7 of the Friendliest Towns to Retire on the Atlantic Coast
Retiring next to the soothing sounds of the Atlantic Ocean may seem like a pipe dream to some, but there are actually some destinations where salt air, sandy shores, and small-town communities create an affordable coastal escape. Small walkable towns like Carolina Beach, Folly Beach, Sea Girt, and Sanibel Island, to name a few, offer many advantages, all aimed at improving your health and well-being as you enter a new chapter of your life. Beach walks, early-morning bicycle rides, and kayaking make it easy to stay active, while the rhythmic sound of the waves can promote relaxation and reduce stress. Here are seven of the friendliest towns to retire on the Atlantic Coast, inviting you to explore walkable downtowns, enjoy fresh air, and attend joyful festivals all year round!
Sea Girt, New Jersey
The small community of Sea Girt, New Jersey, with a population of about 1,900 residents, is around 90 minutes east of Philadelphia and south of New York City, making it the perfect coastal spot for retirees who aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to big city life. An important landmark in the seaside town is the 1896 Sea Girt Lighthouse, one of only 11 lighthouses along New Jersey’s 130-mile shoreline still open to the public. The lighthouse doubles as a community center, featuring activities such as mahjong, canasta, and bridge tournaments, while the beach and boardwalk host yoga sessions and movie screenings.
The town has strong military ties, home to the New Jersey National Guard Training Center and the free National Guard Militia Museum, where retired history buffs can see exhibits such as the “Intelligent Whale.” The historical oddity is a primitive post-Civil War submarine that was powered by a crew of six. Take in another piece of Sea Girt’s history at the 1878 Parker House, one of the town’s original buildings. Today, the Victorian-era venue has been upgraded and now includes a restaurant with porch dining, a raw bar, a back porch, and a downstairs tavern.
Stony Brook, New York
Stony Brook is another perfect place to shift into full-time seaside living with the charm of a small town, but still within an hour’s commute of all the attractions of New York City. Located on the north shore of Long Island, Stony Brook is home to Stony Brook University, one of SUNY’s flagship campuses, so retired and semi-retired people aged 50+ can take advantage of the university's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which offers workshops, lecture series, trips, and social activities.
The town’s historic village is an easy way to rack up 10,000 steps a day, visiting one-of-a-kind shops like the Saturday Candy Co., named for the Swedish tradition of eating sweets on Saturdays, the museum at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, or enjoying an authentic afternoon tea service at Robinson’s Tea Room. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Avalon Nature Preserve offers more than 140 acres to explore along forest and meadow trails. The preserve hosts hands-on events throughout the year, and co-sponsors an interactive walk on the second Saturday of every month with the Audubon Society.
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach is the quintessential small-town beach for active retirees looking for a variety of outdoor activities that keep them fit and busy seven days a week. Rent a cruiser or stroll the vintage boardwalk, stop to play old-school games and collect tickets for prizes with the grandkids at the Carolina Beach Arcade, and enjoy a hot glazed donut from Britt’s Donut Shop, a boardwalk institution since 1939. Nearby Carolina Beach State Park offers ample opportunities to combine fun and fitness, including 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, paddling, and fishing in the Cape Fear River. Nature enthusiasts can explore the park’s various habitats like Sugarloaf Dune, a 50-foot dune that was once a navigational marker for river pilots, three limesink ponds, and coastal savannas and wetlands where rare Venus flytraps thrive.
Festivals are a huge part of Carolina Beach’s friendly community, where celebrations like “Fireworks by the Sea and Boardwalk Blast” are held weekly during the summer season on the boardwalk. This year, Carolina Beach hosts its 40th annual “Carolina Beach Music Festival,” a “Muralfest,” and a “Wings Over Carolina Beach Air Show,” all centered around the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.
