Summertime in the Villages

[Trish Crocker]

Can someone please give me some input. We are getting close to retirement and are seriously considering the Villages. The one problem I have tho is the fact that my husband is very concerned about summer in Florida. I find it quite funny that most Michiganders think nothing about staying inside 8 months of the year because of the cold but think that having to stay inside with the air is intolerable during a Florida summer.. How is summer in the Villages?? Do most people adapt or do the stereotypical humid, musty, moldy..etc etc ideas hold any merit. Thank you so much and I'm really, really hoping to join all of you soon!

[jgbama]

Can someone please give me some input. We are getting close to retirement and are seriously considering the Villages. The one problem I have tho is the fact that my husband is very concerned about summer in Florida. I find it quite funny that most Michiganders think nothing about staying inside 8 months of the year because of the cold but think that having to stay inside with the air is intolerable during a Florida summer.. How is summer in the Villages?? Do most people adapt or do the stereotypical humid, musty, moldy..etc etc ideas hold any merit. Thank you so much and I'm really, really hoping to join all of you soon!

There are a number of threads and posts about Florida summers. First, welcome to TOTV! Go to "search" on the menu bar just above the message block and type something like "summers in TV" or anything with summer in the search box. You should find some of the previous threads and posts about the summer heat. You'll find that folks on TOTV tell you like it is, so you can really get opinions from those who live there year round.

I can tell you, being from Alabama which gets hot too, that most residents in TV do things early in the mornings or later in the afternoons. I've been to the Alpena area in the summer, and it was HOT so I wouldn't worry about moving to TV. You'll love the lifestyle!! Don't think there is much to worry about "musty" or "moldy". Those are conditions not automatically caused by the heat or humidity. We have played golf mid-day in July at TV and it was a little tough. You adapt to the heat. With pools at every recreation center, you are just minutes away from a cool swim!! There always seems to be a breeze when we go to TV, which is usually May or October, but did go in June and July several times.

There are tons of indoor activities that you can do during the really hot days. I know you'll get some responses here, but go to "search" to read some of the previous posts. This is a great forum to learn just about everything you want to know about TV! All the best and again welcome to TOTV! :wave:

[K9-Lovers]

We moved here a year ago in May, also from Alabama, which is also very hot. The first summer here was quite surprising to me as it was hotter than I expected. Mr.K9 was not affected at all, but I stayed indoors in the air conditioning during the middle part of the day last summer.

This week has been in the 90's and just as hot as it was last year at this time. But, the difference is that the heat no longer bothers me. My body has adjusted! All this week, I have spent the whole day out doors and feel just fine.

So, it appears to me that while the first hot season may bother you, that your body will soon adjust and the following summers will feel just fine to you. It is lovely here in The Villages in the summer. You'll see. I've always said that summers in The Villages are Florida's best kept secret.

Don't hesitate. Retire here.

[Ohiogirl]

I'm from Ohio (surprise) but have also lived about 5 years in southern Wisconsin (hour from Milwaukee). Summer in TV is about like your 2-3 week heat wave in August, only it lasts for several months and doesn't cool off as much at night (when you're sleeping with the a/c on anyway). Last summer was unusually hot both in the Midwest and in TV.

I don't live in TV during the summer (yet) but have spent time there, and also lived for a year once in Homestead, FL (south of Miami). When I lived in Homestead, my car was not even air-conditioned (but I was young). I also lived (twice) in Houston, which I thought was more humid and less breezy than TV.

I would agree that summers in TV are bearable, especially after you get used to it. I'm going for a week in late June and am looking forward to it. It's true I will only golf early or late, and probably go for a swim after to cool off (which feels great).

I'm a big porch/lanai person and like to garden, which I will probably just do in the very early morning - fortunately I'm an early riser anyway.

Riding in a golf cart for grocery shopping or activities at rec centers is fine - creates its own breeze - and the parked cart doesn't heat up like a car does.

Most people who live year-round in TV plan their family visits north during the summer, and I think we will save our Alaska cruise for when we become frogs, and possibly also plan a mountain cabin trip then too. But really, it's bearable. Lots better than winter in Michigan or Ohio. Water aerobics still feels great, and you can go to many indoor exercise options too - and don't have to skip that day because of snow or ice or just because all the gray days have you too depressed!

