These picturesque mountain retreats are the ideal location to begin your golden years in the West Virginia highlands.
The best of both worlds is provided by these tight-knit communities: a picturesque mountain location where you can enjoy the clean mountain air without ever getting too far from the necessities.
Prepare yourself for your journey home to West Virginia over these rural roads.
Princeton
The quaint village of Princeton is located close to the Virginia border in the southernmost point of West Virginia. Princeton should be on your list of potential retirement locations because of its thriving downtown and unspoiled wilderness.
Everything you’ll need in your senior years is close by, despite the fact that it may be remote in the southern part of the state.
You don’t have to go far to get excellent treatment in Princeton, thanks to the WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital and vibrant retirement communities like Princeton Health treatment Center.
There are many charming stores and institutions to explore in Princeton’s walkable downtown.
Offering free trolley excursions to neighboring museums (such as the Agricultural Museum and the McNutt House) and live music throughout the year, the Princeton Railroad Museum is a well-liked destination.
Lewisburg
Lewisburg is a quiet community in Southern West Virginia, close to the Virginia border. This isolated community in the Greenbrier Valley, surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains, offers all the amenities you require while allowing you to take in the splendor of the West Virginia wilderness.
Seasons Place, one of the best assisted living communities in the area, has everything you need close by, and the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is less than ten minutes away by car from downtown.
The French Goat and the Livery Tavern are two of the great eateries in the charming, walkable downtown area.
The annual Lewisburg Chocolate Festival, which fills the streets with chocolate merchants and anything chocolate, is eagerly anticipated by the city’s chocolate enthusiasts.
A short drive east lies the Greenbrier State Forest, which offers easily accessible paths winding through the Allegheny Mountains, if you wish to experience the splendor of Lewisburg.
Summersville
The community of Summersville is located in the Appalachian Mountains in the center of West Virginia. Everything elders require is conveniently located in this neighborhood.
With its convenient downtown location, the Summersville Regional Medical Center provides high-quality care without requiring a lengthy commute.
Additionally, it offers a range of senior activity areas and assisted living facilities, such as the Nicholas County Senior Center.
With its state-of-the-art rooms, first-rate treatment, and recreational amenities, the Summersville Healthcare Center is also a fantastic destination for elders.
Summersville Lake, a well-liked destination for outdoor enthusiasts, is situated south of downtown. It’s the ideal location for swimming in the summer months, hiking, lounging on the shore, and launching a fishing boat out onto the lake.
Elkins
The little-known town of Elkins is located in the center of the Allegheny Mountains.
Within Elkins’ city borders, you’ll find everything you need for your golden years, including the well regarded Mountain Memories Assisted Living and Retirement Center and the Davis Medical Center.
One of West Virginia’s biggest and oldest festivals, the Mountain State Forest Festival, is held there as well.
The city comes alive every fall with a festival with live music, carnival rides, and food vendors (selling West Virginia’s specialty, the pepperoni roll!) as the mountains’ trees light up in blazing shades of gold and orange.
The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers breathtaking views of the mountains, which is one of the best things about living in Elkins.
You go into isolated regions of the West Virginia backcountry that are inaccessible by roads and trails aboard the antique steam-powered locomotives.
Beautiful nature trails can also be found in Elkins, such as the generally level Allegheny Highlands Trail, which is paved.
Charles Town
Charles Town is encircled by the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains and is just over an hour’s drive from Washington, DC. Every June, it hosts the well-known WV Fest, which transforms the city into a massive celebration complete with food booths, live music, and parades.
Moulton Park gives you access to the water for a day of fishing or lounging on the shores of the stunning Shenandoah River.
Additionally, Charles Town is directly on the Appalachian Trail, which enables hikers to explore this stunning section of the trail that follows the rivers and mountains.