One of the big reasons we chose to stay just north of Orlando is to meet up with Karissa’s dad’s long-time friend and colleague. He and his wife have lived in The Villages of Florida for 9 years. We’ve heard a lot about the place from Karissa’s parents. So much so that Karissa didn’t think our Florida experience would be complete without visiting the place for ourselves.
The Villages is a collection of small towns. Because of the population of each individual “village” being less than 10,000; Florida law says they don’t need a formal government. The small villages combine to make up what amounts to a really large retirement community. The population is something in the order of 120,000 and growing.
There are 3 “town squares” with live entertainment each night, shopping, and restaurants. There are recreation centers, golf courses, and tons of clubs.
The age minimum to be a resident is 19, and you mustn’t have any kids in the household. The average age is 60. Kids and younger folks can visit, but we were definitely one of the few younger folks there during our visit.
We think my parents would love living there. It’s not too hot in the winter and the unlimited golf plus active social scene would be a good fit for my dad, the golfer, and my mom, the socialite. Karissa’s parents would love the live music and activities, but say it’s not warm enough for them.
