The mild weather and the preponderance of golf courses in the Leland area are two of the reasons seniors choose to retire to North Carolina. Add to that the natural beauty of the area and the proximity of the theater and arts venues as well as good restaurants and activities geared specifically to seniors and you have an excellent recipe for good living. Here you will find retirement and senior-related businesses and services in Leland.
With a mild climate, beautiful beaches nearby, an active arts community and abundant recreational opportunities, Leland, NC is attracting younger retirees in ever-increasing numbers.
Naturally, the temperate climate of the area entices people from the North who are tired of frigid winters, snow, ice, potholes and gray skies. Winter, such as it is here, is moderated considerably by the warming effect of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. The average summer high temperature is 88 degrees, the average winter low is 36 degrees and the overall average for the year is 64 degrees.
Active retirees will find no shortage of outdoor pursuits to enjoy in the Leland, NC area. With the proximity of Intracoastal Waterway, rivers, sounds and Atlantic Ocean beaches, water figures highly into the lifestyle of the area. Golf is also very popular here, and there are many courses between Leland, NC and the southern end of Brunswick County; see our Golf chapter for listings. For those who enjoy being in, on or around the water, the Leland, NC area offers water-oriented activities such as boating, sailing, fishing, paddling and surfing. Details can be found in our Marinas, Fishing and Watersports chapters. Our Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter features the many other activities people enjoy in the area, including softball, cycling, racquetball, martial arts, yoga and much more.
For those interested in gardening in their retirement years, the Leland, NC area is in USDA growing zone 8, averages 248 or more growing days per year and has an annual rainfall of 54 inches. The heaviest rainfall months are June, July and August, and more often than not, it rains at night and is sunny during the day — Camelot right here in Dixie. Several varieties of flowers bloom all winter, and numerous shrubs and trees retain their foliage all year.
For cultural pursuits, nearby Wilmington, NC is the arts epicenter of the region. No matter where retirees choose to live, the cultural offerings are never too far away. Wilmington has a thriving film industry, a theatrical community much bigger than one would expect of an area this size and performing arts series in a host of fabulous venues. A rich collection of artists are drawn to the area. See our Arts and Annual Events chapters for more information.
Downtown Wilmington, NC offers many activities for seniors, including horse-drawn carriage, trolley or walking tours of the Historical District, riverboat tours, unusual stores and boutiques, the Riverwalk and a number of antebellum homes open for visiting, to mention just a few (see our Attractions chapter). Any given evening will find both seniors and younger people strolling about, shopping and dining outside. When the grandkids come to visit, there are abundant activities to entertain them (see our Kidstuff chapter), and those who want to volunteer will find a wealth of opportunities (see our Volunteer Opportunities chapter).
For those ready to enjoy the good life, the area offers a broad range of dining options (see Restaurants) and the shopping possibilities are seemingly endless, from national chains of every sort to unique boutiques to antiques shops to souvenir shops (see Shopping).
Another aspect of the area that is attractive to retirees is a considerably expanded healthcare system that is increasingly focused on the needs of seniors. Healthcare on inthe area includes a major hospital offering state-of-the-art care, private physicians practicing the full range of specialties, urgent care centers, complementary care practitioners and alternative healthcare practitioners. See our Healthcare chapter.
The housing options for retirees are wide and varied. There is a strong upswing in the development of retirement communities, many of them with golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools and offering a wide variety of housing choices. Other choices include golf course communities, waterfront estates, beach-community condominiums, low-maintenance town homes, downtown Wilmington loft-style apartments, acreage in the country and more. See our Real Estate and Neighborhoods chapter for a glimpse of what the region offers.
Although progressive and growth-oriented, this area still possesses elements of charm, graciousness and gentility of the South, which, coupled with the cosmopolitan influence of retirees and new residents from all across the nation, results in a delightfully relaxed but upbeat ambiance. Also, partly due to the enormous number of activities available to them, retirees tend to feel more included living in the area communities than they would living in a large urban area.
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When it comes time to slow down, seniors do not have to leave Leland, NC. The area has many facilities to support seniors as they age and are in need of more care.
As mentioned, the Wilmington area offers outstanding medical facilities and services that are increasingly geared toward the aging population (see our Healthcare section).
As people age, their living and care needs sometimes change. Accredited independent and assisted living communities and home-care services are found throughout the area, and we feature some of them in this section.
