Long gone are the days where 55+ communities are built around golf courses and act as the centerpiece amenity. Due to a falling interest in the sport as well as the lack of support from homeowners because of rising membership fees, more active adult communities are embracing green spaces as a way to get residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors. With more developers moving away from golf course designs in active adult communities and instead replacing them with open green spaces and outdoor recreational facilities, these newer communities are giving way to more inclusive amenities like gardens, parks, and extensive walking and biking trails to enhance the quality of life for its residents. Check out some of the active adult communities that have awesome green spaces below.

Encore at Eastmark – Mesa, AZ

Encore at Eastmark is a beautiful age-restricted community in Mesa, Arizona that offers abundant green spaces and outdoor recreational facilities. Within the 55-plus section, residents have a private 15,000 square-foot clubhouse called Encore Center that is the central hub of physical activity and social recreation. Just outside of the Encore Center, homeowners enjoy a resort-style pool, patio with fire pits, multiple sports courts for bocce, pickleball and tennis, and an event lawn that’s perfect for attending community celebrations. The community is surrounded by miles of walking and biking trails that connect to the master-planned development of Eastmark. Residents can also explore all of the master-planned amenities that include numerous neighborhood parks including the Eastmark Great Park, which is a public park that offers 96 acres of green space that runs through the entire development. It features a splash pad, play structure, lake with riparian stream, event pavilion, open fields, and trails.

Victory at Verrado – Buckeye, AZ

Active adults living in Victory at Verrado enjoy modern amenities combined with a small town charm set against the backdrop of the White Tank Mountains. Most homes in this 55+ community include spacious front porches and beautifully designed outdoor living rooms that provide an ideal setting for residents to enjoy sunsets and breathtaking views of the mountainous landscape. Residents also have great outdoor spaces for physical activity and entertainment such as an outdoor yoga lawn that allows residents to be healthy while getting fresh air. Homeowners can find entertainment at the outdoor event lawn or practice their gardening at the Chef’s Garden and olive grove. An on-site hillside vineyard also provides scenic views of nearly three-acres of lush vines laden with sweet grapes. Verrado’s master-planned amenities also include 72 uniquely designed neighborhood parks that bring neighbors outdoors and connect with nature. Each neighborhood park features a distinct characteristic such as a big park, small green spaces, dog parks, play parks, and pocket parks. Verrado also takes advantage of the beautiful surrounding desert and mountains that provide more than 21 miles of paths and trails that span the community and connect neighborhoods to one another for easy walking, biking, and hiking.

Garden Park at Daybreak – South Jordan, UT

Garden Park at Daybreak is a 55+ community within the master-planned development of Daybreak in Salt Lake County. Homeowners have numerous ways to stay active indoors and out. Just outside of the 10,000 square-foot clubhouse, residents have acres of beautiful parks and natural space. The community features 30 miles of trails as well as plenty of community gardens that allow homeowners to practice their gardening skills. Residents stay active while enjoying the natural environment by participating in activities like kayaking, tennis, and hiking. Garden Park will also offer new looping walking and biking trails as well as a separate bike lane set against a mountainous backdrop.

Del Webb Ponte Vedra – Ponte Vedra, FL

Located in the sought-after master-planned community of Nocatee, Del Webb Ponte Vedra is a 55-plus neighborhood that offers abundant green spaces and recreational areas. Del Webb Ponte Vedra features distinct neighborhood villages that are connected via bike paths and trails and borders the Nocatee Nature Preserve where 2,400 acres of undisturbed plant and wildlife peacefully co-exist with residents in this award-winning development. Del Webb’s outdoor amenities also include a robust lineup of social spaces that incorporate the beautiful landscape including a central park and community garden, six-mile nature trail, a 377-foot zip line, fishing lakes, putting green, picnic area, event lawn, and BBQ pavilion.

Anthem Ranch – Broomfield, CO

Situated within the Denver area, Anthem Ranch takes advantage of its natural surroundings and incorporates its amenities so residents enjoy all that this active adult community has to offer. In addition to a 32,000 square-foot clubhouse that boasts spectacular indoor amenities like a movie theater, ballroom, coffee and tea bar, indoor walking track, and indoor lap pool and spa, Anthem Ranch also offers abundant outdoor recreational spaces that embrace the scenic beauty of the area. Residents have access to 22 neighborhood parks, a 90-acre mega-park, 48 miles of interconnecting walking and biking trails, and 735 acres of open preserved space that weave through ponds, prairie, and parks. The development provides a fishing lake, outdoor amphitheater, and picnic pavilions that bring all residents together in fun, social settings. Homeowners also enjoy stunning Front Range views that provide the ideal Colorado backdrop no matter where they are in Anthem Ranch.