Durango: 1 of 6 terrific towns on the water

Many baby boomers dream of retiring somewhere by the water. These halfdozen

places are on a lake, a river or an ocean - yet they won't sink your

retirement budget.

4 of 6

The Animas River lures anglers and gawkers alike

Pros: Outdoor paradise with mild four-season weather.Cons: Home prices aren't cheap.

If you don't think of Colorado as having much water, you clearly haven't been to Durango. Its

name originates from the Basque word for "water town," thanks to the mighty Animas River,

which flows almost parallel to Durango's Main Avenue. Vacationers flock here to kayak (the

Animas has Class V rapids), wield their fly-fishing gear (rainbow and brown trout are

plentiful) or simply take in water views (either from the town's 14,000-foot peaks, laced with

hiking and biking trails, or from the network of shady parks that abut the river).

Now many of those weekend warriors are retiring, setting up base camp in condos near

downtown and feeding their outdoor addiction daily. Durango is also popular with artists, who

draw inspiration from the surrounding San Juan Mountains. And this place is paradise for

foodies: The town boasts almost as many restaurants per capita as San Francisco. The

farmer's market here is a weekend ritual for residents stocking up on organic fruit, artisanal

goat cheese and other local treats.

In part because Durango snuggles up against the mountains, which limits the supply of

buildable land, there has been no real estate bust here. The median sale price in La Plata

County is up 18% through the second quarter of this year. Result: The typical three-bedroom

home goes for $500,000, making Durango the priciest of the six towns on our list. On the

plus side, property taxes are low (they're subsidized by the county's booming natural gas

industry).

Of course, where there are mountains there's usually snow. For most residents, that's just

one more opportunity for recreation - such as skiing at Durango Mountain Resort, 25 miles to

the north. Winters here are mild, with daytime temperatures often hitting the 40s and 50s.

Summers are equally pleasant, with cool nights and 70° to 80° days.

Let us help you find the perfect piece of real-estate in Durango.

Article from Money Magazine - CNN