Mike and I took a drive out to Gainesville in Northern Georgia today to check out a retirement community for those aged 55 and over!

I have to admit that it was absolutely nothing like what I was expecting! With nearly 500 homes in the development, Cresswind at Lake Lanier is a very impressive complex.

First off, we toured the model homes, each with a different floor plan and varying in size from the smallest at 1,400 square feet to the largest at 5,300 square feet – a little larger than our current home.

But what really impressed us was the club house which all residents have access too. At a whopping 36,000 square feet spread over three floors it was amazing. There was a very good sized, well-equipped gym, a very large indoor pool and sauna, a billiards room, games room, party room, bar and on and on it went.

We stopped and chatted to four ladies and they all waxed lyrical about the facilities, the 100+ social clubs that exist, the concerts and entertainment that are arranged and the active, social and friendly lifestyles they all live.

The outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts in the background.

In our favourite model home there was a fully finished basement. In addition to the seating area, card table, sofa, pool table and large bar/kitchenette area, there was also a very large bedroom with en suite bathroom, a media room, guest toilet, a small storage room and access to the outside.