College football fans are some of the most passionate sports fans in the country, especially in North Carolina and South Carolina. Every season, these die-hard fans don their school colors, cheer on their favorite squad, and try to attend as many games as possible. That’s a whole lot easier when you live close to the stadium.
You might be retiring but you never retire from being a fan. So if you want to enjoy your favorite college football team more now that you’ve got the time, here are some great active adult communities to call home close to their home stadium.
Clemson, SC (Clemson Tigers)
Frank Howard Field at Clemson Memorial Stadium, commonly known as “Death Valley,” is home to the Clemson Tigers. The largest home stadium of any team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, it features Howard’s Rock, which Clemson players and coaches rub for luck as they take the field. It must work because the Tigers are 20-1 there in the last three seasons. If you want to live nearby, here are some Greenville area communities to consider.
Swangate
Swansgate is located in Greenville about 45 minutes from the stadium. This gated neighborhood features 165 single-family homes and 24 condo units as well as a collection of indoor and outdoor amenities. Downtown Greenville is less than ten minutes away and you’ve got easy access to Interstate 185 US-123, making the drive to Clemson on game day a breeze.
Annandale Estates
Annandale Estates is a newer community that’s also located in Greenville and a 45-minute drive to Memorial Stadium. Sales are underway for high-end single-family homes here that come with a variety of luxurious features. Residents will have plenty of room to socialize at the gathering area where they can enjoy the fire pit and natural green space. Residents will be able to make it to Memorial Stadium in about 45 minutes, traffic-permitting.
Columbia, SC (South Carolina Gamecocks)
Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, home of the South Carolina Gamecocks, is currently the 20th largest college football stadium in college football. A good rule of thumb is to avoid sitting in the east upper deck, which is known to sway when fans jump up and down. Not that South Carolina fans let that stop them from having a good time. Die-hard Gamecocks fans don’t want to be too far from the stadium but the good news for active adults is that there are a few 55+ communities within 30 minutes.
Peach Grove Villas
Located in Elgin, Peach Grove Villas is a gated community that consists of 100 low-maintenance, attached, ranch-style homes that range in price from the low $200s to the high $200s. Amenities (/south-carolina/communities/peach-grove-villas#amenities) include an outdoor pool as well as a clubhouse that includes a billiards room, exercise room, and catering kitchen. Residents here can hop on nearby I-20 to I-77 and get to the game within 25 minutes.
Lexington Villas
Lexington Villas in Lexington is a low-maintenance community that consists of 94 attached and single-family homes. Prices range from the low $200s to the high $200s. Amenities (/south-carolina/communities/lexington-villas#amenities) include a clubhouse with an exercise room, as well as an outdoor pool and fire pit. The community is close to US-378, which can have you in Columbia in a half-hour.
Raleigh-Durham, NC (Duke, UNC, NC State)
The great thing about being a college football fan in the Raleigh-Durham area is that you get three teams to choose from. Of course, if you like one, you probably hate the other two, but such is the way of life for Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and NC State Wolfpack fans. Since there are a lot of communities to choose from, we’ll call out the ones closest to each of the three stadiums.
The Courtyards at Andrews Chapel
If you live in The Courtyards at Andrews Chapel, you can make it to Duke games in Wallace Wade Stadium in about 25 minutes. It’s also a great place to call home, with 120 single-family homes in a low maintenance neighborhood. Though it’s not age-restricted, there are still plenty of amenities they’ll appreciate, such as a clubhouse, fitness center, scenic ponds, and walking paths.
Chapelwood
UNC die-hards will want to seriously consider the Chapelwood community. Located in Chapel Hill, you could take the bus and get to UNC’s Kenan Memorial Stadium in 40 minutes or drive and be there in ten. Surrounded by the wooded and pastoral property of the UNC Alumni-Faculty Staff Recreation Association (also known as The Farm), this active adult community boasts the unique feature of keeping 30 percent of its land undeveloped. A small neighborhood, with only 69 single-family homes, prices here range from the mid-$300s to the low-$500s.
Winston-Salem, NC (Wake Forest Demon Deacons)
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are often the forgotten college in the region but that doesn’t stop their faithful fans from showing up each weekend to root on the team at BB&T Field. There are two active lifestyle communities in the Winston-Salem area that you might want to consider if you’re among them.
The Highlands at Meadowlands
Not too much further away you’ll find The Highlands at Meadowlands, a 70-residence neighborhood inside a golf community that sits on 750 acres of land conveniently situated minutes away from Greensboro and downtown Winston-Salem. Homeowners receive a discounted rate at the Meadowlands Golf Club and Wake Forest fans will be happy knowing they’re just 25 minutes away from the stadium by car.
