Riviera Beach: One of the Best Places to Retire in Florida

Riviera Beach, Florida, is a small city along the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. Defined by its proximity to the water, small size, and retirement-friendly cost of living, this city is perfect for retirees who want to enjoy the Florida beaches in their work-free years without fighting the Florida crowds. Founded in 1922 and originally named Oak Lawn, the city was eventually renamed Riviera after the French Riviera. This grand name reflects the city’s pride in its natural surroundings and its desire to provide a relaxed and enjoyable life to every resident.

What to expect of Riviera Beach, Florida

Area

Riviera’s population of 37,604 resides within Palm Beach County and less than 15 minutes from West Palm Beach. Riviera Beach is also minutes from many other smaller cities across the eastern coast of Florida, such as Lake Park and Juno Beach. While small, the city is growing steadily, and is now 15.46 percent larger than it was 10 years ago. With several retirement communities located within the city limits, including Bedrock’s Ocean Tide community, the city provides the services and comfortable living that retirees expect and deserve from their work-free years.

Weather

Riviera Beach enjoys a tropical rainforest climate that is defined primarily by warm, dry winters and hot, wet summers. Expect daily thunderstorms in the summer months, and a scarcity of frost. Riviera Beach does not get snow, and you will not have to shovel, bundle up, or drive in winter weather. With 232 days of sunshine, the city enjoys much more sunlight than the national average and has lots of warm, lazy days to enhance your retirement experience.

Safety

The only aspect of Riviera Beach that may make retirees question whether it is one of the best places to retire in Florida is its crime rate. The city as a whole has a crime rate that is greater than 94 percent of U.S. cities. The city has a crime rate of 11.4 per 1,000 residents for violent crimes and 31.3 per every 1,000 residents for property crimes. However, the eastern part of the city, close to Singer Island is generally considered safe, and this is where our Ocean Tide community resides. As a result, retirees can still enjoy a peaceful and secure retirement near one of Florida’s most beautiful areas.

Practical Living around Riviera Beach

Airport

Riviera Beach does not have an airport within the city limits, but Palm Beach International Airport is less than 20 minutes away. All major airlines fly into and out of this airport, making it simple to pick up friends and family or fly in and out of Riviera Beach yourself.

Getting Around

In general, the most convenient way to get around Riviera Beach is by car. The West Palm Beach area has a walkability score of just 40 percent, so while there may be a few walkable areas, most shops, dining, and entertainment will require a vehicle.

However, you can also access a variety of public transit options through the Palm Tran system. You can find a passenger bus system that will take you to specific points throughout the West Palm Beach area, including Riviera Beach. In addition, if you cannot drive yourself, you can use Palm Tran Connection, a para-transit system that provides door-to-door service for essential activities such as healthcare and employment, and shopping. You will need to reserve these trips in advance, but they can provide a convenient way to get around if you are unable to transport yourself via a car.

Other means of transportation? While not as convenient, you can also get around the city and the area in the following ways:

• Tri-Rail train in West Palm Beach
• Walking
• Biking
• Go Glades

The diversity of transportation options in the area make it simple to get where you need to go, regardless of whether you have a car or not.

Shopping

Riviera Beach is home to a multitude of shops and stores where you can get everything from beachwear (An essential for a beachside retirement) to groceries stores (e.g. Public) to medication (e.g. Walgreens). If you want even more options, consider stopping by West Palm Beach for big-city stores and unique niche shops.

Doctors/hospitals

Riviera Beach is also home to a wide array of healthcare facilities. These include these highly-rated locations:

• Integrated Healthcare Systems
• Kindred Hospital the Palm Beaches
• Northeast Health Center (Riviera Beach)

Discover urgent care, primary care, home care, ICUs, specialized care (e.g. Transplant care, lung care, etc.), and more, all within Riviera Beach. The abundance of healthcare options right outside your door should put your mind at ease and help you to embrace Riviera Beach Florida living for seniors.

Banks

Banks abound in Riviera Beach, and in the surrounding area. You will mostly find major names in finance in Riviera, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and TD Bank. As a result, you can save, obtain loans, withdraw cash, write checks, and otherwise keep your retirement funding in order without needing to leave the city.

Mail

Conducting all of your postal business can be accomplished locally if you choose to retire in Riviera Beach. The city has its own post office, Fed Ex locations, and UPS center. If you live in a retirement community like Ocean Tide, you may also be able to complete some basic postal tasks within your community.

Things to Do in Riviera Beach

Beaches

Thanks to its location on the ocean, Riviera Beach provides access to many of the most beautiful and sought-after beaches in Palm Beach County. The closest is Riviera Municipal Beach, which sits within the city limits. However, you can also drive just a few minutes to reach any of these other waterfront locations where swimming, sunbathing, and even boating are possible:

• Boynton Beach
• Palm Beach
• Juno Beach (Which is dog friendly)
• Jupiter Beach Park (Which has an off-leash area for your dog)
• Ocean Reef Park

Beach Parks

Alongside a number of the beaches in the Riviera Beach area are stunning nature parks where you can enjoy a variety of recreational activities, including the following:

• Saltwater fishing
• Walking
• Camping
• Sunbathing
• Playgrounds
• Picnicking
• Educational activities
• And more

Ready to enjoy Florida’s natural beauty alongside some of your favorite beach activities? Check out these parks near your Riviera Beach home:

• Peanut Island Park
• Ocean Reef Park
• John D. MacArthur Beach State Park and Nature Center

Golf

Florida is known for its endless array of golf courses anywhere you live, and Riviera Beach is no exception. Discover no fewer than 10 golf courses close to or within the city. One of the best is Lone Pines Golf Course, an executive course (Shorter than a typical golf course) that provides a fun, relaxing way to play golf in a beautiful location.

Scuba Diving

Riviera Beach and the surrounding area is considered one of the state’s best places for scuba diving. The area is full of beautiful reefs and exciting wrecks to explore, and plenty of opportunities to grab scuba diving lessons so you can take up a new and exciting hobby, or continue a hobby you already love.

Find a Home in Riviera Beach, Fl

Bedrock Communities Living

With a median home price of $549,500, Riviera Beach housing is fairly expensive. The god news is that at our Ocean Tide community, you can accent beautiful, quality homes for a fraction of that cost. That makes Florida living attainable on a budget, even in one of the best places to retire in Florida.

Features

Our Ocean Tide community provides features that create an active and rewarding retirement for community members:

• Beachfront community
• Minutes from Singer Island and Palm Beach Shores
• Minutes from South Florida’s most popular beaches, lakes, and parks
• Beautiful mobile homes for an affordable price
• An active and friendly 55+ community

Amenities

In addition, our Ocean tide community offers a wide array of amenities to enhance life within the community:

• Clubhouse
• Extensive social activities
• Shuffleboard courts
• Billiards
• Laundry
• Petanque courts

Consider our Ocean Tide community for beautiful, safe, and beachside living in Riviera Beach. You deserve a retirement that fulfills all your expectations, and our community can give it to you. Contact us today to learn more!