The Villages is a near-famous retirement destination located just one hour north of Orlando in Sumter County, Florida. Known as the “Friendliest Neighborhood in America,” The Villages is currently home to a retiree population of over 125,000 people.
The community offers much more than just golf courses and lap pools to keep their residents happy. For 5 years running, 55Places.com has ranked The Villages as the number one most popular active adult communities in the county. Between the social clubs, live entertainment, and tight-knit community atmosphere, it is impossible to be bored.
Here are a few reasons why you should have The Villages on your radar:
It’s growing
The Villages has grown 33% between 2010 and 2017, and for 2 years in a row, it has been ranked as the country’s fastest-growing city.
Just recently, The Villages acquired an additional 5,600 acres of land for the development of over 22,000 new single-family homes, new business space, and undoubtedly new golf courses for the current and future residents.
Live entertainment
It would be amazing for a city to offer live music every day of the year.
Well, The Villages puts on three live music performances every day of the year, and they’re all free!
The city schedules and books over 1,000 live performances for the city residents to provide them a fun, active, and lively environment to socialize.
The golf is out of this world
The Villages is very famous for its wide variety of golfing opportunities. A unique aspect of The Villages is that simply by being a resident, you’re offered a free membership to all of their country club facilities.
This includes over 11 championship golf courses, all available for you at your own scheduling.
For those who are new to the sport, there are top-notch academies to help bring your game up to par.
There are over 2,500 active social clubs
You read that right. There are over 2,500 unique social clubs active and available in the Villages.
So many options ensure that staying active is a priority for the residents in this community. Whether you like singing, dancing, gardening, fishing, canoeing, running, pottery, or jazz, there is something for everyone.
Live polo
The Villages Polo club offers an experience to the residents and attracts some of the largest crowds for the sport in the entire country. The facility sits on over 250 acres and has first-class facilities.
Competitors come from around the world to entertain over 30,000 attendees per year.
If you’ve never seen a polo match before, you’ll be in for an exciting spectacle.
It has its own culture
From singles to artists to veterans, or dancers, The Villages is truly a potluck community. The city tends to embrace your individuality and offer you platforms to live life on your own terms.
That inclination towards individuality is best expressed in the golf-cart culture of The Villages.
Golf carts are the preferred means of transportation in this city, and everyone has theirs decorated according to their own taste. It’s a cool fun testament to the unique culture found only in this community.
Town squares
The founder of The Villages, Harold Schwartz, believes in the idea of a gathering place for friends, family, and fun.
The Villages offers three Town Squares where you can find live music, food, shopping, and a guaranteed great time. Each Square is a little different, once again showing that in The Villages there is truly something for everyone.