Cabin Porn. Featured Steel Metal Building Inventory. The Coolest Small Towns in America. Kayaking near Ely, Minn. Anna Wolf Ely, Minn. Pop. 3,470 The best backyard in the country It says a lot about a town when there are more wildlife centers (two) than Wal-Marts (zero), and more canoe and fishing outfitters (27) than, well, anything else. In Ely, you're never more than a step away from the wilderness. Rocky's is a classic old-time drugstore soda fountain in downtown Brevard, N.C. Christfield/myBudgetTravel Brevard, N.C Pop. 6,716 Blue Ridge views and Appalachian pride If the notion of town-wide square dances with an old-time caller sounds appealing, then Brevard is your kind of place.
Saugatuck, Mich., at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan. Sally Ryan Saugatuck, Mich. Pop. 954 A lake town where time stands still One weekend in Saugatuck was all it took for Philippe Quentel. Boats in the harbor at Bandon, Ore. Wood Sabolt Bandon, Ore. Pop. 3,295 A farm-to-table hub on Oregon's rugged coast The Friday Night Live outdoor free concert series in downtown Cloverdale. Pop. 8,454. LakeHomes.com Property Listings. 10 Affordable Places to Retire on the Water. Check out these low-cost lake, river, and bayside communities Few retirees would complain about spending each evening watching the sunset sparkle off the water, if it weren't for the B-word. Budget. Most condos with an ocean view will gobble up even more of your nest egg than the stock market did last year. However, if you're willing to spend your golden years by a lake, river, or bay, a retirement filled with beach bumming and sandcastle building is still attainable.
U.S. News delved into our Best Places to Retire search tool and worked with Onboard Informatics, which also provided the underlying data, to find a few low-cost places to retire on the water. Riverfront Riverfront property is one frugal way to be lulled to sleep to by the hum of rushing water. Bay Views Alternatively, take a seat on the dock of the bay in Fairhope, Ala., or Dover, Del., two bayside bargains. If you must live directly on the water, check out the hydrophilic community of Cape Coral, Fla. Lake Living.