For seniors who are interested in living in the northeastern part of the U.S., Hermitage, PA, is a worthy place to consider. Around 70 miles away from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland, OH, this western Pennsylvania city has a small-town community feel with interesting local attractions and close proximity to bigger cities.
According to the official Hermitage city website, the city was named Best City to Live in Pennsylvania due to its low crime rate, central location to big cities and college towns, high education rates, affordable housing, below average cost of living, and diverse local restaurants. Seniors have access to community parks and recreation, classes, libraries and entertainment.
There are also nationally renowned arts and culture attractions just around an hour’s drive away. For those who are considering where to retire, the following are some reasons to consider Hermitage, PA.
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1. Outdoor Recreation
Hermitage is located in Mercer County, which is full of natural wonder and outdoor amenities. In the Hermitage area, seniors can access destinations like:
- 12 public golf courses, including Buhl Park, which claims to be the world’s only free golf course, with nine free holes of golf and no greens or cart fees
- Speaking of Buhl Park, this 270-acre park has been open since 1915 and features an off-leash dog park, a swimming pool, fitness and biking trails, lake views, green spaces, gardens, wetlands, recreational areas, event rentals and shelters, and playgrounds
- Four lakes available for boating, fishing and outdoor recreation, including Lake Julia at Buhl Park and Shenango River Lake, which offers picnicking, camping, nature photography, water sports, canoeing, warm water fishing and hiking on an interpretive trail
Mercer County also has:
- Brandy Springs Park and the Coolspring Corn Maze in Mercer
- Fair Haven Farms and Grove City Memorial Park in Grove City
- The Lackawannock – Shenango – West Middlesex Community Swimming Pool in Middlesex
- Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Sandy Lake
- North Star Marina in Clark
- Pymatuning State Park and Pymatuning Deer Park in Jamestown
- Riverside Park in Greenville
All around the Hermitage area, there are beautiful, free-to-use outdoor spaces both on land and on the water.
2. Breweries & Wineries
Seniors who love to have drinks with friends have a lot of locally made beer and wine options available. In Mercer County, breweries include:
- Mortals Key Brewing Company: This Jamestown brewery sources water from its 100-acre farm and creates recipes including MK Kolsch, MK Baltic Porter, MKA IPA and a variety of seasonal and limited-edition beers.
- Depot Saloon & Brewery: The Depot Saloon & Brewery in Greenville is a craft beer brewery combined with a restaurant selling American food.
- Hop Asylum Brewing: Hop Asylum Brewing in New Wilmington has a diverse array of drinks available in flights, pints and cans, including Drink the Kool Aid Blackberry Blonde and Watermelon Crawl Watermelon Sour. There’s also a full menu of food, trivia or Name That Tune competitions on Thursday nights, and live music on Saturday nights.
Right in Hermitage, Webb Winery is open for wine lovers to sample the winery’s wines made with local fruits. Check the winery calendar for events like wine walks and paint and sip events.
3. Classes & Clubs
There are lots of classes and clubs for seniors to join in the Hermitage area. The Community Library of the Shenango Valley, in nearby Sharon, hosts knitting and needlework club, chess club, and adult coloring and coffee club. The library is also a great resource for books and other media available for free checkout.
The Hermitage Parks & Recreation also presents classes on diverse topics, as well as community outings, such as CPR training, out-of-state wine tours and yoga classes. The Buhl Club recreation center presents classes including Silver Sneakers, senior aquatics classes and adult fitness, activities and training classes.
4. Convenient Location
For retirees who enjoy taking day trips or who want to explore the arts and culture offerings beyond Hermitage, it’s easy to escape and head out of town. By car, you can get to Akron, OH, in a little more than an hour; to Youngstown, OH, in about 30 minutes; and to Cleveland, OH, and Pittsburgh in fewer than 2 hours.
For seniors who have friends and family in these areas, Hermitage is an ideal central location. Some of the top destinations to check out in each place include:
- Pittsburgh: Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Duquesne Incline, Mount Washington Overlook, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
- Cleveland: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland Botanical Garden
- Akron: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Akron Zoo, Akron Civic Theatre, F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm
- Youngstown: Butler Institute of Art, McDonough Museum of Art, Lanterman’s Mill, Mill Creek Park
Whether you want to take a day trip to a nationally renowned museum or botanical garden, or you want to plan out an out-of-town hike, there are lots of options within a short drive of Hermitage.
5. Live Entertainment
The Hermitage area also offers live theater and musical performances in a variety of venues. These include:
- ACTS Performing Arts Center: The ACTS Performing Arts Center in Sharon puts on popular titles like “Gypsy,” “Honky Tonk Angels” and “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”
- Easy Street Productions: Easy Street Productions showcases a variety of musical theater events, as well as hosts jazz dance workshops and dance fitness classes.
- Mercer Community Band: The Mercer Community Band is a vast collection of local musicians and singers who present concert band shows throughout the area.
Hermitage residents can also see live music at local community events and at places like local restaurants. If you want to learn an instrument or play in acts like the Mercer Community Band, there are also classes and audition opportunities throughout the area.
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Hermitage Is Also Home to Garden Way Place
Another reason to retire in Hermitage is that it’s the home of Garden Way Place, a supportive Senior Lifestyle community offering personal care. Residents get access to everything they need from the community, including up to three chef-prepared meals a day, housekeeping, transportation, and on-site hair salon services.
Residents can also participate in community outings and daily programming at the pet-friendly residence, including fitness classes, Bingo, ice cream socials, news, nail care, walking groups and more.
To see what life is like at Garden Way Place, find out more about Senior Lifestyle, or schedule a tour today.