A Florida beach town is “simply charming” — and has been named an ideal place to retire, a new report finds.
Stuart ranks No. 1 on a list of the nation’s best small towns for retirees.
“Stuart is a place you stumble upon,” Travel + Leisure magazine wrote in its Sept. 5 report. “It’s not always up there in the most searched for spots in Florida, but really, that’s part of its magic.”
To determine the top places for older adults to live, Travel + Leisure editors studied towns across the United States with fewer than 25,000 residents. The magazine also turned to vacation experts and influencers as it focused on the destinations that would most appeal to readers.
To be recognized, a town had to “excel in its category and offer a variety of activities, accommodations, and a timely reason to visit — be it a notable new festival, hotel, restaurant, attraction, or tourism initiative,” Travel + Leisure wrote.
What makes Stuart a special retirement destination?
On the resulting list of “America’s Best Small Towns,” Stuart landed at the top of the retirement category. The town of about 17,000 people is on the Treasure Coast and is a roughly 110-mile drive north from Miami.