If you have only one day......

[lanabanana73]

......to tour The Villages, what would you do? Hubby and I have one day that we can leave our family on 3/16 and head to TV to check it out. :wave: We'll plan to take a trolley tour (do we have to make some kind of reservation for that?), drive around all the villages, buy a map (oh, maybe we should do that before we start exploring!), have lunch and dinner there :mmmm: (suggestions for where?) and try and check out the entertainement in the squares before we head back to Orlando.

Any advice you have for what and how much to pack into a one day visit would be MOST appreciated. I just KNEW I wasn't going to be able to wait until my rental in October to check this place out!!

[TommyT]

I would make Hotel reservations at the Waterfront Inn. Then make sure I have my checkbook and get the Trolley early. After that, meet with the Villages Sales Office and write the check... I'll bet you will before you leave .. :$: :wave:

[vj1213]

Trolley tours can't be booked in advance. Just go into the sales center and a lobby host will take you down and get you signed up) Currently they go out every 30 minutes, beginning at 10:00 (they now last for 1 hour). In the afternoons the times change to 1:15...1:45...2:15...2:45...3:15...3:45...4:00.
After the trolley, I would probably take a private tour with one of the reps, they can show you model homes and rec centers. Then you can browse the town squares and check out the nightly entertainment.

[BostonCelt]

......to tour The Villages, what would you do? Hubby and I have one day that we can leave our family on 3/16 and head to TV to check it out.

Hmmm....3/16....Friday....the night before 3/17, St Paddy's Day....

I say go to the Sales Ofc, schedule a future Lifestyle Vacation, then go find the first St Pat's party you can. You'll learn more there than from trying to drive through every neighborhood in (part of) one day....

[ssmith]

our first trip was a one day trip....my advice is to take time and talk to everyone you can...ie at the squares etc...you will find some really really great people there. Also you won't be able to drive to all the villages. Be sure to check out a Regional rec ctr. like Sea Breeze. Be prepared to be amazed!!!!

[villages07]

I do believe the St Pat's parade is on the 16 th this year, so, your timing is great. Enjoy.

[Happinow]

Catch a bite to eat anywhere in The Villages and ask those around you how they like living there. You will have made friends even before you leave the table. Your mind will be made up before you leave the restaurant. Their excitement is contagious. Then tour some homes. It's so much fun! Enjoy.

[lanabanana73]

I do believe the St Pat's parade is on the 16 th this year, so, your timing is great. Enjoy.

Is it filled with people in their decorated golf carts?

[Bettiboop]

I wouldn't try to fit too much in to your one day visit.

I would suggest the trolly tour which will give you a nice overall "view" of the villages. After returning from the tour, if it's not too late in the day I'm sure they will have a rep who will be more than happy to take you for a more closeup visit of some of the homes/villages....if you want.

Other than that I would just relax with a walk around the town square and check out the shops. Have a nice dinner at one of the restaurants and then enjoy the music and dancing at the square. (For us it was LSL because we stayed at The Waterfront Inn). Do a lot of people watching...and talk to everyone you can. We found most everyone very eager to talk about The Villages and answer any questions we had. Everyone is very friendly!

I guarantee you will want to return for a longer visit!:wave:

[coffeebean]

our first trip was a one day trip....my advice is to take time and talk to everyone you can...ie at the squares etc...you will find some really really great people there. Also you won't be able to drive to all the villages. Be sure to check out a Regional rec ctr. like Sea Breeze. Be prepared to be amazed!!!!

SeaBreeze is my favorite rec center and we live in Duval, just a 10 minute walk from there. Agree...don't miss this rec center and be sure to see the sport pool.

Agree also that is it impossible to visit all the villages in one day...there are just too many of them. I would suggest to visit at least one village with lush and mature landscaping such as Caroline or Mallory Square. Those are my two favorite villages with relation to Lake Sumter Landing town square.

I would suggest to have lunch at one of the country clubs. We had lunch at the Arnold Palmer country club on our lifestyle visit and I think it was there we made up our minds to purchase in The Villages. You are going to love it here.

Enjoy your visit.

[villages07]

Is it filled with people in their decorated golf carts?

Lana....yep, usually St Paddy's is the best parade at the squares (Christmas parade is bigger but at the Polo Grounds). Lots of decorated golf carts, music, marchers, etc.

Haven't seen the schedule yet to know if it will be at both squares or just at one. There was some discussion about only doing parades at one square.

Stay tuned on TOTV, I'm sure there will be some discussion as the date draws nearer.

