New to The Villages & company is coming
 

Have two friends coming to visit this summer from the mid-west.

Besides swimming and visiting one of the beaches, any suggestions on what we can do in The Villages?

Would I be able to obtain a pass for each of them?

thank you

sorry....just asking if I can get TWO passes

yes. Your regional rec center can hook you up.

There are a lot of lovely day trips you can do if you get bored. I love the Crystal Springs area, but the manatees are usually gone by summer. Shopping is better over by Orlando.

You can rent a second golf cart or a 4 seater and that's a lot of fun, too.

NASA museum on the east coast is pretty cool to visit and it's mostly indoors since it's hot in summer.

Golf cart rides is #1. Town squares to listen to music or walk around. Passes are needed to swim or golf and I think that is all. Also we use to love to go to open houses when we were visiting.

Some nice walking trails

Take a trip to Mt Dora .. whilst you are there take a boat ride through the Dora Canal - old Florida as it was 1000's of years ago Also have lunch at the Goblin Market Restaurant $$$ but fantastic. Also go to Astor Williams Landings/Blackwater inn for lunch and a boat ride on the St Johns.
If you want a blow out breakfast in a really old diner for small $$$ and masses of food try the Duck Dam diner near the Oklawaha River bridge and Lock in Moss Bluff. The triple play is a monster and their meatloaf is to die for - do good breakfast/lunch rib eyes too.
One of the other respondents said Crystal River ... if you go over there try just going down the coast a bit to the Homasasa Springs wildlife park have lunch at the Fridge.
I have been 'Rain Birding' to Florida for 6 months a year from the UK for the last 20 years and have been to loads of places but I don't have the time for it all and it would be about 20 pages long.

Where to Go
 

If you're in the mood for an all-day journey (to and from) you need to take in the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. An absolutely fabulous display of weaponry, actual combat films, replicas of businesses and homes that existed in the U.S. during WWII, and other things too numerous to mention. Here's the web link - but before you go, you might want to call first and see if there are any restrictions on touring the museum due to the current Covid crisis. www.navalaviationmuseum.org

My Dad was in the Navy during WWII, and his ship - the USS Manila Bay - was struck by a Japanese kamikaze and sustained heavy damage. I observed a model of a WWII aircraft carrier displayed on the museum wall and mentioned to the guide about my Dad's ship, also an aircraft carrier. He took me back to the archives, and they brought up a picture of the Manila Bay, as it sat in the water on fire. There it was, my dad's ship and he was somewhere in that picture. Wow!

Day trip to Mt Dora
 

It was mentioned earlier in this thread and I would second the suggestion to go to
Mt Dora and definitely do the pontoon ride through the Dora Canal.

Silver Spring State park east of Ocala is a fun short trip. They have glass bottom boat guided tours; kayaks and paddle boards to rent. It’s a beautiful place with walking paths and picnic tables. There is an entry fee but cheaper during the week.

Register your friends as guests. Check with your local rec center for info. They will get guest passes which will enable them to participate in select activities. Some activities are still restricted to residents only, but your rec center should be able to give you up to date info.

St. Augustine and Tarpon Springs are both wonderful and both can be done in a day trip! BUT, it's going to be very hot in the summer! Tarpon Springs is an interesting old Greek community. It's a little closer than St. Augustine. You can get great Gulf of Mexico seafood. Restaurant recommendation - Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill. They also have a fresh seafood stand. Take an ice chest with you and pick up some fresh fish and shrimp to bring home.

All the things listed are great trips. I just did the My Dora Canal boat ride with lunch at Goblin and really enjoyed it. Duck Dam Diner is very small with great food. Homosassa Springs Wildlife park is a nice half day. About a mile walk and a short fun boat ride. In the Villages, If history is something of interest, the Eisenhower rec center is worth seeing. Fenney has a nice board walk surrounding a small creek.

You can get as many Guest Passes as you need, although not for anyone living in Marion, Sumter or Lake Counties.

Go to Two Tails Ranch all about elephants in Williston. Look it up. Had a great time, even got to feed them.

Cedar Key is a cute town on the coast if you are in the area. A short drive from manatee state park. They are about 1-1/2 hr. drive from here.

I lived near Lake Sumter and would get my guess passes at the Lake Miona rec center. You can get them before your guests arrive. You will need their full names address, DOB. The address where they will be staying, the dates when they will arrive and the date they will be leaving. One nice day trip is to Mount Dora. Good restaurants and neat little shops. You can also set up a nice boat ride around the lake where there is a lot of wildlife to see

Things to do
 

Do not forget Kennedy Space Center. An all day trip, a little pricy, but well worth it. Check to see if AAA offers discount.

Homosassa wildlife Park a great fun, cheep day trip.

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park | Florida State Parks

Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Alfred McKethan Park on Pine Island

things to do
 

Yes you get a guest pass for both free if you are a resident.

