With its good weather and variety of scenery and locations, Texas can make for a great location for your retirement, especially if you’re searching for a no-fuss accommodation arrangement where you can also take advantage of the outdoors and activities. Active retirement communities in Texas range from urban to rural settings. Most offer access to people 55 years old and up, and you can choose from being in a well-populated community to somewhere less buzzing.
What are the best active retirement communities in Texas then? Here are some top picks across the state:
- Hill Country Retreat
- Robson Ranch
- Del Webb Sweetgrass
- Onion Creek, Austin
- Alamo Country Club
- Amberwood at Fall Creek
- Paloma Creek
- Tavolo Park
- The Continental, Austin
- Longhorn Village
- Atria at the Arboretum
- Isabella Village at Savannah
Let’s take a look at some of the best 55+ communities in Texas for active individuals.
12 Best Active Retirement Communities in Texas
1. Hill Country Retreat
Have you ever dreamt of joining one of the retirement communities in Texas hill country when you grow older? Here’s your chance. Based in historic San Antonio, Hill Country Retreat is a brilliant active retirement community where you can choose from over 2,000 luxurious family homes to live in. There are beautiful views, wildlife at your doorstep, and great amenities starting with the 28,000 square-foot clubhouse, named “The Resort.” You’ll find a fitness center, indoor pool, various classes, and lots of social activities taking place in the ballroom, the games rooms, and multiple hobby rooms.
There’s something for everyone at the Hill Country Retreat, especially if you’re into outdoor activities. They offer tennis courts and walking trails, and you’ll also be near the Government Canyon State Park and OP Schanbel Park. With a motto like “Love life to the fullest,” who wouldn’t be tempted to visit them?
2. Robson Ranch
If you’re into golf, this place is for you. Robson Ranch is one of the best active retirement communities in the Dallas – Fort Worth area, and it features the 18-hole Wildhorse Golf Club for your outdoor entertainment. In addition to golf, the clubhouse has a ballroom and many activities on offer. The Pinnacle state-of-the-art fitness center welcomes its guests with fitness classes, an indoor pool, sauna, whirlpools, and a full-service salon.
As you’re only 35 miles from Dallas, you will also be able to take full advantage of city life whenever you want to drive off from Robson Ranch.
3. Del Webb Sweetgrass
Another premium retirement community for over 55-year-olds is Del Webb’s Sweetgrass, located on 500 acres southwest of Houston. This is a fantastic location with a natural creek, a 50-acre lake, and four miles of walking trails, in addition to excellent facilities such as its fitness center, tennis courts, pickleball, and bocce ball courts.
Sweetgrass was only opened in 2011 so expect to find wonderful homes and high-quality finishing all around. There is also a wellness center, great group classes, and even a boat launch onto the lake.
4. Onion Creek, Austin
One of the more urban active retirement communities, the Onion Creek Village on the Park, offers you single-family and attached homes only 15 minutes south of Downtown Austin, along with a 27-hole championship golf course and resort-style amenities and activities to keep you busy and fit.
Once you buy a home here, expect to be engaged at the Onion Creek Club, with fine dining, a fitness center, a golf pro shop, and lots of rooms for events and activities. The Village on the Park also offers assisted living options for those who need some more support in everyday life.
5. Alamo Country Club
Head to Alamo for a different active retirement community – the Alamo Country Club, located in the “playful city.” They call themselves the best-kept secret in the Rio Grande Valley, and with good reason: this is a small community of only 526 member-owned homes located on a 9-hole golf course. It’s very much golf-oriented, with its putting and chipping greens and a driving range, plus leagues for ladies and gentlemen to play in all year round.
Alamo Country Club also offers standard fitness center facilities, a ballroom, a library, and group activities. However, it’s a dream location for golf enthusiasts. Finally, Alamo is one of the more affordable retirement communities in Texas, where you could get a home for around $100,000.
6. Amberwood at Fall Creek
The Fall Creek retirement community in Humble, TX, is much larger, and Amberwood sits within it as a small enclave of maintenance-free homes for active retired people. This development by Dunhill Homes counts only 58 residences, in a very private setting but not far from shopping and other amenities.
