Some retirees take every opportunity to travel once they have no restrictions on their holiday time. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Aiport is the biggest airport in Arizona and one of the busiest in the country. It carries about 45 million passengers a year, almost half of these on American Airlines. It’s also a major airport for Southwest Airlines, and between these two carriers, dozens of U.S. cities can be reached on a direct flight. There are also direct flights to Canada, Mexico, and London.
If you’re retiring to Arizona and want to be close to Sky Harbor, there are a number of active adult communities within easy reach. Some are as close as 15 minutes away, depending on the traffic in Phoenix.
These are the active adult communities that are closest to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Ahwatukee Retirement Village – Phoenix, AZ
High $300ks – Mid $600ks
Ahwatukee Retirement Village is the closest 55+ community to Sky Harbor, located about nine miles away. Residents are only a few minutes off Interstate 10, which leads to the airport.
This community is one of the few in Phoenix itself rather than in the surrounding cities that make up the Phoenix area. It’s on the south side of the city, making Tucson a 90-minute drive away. It has 1,686 attached and single-family homes for the 55+ active adult.
The attached homes range from about 1,000 to 1,700 square feet. Most models have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached garage. The single-family homes range from 1,000 to 2,200 square feet with two to four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached garage.
The community’s amenities include a recreation center with a ballroom, library, billiards room, game room, and card room. There’s a separate Arts and Crafts Building with studios and workshops for stained glass, ceramics, and woodworking. In addition, the Health and Wellness Center has an outdoor pool, indoor lap pool, jacuzzi, fitness center, aerobics and dance studio, and ten shuffleboard courts as well as courts for tennis, pickleball, and bocce.
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Golden Keys – Scottsdale, AZ
Mid $500ks – High $500ks
Scottsdale is another good choice for being close to the airport, and Golden Keys is only a 15-minute drive from Sky Harbor. Downtown Scottsdale, with its shopping, restaurants, galleries, museums, and entertainment, is a 10-minute drive in the opposite direction.
Golden Keys has just 184 attached homes and a 55+ age restriction. Floor plans range from 1,394 to 2,318 square feet with two or three bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, and an attached two-car garage.
Despite being a smaller community, there are several amenities in Golden Keys. Residents enjoy the use of a clubhouse with an outdoor patio area, an outdoor pool, and two bocce courts.
Scottsdale Shadows – Scottsdale, AZ
Mid $200ks – High $500ks
Scottsdale Shadows is about a 20-minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, mostly on the usually fast Highways 101 and 202. The attractions of Downtown Scottsdale are less than 10 minutes away, and the 32-acre Camelback Park, featuring a lake and a hiking or biking trail, is directly across the street from the community.
Scottsdale Shadows is a gated community of 838 condos with no age restriction. The homes range from 850 to 2,352 square feet with one to four bedrooms, one to four bathrooms, and underground parking spaces.
The small community has an impressive list of amenities. Residents have a 9-hole golf course, separate fitness centers for men and women, three outdoor pools, a sauna, several arts and crafts studios, and tennis courts. Residents also have regular activities such as ballroom dances, Friday evening movies, holiday parties, musical performances, and organized day trips.
Apache Wells – Mesa, AZ
Mid $200ks – High $700ks
Not only is Mesa close to Sky Harbor, but the city is also conveniently located by the small but useful Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. One Mesa community, Apache Wells, is suitable for anyone who wants to access both airports. Its proximity to Highway 202 makes the international airport a 25-minute drive away, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport also just 25 minutes away.
Apache Wells is a gated community for the 55+ active adult with 1,823 homes in a mix of condos, attached homes, and single-family homes. Condos range from 600 to 1,600 square feet with one or two bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, and assigned parking places. Attached and single-family homes range from 660 to 2,600 square feet with one to three bedrooms, one to three bathrooms, and an attached two-car garage or carport.
Amenities include the Apache Wells Country Club, which has its own bar and grill. There’s also an 18-hole golf course, fitness center, ballroom, several arts and crafts studios, a community garden, and courts for bocce, pickleball, and shuffleboard.
Apache Wells is also a 20-minute drive from Mesa’s downtown, which features historic buildings, museums, galleries, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options. A 15-minute drive takes you to the Usery Mountain Regional Park, a 3,648-acre park with 29 miles of multi-use trails, abundant caves, and scenic views from the 2,840-foot peak of Pass Mountain.
