Pennsylvania’s the state to be in. The Keystone State has a variety of things to offer with its mixture of large and small cities and towns and countryside. Retirement communities in Pennsylvania provide the kind of lifestyle not available elsewhere in the country. The northern part of the state is home to picturesque valleys and landscapes. Wildlife enthusiasts often go here for hunting, hiking and camping. Seniors who don’t want too much strenuous activity can follow easy trails through the woods or simply view the spectacular fall foliage in the countryside. Mountain ranges, ski resorts and lodges, and a variety of natural beauty draw thousands of retirees from all over the country to Pennsylvania. Whether you’re located in a premier assisted living community or in an affordable retirement neighborhood, retirees in Pennsylvania are within minutes of major medical facilities. This feature usually marks the distinction between settling in retirement-friendly states and retiring abroad. Not all places are on a par with the U.S. in terms of medical facilities especially those designed for seniors. Pennsylvania, among a few of other states in the country, provides one of the best health network and medical care for retirees.

Pennsylvania has always been included by Kiplinger among the top friendliest states for taxation of retirees. It exempts all retirement income including distributions from IRAs and 401(k) plans. The state also exempts all Social Security income and all private and public pension payouts from state income tax regardless of age. Museums and cultural events abound in Pennsylvanian cities and towns. There’s Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, one of the most visited museums in the country, and one of the largest museum that’s completely devoted to pop artists Andy Warhol, its most popular native. Towns are not without their own cultural attractions. Hershey is home to no other than the iconic chocolate factory and draws visitors with its major shows and acts such as gorging on delicious Hershey’s chocolate. Your grandkids would surely love a visit to Hershey Park too.

When people think of a ski and snowboard getaway, many overlook a treasure right in their own back yards. Pennsylvania offers a variety of ski resorts with great snow conditions and amenities. You may be surprised to learn that Pennsylvania averages roughly the same amount of skier visits as Utah! That puts PA 5th or 6th in the country. Pennsylvania is one of the few states in the nation to have ski resorts distributed over the entire state and close to where the people live. Colorado is flat as a board east of Denver and Utah is all dessert west of Salt Lake. Pennsylvania ski resorts are conveniently located to just about every major city in the state as well as many out-of-state metropolitan areas. The bottom line is that skiing in PA means a lot less travel and more slope time.

But what about the mountains? It’s true, the mountains in Pennsylvania aren’t the Rockies, but they offer a solid 600 to over 1,000 vertical feet. That’s more vertical than most skiers and riders can handle in one continuous run. Even at the big Western areas, the slopes tend to be broken up into “neighborhoods” of roughly this vertical. However with today’s snowmaking technology, most local resorts offer 100 days or more per season. With snowmaking, the resorts can get you on the slopes as soon as cold weather arrives and freshen up the snow surface whenever needed. The average skier or rider could not tell the difference between natural and machine-made snow except for when it is falling.

The amenities at many local resorts rival those at bigger resorts. Many have lodging on-site or close by, a variety of dining choices, pubs and entertainment. In summer, just about every resort has outdoor activities from golf courses to zip lines and truly unusual attractions like OGO Balls. So the next time you are planning a ski or snowboard getaway, don’t overlook Pennsylvania. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the quality and convenience.