[ssmith]

I am not in the Villages yet :( so you can take what I say with a grain of salt.

I am in Indiana and this is how I see it. Yep, it is too hot in the summer in TV, yep your blood does thin and you do get used to it- my MIL is the prime example of that now in Florida 20 years....she freezes if it is 50degrees!, yep you can still do things early and later in the day and enjoy the pool during the mid of the day but......... here in Indiana we have been inside since Nov. This spring has been sooo bad we are still fighting the rain and have had few days to get outside and before you know it the dog days of summer will be here and we will be stuck inside in the air conditioning again.... also it is impossible to get outside in the mid of winter in Indiana but you can still get outside in the heat of summer if needed......just my thoughts on the matter.

[VillagesFlorida]

We moved here a year ago in May, also from Alabama, which is also very hot. The first summer here was quite surprising to me as it was hotter than I expected. Mr.K9 was not affected at all, but I stayed indoors in the air conditioning during the middle part of the day last summer.

This week has been in the 90's and just as hot as it was last year at this time. But, the difference is that the heat no longer bothers me. My body has adjusted! All this week, I have spent the whole day out doors and feel just fine.

So, it appears to me that while the first hot season may bother you, that your body will soon adjust and the following summers will feel just fine to you. It is lovely here in The Villages in the summer. You'll see. I've always said that summers in The Villages are Florida's best kept secret.Don't hesitate. Retire here.


We HAVE had a fair number of days recently in the 90s and they have been tolerable, to a point. The main reason is that the humidity has been very low. I don't mind these conditions and I still play golf as long as there isn't much humidity. Unfortunately, this comfortable weather will soon be a thing of the past.....for us, at least, and so will our golf. I find that early mornings here in the summer are very humid and late afternoons are brutally hot until the sun sets. A summer shower may cool us off for a few minutes but as soon as the sun comes out again we are right back into the mid-upper 90s with 98% humidity. Riding in the golf cart in these conditions becomes unbearable and I find myself longing for a breath of cool Maine air! We have lived here for nearly 13 years and our tolerance of temperatures in the upper 90s in the summer has not improved. The big culprit is the high humidity which is unrelenting, day after day. I do realize that some folks tolerate the heat and humidity better than we do. I envy them! Whether or not one loves it here in the summer is an individual thing. I think you have to give it a few summers to see how it goes.

[skip0358]

I find the summer temp. hot but you do get used to it. Mornings and evenings are good. As for mid day head to the pool, the movies, the stores or get ready to sweat a little. As for humidity having come from Long Island I don' find it that bad. But no matter how bad it gets the lifestyle and people are great and make up for it.Hurry down

[JenAjd]

Being from the mid-west I will say that summers there can be hot and humid. I haven't lived here for "years" but will say what we've experienced has been tolerable. There probably are always days with exceptions. I remember the winter, two years ago that went down as a "record cold". It was bitter with a north-wind some days and it made you ask "is this really Florida?" Whether you tolerate it or not, sometimes is a state of mind, IMHO. You ask for the reasons that you move to a place. For us, it was to get away from the record snowfalls, the ice, the cold vehicles. the shoveling and I could go on and on here!!! We love our new home and we're glad we made the decision to come here.

[2BNTV]

I find the summer temp. hot but you do get used to it. Mornings and evenings are good. As for mid day head to the pool, the movies, the stores or get ready to sweat a little. As for humidity having come from Long Island I don' find it that bad. But no matter how bad it gets the lifestyle and people are great and make up for it.Hurry down


:agree::agree::agree:

Trish:

:welcome: to TOTV. I see this is your first post.

I am a wannabee originally from New York. Take this with a large dose of salt.

I'm sure some people would be affected more by the heat but it seems like mornings and evenings are the best times to do some activities. The heat does not affect me as I have been in TV and Disney World when it was hot.

A friend of mine had asked me a while back,"How could you move to Florida when it's so hot in the summer"? I replied, "what's the difference if you have to stay inside during the winter to avoid freezing or spend some time inside in A/C when it's too hot".

