Many retired seniors make their home in Ocean Isle Beach and enjoy nature, the beach and the ocean as well as playing golf. Though there are no senior services located directly in Ocean Isle Beach, they are available in the area. Also available are volunteer opportunities, movies, shopping, galleries, theater productions and more - including the museum located right in Ocean Isle.
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With a mild climate, beautiful beaches, an active arts community and abundant recreational opportunities, ocean Isle Beach, NC is attracting younger retirees to its sunny shores in ever-increasing numbers.
Naturally, the temperate climate of the area entices people from the North who are tired of frigid winters, snow, ice, potholes and gray skies. Winter, such as it is here, is moderated considerably by the warming effect of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. The average summer high temperature is 88 degrees, the average winter low is 36 degrees and the overall average for the year is 64 degrees.
Active retirees will find no shortage of outdoor pursuits to enjoy in the ocean Isle Beach, NC area. With the Intracoastal Waterway, rivers, sounds and Atlantic Ocean beaches, water figures primarily into the lifestyle of the southern coast. Golf is also very popular here, especially in Brunswick County; see our Golf chapter for listings. For those who enjoy being in, on or around the water, the southern coast offers water-oriented activities such as boating, sailing, fishing, paddling and surfing. Details can be found in our Marinas, Fishing and Watersports chapters. Our Sports, Fitness and Parks chapter features the many other activities people enjoy in the area, including softball, cycling, racquetball, martial arts, yoga and much more.
For those interested in gardening in their retirement years, the ocean Isle Beach, NC area is in USDA growing zone 8, averages 248 or more growing days per year and has an annual rainfall of 54 inches. The heaviest rainfall months are June, July and August, and more often than not, it rains at night and is sunny during the day. Several varieties of flowers bloom all winter, and numerous shrubs and trees retain their foliage all year.
No matter where retirees choose to live, the cultural offerings are never too far away. There is a theatrical community much bigger than one would expect of an area this size and performing arts series in a host of fabulous venues. A rich collection of artists are drawn to the ocean Isle Beach, NC area. See our Arts and Annual Events chapters for more information.
When the grandkids come to visit, there are abundant activities to entertain them (see our Kidstuff chapter), and those who want to volunteer will find a wealth of opportunities (see our Volunteer Opportunities chapter).
For those ready to enjoy the good life, the region offers a broad range of dining options (see Restaurants) and the shopping possibilities are seemingly endless, from national chains of every sort to unique boutiques to antiques shops to souvenir shops (see Shopping).
Another aspect of the southern coast area that makes it atractive to retirees is a considerably expanded healthcare system that is increasingly focused on the needs of seniors. Healthcare on the southern coast includes a major hospital offering state-of-the-art care, private physicians practicing the full range of specialties, urgent care centers, complementary care practitioners and alternative healthcare practitioners. See our Healthcare section.
The housing options for retirees in the Ocean Isle Beach, NC area are wide and varied. There is a strong upswing in the development of retirement communities, many of them with golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools and offering a wide variety of housing choices. Other choices include golf course communities, waterfront estates, beach-community condominiums, low-maintenance town homes, acreage in the country and more. See our Real Estate and Neighborhoods chapter for a glimpse of what the region offers.
Although progressive and growth-oriented, this area still possesses elements of charm, graciousness and gentility of the South, which, coupled with the cosmopolitan influence of retirees and new residents from all across the nation, results in a delightfully relaxed but upbeat ambiance. Also, partly due to the enormous number of activities available to them, retirees tend to feel more included living in the southern coast communities than they would living in a large urban area.
When it comes time to slow down, seniors do not have to leave the ocean Isle Beach, NC area. There is a number of facilities to support seniors as they age and are in need of more care.
The area offers outstanding medical facilities and services that are increasingly geared toward the aging population (see our Healthcare section).
As people age, their living and care needs sometimes change. Accredited independent and assisted living communities and home-care services are found throughout the area, and we feature some of them in this section.
