Palm Beach Gardens 55+ Communities
There are five Palm Beach Gardens 55+ Communities. If you are considering retiring in Florida, it is likely you can find an active adult community to fit your lifestyle and budget. Whether you are looking for condos and villas under $250k or single-family homes over $500k, the city is well worth adding to your home search. Most Palm Beach Gardens 55+ Communities offer an active South Florida lifestyle with social clubhouses, fitness centers, tennis courts, resort-style swimming pools, and walking trails. Even if you opt for a less active community, finding a neighborhood with plenty to do in the immediate area is a breeze with so many parks, golf courses, shopping malls, and bars & restaurants in the city.
According to the Palm Beach Post, a 2019 Chamber of Commerce study named Palm Beach Gardens the best Florida city to live in. As of the 2020 Census, the population was just over 59,000 with 29.9% of residents age 65 or older. Gated communities with first-class amenities, premium golfing, and highly rated nature preserves make Palm Beach Gardens a great place to retire for individuals seeking an active lifestyle that won't break the bank. If you are open to all-age communities, there is plenty of Palm Beach Gardens luxury real estate available as well, offering new construction by famous architects, homes with golf and country club memberships, and sprawling estates with breathtaking Intracoastal views. Palm Beach Gardens truly has it all with diverse real estate offerings and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and entertainment.
Palm Beach Gardens Lifestyle
Palm Beach Gardens comprises over 59 square miles that extend from the Intracoastal to a more rural area to the west where there are a host of beautiful nature preserves. With Juno Beach, Lake Park, and North Palm Beach on its eastern border, the city does not reach the Atlantic coastline, but there are still plenty of waterways for boating and kayaking. While Palm Beach Gardens offers endless entertainment and recreation, residents also enjoy proximity to the restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and museums provided by neighboring West Palm Beach and Jupiter.
This premier golfing destination boasts 18 golf courses in the city and another 82 within twenty miles. The PGA National Resort & Spa is a golfer's paradise. With six internationally renowned golf courses, there are options for all skill levels. You will find the perfect course at PGA National whether you are a beginner looking to practice your swing or a champion seeking a challenge on one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in professional golf. In fact, The Champion is considered one of the best golf courses in the country and has been home to the Honda Classic since 2007. Looking to up your golf game, PGA National has you covered with golf lessons provided by some of the top golf schools in Florida including the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
You don't have to be a golf enthusiast to enjoy outdoor activities in Palm Beach Gardens. There are a host of nature preserves and parks in the city that are sure to dazzle anyone that appreciates nature. The Frenchman's Forest boasts 172 acres that are comprised of seven ecosystems. Visitors can observe over 500 animal and 200 plant species in their natural habitat. There are multiple nature trails that are ideal for bird watching, offering common sightings of great horned owl and red-shouldered hawk. Another natural treasure, situated just on the border of Palm Beach Gardens, is the Grassy Waters Preserve. This breathtaking preserve offers 23 square miles of wetlands where visitors can spot white-tailed deer, otters, bobcats, alligators, and a diverse array of birds. This Everglades experience includes 6 hiking trails, four biking trails, guided kayaking tours, and a nature center with rotating exhibits that teach you about native inhabitants and ancient mammals. This is also a great location for picnicking and fishing.
Palm Beach Gardens offers great shopping and culture-rich entertainment. Downtown at the Gardens boasts an open-air shopping center with over 50 shops and restaurants. This popular destination hosts a plethora of community events including concerts, plays, lectures, and festivals. The Gardens Mall is another Palm Beach Gardens shopping landmark offering two stories packed with more than 160 shops where you are sure to find treasures by your favorite designer from Louis Vuitton to Jimmy Choo. If you prefer shopping in an artsy atmosphere, PGA Commons is a great choice. Known as the Art and Dining district, PGA Commons boasts exclusive boutiques, diverse art galleries, and trendy eateries with alfresco dining.
History
Present-day Palm Beach Gardens was once Pine forests, swampland, and cattle ranches. In 1959, the seed for Palm Beach Gardens development was planted when John D. MacArthur purchased 4,000 acres to build homes for a population of 55,000. MacArthur, a self-made billionaire, made his fortune revolutionizing marketing strategies in the insurance industry. From humble beginnings, MacArthur dropped out of school at the age of sixteen and started selling insurance with his older brother in Chicago. By the time he was nineteen, he sold over one million dollars worth of insurance policies in one year, which of course was a tremendous amount of money in 1916. This early success allowed him to purchase Bankers Life and Casualty Company. Rather than using typical mass marketing strategies, MacArthur employed door-to-door salesmen and passed the savings on the marketing budget on to consumers. Making policies affordable to the average person made Bankers the largest health and life insurance company in the country by 1956.
Palm Beach Gardens underwent major development throughout the 1960s. With a serious knack for marketing, MacArthur spent $30,000 to relocate a Banyan tree from the neighboring city of Lake Park to his new community. He was looking to demonstrate the beautiful landscaping in the city that he appropriately named Palm Beach Gardens. He got even more publicity than he could have imagined when he relocated a second Banyan Tree via the Florida East Coast Railway. The gigantic tree shifted during transport and damaged the Western Union and telegraph lines that ran along the railway. This accident largely cut off communications to Miami until repairs could be made. While this may have been negative publicity, it was publicity nonetheless and helped spread the word about the newly formed community. The Banyan Trees are still thriving on MacArthur Blvd and are proudly displayed on the city shield.
Palm Beach Gardens really took off in the 1980s. With the opening of the PGA National in 1981, the city gained prominent placement as a Florida golfing destination. Hosting the 1983 Ryder Cup attracted professional golfers and led to Honda Classic Challenges in Palm Beach Gardens in the following years. The city also gained notoriety as the premier place to shop with the opening of the Gardens Mall in 1988. The following year, the Art in Public Places Ordinance was passed and the art district was born. These three major contributions to Palm Beach Gardens really laid the foundation for the artistic golf destination known for luxury shopping that the city is today.
Simply scroll down to the Featured Neighborhoods section on this page to explore Palm Beach Gardens 55+ Communities where you can find active listings, association rules & regulations (including detailed pet restrictions), monthly maintenance dues, and amenities. Click the "Explore Nearby" box on any community page to discover shops, restaurants, nightlife, entertainment, hospitals, and transportation in the surrounding neighborhood. Click here for a list of all Palm Beach Gardens 55+ Homes for Sale. Happy Browsing!