Take them Golfing
Take them to Homosassa Wildlife Park
take them to Kayak at Silver Springs state park
take them for a walk in Leesburg to Venetian Gardens
Take them to Wild Bills for an Airboat Ride
Take them to Grand Oaks for Lunch
Take them horseback riding at Camp Geneva in Fruitland Park
Take them to Ocala to see World Class Throughbred Farms
Walk the boardwalk in Lake Sumter
Play shuffleboard at the rec center
Play Bocce Ball at the rec center
Drive to Daytona and go to the Museum and tour the track

How much time do you have?

Pensacola are you serious do you actually know how far that is?

We have a set tour we take first time guests on. We are in MAllory and take a golf cart tour to Spanish Springs, over the golf cat bridge to the historic side and back and then down to Lake SUmter Landing and the boardwalk, THen on to Miona rec center and then Sea Breeze rec center. IT gives a good overview of what The Villages is like. Now with the new bridges we will have to have a second tour to the south.

We like to take visitors on air boat rides. We like Wild Bill’s, but Tom & Jerry’s is ok too. The glass bottom boat rides at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala are pretty cool. If you’re looking for something kinda Florida kitschy, try the mermaid show at Weekee Watchy.

if you think they might like to see how the rich and famous lived back in the 1920's go tour the Howey Mansion over in Howey-In-The-Hills...Howey ran for Governor back in the day....there's a secret 'speakeasy' in the basement. just down the road on the way back you can stop at an excellent German bakery for lunch, or just pick up some fantastic sweets and bread

watch to see if the Lakeridge Winery might be having a weekend outdoor concert when they're here...always relaxing, bring your own chairs, they have multiple food vendors on site

As others have said Mt Dora is worth a trip...done the canal boat ride, would recommend that too

Keep your eye on what's coming up at The Sharon and at The Savannah...they produce excellent shows

Also, might want to give consideration to taking one of those Village Trolley rides (if they're running...a good way to get a feel for TV, even if it is a sales pitch)

If you go to the beaches...lot's of nice wave action (& sharks) on the Atlantic side

Giraffe Ranch Wildlife Park in Dade City and then Lunch on Limoges...need reservations for both. Think AAA has a tour that includes both. Then some shopping after. Nice little city.

We always enjoy Weeki Wachi State Park. Lots to see and do and enjoy the mermaid show. Great swimming hole as well but "ice cold"

Take an airboat ride.

My guests have always enjoyed taking an airboat ride to see gators. I just took friends on Swamp Fever airboat rides and they absolutely loved it especially when you get to hold a 3-ft gator at the end of the ride and have photos taken of you. It's about a 30 minute ride from The Villages and you get to ride out on a big beautiful lake then through the swamps and old banyan trees. Very picturesque and nice and cool on a hot day as the boat flies through the lake.

Stetson Mansion
 

My go-to place for guests which is inside (air-conditioned) is the Stetson Mansion in Deland. Beautiful architecture & restoration, interesting history of John Stetson, the hat maker. Lots of great places for lunch or dinner in downtown Deland. a 90 minute drive from The Villages. The Stetson Mansion - Deland, FL Even my guests that are not real interested in seeing old houses have loved the 2 hour tour. The guides bring the history to life. The couple who restored the mansion in the early 2000's live there.

If near Mt Dora, go to the Peddler’s Wagon in Eustes. It’s a gift shop. The products change with the seasons. Our go to trip place for feeling happy and visual overload of beautiful nicknacks.

Silver Springs is a great local trip and experience!

Yes

Another nice day trip would be to go to Winter Park outside of Orlando. They have a wonderful canal boat ride there’s beautiful shopping wonderful restaurants and the Morse Museum is there which is Tiffany glass. It really is a very nice place to take your guests

If you go to the beach, the Gulf beaches are so much prettier and safer to swim in than the Atlantic side. Treasure Island has several public beaches, parking fills fast so go early. The municipal public parking lot has a snack bar too (closes at 4) and you do pay to park. The beach is beautiful there. Another favorite and slightly further is Siesta Key Beach. Once again in the summer go early, parking lots are huge and free but fill fast. Mid week is best, avoid weekends at all beaches in the summer time. Treasure Island is near St. Pete, about 2 hours, Siesta Key is more like 2 hours 20 min. but a more direct shot down 75 south. Enjoy!!

A boat ride through the Dora Canal is nice. Sort of like stepping back 250,000 years in time. The Dora Canal is where portions of the movie The Creature from Black Lagoon was filmed. The underwater parts of the movie were filmed at Silver Springs, located in Ocala.. You might want to consider lunch at the Lake Side Inn on Dora lake during your boat ride.

Don’t forget to do an airboat ride and watch the gators even hold one

If they like peel and eat shrimp, take them to The Freezer in Homasassa. It's an hour's drive but well worth the trip. They only take cash but you get 1.25 lbs of hot shrimp for $10.95...can't beat those prices or the shrimp. VERY casual.

To Do around The Villages
 

My wife and I really like Bok Gardens (Lake Wales - between Tampa & Orlando - worth the drive) and the Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando (1-1/2 hours and again worth the drive). If more energetic activities wanted then we enjoy kayaking numerous places but Crystal River is favorite (temps may be cold but Florida Springs water temps are a constant 72 degrees so they feel warm in winter and cool in summer.