Active adult communities may not be for everyone. Many retirees instead prefer to find the perfect house for their needs and lifestyle. If the ideal retirement home cannot be found in one's community of choice or the possibility of creating a personalized home is too appealing to ignore, many turn their thoughts toward building a new home.

Florida is the number one retirement destination in the United States. It is estimated that over 400,000 retirees flocked to the state in 2005, which was triple the number of people who moved to Arizona and California. In fact, 17 of the top 25 counties for retirement in the U.S. are located in Florida and over 17 percent of the state's population is over the age of 65. It is no secret that the weather draws many to the region, but many retirees are also attracted the state's low property taxes and no income tax. Add to that the fact that almost every place in the state is less than an hour's drive from the ocean and it clear to see why Florida has become the top retirement location in the country.

If the term elder hostel brings to mind a bunch of gray-haired hippies wandering around Europe, sleeping in questionable accommodations and lugging a backpack, you are behind the times. Today's elder hostels are well-planned, well-organized educational and cultural opportunities.

From the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains and everywhere in between, Colorado has something for nearly any retiree. Offering great skiing, hiking, camping, golfing and fishing, Colorado is a playground for active adults. The extreme variation in Colorado's climate provides ample recreational opportunities for its residents. In fact, Colorado is one of the few places in the U.S where you can ski on fresh snow in the morning and play 18 holes of golf in the afternoon.

There comes a time in just about every retired person's life when they have gotten all those projects done that were on the list to do "when I have the time," they have enjoyed those long, leisurely mornings over coffee and the newspaper, they have done all the traveling that they want to do right now, and they have enjoyed more time with their sweetie than they know what to do with. So now what? For many retirees, it is time to get back to work.