Submitted / Money.com
Editor’s note: The following is a portion of a report published on Money.com of the Top 10 places to retire in the United States. Carmel earned the No. 1 spot on the list. See the details below.
Don’t let its picturesque Main Street and affordable housing fool you. Though Carmel may seem like just another quaint suburb of Indianapolis, this year’s winner is bustling with activity and culture in its own right.
The town is home to its own orchestra, several art councils and theater troupes, a Center for Performing Arts and a number of museums. The Museum of Minature Houses is a particularly unique one. Featuring over 1,000 to-scale miniature (and historically correct) homes, the museum has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors since its opening nearly 30 years ago. You can even take part in a three-level scavenger hunt while you’re there.
Carmel also plays host to a year-round slate of events, including regular farmers markets, an annual German Christkindlmarkt, and festivals for art, coffee, beer and more.
The city is a pioneer in road safety: It has been replacing traditional intersections with safer roundabout versions for years (there are now 140 and counting), and it’s known as the Roundabout Capital of the U.S.
Carmel also boasts plenty of shopping in its Arts & Design District. To keep fit, walk or bike the 25-mile Monon Trail, explore the lush Coxhall Gardens park, or head to the city’s fitness center, which has several pools, group fitness classes, cardio equipment and even a full-scale water park.
Click here to read the full report on Money.com.