master suites." Select from floor plans that include optional hobby rooms, quartz kitchen countertops, Wolf appliances, coffered ceilings, multiple-car garages, and more. At the Isleworth community in Florida, which attracts some pretty wealthy retirees, mansions feature amenities likened to those found in a grand hotel, including art deco design, majestic foyers, and private courtyards.

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Settle into your dream destination, not where you settled to raise a family based on school systems and other practicalities. Upscale retirement communities dot the country, from Rio Verde Community and Country Club near the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona to resplendent beach living at Covenant Living at the Samarkand in Santa Barbara, California, from urbane surroundings at The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights in New York to the old-fashioned New England charm of Applewood in Amherst, Massachusetts. 

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Tired of your little patch of dirt? Many luxury communities have expansive walking trails, gardens, koi ponds, and other traditional landscape attractions such as gazebos, patios, and porticos. Sculptures play into the mix, notably the prestigious 2004 "Monumental Masterpieces of Modern Sculpture" show with works by Henry Moore, Salvador Dalí, and Auguste Rodin that filled the country club within Isleworth, the Florida luxury community of million-dollar mansions. Trilogy at Encanterra in Arizona offers bucolic surroundings, including a Portico Walkway, while residents encounter wetland vegetation and Spanish moss along the Fenney Springs Nature Trail in the Village of Fenney, part of The Villages in Florida.

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While some communities pride themselves on the all-inclusive approach, others tout their proximity to attractions. River Walk Branford in Connecticut is near marinas and casinos; Regency at Hualalai in Hawaii offers access to the tropical state's beaches; Covenant Living at the Shores in Washington state has an easygoing lifestyle related to Seattle's vibrant art and culture scenes; and the largest 55-plus community in Nevada is Sun City Summerlin ... which is in Las Vegas.

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Having a driver at the ready means maintain freedom while leaving the driving to someone else. Oak Harbor in Vero Beach, Florida, offers chauffeur-driven branded sedans, as does One Lincoln Park in Kettering, Ohio. One Lincoln Park and others, such as The Palace at Coral Gables in Florida, also offer valet parking. 

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Sagewood in Phoenix makes healthy living and wellness priorities, boasting on-site spa amenities that let you "pamper yourself anytime, any day of the week" with hair and nail salons and a barber shop. The Waters senior communities offer The Waters Spa & Salon, where services can include a beauty salon, barbershop, manicures and pedicures, massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, facials, body wraps, and more.

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From trendy café fare and lavish buffets to room service and themed dinners, meals at luxury retirement communities can be truly gourmet. Residents dress for dinner in the formal dining room at Edgehill in Stamford, Connecticut, where entrée choices might range from tenderloin of beef roulades with horseradish and wild mushroom duxelle over Yukon Gold potato hash and peppered asparagus to sake tamarind-Infused Chilean sea bass served with ginger-carrot emulsion and daikon red radish salad over green onion jasmine rice. At Vi at Aventura in Florida, chefs trained at The Culinary Institute of America serve up globally inspired dishes at several on-site restaurants, capped by "decadent desserts" created by an in-house pastry chef.

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Wine bars, tastings, cellars, and trips to wineries elevate the experience in some communities. Amblebrook Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, for example, boasts the AmbleVin Wine Tasting Room and wine lockers. At Trilogy at Encanterra's clubhouse, La Casa, Arizonans can take part in private wine tastings at The Vault. Additional programs are offered virtually.

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Curling up with a good book is one of life's simple pleasures. Westminster Village in Spanish Fort, Alabama, features an on-site library with a picturesque reading room. Meadow Ridge in Redding, Connecticut, also hits the books with a library, book clubs, and themed discussions.

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Any luxury retirement community worth its salt offers an array of recreational activities. The Tuscany Sports & Aquatic Complex at PebbleCreek in Goodyear, Arizona, has golf courses, tennis courts, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, often in multiples. But there can also be access to softball, bowling, pickleball, bocce ball, billiards, shuffleboard, walking trails, biking paths, fitness centers, radio-controlled airplane flying fields (such as the one at On Top of the World in Ocala, Florida), skiing, fishing, boating, game rooms, and more.  

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If your current "home theater" is just a couch, plush throw blanket, and a bag of microwave popcorn, you'll love the luxury of a true movie-theater experience offered by communities such as Vivante in Costa Mesa, California. Its Balboa Hall seats 40 in movie-style seats.

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At Vi at Silverstone in Scottsdale, Arizona, the lifestyle program includes university-sponsored lectures, the opportunity to learn a language, or take in a symphony performance downtown. It echoes the emphasis many luxury communities place on lifelong learning and daily enrichment.

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Like many luxury communities, Vi at Highlands Ranch in Colorado features a 24-hour valet service to help with all aspects of life. Someone is at the ready to answer questions or help make arrangements for transportation, connect residents with maintenance needs, or greet their guests.

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For those who would never consider living without a pet, many luxury communities recognize that your pup, cat, or bird is considered a member of the family. That's why there are amenities such as the dog park at Del Webb at Lake Oconee in Georgia. At Country Meadows Retirement Communities in Pennsylvania and Maryland, pet-care coordinators offer services that can include walking, feeding, changing litter, administering medication, brushing, and more.

From dance studios to art workshops, woodworking sessions to craft rooms, the opportunities to continue — or learn — a hobby or skill should continue throughout life. Shell Point in Fort Myers, Florida, offers a digital photo studio, extensive arts and crafts facilities, a woodworking shop, and even a train room for those who love model railroads. 

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Those who never liked housework can opt for a community where it's included, such as the housekeeping services offered at Arbor Terrace Teaneck in New Jersey. Many communities, such as River Walk Branford in Connecticut, extend that care outdoors with landscaping, lawn mowing, and snowplowing included.  

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You won't have to travel far to maintain a spiritual life when moving into certain retirement communities. There's meditation, daily devotionals, and an emphasis on the "spirit of life" at Edgewater in West Des Moines, Iowa, and an on-site chapel at Grand Living at Lake Lorraine in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Many communities also provide transportation to nearby religious services.

As we age, health care becomes even more important. Residents at most retirement communities hold their medical concerns close, making amenities such as the round-the-clock health center at Stonegates in Greenville, Delaware, especially attractive. Many communities also offer "age in place" options so residents can advance from independent to assisted living as needed.

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Safety is another top concern, hence the popularity of gated communities and security patrols. A daytime doorman and 24-hour security at The Clare in downtown Chicago offer reassurance for older adults who don't want to give up the urban experience for the perceived security of a more rural setting.

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When you host young visitors, you have to entertain them. Several communities help with that, such as Hot Springs Village in Arkansas, which offers picnic sites and playground areas for the young ones, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail in Colorado, which sports a Teen Room with a gaming system, billiards, foosball, and air hockey.  

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Never have room for out-of-town guests? That's not a concern at many luxury communities. Residents of Vi at Highlands Ranch in Colorado, for example, can take advantage of hotel-style guest rooms for overnight visitors, so there's no need to book a nearby hotel.

Even the best home can sometimes feel a bit too familiar. If that happens and you happen to live at Lake Forest Village Retirement Resort in Louisville, Kentucky, fear not. Residents can take advantage of a travel program that allows them to get away and stay at sister communities around the country. Reservations? The concierge will take care of that.

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