I remember a couple of summers in New York when it reached 100 degrees with a 100% humidity. It was intolerable unless one stayed in A/C.

IMH) - I wouldn't let some days being too hot discourage me from moving to TV as oppossed to dealing with the winter months. Winters stink. :(

You will love the friendly people you meet.

[ladydoc]

These are all great posts. I am also concerned about the humidity. Hubs is not though...he said if he could survive the jungles of Nam he can survive summers in Florida. I guess so.....LOL I guess the best game plan is what you all are suggesting...stay in the a/c when it is hot!

[JohnN]

I find every day in Florida is great.

Summertime admittedly gets pretty sultry at mid-day, so I take a siesta.
But the mornings and evenings are paradise! The trades wind will give a breeze and it's marvelous.

Now in the wintertime, it gets chilly in the morning and evenings, so you have to wear a windbreaker, but the mid-day is gorgeous!

Spring and Fall - well, it's pretty all day long!

Come on down.

[Endless Summer]

Trish, In Indiana when it was cold it was cold all day, the highs were still below freezing and you didn't want to go out at all.:cold: In Florida, you have the morning and evening for outdoor activities; the middle of the day for the swimming pool or movies or other inside activities at the rec centers. I hesitate to mention that it is also a good time to clean house.:loco: Oops, there's never a good time to clean house, who am I kidding?:shrug:

[Pturner]

Trish,
Welcome! Yes, the typical June-Aug. in Florida is hot and humid. I'm used to it without even the breeze in ATL, but it could well be quite and adjustment for you.

However, here are some tradeoffs:


Nine months of the year the typical weather is delightful.
Like much of Florida, TV's population drops considerably in the summer. This is great for those who stay. Nothing is crowded. You can eat at a country club for the regular cost of a meal at McDonalds. Golf is inexpensive and it's easy to get tee times. Stores have bargains galore.
In TV, there are plenty of indoor activities and plenty of outdoor pools.
TV is beautiful all year round. You won't find a friendlier or funner place to spend your "retirement" years.

Bring sunscreen!

[Ohiogirl]

Trish, In Indiana when it was cold it was cold all day, the highs were still below freezing and you didn't want to go out at all.:cold: In Florida, you have the morning and evening for outdoor activities; the middle of the day for the swimming pool or movies or other inside activities at the rec centers. I hesitate to mention that it is also a good time to clean house.:loco: Oops, there's never a good time to clean house, who am I kidding?:shrug:

Yep!

[Schaumburger]

Can someone please give me some input. We are getting close to retirement and are seriously considering the Villages. The one problem I have tho is the fact that my husband is very concerned about summer in Florida. I find it quite funny that most Michiganders think nothing about staying inside 8 months of the year because of the cold but think that having to stay inside with the air is intolerable during a Florida summer.. How is summer in the Villages?? Do most people adapt or do the stereotypical humid, musty, moldy..etc etc ideas hold any merit. Thank you so much and I'm really, really hoping to join all of you soon!

:welcome: to TOTV. Hello Trish. It sounds like you may hail from Michigan. I've spent 50 winters in the midwest (Iowa and Chicago area). I dislike winter more each year. This past February the Chicago area had a blizzard, and my office was closed on day of the blizzard because the roads were impassable. On the "snow day" I watched my homeowner's association use a bobcat to plow out some of my neighbor's front doors as they had snowdrifts higher than 5 feet, and they could not exit their townhouses through their front doors. I made up my mind right then that I was not going to spend my golden years in the snow belt. :cold: I visited TV last year in July for the first time with friends. I really liked what I saw. This July I will be renting in TV for a week to get a brief taste of what it is like to be a TV resident, and to see if TV is for me at some point in the future. If you can take a Lifestyle Preview Visit through TV's sales office or rent in TV for a week or two or three during the summer, maybe that would help you make your decision. I have found that summer rentals in TV are quite reasonably priced. Remember that you don't have to shovel heat and humidity. Good luck to you.

[Indy-Guy]

Perhaps the song in the link below explains it.

http://shovelinsunshine.bandcamp.com/track/the-villages-shovelin-sunshine-song