• The Northeast offers abundant places to retire.enjoying retirement image by msw from Fotolia.com
  
  Everyone has a different dream for retirement. Many people dream of living in communities populated only with other seniors. Some retirees want to open their curtains every morning to see the ocean or perhaps the mountains, while other retirees want to live in a community that offers a lower cost of living but year-round activities to suit their busy lifestyle. The northeastern part of the United States has a number of the most desirable retirement destinations.
  
  

Montpelier, Vermont

• According to "AARP" magazine, Montpelier is the country's most livable small capital city. The city is surrounded by state parks and forests, and community is important to the 8,000-plus people who live there. Montpelier has a happening senior community center where retirees can try their hand at hundreds of activities, including Italian lessons, rug making, yoga or Wii. Montpelier boasts the ease of small-town living combined with the sophistication of a state capital.
  
  

Northampton, Massachusetts

• If you consider yourself a lifelong student, then Northampton may be the perfect retirement spot. Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Amherst, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst are all found in this city of approximately 28,000. Retirees are able to take advantage of the Five Colleges Learning in Retirement seminars covering diverse subjects including American art, history, practical law or writing. Hiking the nearby Berkshire Mountains is a popular excursion, while others enjoy the town's renowned artisans and galleries after wandering the streets where Sylvia Plath, Sojourner Truth or Calvin Coolidge lived.
  
  

Ocean Pines, Maryland

• If you hope to retire in a place well-populated with other retirees, Ocean Pines may be a sound choice. "U.S. News and World Report" indicates that at least 26 percent of the population is aged 65 or older. This planned community opened for business in 1968 as a quiet resort destination with 9 miles of wooded waterfront, and then it grew to over 12,000 residents. Ocean Pines residents are proud of their low crime rate and average cost of living while being able to enjoy the typical advantages of resort living: golf, fishing, boating, shopping, dining and racket sports.
  
  

Brunswick, Maine

• If you've ever been to Maine, you know why the populace braves the cold winters: to live in an exquisitely beautiful place. Brunswick is the picture-perfect New England fishing village perched on the Maine coastline. Quality of life is important here and locals appreciate the locally owned shops and restaurants as well as the artistic pursuits of their neighbors. Brunswick is a place where you can step back in time and enjoy the history of a city where Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and then plant your feet firmly in the present and enjoy a hot dog from a trolley-car stand. Summers bring farmers' markets and boating while winter brings holiday gatherings and outdoor skating.