Claremont may be part of SoCal—L.A., to be specific—but it’s worlds away on its own down-home, charming plane with cozy bungalows, Victorian houses, and sustainable-living communities stretching out from a walkable downtown known as The Village. Though there are seven different schools in the district, the student population is low, freeing Claremont of the wild party-crowds that define other academic cities. Programs like the Claremont Avenues for Lifelong Learning, which grant people 60 and over free class auditing, make this the perfect spot to hunker down for good.
