[villagerjack]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

For the past 48 years we have vacationed each year on both coasts of Florida; the east coast up and down.........as well as the gulf coast, ditto. We explored it all.

The only time we went to central Florida was every April school vacation to take the kids to Disney World for a week.......for about 15 years; saw it grow from the very beginning to basically what it is today.

Each time we moved to Florida, we moved to both the east coast and the gulf coast.

However, we were very very pleasantly surprised by the rolling hills and the "green" of north central Florida where The Villages is located.

We hadn't seen that part of central Florida since 1965 when we were on the Florida Turnpike heading to Miami Beach and to us, the terrain seemed to look like Africa. It has changed, for sure.

Central Florida is a well kept little secret...........a jewel of a place.

We've lived on the beach. A bit scary when a big black storm is approaching and they tell you not to go near the windows......amazing to watch it come in from either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.......

However, as far as beaches go.........Sanibel Island and Captiva Island over the causeway from Fort Myers (where the airport is) is still a fave.
Unspoiled the last we saw it...........great seashells. The condos there are now untouchable in price.

Love Sanibel Captive but not RED TIDE.