Best Healthy Places to Retire: Walnut Creek, California

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Walnut Creek is just about the best place to live for all, not only seniors.
I raised my son here in some of the best schools in CA. It wasn't only the academics, but our beautfiul environment was a catalyst for him to thrive.
By the way, I'm a senior.

craig simpson of CA 1:38PM October 25, 2011

You can live there if at least one person in the residence is 55 or over. It's a great place with some great bargains right now.

marie of CA 7:27PM October 02, 2011

Rossmoor is advertised as "child friendly". It is not. The only thing for children are three swimming pools, 2 of which the children are not allowed in and one in which the temperature of the pool is 81 degrees. So if you have grandchildren under the ge of 5, they will be tooth chattering or blue within 10 to 20 minutes. The pool that was heated to toddler comfort is no longer available to them. Those who scream the loudest get exclusive use of it and the rest of us ignored. In this case, people who wanted a therapeutic pool got their wish and children and swimmers were excluded. This pool, 90 deg. F was absolutely perfect for grandparents and toddlers and now no longer available.
I have seen many letters to the editors in the Rossmoor news where people say that this is "their" community and they don't want friends and relatives to use any of the facilities. Realtors should not be saying it is child friendly or friend friendly. Be honest.

Elizabeth Jetter of CA 2:49PM May 11, 2009

I've lived in the east bay my whole life and I work in Walnut Creek. I loathe driving into and out of this town. I cannot believe the rudeness of drivers here...and around the holidays? It is impossible to get your car across town unless you want to dive in to gridlock traffic. I've considered leaving my job because of the stress of simply coming and going from work! Lastly, everyone seems to know someone that's been hit in crosswalks in this town. Not a good thing if you ride a bike or don't have a car.

Amie of CA 10:10AM February 03, 2009

Rossmoor is great. When I first moved to Rossmoor almost 9 years ago, I was not yet 55 years of age, although my husband was. Younger people are definitely moving to Rossmoor. I've been a realtor with Prudential while living here in Rossmoor, and almost every one of my clients who purchased in Rossmoor this last year were baby boomers in the 55-65 year age bracket. Most are still working. While children are not allowed to live here, my grown children and my young grandchildren love visiting Rossmoor. The minimum age to live here is 55 years, or you must be married to someone who is 55. It's one of the most affordable places in the Bay Area, offers more amenities than any other senior community, is centrally located to many recreational and cultural activities, and is one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area.

Paula Azeltine of CA 1:18AM January 21, 2009

I have lived in Walnut Creek for over 10 years and it is not as nice as you may think. Yes it does have very good policies regarding open space and there are a lot of nice stores here, but it is not all as nice as it looks. The city seems designed to favor cars and not people. The public transit system closes down at 7:30PM and there is no other way to get around except walking and cabs. Walking is dangerous and cabs are expensive.
The drivers in Walnut Creek are hostile, rude, threatening, and dangerous. I have almost been hit on the sidewalk downtown three times and I have a friend who had to dive into bushes to save his life from being hit by some rude driver and another one who was hit in a cross walk when crossing with the lights.
My job takes me all over the Bay Area in a day and there is no place like Walnut Creek when it comes to rude drivers. No Place!
So if you want to live here make sure you have a strong car to drive around and some good insurance or you may end up seeing Walnut Creek from the back of an ambulance.

of CA 11:19AM December 11, 2008

I agree that Rossmoor is a wonderful place for anyone over 55 years of age, retired or not! It's for active adults, as there are 2 golf courses, tennis, indoor and outdoor swimming, bocce ball, croquet, and a health club recently renovated. The condos and co-ops range from level-in, without stairs, to multi-story townhomes, to elevator buildings. Some have the best views around--looking to Mt.Diablo or overlooking the golf course--some with sunrise, others with sunsets to savor.
And the prices are still lower than other areas of the Bay Area, even for a gated community with so many activities included in the monthly homeowners' fee.
If anyone wants more information, contact me-I'm a realtor who has helped clients to buy and sell in Rossmoor!

Holly Henkel of CA 1:46AM October 05, 2008

Sounds great......but do young people live there also! I'm not old enough yet!!!!

Bubba of MA 10:55PM September 29, 2008

I lived in Boulder from '91-'02; my feeling was that it was run by a bunch of ex-hippies on control trips--and you'd better conform! Or like a little girl with a dollhouse. And it's overpriced. Terrible traffic. Sparse public transit. Good walking/bike paths but cyclists value their spandex more than your life. You think car drivers are susceptible to road rage? Wait til some skinny skin-tight spandex-wearing bicyclist thinks you've taken any of his space on the path or the street! Some have been known to carry spray paint for the event.... There's more but suffice to say I moved to Germany to escape Boulder.
A gated community in Walnut Creek? Please! I'd rather be wacked in a street robbery in the Tenderloin in San Francisco than live in a bubble like that! Besides, being east of SF and Oakland make WC a prime recipient of all the pollution? I'm a San Francisco native but, between taxes, social problems, and geography, I'll never live in the area again, though it's a great place to visit.

Doug Hargrove of CO 12:31PM September 26, 2008

Nice article but I don't think you caught the essence of Rossmoor. So many of us feel very lucky that we ended up here! Living in Rossmoor on 2,300 acres of rolling hills is like dying and going to heaven! Especially swimming each morning in a grand covered pool, exercising in a state-of-the-art fitness center and meeting so many interesting and talented people from the Far East, Europe, South America and all points in US.
And less than 10 minutes away: Really good restaurants, Broadway Shopping Center with Nordtroms, Macys and many small shops, beautiful potted plants.
Hard to tell you how wonderful life is here!

Doris B. Gill of CA 7:25PM September 24, 2008