Retirees seeking an ultra-luxurious active adult community to settle down in during their Golden Years will have plenty of options to choose from across the country.
Popular builders and developers like Del Webb, Minto, and Shea Homes have been keeping up with the demand of 55+ buyers who want lavish amenities, beautiful home designs, superb golf courses, multiple pools, sports courts, and magnificent outdoor spaces that resemble five-star vacation resorts.
Fortunately, active adults will have a great selection of impressive 55+ communities to choose from that offer the best in active adult living. These 55-plus communities feature upscale and unique amenities as well as elegant home designs that attract retirees who desire the finer things in life.
To help homebuyers narrow their options, 55places.com has compiled a list of the most luxurious active adult communities in the country.
List Criteria
We determined this list based on in-house sales data, with priority going to the communities that fetched higher prices, and criteria such as modernity and size of homes, unique amenities, desirable locations and features, and homeowners’ association fees.
If you want to read more about our methodology, you can learn about it here. If you’re dreaming of living in the lap of luxury during your Golden Years, then you’ll want to check out these luxurious active adult communities below.
Del Webb at Mirehaven – Albuquerque, NM
This Del Webb 55+ community opened in 2015 and offers homebuyers a ton of resort-style amenities and innovative home designs sprawled across 300 acres that encompass scenic mountain views.
The heart of this 55+ community is the 10,000 square-foot Recreation Center, which combines a traditional Southwestern aesthetic with a modern twist. Residents have no shortage of amenities and enjoy lavish indoor and outdoor spaces such as a fitness center, billiards, catering kitchen, outdoor pool and spa, sports courts, and meandering walking and biking trails.
Del Webb at Mirehaven, which will host a total of 538 single-family homes at completion, will offer quality homes that feature open layouts, high-end finishes, and distinct designs, making it a sought-after 55-plus community in Northern New Mexico.
Gavilan – Rancho Mission Viejo, CA
This beautiful Southern California active adult community not only boasts a prime location within the Rancho Mission Viejo master-planned development, but it also radiates a luxurious atmosphere. Residents living in this gated, 1,200-home community enjoy an amenity-rich clubhouses.
Residents have access to an exclusive 9,200 square-foot clubhouse called The Hacienda where they can mingle with other 55+ neighbors. In addition to their private clubhouse, homeowners also have access to the master-development amenities, which include the 3,900 square-foot Ranch House, the Guest House, and the Sendero Field, which is an expansive open space with numerous sports fields for outdoor recreation like softball, baseball, and soccer.
Isles of Collier Preserve – Naples, FL
Although this community doesn’t have an age-restriction, Isles of Collier Preserve still offers low-maintenance, resort-style living within a coastal setting that attracts retirees. Minto began construction of this 1,649-home community in 2014 and offers residents elegant home designs with nature or water views in addition to upscale amenities.
The Isles Club is a luxurious clubhouse that’s full of indoor and outdoor amenities such as outdoor pools, cabanas, tennis and bocce ball courts, an event lawn, boathouse, boat dock and kayak launch, and the Overlook Bar & Grill. Active adults can spend their days enjoying the beautiful Southwest Florida climate by taking scenic walks along the community’s walking and biking trails.
Kissing Tree – San Marcos, TX
This new 55+ community in San Marcos, Texas has all of the luxurious home designs and amenities that active adults want. Builder Brookfield Residential began construction of Kissing Tree in 2016 and plans to build 3,200 single-family homes upon completion.
Kissing Tree provides residents with world-class amenities that are centered around a luxurious clubhouse named The Mix, which will be the community’s central hub of physical activity and social recreation. Highlights of Kissing Tree’s unique amenities includes a biergarten, indoor/outdoor bar, and 15 miles of hiking trails within the community.
Other lavish amenities include a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, food studio, hobby rooms, BBQ area, pickleball and tennis courts, and an 18-hole putting course and 18-hole golf course.
Riviera at Freehold – Freehold Township, NJ
Riviera at Freehold is an ultra luxurious active adult community in Monmouth County in New Jersey. This established 55+ community was developed between 2003 and 2007 and consists of 300 single-family homes.
Buyers can choose from a great selection of beautiful resale homes that have been well maintained over the years and include many upgrades. Homes feature ten-foot ceilings, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, two-car garages, and inviting living spaces.
Residents have an impressive lineup of world-class amenities at the community’s clubhouse that are typically found in larger active adult communities. The 11,000 square-foot clubhouse offers a state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor pool and spa, aerobics studio, ballroom, library, billiards, arts and crafts studio, and computers.
Outdoors, residents have endless options to stay active with facilities like an outdoor pool, tennis, bocce ball and shuffleboard courts, horseshoe pits, a putting green, and miles of walking and biking trails.
In addition to rich amenities, Riviera at Freehold also has a full-time activities director who helps plan and organize fun events and activities that keep residents socially active all year long.
