TEN COLLEGE TOWNS FOR GROWNUPS

published 3 May 2007

Remember all those things you wish you enjoyed more in college -- you know, learning and personal growth? Well, many people find that retiring to a college town allows them to fully enjoy those things at a time in their lives when they truly can savor the value.

Here are ten college towns we recommend for retirees. They all combine a rich academic and cultural environment with great health care, reasonable costs of living and natural beauty.

Topics

Lists

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Home of: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sponsored Content

Tallahassee, Florida

Home of: Florida A&M University and Florida State University

The capital city of the Sunshine State is a tapestry of beautiful parks with oversized live oaks dripping in Spanish moss. FSU is a major driver of local culture. Football fans pack 82,000-seat Doak Campbell stadium for Seminoles games. One of the top cultural events that FSU sponsors annually is the Seven Days of Opening Nights, which is an extravaganza of music and dance performances, art exhibits and literary events that draw world-renowned artists.

Sponsored Content

Athens, Georgia

Home of: University of Georgia

Campus and town life blend easily in this quintessential college town. You'll find a great music scene, good java joints and restaurants. The Grit, on Prince Avenue, serves tasty vegetarian dishes in generous portions: Try, for example, the Grit Staple, a combination of pinto beans, rice, melted cheese and onions. It'll cost you less than five bucks. Athens also embraces retirees as volunteers at the Georgia Museum of Art, the Classic Center and many other organizations.

Sponsored Content

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Home of: University of Southern Mississippi

Sponsored Content

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Home of: University of Arkansas

The hot spot of Northwest Arkansas is Dickson Street, Fayetteville's revitalized entertainment district filled with local shops and night spots. Up the street at the university, anyone 60 and older can take classes for free. In town, you can mix with the college crowd over coffee at Arsaga's, or for a more refined rendezvous, meet for a drink at Ella's in the historic, wonderfully restored Inn at Carnall Hall.

Sponsored Content

Columbia, Missouri

Home of: University of Missouri

Columbia has everything a retiree could ask for, starting with an unusually high number of physicians per capita and a world-class health-care system. Mizzou's pedestrian-friendly flagship campus -- its signature columns on the quad are pictured here -- flows into a walkable downtown, with parks and trails close by. Those 65 and older can audit classes free at the university, but the 50-and-up crowd may prefer classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Sponsored Content

Eugene, Oregon

Home of: University of Oregon

Sponsored Content

Flagstaff, Arizona

Home of: Northern Arizona University

Sponsored Content

Corvallis, Oregon

Home of: Oregon State University

Sponsored Content

Fort Collins, Colorado

Home of: Colorado State University

Fort Collins is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. This sunny, four-season college town is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It's surrounded by lakes, parks and forests, and it's within a two-hour drive of top-notch ski and hiking destinations. Bike trails snake throughout this laid-back college town that boasts an eclectic mix of restaurants and cultural activities including a symphony, a ballet company and live theater.