Gerald and Sheree McKenzie searched farther than most before deciding where retirement would begin.
When they started thinking about retirement, they didn’t limit themselves to one city — or even one country.
Over the years, they explored retirement destinations across Florida’s Gulf Coast and considered places as far away as South Africa. They weren’t simply looking for a beautiful home. They wanted a place that fit the life they had imagined for themselves: active, connected, close to nature, and close to family.
Eventually, that search led them to Watersound Fountains in Inlet Beach.
“It was just a good situation for us,” Gerald says.
For Gerald, the day often starts outside.
Some mornings begin with golf at a nearby course before returning home for a fitness class or a swim. Other days start with a walk to Watersound Town Center for coffee before the day unfolds from there.
One of the things that surprised him most wasn’t just the beauty of the area—it was how easily everyday life came together.
“You really don’t need a car here at all,” Gerald says.
Within walking distance are restaurants, coffee, Publix, community events, and everyday conveniences that make the neighborhood feel connected rather than isolated. Just beyond the community, protected forest and nature paths offer another kind of access — quiet, beauty, and room to breathe.
That ease continues inside the community, where dining, wellness, learning, and social connection are designed to feel just as natural as the neighborhood around it.
Gerald enjoys an active schedule.
Sheree prefers a quieter pace.
Both found exactly what they were hoping for.
“You can be as active as you want to be here,” Gerald says.
That flexibility is one of the things Members talk about most. Some mornings begin with movement. Others with coffee and conversation. Some days include beach outings, lectures, live music, or time with friends. Others are intentionally slower.
There isn’t one right way to spend retirement here.
After careers that took them across the country—and years spent searching for the right place to settle down—the McKenzies discovered something they weren’t expecting.
The destination mattered.
But the shape of everyday life mattered even more.
Today, that shape includes nearby golf, walkable mornings, chef-prepared meals, new friendships, and being close enough to family that seeing one another no longer requires weeks of planning.
For Gerald and Sheree, Watersound Fountains didn’t simply end their search.
It gave them the kind of life they had been searching for all along.
Discover retirement living near 30A. Call 850-601-3174 or visit WatersoundFountains.com to schedule your visit.
