A Day in the Life of a Retiree Wintering in Punta Cana

The most common question we get when we mention that we're retired and spend our winters in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, is "What do you do all day?" Well, here’s a glimpse into a typical day in our life.

Most days, we don’t set an alarm and simply get up when we wake up. Usually, that’s around 7 a.m., when life starts to pick up outside on the streets. We catch the news, scroll through our devices, and enjoy our tea and breakfast. At some point during this routine, we look outside and decide whether it's going to be a beach day or a pool day. These are some pretty major decisions to make!

If it's a pool day, we’ll still head to the beach for a 6 km walk, maybe stopping for a quick swim at the turnaround point. Afterward, we return to the condo and spend the afternoon relaxing and socializing by the pool.

If it’s a beach day, we might pack a lunch and walk down the beach to one of our favorite spots. We lay out our towels under a palm tree and enjoy the day swimming and chatting with people we’ve met over the years. Occasionally, we’ll head to our favorite beach club where we enjoy lounge chairs, a palapa (or thatched umbrella), and indulge in their food and drinks.

Walking back home from the beach usually involves a quick stop at the local grocery store to pick up anything we need or have run out of.

After a day at the beach, there’s often a quick swim to cool off and to socialize with others in the complex (a surprising number of them are also retired Canadians).

Most nights, we eat in and then enjoy a relaxing evening, watching a movie, catching up on the news, playing cards with friends, or a walk down the street for some gelato.

Then, it’s time for bed so we can wake up and do it all over again the next day. The video below is a month long snippet into our Punta Cana Life.

We have a fair amount of company who come to stay with us, as well as other friends and family members who are enjoying their own extended stays in the area. When we have company, our routine changes a bit, and we tend to spend more time out and about, or taking part in a few excursions.

It’s a fantastic way to spend the winter months. We’re much more active during these months than we would be if we were back home in the winter weather.