My wife and I lived full time in The Villages from the end of 2010 through mid-2016. We were full time residents in Florida (and still are) since 2002 having originally moved from Chicago. We now live in Southwest Florida. The experience of living in The Villages was a great one that neither of us regrets, especially because of the new friendships we made. The activities and socialization were tremendous and we both would recommend The Villages as a great place to transition into retirement. However, the first reason we moved was because of the sense that we were "moving down a conveyor belt" as we watched people we knew age, get sick and/or require assistance and in some cases die. We all know this is a reality yet it stares you in the face the longer you live there. The second reason is that regardless of what you think, old people(and that includes us) can be very grumpy, stubborn, set in their ways and ridiculously cheap(using 2 for 1 coupons and only tipping on one meal). The contrast in friendliness and attitude is stark between waitstaff and other service workers in The Villages and outside The Villages such as Southwest Florida because of the previous reason. We enjoy being around all age groups(including children) because it exposes us to different ways of thinking and, in our opinion, keeps us more open-minded. The third reason we moved is because of the way everything begins to recycle in The Villages. How many times can you see Hemans Hermits, the parades etc. before you stop going? Finally, we started out in 2002 in Southwest Florida and like our friends there, the variety of restaurants and activities and the ocean nearby. You may feel. differently and we respect that.
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