Five Great Cities to Retire In

After working hard all of your life, you've finally reached the milestone of retirement. You don't have to trek all across the country searching for the perfect place-we've done the legwork for you.

Port Charlotte, Fla.

With a population of 48,000 residents, Port Charlotte is a small gem located on the Gulf coast. An ideal spot for hikers, sailors and nature lovers, it's also one of the few places where you can find moderately priced waterfront homes with breathtaking views of the harbor and shoreline. Residents can also enjoy the Charlotte Preserve State Park for bird watching and kayaking. But if you're not into the outdoors, you can catch a show or take dance classes at the Cultural Center.

Memphis, Tenn.

If you're single and ready to mingle, then you may want to shimmy your way down to Tennessee and swing to the Memphis beat. Home of bluegrass, country and rock n' roll music, the city boasts an amazing nightlife and one of the highest concentrations of single retirees over the age of 65. With an ideal climate, strong housing market and top-rated hospitals-not to mention Graceland and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame-Memphis is the perfect place to mix business and pleasure.

Palm Springs, Calif.

Set in the desert with a mountain backdrop, it's no wonder Palm Springs is a popular place for retirees. The city has an active art scene that is promoted by the Palm Spring Art Museum and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Although it can get very hot, the lack of humidity makes the heat bearable. Plus, it hardly rains in Southern California, which means you can spend as much time on the golf course as you'd like, if that's what you enjoy.

Surprise, Ariz.

It's hard to run out of things to do in this small town located just outside of Phoenix. It's home to Sun City Grand, a state-of-the-art retirement community that offers top-of-the-line amenities such as golf, tennis and wine tasting. Baseball lovers can go to Surprise Stadium to watch the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers during spring training. You can also visit the 30,000-acre state park and then take a dip at the aquatic center to cool off. It won't be long before you realize that this town is appropriately named.

Portsmouth, N.H.

If you want the amenities of city life without the hustle and bustle, then consider out Portsmouth. Residents of this town get the best of both worlds as they enjoy the nightlife of neighboring cities and the picturesque New England countryside. Portsmouth is also known for its restaurants, nightlife and cultural scene.