With 35 miles of shoreline, Virginia Beach is an ideal basecamp for retirees wanting a daily dose of sand between their toes. While the 9,000-acre Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and nearly 3,000-acre First Landing State Park offer a respite from the crowds, the city's Town Center, a massive mixed-use development that began about a decade ago, is a hub for dining, shopping and culture.

At the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, locals can see performances ranging from the resident symphony to stand-up comedy. Back at the water, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center offers a different form of live entertainment in its 800,000 gallons of aquariums and animal habitats.