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Where To Spend Your Twilight Years

When looking for your retirement dream home you want to make the right choice. Where you spend your twilight years is a very important decision. There is no one-size-fits-all retirement community. There is no perfect place. We all have different tastes, different priorities, different goals for our senior years. Therefore, my best advice is to tour as many age-restricted communities as you can, then choose according to what feels right for you. Pay attention to your gut-feeling!

Two Premier Active Adult Communities

I have lived in Solivita, an award-winning 55+ community for the past 21 years (I was resident number 84!). You can read my full-length Solivita review article here. As previously mentioned, there are pros and cons to every over-55 retirement community. Obviously, I like Solivita enough to have stayed two decades, but I’m not averse to checking out the competition or discovering new options.

Recently, while vacationing with our best friends on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina (one of my favorite places on the East Coast), we toured Latitude Margaritaville, a brand new 55+ retirement community. During our visit I noticed some similarities, and some things that were distinctly different between these two premier active adult communities.

Latitude Margaritaville

Latitude Margaritaville is located on highway 278, in Hardeeville – 15 miles to the bridge onto Hilton Head Island. It’s a fantastic location – 20 minutes to the world-famous beaches on Hilton Head, 30 minutes to historical Savannah (another one of my favorite Southern cities!). Latitude Hilton Head has a sister community in Daytona Beach, Florida which looks almost identical to this one in South Carolina. (Those of you looking for the tax advantages of living in Florida may want to check out Latitude Margaritaville Daytona Beach, or Latitude Margaritaville Watersound near Panama City Beach.) Latitude Daytona Beach will be much larger than Margaritaville Hilton Head. Margaritaville Daytona will have 7000 homes at build-out, whereas Margaritaville Hilton Head is projected to have around 3000 homes at build-out. For some people, size matters.

Latitude Margaritaville is a collaboration between master developer Minto Communities USA and global lifestyle brand Margaritaville Holdings. Minto Communities is a Florida-based company that has created 48 lifestyle communities in popular resort locations throughout the United States and Internationally. Only a few (three, to be exact) are 55+ communities — the ones called “Latitude Margaritaville.”

FYI: You can read some current reviews for Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head here.

Jimmy Buffett Themed Retirement Communities

You’ve likely already guessed by the name, Latitude Margaritaville, these are Jimmy Buffett-themed retirement communities. So if you’re a Jimmy Buffett aficionado, a self-proclaimed Parrothead, your journey into senior living may want to begin here! Latitude portrays a senior lifestyle of fun, food, and of course the music of legendary singer Jimmy Buffett. At Latitude Margaritaville you’ll experience days of endless adventure and nights of non-stop fun. It’s a laid-back atmosphere with a license to chill. In fact, their motto is: “Growing older, not up!”

If you’re into an island escapism lifestyle — fun in the sun, tropical beach parties, sunset cocktails around the fire pits — this may be your retirement “paradise!” In fact, Latitude Margaritaville is rumored to have a liquor cabinet in every hallway… right between the defibrillator and first aid kit! Remember to drink responsibly though. Just because you’ve traded in your snow tires for a golf cart doesn’t mean you don’t need a designated driver from time to time.

Just like Solivita, Latitude Margaritaville is a golf cart friendly community. They actually promote the use of neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) as the primary source of transportation throughout the development.

I only have one question for all you Parrotheads… in your wildest dreams did you ever think Jimmy Buffett’s infamous Margaritaville would become an old folk’s home? Apparently he’s not just a great singer, songwriter, and author, but a pretty savvy businessman as well! (Imagine the amazement of the residents of Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head when out-of-the-blue they received a surprise visit from Jimmy Buffett! Check out the video here.)

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Solivita Verses Latitude Margaritaville?

As I toured Latitude Mararitaville, it was only human nature for me to make comparisons between it and my beloved Solivita. The following is my personal observation between these two premier over-55 communities.

Latitude Margaritaville

• brand new (opened in 2018)
• very island-y, party-like atmosphere
• tropical-themed bright home colors and design
• a lot smaller (3000 homes)
• amenities being built in phases (1st phase completed)
• no CDD fees (Community Development District)
• Jimmy Buffett may drop in at any time!

Solivita, Kissimmee Florida

• a bit more traditional (and/or sophisticated)
• a more Mediterranean-themed atmosphere
• all amenities in place
• over 200 social clubs – every conceivable hobby & interest
• 21-years old and looks great (gorgeous & successful)
• some new homes, nice selection of re-sales
• CDD fees included in property tax bill
• soon-to-be built out (currently 6922 households)

Clearly, you can see that the right retirement community is a matter of taste. Both are award-winning, both offer “Discovery” packages that allow you to ‘try before you buy.’ I highly recommend an in-person visit to both. Check them out, converse with current residents, who tend to be brutally honest! Research the local scene — art and museums, theaters, beaches, golf, parks, airports, shopping, and healthcare. Healthcare, that’s a biggie for us seniors!

In Conclusion…

I really did like Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head. It seemed like a fun, no-worries tropical vibe kind of place in the Lowcountry. When I toured in 2019 there were very few residents because it was so new. Back then, home prices started in the low 200s. Now, the entry level prices have increased (like everywhere else in this current seller’s market) to the mid 200s. At the conclusion of my tour I received an impressive marketing packet from the sales preview. It is thorough and comprehensive. However, most of the information can also be found online at LatitudeMargaritaville.com.

I love the Latitude Margaritaville website. It’s incredibly user-friendly, and has most of the important information you would want to know, readily accessible. For example: You can browse the floor plans here. Or watch an introductory video here. Or how about those dreaded HOA fees? I appreciate that Latitude Margaritaville is up front with that information and openly displays the HOA fees right here. Or take a virtual tour of every model home… all 14 of them! Wait until you see those tropical interior designs! Bright, bold, and beautiful. Simply amazing. At the very least, you’ll get some home decor inspiration and design ideas to remodel or update your current home. I literally took hundreds of pictures during my tour. A few of my favorites are below…

Have you toured Latitude Margaritaville? Please share your thoughts with our readers in the comment box below. Or, perhaps you want to give a shout-out to your favorite 55+ find. Our readers would love to know!