Sanibel Island, Florida
Driving over the 3-mile-long causeway onto Sanibel Island is like suddenly discovering a lush tropical sanctuary where seashell-collecting retirees will find pristine walkable beaches, vibrant wildlife in the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve, and a welcoming coastal community. Active seniors can walk, cycle, or drive the preserve’s 4-mile Wildlife Drive, where birdwatching and photography are welcome distractions. The refuge is renowned for its incredible migratory bird populations and is home to more than 245 bird species. Stop by the Visitor and Education Center to explore the exhibits and let the grandchildren play in the hands-on area.
Sanibel’s Shared Use Path system offers 26 miles of hiking and biking trails that stretch across the island from the 1884 Sanibel Island Lighthouse on the eastern end to the Blind Pass Bridge that connects Sanibel to its neighbor, Captiva Island. The Sanibel Island Farmers Market has been going strong since 2008. A favorite gathering spot for islanders, the market sells local produce, fresh bread, seafood, flowers, and more. It is held every Sunday from May through October.
Folly Beach, South Carolina
Folly Beach, known as the “Edge of America” to locals, is the ideal launching pad for life’s next chapter. Only 12 miles from the storybook city of Charleston, the charming seaside town offers 12 miles of pristine beaches, nature sightseeing, eco-tourism, and plenty of activities for visiting kids and grandkids. A Lowcountry landmark in Folly Beach is the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier, which extends more than 1,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean and is renowned as one of the best places to go saltwater fishing for flounder, red drum, and Spanish mackerel.
For a break from the sun and the sand, Folly Beach offers numerous parks, including the Wave Watch Playground for kids, the Folly Bark Park, and the new Muriel Edge Weathers Shadow Race Park, a peaceful spot for relaxing with a book on the pergola benches. Newcomers to Folly Beach will enjoy the many community celebrations, from the annual “Taste of Folly” to the “Folly Jazz Festival” to the “Flip Flop Drop.”
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
A major perk of choosing friendly Rehoboth Beach for the leisure years is that Delaware is tax-friendly for retirees: Social Security income is not taxed, and withdrawals from retirement accounts are taxed at only a partial rate. Beyond the financial benefits, the town’s laid-back vibe is conducive to early-morning walks along the mile-long boardwalk, which also serves as the backdrop for the town’s fun festivals, such as its annual Sea Witch Festival. Stop for coffee at Egg or indulge a sweet tooth with one of over 100 flavors from The Ice Cream Store.
Retired artists may find themselves re-igniting their creative passion at the Rehoboth Art League, which features two dozen art exhibitions a year and offers courses in everything from art history to painting and pottery. The nearby Cape Henlopen Senior Center offers exercise classes, health and wellness lectures, day trips, and longer trips to the Greek Isles, Australia, and New Zealand.
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Ocean Springs is a scenic coastal destination with a small-town vibe that regularly ranks among the best retirement cities and has a large population of retirees. It is known for its vibrant arts communities, numerous festivals, including the “Spring Arts Festival” and the “Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival,” the largest arts festival in Mississippi and the Gulf Coast; a highly walkable downtown; a scenic waterfront; and plenty of restaurants offering fresh seafood, like Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant and the Bayou Restaurant and Tiki Bar.
Active seniors will love cycling the 15.5-mile round-trip Live Oaks Bicycle Route that connects Ocean Springs at the Old Historic Louisville and Nashville Train Depot to the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Water lovers can launch a kayak anywhere along Front Beach or at the Ocean Springs Yacht Club and enjoy paddling around the harbor, admiring the pelicans and the shrimping boats.
From the Northeast to the Gulf Coast, these seven welcoming coastal towns offer retirees an active, community-minded lifestyle along the Atlantic coast, proving that retiring doesn’t have to mean slowing down. Enjoy beach yoga and military history in Sea Girt, continue lifelong learning with a course in Stony Brook, or attend a lively festival in Carolina Beach. Meet friends shelling on Sanibel’s white sand beaches, or drop a fishing line from the historic pier in Folly Beach. Spend retirement savings wisely in tax-free Rehoboth Beach or go for a bike ride in Ocean Springs. Together, these seven Atlantic Coast towns show that retirement can be vibrant and fulfilling, where friendly neighbors and year-round activities make this next chapter feel less like winding down and more like truly living.
