Julie's Journal

My good friends, Honey and George, are renting at The Villages for the month of February. Both Patsy and I have heard a lot about this place and decided to go visit them for the day. We went Wednesday.

The Villages is actually a man-made city near Ocala, FL. (thevillages.com) and is a retirement playground for the 72,000 people who live there. They have built 40,000 houses so far and will build 10,000 more. It's unbelievable how fast these houses go up and look like they have always been there since they are completely landscaped. They sell 300 houses a month.

There are 8 country clubs, several golf courses (Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez own 2 of them), umpteen tennis courts, lots of pickle ball courts, several recreation centers where you can take all sorts of classes, play cards and other games, go to parties. There are two town squares that feature live music every night with people dancing (mostly line dancing), and shopping at the street vendors tables that are set up every other night, alternating between the squares. There are 72 restaurants, 5 Publix, Fresh Market, Super Walmart, every kind of church, and just about every kind of store you've ever heard of. Almost everybody has a golf cart and that's how people get around unless they are leaving the Villages to go some place else. The golf carts are parked in lots and on the streets around the shopping areas and restaurants, and everyone just leaves their expensive golf clubs right on the carts. There is a theatre group, polo club (cheerleaders cheer at the games and they are all senior citizens with their pom-poms) twirler club, bowling alleys, pool parlors, - you name it! There are at least 16 heated pools (year round heated). Half of the pools are for age 30 and above only, but where there is an adult pool, just down the street there is a family pool for younger people (visitors). There are also medical facilities.

If you buy a villa or house, you can play free golf and tennis for the rest of your life. Villas start at about $130,000 and houses go up to millions, but every residence pays a $135 Contractual Amenities Fee per month that includes free golf, swimming, tennis pickleball, bocce, over 1,000 organized activities every week, exercise pools, private fishing lakes, waterfront parks, fitness trails, 24 hour neighborhood watch service, and a daily newspaper published right there.

We had a wonderful time with Honey and George. They took us out to lunch at one restaurant and to dinner at another. We rode the trolley with a guide telling us about everything there. We went to some model homes with a realtor. We stayed til after dark so that we could see the squares all lit up with live bands and dancing and entertainment. George said that this all ends at 9 p.m. each day and by 9:15, the squares are dark and empty!

Patsy and I have made reservations to go back the end of May for 4 nights. It's $100 a day and we will have a two bedroom villa, golf cart, 2 bikes, meal tickets for some of the restaurants, and free golf and tennis and pickleball. I can't wait to try pickleball. The courts look like tennis courts, but are about 1/2 the size. You play with paddles and a plastic ball about the size of a tennis ball. Great for seniors who can't run like they used to!

It sure is nice to be retired!