[JoeC1947]

I would get up early, play a round of golf (or two), take a dip in a pool, walk through Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs and check out the shops, take the boat tour at LSL, have lunch at the Light House restaurant, take the trolley tour from SS, hop in your car or cart and drive around for a couple of hours, have dinner at the Bamboo Bistro, visit both squares again at night, and top it off with a walk along the boardwalk at LSL and an ice cream cone!
Do the sales stuff another day.

[JeffAVEWS]

As I read thru this thread I wondered why the St. Pats parade would be on the 16th and not the 17th. I'm just guessing here, but the 17th is the 3rd Saturday of the month this year so Spanish Springs Square is booked for the Cruise In. Lanabanana, on the 3rd Saturday of every month there is a classic/antique car show in Spanish Springs that draws cars from all over Florida, it will be jammed with people. also, every Thursday the newspaper publishes a schedule of events for the rec centers and they are available at any one of the centers. Be sure to pick one up. Don't try to see to much, this place is too big to absorb in one day. Have fun!

[2BNTV]

I wouldn't try to fit too much in to your one day visit.

I would suggest the trolly tour which will give you a nice overall "view" of the villages. After returning from the tour, if it's not too late in the day I'm sure they will have a rep who will be more than happy to take you for a more closeup visit of some of the homes/villages....if you want.

Other than that I would just relax with a walk around the town square and check out the shops. Have a nice dinner at one of the restaurants and then enjoy the music and dancing at the square. (For us it was LSL because we stayed at The Waterfront Inn). Do a lot of people watching...and talk to everyone you can. We found most everyone very eager to talk about The Villages and answer any questions we had. Everyone is very friendly!

I guarantee you will want to return for a longer visit!:wave:

:agree:

[angiefox10]

:agree:
And I agree with 2BNTV agreeing with Bettiboop! :agree:

[lanabanana73]

Our visit date is getting closer and I am getting MORE and MORE excited!! :pepper2: You've all had great ideas and I really appreciate your input.

Thanks!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

TommyT said it earlier in the thread but it bears repeating:

"Bring your checkbook"!!! :D

You just might find something you'd like to buy!

Bill :)

[Carla B]

Since you have such a short stay here I think you might arrange your time so that you finish the trolley tour and then walk across the street to view the St. Patrick's Day parade at Sumter Landing. I've misplaced the March schedule or I'd tell you when it starts. If you're looking for a quick bite to eat at either square, Toojay's Deli is a good bet. Anyway, securing a parking place before the parade is a wise move as it will be mobbed at the square.

The first thing I'd do on arrival is go to the sales center at Lake Sumter Landing. They'll tell you where to get a detailed Villages map and you can sign up for the trolley tour. We've done many "private tours" and we just start near where we live (466A), drive north on Buena Vista, pop in to Lake Miona and Seabreeze Rec Centers, turn left on 466 to view the shopping and charter schools, turn around, go back to Buena Vista, turn north, view the Polo grounds, take a right past Savannah Center to El Camino and on to Spanish Springs, then back down Morse to Lake Sumter sales center. Studying the map will also help you use the roundabouts.

The trolley tour will drive by the sections that are currently being built, as that is the main point, to sell new houses. The last time we did it they didn't tour north of 466 which was a shame. If they don't go there now you can still do that area on your own, and you will see the beautiful golf courses that border the main arteries. There are just two North/South main streets, Buena Vista and Morse. Without a map to study, though, you'll be lost. When we first came here I had the map and my husband did the driving. He was completely lost until we switched and he looked at the map while I drove. End of navigation problem.

Hope you have a great time on the 16th and let us know your impressions of The Villages.

[lanabanana73]

Now, Carla.....you have come up with a job for someone who wants to supplement their income......"The Villages Tour Guide"!! We travel quite a bit and always book private tours wherever we go. It's very nice to have someone touring you around who knows the roads and points of interest. Someone should start a side business doing "day tours for newbies". Is that a great idea, or what???!!

[Carla B]

So far the tours have been free and have included bed, breakfast, and often dinner at home. It's the last part (dinner) that's a little hard to get enthusiastic about at the end of the day....touring is hard work!

[toria]

how long is a trolley tour and what do they generally cover? Thanks....:)

[lanabanana73]

Tomorrow is the day!!!! :pepper2: Oh, yah!!! Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'm afraid I won't sleep a wink. So, if you see a couple wandering around lost, please stop and say hello to us. I'll return and report when we get home tomorrow night. Thanks, everyone!!