One’s home can be a respite, a place to relax, unwind and recover from the exigencies of the day. It can also be a place to rejuvenate the body, renew the spirit and revive the soul.

Bay Area resort community builders aim to extend this drive toward renewal and rejuvenation from the privacy of one’s home to the furthest reaches of a planned community’s boundaries. These developers make it their mission to cocoon homeowners in an environment where every soothing, strengthening, nurturing and pampering activity is at their immediate disposal.

Because they provide for so many indoor and outdoor pursuits, these typically-gated resort communities occupy enormous land parcels. Often, standalone and/ or townhome residences are gracefully situated around a clubhouse or central structure. The clubhouse is intended as a gathering point where homeowners can enjoy one another’s company as they pursue exercise, relaxation or enrichment activities.

The structures tend to include cafes and seating areas that offer views of extensive, carefully cultivated grounds. Gaming rooms, fitness facilities and meeting and event rooms are also on hand. Restaurant and spa facilities might be integral to the plan. At the exterior, swimming pools and tennis courts are commonly part of the design.

Indoor activities may include billiards and card games. Cooking classes, tastings, lectures and presentations might also be on offer. Residents are typically free to organize their own meetings and events for fellow residents or outside friends and family at the clubhouse.

Outdoor amenities are ample. Hiking trails, preserved wood or wetlands and scenic lakes or ponds are usual. Bocce ball courts and promenade areas reminiscent of Versailles are also on

offer. Picnic and barbecue areas, as well as play spaces for children, are common conveniences. Additional activities include afternoon concerts, performances and lectures.

In the Bay Area, some of these at-your-fingertip developments are situated on golf courses or nestled among serene vineyards. Numerous resort communities are tailored to the needs of the over-55 set, while others welcome residents of every age. At still other developments, sections of the community are set aside for midlifers and young seniors.

Of course, all this convenience and luxury comes at a price. Whether you opt for a standalone home or an attached townhome, it’s the homeowner’s association that foots the bill for the program offerings and for maintenance of the common buildings, grounds and facilities. Restaurant and spa services usually come at additional costs. There may also be separate fees for select clubhouse activities.

Getting away from it all and, at the same time, having it all is what the Bay Area resort community is about. Beautifully landscaped grounds combine with wilderness areas to bolster the spirit. A range of life-affirming, enriching activities aim to reinvigorate mind and body. And there’s as much opportunity for quiet reflection as there is for socialization with fellow residents, friends and family. Whatever your stage of life, the resort community is an option to consider.