Which town square do you Like better?

[helptheuniverse]

I like Lake sumter Landing because of the boat rides:coolsmiley:

[JohnN]

I like LSL for the open square area at music time.
SS has better shopping and restaurants. both are great

[784caroline]

I always wondered why the difference in "Happy Hour Times"...5-6 at LSL and 5-7 at SS.

[nONIE]

I personally think each square has its own personal charm,advantages and disadvantages. Its best to vary them and get the best of both worlds.

[graciegirl]

I love having lunch at the Lighthouse restaurant at LSL on a fair day and sitting outside wondering if the "don't feed the alligator" signs are real or a spoof.

I like LSL best because it is closer and SS is WAY up north.;)

[billethkid]

Alligator sightings in Lake Sumter are a usual event.

I have yet to see an alligator sign in TV that is a spoof.

Be careful.

BTK

[chelsea24]

I personally think each square has its own personal charm,advantages and disadvantages. Its best to vary them and get the best of both worlds.

I agree with Nonie on this one. I think they are both so different and yes, they do each have a charm of their own. I love the water and sitting at The Lighthouse Restaurant at LSL. It definitely has that "Key West" kind of feeling. But then, Spanish Springs is quirky, a few more characters which make it interesting, and a definite New Orleans feel. I honestly think the developers got them both exactly right and I think Brownwood will be just as unique and great as these two. :coolsmiley:

[Russ_Boston]

I always wondered why the difference in "Happy Hour Times"...5-6 at LSL and 5-7 at SS.

Ok you go to LSL from 5-5:50 get two to go and go to SS from 6-7!! Problem solved;)

[Safe Home Watch Mary Edwards]

I agree we like both town squares,but spend more time LSL because its close to us. But we are people watchers and love this place.Mary

[SABRMnLgs]

We have been here for a couple years now and while I'm sure there are other who will agree/disagree on the North/South Civil War "squares". IMHO I feel Spanish Springs is more a friendly place to go. It just seems the people are more laid back and enjoy each others company. Been to LSL and it seems to me that people are to preoccupied with other things. But as I stated, that is "IMHO".

[Bryan]

Both are great but I like SS a little better for a couple of reasons. First there seems to be more of a diversity of "characters" to watch at SS (I am a people watcher). I think the proximity to 441 draws more non-Villagers to SS and gives it a little more diversity. Second, on those rare occasions when our sunshine turns to liquid sunshine, at SS you can duck into Katie Belles and still listen to live music, dance, get happy hour drinks, etc. Those types of options are much more limited at LSL.

[GatbTester]

Been here three years and while both squares are somewhat unique, LSL seems to fit our needs a little more. Of course living about ten minutes away could explain that easily. Both offer the best for our lifestyle. Dancing swing and sway or rockin' out with Rocky and The Rollers.......who said we had to grow up?

[nONIE]

Both are great but I like SS a little better for a couple of reasons. First there seems to be more of a diversity of "characters" to watch at SS (I am a people watcher). I think the proximity to 441 draws more non-Villagers to SS and gives it a little more diversity. Second, on those rare occasions when our sunshine turns to liquid sunshine, at SS you can duck into Katie Belles and still listen to live music, dance, get happy hour drinks, etc. Those types of options are much more limited at LSL.

Very good points Bryan, also Maurgarita Republic and Bourbon Street have live music and food most nights of the week. So there is a variety of places to go in SS. And the music in these two places continues long after the band quits in the square, so you dont have to roll up the streets at 9:00o'clock.

[dadspet]

LSL is a lot better for dancing in several ways. The tiles are smoother and a lot easier on your feet / knees for turning. The tiles / Floor at SS have more of a tilt to it with larger drains that make it a harder to dance on. LSL is larger for dancing. But SS is closer to KBs so you can easily dance outside for a short time then stop over there if it gets too cold or you prefer the band inside.

[kencam]

We've been here 10 years and tend for favor SS because we think it has more personality. Tend to follow our favorite entertainment, so that get's us to both squares, but for sure SS more often. Just thought I'd weigh in on the conversation, but they're both great places to relax, enjoy the atmosphere and people.

[gemorc]

I love having lunch at the Lighthouse restaurant at LSL on a fair day and sitting outside wondering if the "don't feed the alligator" signs are real or a spoof.

