America’s Best Small Retirement Town Is a Hidden Gem Along Florida’s Treasure Coast With Perfect Beaches and a Charming Downtown

Stuart, Florida is a quiet slice of paradise an hour from Palm Beach — with antique shops, museums, and dog-friendly beaches — so it’s no wonder 30% of its population chose it as the ideal place to live their golden years.

“That’s it! The last box is all packed up,” my mom exclaimed in a text to our family group chat. “End of an era!”

And with that breezy message, my parents closed up the house they’d called home for more than 30 years — a place where my sister and I built our first fort and learned to drive, where endless pizza nights filled the living room with laughter, where games of Monopoly almost tore us apart, and where all our favorite dogs are buried in the backyard — and moved on to the next chapter. At least for the winter.

Just six months prior to this exchange, my parents had announced they were retiring (or at least semi-retiring) and doing the thing they had long threatened to do: become snowbirds. As Rhode Islanders, it’s a pretty common practice. But for my parents, who met as a ski patroller and ski instructor in their 20s, leaving New England even for just a few months of the year felt like an improbability I never thought would become a reality — until they found Stuart, Florida.

“We were driving from Orlando down the coast, I think about 20 years ago,” my dad, Tom Leasca, shared over our dining table. “No, like 15,” my mom, Joslin Leasca, interjected. “Was it?” asked my dad.

“It’s OK, you tell the rest of the story,” my mom said.

“We stopped in Stuart, and we just loved the town,” my dad continued. “It was great. It’s historic, low-key, not as much traffic as all the big places like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Naples. It was more our style of living.” He paused before adding, “And it’s on the water. Beautiful ocean, the beautiful St. Lucie River, the Intercoastal, great boating, great people. Nice, very friendly people.”

When describing the town, which sits along Florida’s Treasure Coast, about an hour’s drive from Palm Beach, my father’s face lit up in a way I realized I hadn’t seen in some time. He was excited. No. He was ecstatic about the newness of it all, which is the best gift anyone can ask for in their golden years.

“I love the antiques, the clothing stores, historic buildings, and the history of the area,” my mom chimed in from the other room. “It’s just got the right vibe.”

It’s a vibe I didn’t quite understand until I went to visit after they set up their new home in February of 2024. And instantly, I understood why my fun-loving, adventurous, social, and extremely young-at-heart parents fell so head over heels. Stuart has an essence. The sun here feels like it’s kissing you good morning. The beaches resemble an AI rendering of what the input “perfect white sand beach with azure waters” would spit out. The downtown looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, if Norman Rockwell also loved Tommy Bahama shirts. It’s simply charming.

And, as my parents explained, there are just “very friendly people” everywhere. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that nearly 30 percent of Stuart’s population is also of retirement age — a number that is high enough to make a retiree feel included but low enough to not feel surrounded.

If you’re ready to explore Stuart for a day, a week, or the rest of your golden years, here’s where to visit. Surely, my parents and their dog will be there to welcome you.

 

Why Stuart Is the Best Small Town for Retirement in the U.S. in 2024

Just as my parents described, Stuart is a place you stumble upon. It’s not always up there in the most searched for spots in Florida, but really, that’s part of its magic. It’s a rare, true, hidden gem. It’s home to all the usual suspects when it comes to fantastic Floridian destinations, including pristine beaches that are ideal for spending an afternoon (and many are dog-friendly to boot, so long as your pup is leashed), and it has swaying palm trees that guide the gentle and warm breezes right to your cheek, along with a downtown area that’s the ideal mix of shopping, historic sites, and oh-so-delicious dining.

But in Stuart, you’ll find something special you don’t get to experience in many of the state’s larger cities: a true sense of community. Here, everyone says hello to their neighbors. Expect to spend a little extra time at the coffee shop as you chat up the barista, the person behind you in line, and the couple sitting at the bistro table at the exit. Be ready to hear about grandkids and new boats, set up tee times with people you’ve just met, and always be prepared for a bonfire at the beach. The people of Stuart are really into that kind of thing, and they are utter experts at making you feel welcome.

Source: https://www.travelandleisure.com/guide-to-stuart-florida-8703497