Redstone Golf Club is at the center of Fall Creek, with tennis courts, an aquatic center, and many other surprises for residents.
On the one hand, retiring at Amberwood means you’ll be in a small, quiet neighborhood away from the busyness of a big city. On the other hand, you’ll be only 15 minutes away from downtown Houston. It’s the best of both worlds.
7. Paloma Creek
Located in Little Elm, TX, north of Dallas, Paloma Creek gives you a small-town feeling while still keeping you close to the amenities of a big city. With its state-of-the-art facilities, including junior Olympic pools, ball fields, hike and bike trails, and more, Paloma Creek is one of the best retirement communities in Dallas.
8. Tavolo Park
Another brilliant active retirement community in Dallas, Tavolo Park, has a range of homes in a mixed-use development located in Fort Worth. There are several neighborhoods and parks, a town lake, trails, and a central fitness and activity center (the Big Table) where you can enjoy anything from swimming to playing bocce.
Tavolo Park offers a great mix of outdoor activities and convenient amenities to suit any active retired person, whatever your tastes.
9. The Continental, Austin
Moving to retirement communities in Austin, The Continental offers rental homes starting at $2,600, close to Austin International Airport and all the shopping and restaurants in South Austin. They also have 24/7 dining, lots of activities, full-service amenities, and various on-site service providers, so you would expect not to have to lift a finger around the house and simply enjoy doing everything you feel like!
10. Longhorn Village
Have you heard about the Texas Longhorn spirit? It’s here, recreated in Longhorn Village, an active retirement community that’s all about “not slowing down” in your retirement years. Their Health Care Center focuses on keeping residents fit and healthy, while the sheer number of social activities and first-class amenities make Longhorn Village a desirable retirement community. Choose from many dining options, catering services, clubs and fitness classes, support groups, live concerts, trips…the Longhorn Village has pretty much anything you can think of.
Add to that a 100% maintenance-free lifestyle where weekly housekeeping, landscaping, and maintenance services are provided with your living arrangements, and you will find yourself so much less preoccupied with the mundane. This retirement community is also only half an hour from downtown Austin, so you can always take advantage of city life when you feel like it.
11. Atria at the Arboretum
For an urban active retirement community in Austin, look no further than the Atria at the Arboretum. This is a rental-based retirement community where you get complete maintenance of your home, in-house catering and dining options, a fitness center, an indoor heated pool and hot tub, and great activities and organized classes.
Situated in the Great Hills neighborhood of Austin, living at the Atria also allows you to enjoy the proximity of a big city with all its amenities and social and cultural events. There is a multitude of coffee shops and restaurants within walking distance and cinemas, shopping centers, banks, etc. And, if you want to drive off into the countryside, the Atria also offers secure parking on-site for all its residents.
12. Isabella Village at Savannah
Aimed at over-55s looking to buy a home in the Savannah master-planned community, Isabella Village is an active retirement community with a great location and luxurious resort-style amenities. Savannah is a community built close to Dallas, long the US Highway 380, and has a range of planned housing and a country club living feeling thanks to its amenities: a 20,000 square-foot clubhouse, a library, cafes, exciting events, and more. There’s even a private water park, playgrounds and neighborhood parks, lakes, and trails.
For the active retired people of Savannah, there is an Over 50 Club with monthly game nights. Within the splendid amenities of Savannah, Isabella Village is an attractive retirement destination.
Conclusion – Active Retirement Communities in Texas
So, what are the best active retirement communities in Texas? To summarize, here is our list once more:
- Hill Country Retreat
- Robson Ranch
- Del Webb Sweetgrass
- Onion Creek, Austin
- Alamo Country Club
- Amberwood at Fall Creek
- Paloma Creek
- Tavolo Park
- The Continental, Austin
- Longhorn Village
- Atria at the Arboretum
- Isabella Village at Savannah
Texas welcomes active retired people with a broad range of active retirement communities that cater to those interested in sports and the outdoors, as well as the more urban-inclined among you who would prefer to be near a city center. From the Hill County to Austin, Dallas, and beyond, there’s something to offer any interest, and you have a broad choice between owning or renting property, too. It’s definitely worth a visit to Texas to select between these top active retirement communities.