I like LSL best because it is closer and SS is WAY up north.;)

There you go again, girl. Come on up, we will be glad to have ya.

[musicman]

I prefer SS. It seems to be a more relaxed atmosphere, people are more friendly and more observant of traffic and parking rules both pedestrians and drivers).

My last 3 visits to LSL have made me think of the old "wild west" movies, where the bad guys ride in to town and kill the sheriiff and turn the place upside down. On one visit I was nearly run down by a guy driving his golf cart on the sidewalk. On another, I turned the corner at Old Mill and Canal and encountered at least a dozen people walking (staggering) down the middle of the road all of whom looked at me as if I were insane to think I could drive on the road. At my last visit, I observed at least 6 golf carts parked in the traffic lanes on Old Mill and Canal streets, full of people drinking beverages from the huts. I had to manuever down the middle of the two lanes to get by. It is shocking how unfriendly people are. I routinely step aside to let others pass and hold doors for folks to enter or exit but rarely get even an acknowledgement that I exist, let alone a simple "Thank You". I know that there are many friendly folks around, but the grumps seem to be taking over.

Are the streets town squares considered private property therefore exempt from any requirement to observe traffic laws? I believe they are public streets and parking in traffic lanes and walking down the middle of the road is dangerous and illegal. If the streets around the square are NOT public roads, then why not block all vehicular traffic and make them pedestrian areas? Odd that I rarely see any police presence. It's too bad. I have begun to avoid going to LSL even though I love to visit Barnes and Noble, Thai Ruby and Up The Creek. I just don't feel welcome and I don't feel like risking an encounter with a pedestrian or improperly parked vehicle. My wife used to love to visit the Tuscany Spa and GarVinos but now she won't go there at all. If the movie we want to see is at Old Mill, we skip it.

[The Great Fumar]

MUSICMAN
That may have been the ART SHOW you were at and the streets were closed to through traffic........Your lucky you got out alive !!!!!

My favorite town square is BROWN WOOD .....But then I like picnics and practicing my sand shots.....

fumar of the future and beyonnnnnddd ..:super::1rotfl:

[musicman]

No art show, no closed streets. Just a "normal" day in LSL.

I don't feel lucky that I got out alive. I feel lucky that I saw the staggering pedestrians in the road and THEY got out alive.

[The Great Fumar]

Both " DOWNTOWNS' are great and I enjoy both of them . If there is any difference its that LSL is more modern and up to date while SS is more rustic and give you a feeling of the TRUMAN SHOW.
This is not a negative , I personally liked the Truman Show ....If we added a couple of rides it would take on the feeling of " ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL".........
( oh great, now I'm going to hum THAT for two or three days)

What a Country .. fumar .:beer3:

[sschuler1]

My husband and I were heading north on 27 when we happened upon The Villages for the first time. We turned into Spanish Springs and we were both enthralled with the "Disneyesque" feel to the town square. We found a parking spot and wandered toward the sales center. We ended up taking the tour before we got back on 27 to continue our journey north toward home. We talked about The Villages the entire ride home, and haven't stopped talking about it since. We would have never seen LSL just passing by, so they are right when they say that more outsiders probably stop at SS.

[hernando]

Lighthouse Restaurant does have alligators in the lake. I have seen them many times. It's a great place to eat with a great staff!!

[Barefoot]

We love both Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs. They are both great fun. However we generally prefer LSL as we enjoy the boardwalk and having dinner overlooking the water.

[l2ridehd]

Seems musicman and I have had opposite experience. I have found the people at LSL more friendly and the grumps at SS. Perhaps we just visit on the wrong days. Both have their pro's and con's, but for us LSL seems to meet our needs better. Garvino's is great now that they have the bar in the back with music several nights, Thai Ruby is one of our favorite place to eat, and Barnes and Noble, and many other places just seem to be where we go more so than Bourbon Street or Katie Bells. Go to them when we go to SS for something else, but would not go there just for them. Also like the Key West style and feel of LSL a little better. So each to their own and I guess that is why they made them different.

[73Goat]

I always wondered why the difference in "Happy Hour Times"...5-6 at LSL and 5-7 at SS.

LOL, so people can hit both the same day?

[chuckinca]

15 minutes golf cart ride