The Hub City is one of the best places in Louisiana for seniors to ride out their golden years in bliss. Located right on the Vermillion River, it is a beautiful city that is proud of its
Creole and Acadian culture and history. It is a perfect size, just over 125,000 people in the city, while 625,000 call the greater metro home. Lafayette is the 4th largest city in Louisiana, so it has all the benefits a city offers while not being too hectic and crowded. Lafayette is great because it offers excellent senior care providers and hospitals that are all relatively close together. Three great hospitals are located here: Heart Hospital of Lafayette, Lafayette General Medical, and University Hospital and Clinics. It is reassuring to have multiple hospitals close by because second opinions and finding the right physician can be difficult in smaller towns and more rural areas. Lafayette also can provide any elder care service you could imagine, from respite care, to rehabilitation hospitals, senior centers, to active 55+ retirement homes, you can retire at ease here and not have to worry about packing up and moving later on in life.
Besides providing all the services and care an aging adult could need, it also offers an abundance of activities and sites to keep you busy and active. As we discussed before, Lafayette is proud, and rightly so, of their Acadian and Creole heritage. If you have not experience it yourself, it is easy to get lost in Vermilionville, Acadian Village, and the Acadian Cultural Center. Each of these offers an interesting insight into a culture that is centered in this part of the nation. Hopefully you like Cajun food, because this city has some of the best in the whole country. Jambalaya, crawdads and seafood, and po’boys are some of the favorites around there. Give the Blue Dog Café, Bon Temps Grill, or Johnson’s Boucaniere a chance and you might just get hooked on the soul-food this region has become synonymous with. If you like the outdoors, the Vermilion River is close, and offers a great chance for boating, fishing, or just a nice scenic walk. Evangeline State Park and Lake Martin Rookery are also great places to spend a day hiking, picnicking, or grilling out. They are also known for their farmers’ markets in the summer, so get out, see the locals, and enjoy some good food and music.
Finally, Lafayette is a great place for seniors because it has great weather and cost of living. Lafayette does get a bit hot and humid in the summer, with the highs reaching the 90’s in the summer. But for most of the year, 8 months usually, the weather is a pleasant 60 to 70 degrees. Plus, it rarely gets below 40 in the winter, which is ideal for many retirees trying to relax. Lafayette is cheaper on average to live in than most cities in the United States. Public transportation is surprisingly expensive there, so we would suggest using it as little as possible. But, the housing and cost of food is well below the average in the rest of the states. Put all of these factors together, and Lafayette is a dream come true for many seniors wondering where to retire.