Beginning with golf: The climate here allows for many golf courses to stay open all year long. With 27 public, semiprivate, and resort courses, the Cape packs both quality and quantity. Watersports, such as canoeing, kayaking, and sailing are appealing too.

The Cape also attracts history aficionados--those who appreciate the fact that Pilgrims helped settle much of the Cape, and that three of its important towns (Sandwich, Barnstable, and Yarmouth) date back to 1639. Those who love the sea and who love nature are drawn here too--to the Cape Cod National Seashore and other gorgeous Cape beaches, the National Audubon bird sanctuaries, and resources such as the Thornton Burgess Society and the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Artists and art lovers can enjoy numerous fine galleries, museums, and theaters sprinkled throughout the Cape towns, not to mention the Cape Cod Symphony. Cape Cod truly has something to offer everyone.

Another attractive feature of the Cape is its proximity to Boston. While the Cape is a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the Hub and its suburbs, it's just a short bus ride away from the cultural facilities of the country's largest and most historic cities. Many, in fact, choose to experience the best of both worlds before they fully retire, moving here early and commuting until their formal retirement.

Still, if city life isn't for you, you could go years without ever finding a reason to cross the bridge to the mainland. In terms of healthcare, Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc.--Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital--provides full healthcare for area residents. And in terms of finances, a number of major brokerage houses and Boston banks have set up shop on the Cape.

You'll also find that our businesses and town governments seriously consider the needs of the aging population-- an important segment of the population here (almost half of all Cape Codders are over 50). We've mentioned the senior centers. Every town on the Cape has an active organization run by each town's Council on Aging. These centers provide interesting activities and the chance to make new friendships.

The many nonprofit organizations, also offer a great opportunity to share, with visitors and locals alike, your past life experiences through volunteer programs. Imagine this for a moment: In one year, volunteers (most of them retired) donated 30,000 hours of volunteer time to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Whether a museum, nature center, or town organization, volunteerism is alive and well on Cape Cod, providing a great way to meet others and get involved with the community.

And that's not all. The Cape also offers you a comfortable, safe place to call home. Besides the many options we outline in our Real Estate section, the Cape also offers you a number of assisted-living communities that provide the very best of both worlds--independent-living options coupled with on-site healthcare and supportive services.