Back in 1995, bank executive Darrell Swanson, now 64, lived in a place most people would consider more than suitable for retirement: Newport Beach, Calif. But when he retired a year later, Swanson packed up and moved about 2,000 miles northeast -- to Crosslake, Minn. "The physical beauty here is something else -- we live on an island in a lake with just a one lane bridge on and off it," he says. "When the movers came in January, it was cold out and they joked, 'You sure you want this?'"

While Minnesota doesn't have the ocean vistas that many retirees crave, it does have a leg up on most states in one important area: Its residents, who are some of the warmest, most approachable people in the nation. Up here, they call it "Minnesota nice," and research backs it up: A study published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science found that Minnesotans scored higher on measure of agreeableness and extroversion than did residents of most other states. Even in large cities like Minneapolis, "if you look lost, there's an 80% chance someone will stop you and ask 'can I help you find something?'" says David Levi, the senior managing director of financial firm CBIZ MHM in Minneapolis.

If you'd like a place by the water, Minnesota certainly fits the bill. The state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes" turns out to be an understatement: The actual number is 11,842, and there are more than 69,000 miles of streams. Canoers and kayakers paddle down the St. Croix River; birdwatchers gravitate to Lac qui Parle ("the lake that speaks") and Salt Lake for sightings of rare species; and fishermen have an array of lakes to choose from for largemouth bass.

For the more sportily inclined, Minnesota offers more than 20,000 miles of marked snowmobile trails, as well as ample skiing. There are more than 400 golf courses, as well as great hiking in southeast Minnesota's "bluff country." Plus, Minnesota is one of most bike-friendly states, Levi points out. Active lifestyles appear to pay off for residents: Minnesota ranks as the sixth healthiest state in America, according to America's Health Rankings, in part because of its low rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease.

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From a cost perspective, Minnesota is a mixed bag. Income taxes climb up to 7.85%; and the cost of living is 3.6% above the national average, according to Sperling's Best Places. On the flip side, both assisted-living and nursing home costs are below average. And with unemployment below 6%, you'll likely have an easier time finding a part-time job here than in many other states.

It snows 44.3 inches per year in Minnesota, compared with 25 inches for the U.S. overall, and the average low in January is 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with 20.5 degrees for the U.S. as a whole. But for many retirees, the cold is bearable (especially if they travel in the depths of winter). If you're in that category, here are four towns with friendly residents, great outdoor recreation and a smattering of cultural offerings.

Duluth

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Lighthouse in Duluth, Minnesota

When retired tourism professional Robert Hom, 63, thinks of the beach these days, it's not Florida or California he imagines, it's the shoreline in Duluth, on Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake. "We've got seven miles of the nicest sand beach -- you might think you're on the Mediterranean," he says. In fact, Hom likes the view of the shore so much, he bought a home on a hill overlooking the lake. "It's like living on the ocean up here," he says.

But luckily for Hom and other retirees, the price (if not the weather) is much more reasonable than on a Florida beach. The cost of living in this town is significantly lower than average for the state, and the median home costs just over $115,000.

There's plenty to see and do in the area, beginning with a vibrant arts scene spurred by the presence of three local colleges. Duluth has a symphony orchestra; a ballet company; a handful of theater companies; and the Tweed Museum of Art, which has a collection of more than 6,000 works, including a core collection of works by European and American artists, acquired by the museum's founder in the early part of the 20th century. The city also sports a variety of relatively unusual ethnic restaurants that reflect the various immigrant populations that settled here many decades ago (particularly Scandinavians for timber-related jobs and Central Europeans for mining), says Gene Shaw, the director of public relations for Visit Duluth.

And, of course, the lake brings with it plenty of outdoor recreation. Summertime lake temperatures near the shore peak in the low 70s -- which is not as warm as it sounds. But there's plenty more to do besides swim. Strong winds can bring surf -- and surfers, says Shaw. "It's funny to see a car driving in February with snow on it and surfboards on top." Retirees who've outgrown their surfing days can opt for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. There's a ski area right in town, as well as myriad opportunities for biking, hunting and hiking.

"We get a lot of people who are snowbirds -- they go to Arizona in the winter and when they get tired of that, they come back here," says Hom. And with a cost of living like this, you might be able to afford to do the same. Duluth does have a crime rate that's higher than the national average, according to Sperling's Best Places, though residents say that certain neighborhoods are impacted much more than others.

Minneapolis

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Downtown Minneapolis

Midwestern boomers looking for a lot to do in retirement have been gravitating to Downtown Minneapolis -- so much so that there's a bit of a housing shortage. In fact, 76-year-old retiree Pati Canfield, who currents lives in Minneapolis but not in downtown, says, "I want to move downtown, but there are no condos right now -- they're building more and I'm just waiting."

