Top Greenest Cities to Retire
If a green retirement means plenty of fresh air, clean parks and lazy strolls to a mid-afternoon picnic, then have we got some cities for you. Recently, US News and World Report compiled a list of The Greenest Cities to Retire. Though not all the cities on the list may fit the traditional definition of a “green city” such as the dry and arid, Phoenix, these cities were ranked for the investments they’ve made into their park systems and public space.
Chicago – Children cool off in Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park, a prime example of Chicago’s urban parks, which occupies nearly 25 downtown acres that were once the site of unsightly railroad tracks and parking lots. Completed in July 2004, the park features giant sculptures, gardens, promenades, an outdoor concert pavilion, and an ice-skating rink. The face at the right appears on one of the fountains two 50-foot glass block towers, which project changing LED images of the faces of more than 1,000 Chicagoans.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – Legendary Pikes Peak seen through a window in the Colorado red rock at dawn. Located at the foot of this landmark, Colorado Springs is a mecca for hikers, campers, and wildlife enthusiasts. The city’s 14,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces provide access to winding pathways alongside rivers, forests, streams, and dramatic rock formations. Notable parks include Garden of the Gods, with its towering sandstone formations, paved and unpaved hiking paths, and spectacular views.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – A motorboat passes by undeveloped wetlands in cloud reflections on the St. Mary’s River, north of Jacksonville. Residents can drive just 10 to 15 minutes from downtown Jacksonville to reach thousands of acres of preserved parkland. The parks offer both paved and backcountry trails through grassy and wooded wetlands. Wildlife observers should fancy the Castaway Island Preserve, a salt marsh ecosystem that features a wooden boardwalk.
PHOENIX, AZ – A saguaro cactus is seen at twilight against the city lights. This desert metropolis hosts two of the 10 largest city parks in the country: South Mountain Preserve and North Mountain Preserve. While Phoenix also boasts plenty of traditional parks with ball fields and playgrounds, the preserves feature “pristine Sonoran desert in its natural state,” says Ken Vonderscher, the city’s deputy director of parks and development. South Mountain Preserve alone contains 51 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
AUSTIN, TX – A woman sits in a butterfly chair at Zilker Park’s Botanical Gardens. Austin is the park trendsetter for Texas cities, says Peter Harnik, director of the Center for City Park Excellence at the Trust for Public Land. “Austin is a very park- and recreation-oriented city.” The city devotes more than 6,600 acres to 206 parks, 12 preserves, and 26 greenbelts (parkland on creeks and canyons). Highlights include Zilker Park’s Barton Springs Pool, a man-made swimming hole that maintains a year-round temperature of approximately 68 degrees, and the 10-mile Town Lake hike and bike trail.
PORTLAND, ORE. – A hiking trail in Forest Park was a playground for Julie Freeman and her dog, Buff. Those with four-legged pals might be interested to know that Portland has more dog parks per capita than any other U.S. city. It also hosts one of the country’s largest wilderness parks, the 5,100-acre Forest Park, as well as the world’s smallest, Mills End Park (a 2-foot-diameter circle located in a traffic median). About 80 percent of Portland residents can reach a park within a 10-to-15-minute walk, according to Robin Grimwade, the city’s manager of strategy, finance, and business development.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Elite pro triathlete Eric Lujan runs a trail in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque. The city parks feature disk golf courses, shooting ranges, all-terrain bike courses, and, of course, plenty of unspoiled wilderness. The city’s open spaces range from overgrown meadows flush with wildflowers to rocky canyons populated by ponderosa pines, junipers, and yucca.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Raleigh is known as the “City of Oaks,” a nickname honored by the giant copper acorn sculpture in centrally located Moore Square Park. In addition to rubbing the acorn for good luck, visitors can catch free summer concerts and lounge under the shade of trees that were planted at the city’s 1792 inception. Raleigh also boasts a 54-mile, 3,000-acre greenway and a network of public open spaces and recreational trails for walking, jogging, hiking, bird-watching, and fishing.
SAN DIEGO, CA – Surfboards are piled on the grass in Del Mar, one of California’s oceanside parks near San Diego. Within the city, you’ll find the nation’s largest urban cultural park. With its lush, green lawns and rolling hills, 1,200-acre Balboa Park is home to the San Diego Zoo, dozens of gardens, museums, and theaters (plus free organ concerts on Sunday afternoons). For a walk on the wild side, check out the Torrey Pines State Preserve, which contains miles of unspoiled beaches and stunning overlooks.
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. – Children walk along the beach at low tide at nearby Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which includes more than 9,000 acres of beach, woodland, and marsh with migratory birds, loggerhead sea turtles, and bald eagles. Virginia Beach itself hosts 208 parks, encompassing 4,000 acres, with more than 100 miles of trails. Notable parks include Mount Trashmore, a grassy little mountain that was created by compacting layers of solid waste and clean soil. The former landfill now features 165 acres of playgrounds and recreational facilities, including a skateboard park.
Source: U.S. News and World Report
