[Dirtracer49]

My wife and I visited The Villages for one day about six months ago. We poked around Lake Sumter and loved it. Enjoyed good food, happy hour drinks, shopping and meeting new people.

We have scheduled a 7 day Lifestyle Preview around Christmas time.
Our goal is to visit the different areas in The Villages to try to narrow down where we would like to live. We are planning on retiring in about 2 years, so we aren't ready to buy just yet.
We aren't sure if we will want new construction or something preowned.

I thought we might take the trolley rides from all 3 town squares to see the different areas.

Are there any other "Must Do" items while visiting and learning more about The Villages?

[dewilson58]

You will have a golf cart with the villa, get on it and RIDE!!!


Go to each Square during the day and during the evening. I think they each have their own vibe.


Ride around various neighborhoods.



What are your interests???......do them while you are here. Golf, Pickleball, pool (both table and water), theater/live shows, etc.



Obtain a list of the Social Clubs (which you can get now) and visit their meetings/activities while you are here.


Before you get here, do a lot of home-search homework. Narrow it down and have the broker get you in homes.


Good Luck.

[npwalters]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

You will have a golf cart with the villa, get on it and RIDE!!!


Go to each Square during the day and during the evening. I think they each have their own vibe.


Ride around various neighborhoods.



What are your interests???......do them while you are here. Golf, Pickleball, pool (both table and water), theater/live shows, etc.



Obtain a list of the Social Clubs (which you can get now) and visit their meetings/activities while you are here.


Before you get here, do a lot of home-search homework. Narrow it down and have the broker get you in homes.


Good Luck.

Good advice

[Altavia]

Great a advise above.

Visit open houses, also as a good way to find a sales person you click with.

[John_W]

I believe the LSV are still staying at Alden Bungalows, that's at the southern end of TV just north of 44 next to Brownwood and next to the soon to open hotel and medical center. I would go about a mile east and get on Buena Vista and drive north until it ends, about 16 miles. If you do the speed limit it will take about 40 minutes. You'll see pretty much all the differences between the south areas, the middle area and the north end.

You'll cross 466A in about 3 miles, this is a busy area and if you were to turn left and go 1/2 mile you would see Trailwinds Village, it's a new commercial area that has a Lowes, Aldis, ABC Liquor, Wendys, Taco Bell, Burger King, a credit union and a new Publix under construction. If you were to turn right onto 466A and go 3 miles, you would be at Colony Shopping area. This has a large assortment of medical facilities, a Walmart Grocery Store, a Publix, banks, and several small businesses.

As you continue north on Buena Vista when you pass the LSL area you'll go right by Arnold Palmer Golf Course and you see the areas where they have mostly premier homes in the Village of Bridgeport. After you cross 466 you pass Saddlebrook Rec Center and 4 softball fields. I believe we now have a total of 15 softball fields since they've are opening 4 in the new areas to go with the 11 we already have. We have the largest softball leagues in America with over 200 teams and 3,000 players. I played for five years when I first arrived, it's a lot of fun.

After you pass Saddlebrook, next on your right will be the polo fields. Besides polo, most mornings you can pull in and see the RC Airplane club, the kite club, some kind activity going on. Soon after the polo fields on your right will be Savannah Center. It a Rec Center but their is a show there just about every night. This past year I saw Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and the Original Village People. January 8th I'm going to see Molly Hatchet.

Keep going and you'll soon pass Lopez Country Club, which is suppose to have one of the best restaurants, however plan on spending $100 for two to eat. Buena Vista will terminate at SR 42, just before that, make a right at the last traffic circle and there is Mulberry Plaza, great pizza at Sammy Joe's. If you're a veteran, the VA medical center is there, it's fairly new since it opened in 2010 and services 16,000 veterans.

Then you can head back south on Buena Vista and at Camino Real traffic circle (that's where the Savannah Center was) take the 3rd exit onto Camino Real and ahead you'll pass The Villages Hospital on your left. At the Morse traffic circle that road will end and just continue to the second exit, which is like going straight, and that will bring you right into Spanish Springs. Turn right on Main St. (Mexican Restaurant on the corner) and you come to the square. The Sharon Theater will be the big building on your right, many shows are held there as well.

From Spanish Springs you'll have to put your GPS on and hit home. That's as far as I'm taking you today.

[Altavia]

FYI - Friends were recently assigned to the Atwood Bungalows for their LS visit.

