7 Reasons Loveland, Colorado, Is One of the Best Places to Retire

Imagine a place where your calendar is filled with activity, stunning views and fresh air: pickleball with friends, gallery walks, a hike up a foothill trail whenever the mood strikes. In Loveland, Colorado, that’s everyday life - and the reason so many retirees seeking an active, outdoor-oriented lifestyle are choosing to call it home.

Set along the Front Range just south of Fort Collins and ~50 miles from the Denver metropolitan area, Loveland offers the best of all worlds: convenient access to the Mile High City’s cultural, dining, shopping and entertainment, and an easy drive to mountain towns like Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge. It’s no surprise Loveland landed at #5 on U.S. News & World Report's list of the Best Places to Retire in Colorado.

Here are seven reasons Loveland earns that distinction:

1. Great weather that keeps you outside - Loveland averages over 300 days of sunshine a year. Combined with a mild four-season climate, that means fewer days inside and more days on the trail, the golf course or the pickleball court. Low humidity and comfortable year-round temperatures make the seasons feel like variety rather than an obstacle.

2. An outdoor network built into daily life - Loveland has more than ~31 miles of paved trails and ~20 miles of soft-surface trails, plus over ~5,000 acres of protected open space in and around the city. Trails link neighborhoods to Boyd Lake, the Big Thompson River, wetlands, prairies and natural areas, where residents can enjoy fishing, boating, walking and wildlife viewing. The ~3,007-acre Devil's Backbone Open Space is just west of town, connecting to a regional trail network that goes all the way to Fort Collins. And for even bigger adventures, Rocky Mountain National Park - and some of Colorado’s most iconic scenery - is less than an hour away.

3. Plenty of pickleball - Love pickleball? Then you’ll love Loveland, which has its very own Pickleball Club with 500+ members. The Loveland Pickleball Club organizes recreational play, leagues, tournaments and mixers built around meeting fellow players. The City of Loveland adds to that with drop-in play and beginner instruction at the Chilson Recreation Center, plus classes and opportunities to play at its 18 outdoor courts.

4. Golf courses with a view - Loveland has three municipal golf courses, including the 18-hole Mariana Butte Golf Course at the foot of the Rockies and the Olde Course at Loveland in the heart of town. Several other courses across Northern Colorado round out the options.

5. An arts scene woven into the outdoors - Loveland has built its identity around sculpture, backed by an Art in Public Places program and a large public-art collection. The Benson Sculpture Garden showcases 190 sculptures set along walking paths that wind past several ponds. Every summer, the city hosts Sculpture in the Park, one of its signature cultural events, and the Loveland Museum adds year-round exhibits and programming.

6. Excellent health care - UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies, located in Loveland, is a Level I trauma center offering advanced cardiac, cancer, neurological, orthopedic and emergency care. Loveland’s Front Range location means residents also have access to the larger concentration of academic and specialized medical care in the Denver area when they need it.

7. Small-town warmth - From farmers markets to summer concerts in the park, from neighborhood festivals to annual community traditions, Loveland has a distinct sense of togetherness. It’s the kind of city that makes retirement feel less like slowing down…and more like starting something new.

Begin Your Next Chapter in Loveland, Colorado

Shea Homes® is bringing its first 55+ community to Colorado: Trilogy® Centerra, located within the Centerra master plan. Homeowner-Members will enjoy the same trails, parks and open space woven throughout Centerra, a Certified Wild Community, as well as their own exclusive amenities. The planned Open Wellness and Social Club at the heart of the community will have a dedicated Lifestyle Director maintaining a full calendar of social events and activities. This resort-style facility will have a casual restaurant with a full bar, indoor and outdoor recreation and social spaces, a fitness center with fitness classes and strength and cardio equipment, dedicated pickleball courts, a fitness lawn, resort and lap pools, and much more.

Your next chapter should be your best yet - and in Loveland, it definitely can be! With mountain views, a friendly town and everything Trilogy Centerra has planned, Loveland makes it easy to embrace retirement to the fullest.

Visit www.sheahomes.com/trilogy-centerra/ or call 480.933.5840 to schedule a private tour of the community, Model Homes, and Open Wellness Social Club.