Forget Florida, Retire To This Southeast Gem With Shops, Historic Charm, And Picturesque Trails

Blessed with beautiful beaches, ample recreation, and tax-friendliness, Florida is one of America's retirement frontrunners. The Sunshine State's offerings are hard to compete with, but one place that beckons retirees with its pretty towns, scenic trails, and enticing shops is the striking state of North Carolina. Home to roughly 130 miles of the Outer Banks island chain and a portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the state area comes with some pretty perks — especially if you settle down in the town of Biltmore Forest. Here, you'll find an affluent community with plenty of shops, historic charm, and picturesque trails nearby.

Biltmore Forest is perched in an enviable location; not only is the suburb just 12 minutes outside Asheville and five minutes away from the historic Biltmore Estate, but it's situated within the 550-mile-long Blue Ridge Mountains, a range known for its trails, waterfalls, and signature blue tint. Biltmore Forest is also bordered on the south by the Blue Ridge Parkway, a road that's been designated as "America's favorite drive." In the town itself, residents can relish in a tranquil, rural atmosphere with the conveniences of vibrant Asheville nearby. The airport closest to the town is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL).

According to Niche, Biltmore Forest is North Carolina's most popular retirement destination. The platform also assigned it an overall grade of "A", citing its great schools, low crime, and family-friendliness. 15% of the town's roughly 1,600 residents are aged between 55 and 64, while 33% of them are over 65 — so nearly half of the town's denizens are either retirees or retirement-aged. Many residents socialize at the ritzy Biltmore Forest Country Club, but access is by invitation only. Alternatively, a public recreation option for outgoing retirees is Harvest House Community Center, a facility in Asheville that hosts fitness classes, games, trips, and events.

Biltmore Forest is a planned community built on land that once belonged to the Biltmore Estate. The land was sold to raise money for upkeep and tax savings following a disastrous flood that required heavy maintenance of the property. That same land became Biltmore Forest. The village-sized town (it takes up less than three square miles of space) incorporated in 1923, after which it filled up with grand, turn-of-the-century homes pitched on large, leafy acreage in an eclectic mix of Craftsman, Tudor revival, and Colonial revival styles. Today, these preserved abodes are tucked away on majestic, oak tree-lined streets and mingle with contemporary houses. It's also home to the Biltmore House, whose gardens were in part designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the "Father of Landscape Architecture." Olmsted garnered fame for his landscape designs of Central Park and the gardens that line the U.S. Capitol — and today, the garden at Biltmore House that bears his touch is considered America's most visited garden.

Biltmore Forest Country Club also has a history steeped in prestige. This exclusive, invite-only club opened its doors on the Fourth of July in 1922 under the ownership of Cornelia Vanderbilt, heiress to the Biltmore Estate. The club has hosted numerous luminaries over the years, including John D. Rockefeller, Presidents William Howard Taft and Calvin Coolidge, and American actress Andie MacDowell, who once owned a mansion right on the club's golf course.

The town is also a stone's throw away from two popular shopping destinations. Just 10 minutes south of town, you'll find Biltmore Park Town Square, a mixed-use urban village hosting a range of contemporary shops like Barnes & Noble, Fleet Feet, REI co-op, and Kendra Scott. As an artsy city full of eclectic fun, Asheville has both local and name-brand boutiques lining the walkable, brick-paved streets of its Historic Biltmore Village, which was designed to resemble an English village. Shop fashion favorites like Chico's and Talbots alongside locally made pottery, jewelry, textiles, and other artwork at the Village Artist Market, or — if you're shopping for the grandkids — find some adorable children's gifts at Dogwood Darlings.

Peaceful trails with sweeping views are par for the course in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so active retirees in Biltmore Forest can expect unfettered access to many recreational activities. Numerous trails speckle the town, but perhaps none more impressive than the 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This footpath sprawls from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks to give trailblazers storybook sightings of vast pine forests, quaint villages, unspoiled farmlands, and charming old churches. The enormous trail is divided into 17 segments, and Biltmore Forest residents can simply pick out the stretch closest to them next to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

More trails await at the garden-filled North Carolina Arboretum, which is just a 10-minute drive from Biltmore Forest along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The arboretum is home to over 10 miles of trails, with about a dozen individual, pet-friendly ones suitable for hiking and biking. For an easy stroll amidst blooming flowers, the half-mile Azalea Collection Trail winds through the National Native Azalea Collection and links up with the Fern Loop Trail, where you can find wetlands, rhododendrons, and mountain laurels. The moderate Carolina Mountain Trail takes hikers past peaceful waterfalls and Bent Creek, as well as pine, hardwood, and ericaceous forests.

The Biltmore River Loop alone stretches nearly seven miles, but it traces spectacular scenery that makes the 2.5-hour investment worthwhile. Fringed with sycamores and birch trees, the serene trail wanders through meadows and circles the sparkling French Broad River. It's also home to wildlife like blue herons and kingfishers.