Sidney

There is the browsing, obviously, followed by coffee and a waterfront walk to consider whether you really needed three. Beacon Avenue and the shore give this Saanich Peninsula town a pleasingly compact centre, with shops, a fishing pier and the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea aquarium adding things to do along the way. The town’s community profile describes largely flat terrain and a 3.6-kilometre waterfront walkway, useful details when you are choosing a place for everyday walking. Sidney suits a retirement built around familiar places and repeat encounters: a manageable set of errands, a few regular outings and sea air between them.

Beacon Avenue is a good place to cultivate the habit of taking the long way through a shopping trip. Follow it with time at the fishing pier or aquarium, and look at performances at the Mary Winspear Centre. The appeal is the scale: a modest outing can stay modest. With a favourite bookshop, a regular event and a preferred waterfront bench, you have the beginnings of a very satisfactory local circuit.