They don't yet show up in Google Maps but can be found in The Villages App.

[B-flat]

Originally Posted by John_W

I believe the LSV are still staying at Alden Bungalows, that's at the southern end of TV just north of 44 next to Brownwood and next to the soon to open hotel and medical center. I would go about a mile east and get on Buena Vista and drive north until it ends, about 16 miles. If you do the speed limit it will take about 40 minutes. You'll see pretty much all the differences between the south areas, the middle area and the north end.

You'll cross 466A in about 3 miles, this is a busy area and if you were to turn left and go 1/2 mile you would see Trailwinds Village, it's a new commercial area that has a Lowes, Aldis, ABC Liquor, Wendys, Taco Bell, Burger King, a credit union and a new Publix under construction. If you were to turn right onto 466A and go 3 miles, you would be at Colony Shopping area. This has a large assortment of medical facilities, a Walmart Grocery Store, a Publix, banks, and several small businesses.

As you continue north on Buena Vista when you pass the LSL area you'll go right by Arnold Palmer Golf Course and you see the areas where they have mostly premier homes in the Village of Bridgeport. After you cross 466 you pass Saddlebrook Rec Center and 4 softball fields. I believe we now have a total of 15 softball fields since they've are opening 4 in the new areas to go with the 11 we already have. We have the largest softball leagues in America with over 200 teams and 3,000 players. I played for five years when I first arrived, it's a lot of fun.

After you pass Saddlebrook, next on your right will be the polo fields. Besides polo, most mornings you can pull in and see the RC Airplane club, the kite club, some kind activity going on. Soon after the polo fields on your right will be Savannah Center. It a Rec Center but their is a show there just about every night. This past year I saw Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and the Original Village People. January 8th I'm going to see Molly Hatchet.

Keep going and you'll soon pass Lopez Country Club, which is suppose to have one of the best restaurants, however plan on spending $100 for two to eat. Buena Vista will terminate at SR 42, just before that, make a right at the last traffic circle and there is Mulberry Plaza, great pizza at Sammy Joe's. If you're a veteran, the VA medical center is there, it's fairly new since it opened in 2010 and services 16,000 veterans.

Then you can head back south on Buena Vista and at Camino Real traffic circle (that's where the Savannah Center was) take the 3rd exit onto Camino Real and ahead you'll pass The Villages Hospital on your left. At the Morse traffic circle that road will end and just continue to the second exit, which is like going straight, and that will bring you right into Spanish Springs. Turn right on Main St. (Mexican Restaurant on the corner) and you come to the square. The Sharon Theater will be the big building on your right, many shows are held there as well.

From Spanish Springs you'll have to put your GPS on and hit home. That's as far as I'm taking you today.

This is an excellent itinerary at least I think so. My wife and I did something smiliar except we were renting in Chatham so it was the reverse of what has been outlined above.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Robbie0723

FYI - Friends were recently assigned to the Atwood Bungalows for their LS visit.

They don't yet show up in Google Maps but can be found in The Villages App.

They started selling the Alden Bungalows, but I pretty sure Atwood Bungalows are the newer villas built right next door. That is convenient, you can take the golf cart to Publix in 3 minutes. The driving course that I laid out earlier is the same. Good places to stop in locally when in the cart from Atwood would be MVP Gym, it's the big brown building when you look east. Also for lunch McAlister's Deli which is two doors down from MVP. They do get busy at lunchtime. Don't drive the golf cart across Powell Blvd, there's two tunnels to go from Atwood to Brownwood under Powell Rd.

[Dirtracer49]

Great advice. I'm printing this thread out so I can take your guided tour. I already have the Villages GPS app on my phone. Looking forward to our visit. Thank you all so much.

[Dond1959]

The first thing you need to do is to decide on new or pre existing home. If new is your preference then head south of 44. Lots of building going on and in 2 years no telling where the new areas will be. If you want pre existing homes then you need to follow the advice given previously. Explore as much as you can take in a week. Go to the different squares and get a feel for each. Think about budget and what you can afford and explore existing homes for sale on both The Villages and MLS. Finally, talk to as many residents as you can, everyone is happy to give you their opinion. Enjoy your LSV and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by John_W

.........As you continue north on Buena Vista when you pass the LSL area ..........

John_W....great tour but you just briefly mentioned the Lake Sumter Landing area. That is our favorite square so I would urge the OP to visit this square and not just pass it by.