Finding the Right Virginia Retirement Community

Why is finding the right Virginia retirement community likely to be a complex (but rewarding) process?

·        There are a number of very good ones

·        There are many more choices than ever before  

·        You know what you want, and you’re going to be hard to please

But you’ve already taken some giant steps. You’ve chosen Virginia, surely one of the most visually exciting and culturally stimulating States in the Union.  And you’ve chosen to live in a Virginia retirement community.  All that remains is to fix your timeline, define your goals, and most importantly, get out there and explore the possibilities. 

A Virginia retirement community can be found in almost every one of Virginia’s well-defined regions.  Virginia is a composite of fascinating topographical features, including mysterious, mist-covered mountains, long, winding rivers, myriad streams and lakes, underground caverns, the famous Natural Bridge, and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Old Dominion’s beauty is more than skin deep

Worthy supplements to Virginia’s natural wonders include superb wineries, historic plantations and battlefields, museums, colleges and universities, world class restaurants, PGA-acclaimed golf courses, high tech companies, prominent scientific laboratories, antique shops and flea markets, and spectacular architectural landmarks, including the homes of U.S. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. 

Virginia is in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region, halfway between North and South, convenient to Washington DC, New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Richmond, and Atlanta. It has one of the best planned and best maintained transportation networks in the Eastern United States. Many who’ve chosen a Virginia retirement community say they did so in order to have the best of both worlds – quiet enjoyment of spectacular natural beauty and, at the same time, proximity to the theatres, restaurants, and excitement of cities.

Shenandoah and the Spectacular Shenandoah Valley

If you’re looking for a Virginia retirement community that promises a combination of stunning natural beauty and lifestyle excitement, you need to look no further than the Shenandoah Valley. Poets, painters, photographers and writers have been extolling the Shenandoah Valley since the first wagon wheels ran through the countryside, carrying pioneering settlers westward. Today the Valley is the ideal setting for a Virginia retirement community that is sure to meet your every need and expectation.

If never running out of things to see and do is at the top of your list, you might want to head for the community that is named, simply, Shenandoah.  The 942-acre Shenandoah active adult community surrounds Frederick County’s Lake Frederick, a formidable landmark in the region.  The craggy water’s edge and forested shoreline impart a primeval character to the 120-acre lake, but its appeal is very modern.  Residents are active in boating and fishing, and a hike or a picnic at lakeside is a true delight.  Some seven stories above the lakefront, floor to ceiling windows open the Clubhouse Village buildings to the outdoors, revealing a sweep of lake, forest, and mountain scenery. 

A Community of Like-Minded Active Adults

Residents of this special Virginia retirement community have a clearly defined purpose, which is to live life at its fullest and to build a society of supportive friends.  If making new friends in a new place seems intimidating after decades of established presence elsewhere, the community life at Shenandoah will dispel such fears in a matter of days.  “Just enough to help, not enough to hassle,” is the way one resident sums up the relationships that are enjoyed among neighbors.  And indeed the community life is rich with classes, lectures, dances, game nights, pot-luck suppers, theater parties, car-pool trips to restaurants and wineries, and bus trips to out of town events.  The full time activities director plans several major events annually, including a Civil War re-enactment on site.

What is it about Shenandoah that makes it the right Virginia retirement community for you?

·        A spectacular lakeside setting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains

·        A friendly and supportive resident group

·        Comprehensive clubhouse amenities

·        State of the art fitness facilities

·        Indoor and outdoor swimming

·        Access via well maintained local highways and Interstate systems

·        Proximity to Washington DC (1½  hours away)

·        Full time activities director and activities every day

·        Major holiday celebrations and other annual events

·        Library, media center, café, bar, ballroom, outdoor amphitheater

·        Fishing and boat-launching pier

·        Continuing education programs

·        Ties with and volunteer opportunities in community service

·        Access to an outstanding medical system, both health care and preventative medicine

Shenandoah is located in Frederick County, at the northwestern tip of the Shenandoah Valley, half way between Winchester and Front Royal. This extraordinary Virginia retirement community is about 8 miles from both Interstate 81 and Interstate 66.  For a look at Shenandoah’s master plan, homes, amenities, links to local resources, and FAQs, go to: Shenandoah Active Adult Community