The reason: Unlike the city centers in some other Midwestern cities, the downtown is walkable and loaded with restaurants and shops. In the winter, you can walk through the heated skyway system, one of the largest in the world; there are also plenty of pedestrian-friendly streets. Retirees can walk to the brand-new Target Field to catch a baseball game or take public transit to the airport. "It's incredibly convenient to live downtown," says Kristen Montag, the marketing communications manager for Meet Minneapolis. "Some apartment buildings are even linked to the skyways." There's also a vibrant senior center linked to one of the skyways.

While the "Minneapple" may not be New York City, it has some of the best theater and cultural offerings in the Midwest. The famed Guthrie Theater hosts dozens of plays each year that range from Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" to modern hits like "God of Carnage," and the city and neighboring St. Paul have a total of 75 professional theater companies.

Minneapolis-St. Paul also boasts 55 museums, including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, a true "comprehensive" museum that showcases art from every period of human history and from all over the world, and the Minnesota Children's Museum, which is packed with hands-on exhibits for the grandkids. And the sports lover won't be disappointed either, between pro teams like baseball's Twins, the NFL's Vikings (they will have a state-of-the-art new stadium in a few years) and basketball's Timberwolves and Lynx (the WNBA team that had three players on this year's gold-medal-winning Olympics team). The University of Minnesota's teams also play in town. "There's a game practically every day," says Montag.

Minneapolis does have higher than average crime, but residents here say they mostly feel safe downtown. And they love that Minneapolis has excellent health care (there are 439 physicians per 100,000 residents in this city, compared with just 261 for the U.S. as a whole) and a convenient international airport (a nice perk for those who want to escape the very chilly winters).

Crosslake

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Kayaker on Bay Lake in Brainerd, about 20 minutes from Crosslake.

Turn any which way in Crosslake and you're bound to hit a lake or -- if you're not careful -- a tree. (Roughly ono-third of the area is made up of lakes, and one-third of forest, says Swanson, who served as the mayor of Crosslake for a few years after his retirement). Crosslake lies in the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, a set of 14 picturesque and interconnected lakes that boast more than 119 miles of shoreline and are dotted with little islands. This lakefront locale offers lots of relaxing outdoor recreation, including boating, kayaking and fishing, as well as cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on the trails near the shores. "Retiring on a lake," says Joan Hummel, a spokesperson for Explore Minnesota Tourism, is "the quintessential Minnesota retirement."

Crosslake, where the average age is about 50, is especially popular with retirees, says Lisa Paxton, the CEO of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber. "We have a very active retired population -- most everyone is a member of some community organization," she says. One of the biggest volunteer organizations in the neighborhood is the Friends of the Library group, which helps raise money for events, performances and building improvements. There are roughly a dozen golf courses nearby (because of the area's popularity as a summer vacation spot), as well as scenic drives on the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, which travels through Crosslake and along the Whitefish Chain of Lakes.

The town itself doesn't have large chain stores or a big hospital, and it's a bit pricey (the median home costs $222,700). But residents say they don't mind this too much: They get some of the most beautiful waterfront views in the country and can travel just 20 to 25 minutes to the twin cities of Brainerd and Baxter to find big-box stores like Target, Costco and Wal-Mart and more health-care options. Brainerd also has an airport, served by Delta.

Grand Marais

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Scenic fragment of the town of Grand Marais, Minnesota

Minnesota may not conjure up an image of "arts" to you, but then, you've probably never trekked up to Grand Marais, a tiny town located on Lake Superior, not far from the Canadian border. This artsy community is home to the well-regarded North House Folk School, a school that teaches northern crafts like basketry, woodworking and fiber arts (such as felting, knitting and weaving) with more than 225 courses (it's eclectic: there's even a "build your own casket" class). The school also serves as a community gathering spot for potlucks, dances and live music. There are a variety of other arts organizations within the community, like the Grand Marais Art Colony (Minnesota's oldest art colony), which offers classes in ceramics, printmaking and visual arts; as well as a community theater and a music association that puts on a variety of concerts.

Grand Marais sits between Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains, a small range with plenty of forest and hiking trails. The lake in this area offers salmon and trout fishing and sightseeing (the lake has clarity up to more than 60 feet in some areas and sculptural walls of ice form along the shore towards the end of the winter). The 277-mile Superior Hiking Trail -- which Backpacker Magazine called one of the nation's "10 prime trails that leave all others in the dust" -- winds along the shores of the lake through Grand Marais; and there are an additional 250 miles or so of hiking trails in Cook County. Birdwatchers relish the fact that more than 200 species breed in nearby Superior National Forest.

On the other hand, the tiny size of Grand Marais means transportation into and out of this city is tough. The nearest major airport is in Thunder Bay, Ontario, 77 miles away, and the Duluth International Airport is roughly two hours away. Its far northern location and waterfront locale mean winters are rough (Grand Marais gets more than double the number of inches of snow as does the U.S. as a whole each year). Still, it's affordable and one of the most picturesque spots in the state -- which for many retirees outweighs these downsides.