Staying fit, social, and adventurous in retirement. Photo: Deposit Photos
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Active couples plan for the next chapter that keeps momentum, and the right community will add built-in workout partners, fresh places to explore and a calendar that makes it easy to try new things together. Three standout options fit this energetic lifestyle without the hassle of home upkeep.
Why Many Active Couples Choose Community Living
Retirement communities make movement and connection easy to build into every week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults 65 and up get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity and add strength and balance work. These may include on-site gyms, classes and walking groups to make that goal realistic for busy couples.
Connection matters as much as cardio. The National Institute on Aging links loneliness with higher risks of heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline. It encourages older adults to stay socially engaged through clubs and group activities — something well-programmed communities deliver daily.
Preference trends also point the same way. In AARP’s 2024 Home and Community Preferences Survey, 75% of adults 50+ want to remain in their homes, and 73% want to stay in their communities. Still, they also value nearby activities and amenities — a sweet spot that lifestyle-rich campuses offer.
What Are the Best Retirement Communities for Older Couples?
Three states showcase where active adult living thrives. Each offers a distinct lifestyle — Pennsylvania for four-season trails and arts-filled towns, Nevada for year-round sun and mountain desert recreation and South Carolina for coastal Lowcountry energy. Seeing them side by side helps couples match climate, vibe and weekly routines. Each community delivers fitness, nature, culture and easy ways to meet new friends.
Cornwall Manor retirement community in Pennsylvania with walking trails and organic farm for active couples. Photo: Cornwall Manor
1. Cornwall Manor — Best in Pennsylvania
Cornwall Manor, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC), gives couples an energizing base in Lebanon County with a fee-for-service approach that lets residents pay only for what they need as life evolves. Among the best retirement communities for couples in Pennsylvania, Cornwall Manor stands out for its Trailside Organic Farm, created with the Rodale Institute. It supplies hyperlocal produce to campus dining and invites residents to volunteer, learn, and get hands-on in the garden. That mix of fresh food, purposeful activity, and outdoor time checks boxes for health-minded pairs who enjoy staying busy together.
Couples searching for retirement communities in Pennsylvania appreciate Cornwall Manor’s broader wellness focus — from fitness options and campus walking access to programs that foster community life. Cornwall Manor frames the farm as part of a bigger health strategy that blends nature, nutrition and neighborly connection — all within a welcoming community open to all faiths.
Golf is one of the many retirement activities in Nevada. Photo: Deposit Photos
2. Sun City Anthem — Best in Nevada
Sun City Anthem in Henderson offers couples sunshine, mountain views and a full slate of activities. Partners who like variety can move from a morning workout to racket sports, then meet friends for clubs that range from arts to travel. Low-maintenance homes free up time for Red Rock hikes, shows on the Strip or easy dinners with neighbors. The desert climate keeps outdoor plans on the calendar most of the year, which helps both partners stay consistent with movement and social time.
Couples who want choices — lots of classes, groups, and ways to plug in — find this Nevada pick keeps the week full without feeling hectic. The location near dining, museums and entertainment adds a steady stream of date-night options.
3. Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head — Best in South Carolina
Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head builds an upbeat, vacation-forward rhythm into daily life. Partners who enjoy music, group classes and a lively calendar can fill a week with workouts, concerts on the town square and golf-cart meetups with friends. The setting near Lowcountry waterways and coastal trails rewards couples who love to split time between the gym and the outdoors.
The brand’s town-center model gives couples a social core where plans come together quickly — a lunchtime class, an afternoon swim or an evening show. This South Carolina pick delivers for pairs who thrive on community energy and easy access to amenities.
Couple-Focused Questions To Ask On Any Tour
These are helpful questions couples can ask before booking:
- How many weekly strength, balance and mobility classes run year-round, and what times work for two busy schedules?
- Which clubs and volunteer roles involve teamwork, learning or outdoor time couples can share?
- Where can residents grow, cook or enjoy fresh food together on campus?
- What trails, parks and cultural spots sit within a 15- to 30-minute drive for easy weekend plans?
Couples can start by mapping a typical week. Those who want farm-to-table wellness, wooded trails and a friendly community often choose Cornwall Manor. Partners who prefer big-amenity, resort energy with desert sunshine lean toward Sun City Anthem. Pairs who love a coastal, music-forward scene go for Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head.
Tour each campus, try a class, eat a meal on-site and ask resident couples how they spend a Tuesday or a Saturday. Their routines reveal what daily life will be like.
Strength training opportunities in retirement communities. Photo: Deposit Photos
Next Step — Choosing the Best Retirement Communities for Couples
Active couples thrive when their environment makes movement and friendship effortless. Use the CDC guidance as a weekly compass, favor calendars that nudge both partners into strength and balance work, and pick a place where social life happens by default. If the farm-to-table and wellness focus speaks to both partners, put Cornwall Manor at the top of the tour list.
