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The Villages is an active retirement community in sunny Inland Florida. With about 115,000 residents as of 2015, it is still growing and new homes are being built across three Florida counties: Lake, Sumter and Marion.
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The original town square has a southwestern look and feel to it. Live entertainment and outdoor dancing nightly from 5-9pm. The Sharon Performing Arts Center makes its home here, along with the Rialto Movie Theater. There is plenty of shopping and dining, and special events like a monthly classic car Cruise-In. Look for the statue of Howard Schwartz, the founder of The Villages.
This colorful waterfront setting has the look of a quaint seaside village. There is free nightly entertainment and outdoor dancing from 5-9pm. Look for the Old Mill playhouse movie theater, along with a variety of shops and restaurants to choose from. Take a walk along the Lake Sumter Boardwalk, you just might see an alligator.
The newest town square is reminiscent of an early century Florida cattle town. There is free nightly entertainment and outdoor dancing from 5-9pm. Here you will find the Barnstorm movie theater, along with a variety of boutiques and restaurants to choose from. From the square, walk south on Meggison Rd and get a picture of the impressive bronze sculptures of a Florida cowboy on horseback herding cattle across the road.
The Villages Executive Golf Trail consists of 36 nine hole courses. That's 324 holes of golf! These courses are primarily par 3 holes with the occasional par 4 or par 5. With 3 sets of tees, and difficulty rankings of 1 to 4, they will challenge even the most experienced golfer. Visitors with Guest ID cards are welcome.
Palmer Legends and Nancy Lopez Legacy are just two of the 12 Championship Golf Courses in The Villages. Ten of the courses have three nines for a total of 306 holes of golf. Visitors with Guest ID cards are welcome to play.
With dozens of pools to choose from, you won't have to go far to find a neighborhood adult pool or family village pool to take a dip. Resident or Guest ID cards are required. The Regional Recreation Centers have large sports pools for lap swimming and organized sports.
The Lifestyle section in The Daily Sun newspaper has a schedule of recreation activities, or you can pick up a copy of the weekly Recreation News at any Recreation Center. You will find clubs devoted to every imaginable hobby, sport or social group, so you're sure to find something of interest. Resident or Guest ID cards are required.
Tailgate along the sidelines in a golf cart or take a seat in the grandstands, and watch competitive polo with riders and horses from around the world. Get out there between chukkers (halftime) and stomp the divots with your fellow enthusiasts.
Summer camp isn't just for kids. Grandparents join their grandchildren for nine weeks of daily summer fun activities. Try a Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt or Knockerball (think soccer and bumper cars), or dozens of other challenging activities for grandchildren of all ages.
Elegant dining overlooking the Nancy Lopez Golf Course.
Fine dining overlooking the Arnold Palmer Golf Course
Look for a Bar Kiosk in the corners of each Town Square. Soda, beer, wine, cocktails and snacks are available. It is open carry for drinks in the Town Squares, so pull up a chair and enjoy the live entertainment.
You can rent a fully furnished home for 4-7 days, complete with golf cart, bikes, free golf, movie tickets, et al. to "test drive" The Villages' "lifestyle."
Enjoy the full Villages lifestyle as a guest in a well-appointed rental home or villa. Rent by the week, month or season.
Rent a home in The Villages directly from the homeowner. Listings are available for weekly, monthly or seasonal rentals.
Start by taking an entertaining 30 minute Trolly Tour hosted by a village resident. You'll get a taste of village humor and see what's new in The Villages. Tours leave from the Lake Sumter Market Square sales office every 30 minutes during the day. If you want to see more, you'll have to ask for a sales agent. They won't come looking for you.
By bus
There is an Amtrak bus stop in The Villages for the Thruway Motorcoach, which goes from Jacksonville to Dade City.
The Villages is designed as a golf cart community and tens of thousands of golf carts share the residential roads with automobiles and bicycles.
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