first time renters???
 

Hi we will be renting in T/V Dec and Jan....and very much looking forward to it!
where do we start?....trolley ride / golf cart ride?........we will be near spanish springs....any ideas or help would be appreciated.........we are not golfers but love the idea......there seems like there is so much to do its mind bogeling
thanks

Where to start....well if you have never been here you need to remind yourself to pinch yourself occasionally, because this is NOT your mama's retirement facility.

You are gonna love it. Drive around and get goose bumps. Stop by our house, we love hearing the reactions of newbies and we dispense cold drinks.

Welcome and good luck. You won't want to leave.

Where to start would be with a BIG calendar to plan out your activities. Stop by one of the country club pro shops and get the $5.00 map. Stop by the sales office and pick up at least two copies on the golf cart trail map. Keep one in the golf cart and the other as a backup in case the first one gets wet. Go online and download a copy of the Recreation activity schedule to see what clubs you may be interested in and when they meet. You will have to do this for a few weeks to cover everything. Also look at the local pools and rec centers to see what activities are taking place and at what times.

Explore and of course have fun. And don't worry about getting lost one the golf cart as it is all part of the game plan. Pull out a map and most likely the next cart by will set you one your way.

VG

first take a few days of relaxing on the lanai...get your groceries and find out whats in the home...then meet some people in the neighborhood..and the squares...then stop at a couple open houses...and then smile cause you get to do this for 60 days

Great advice on the maps,, a must do, imo. Just drive around S.S. in ever widing circles untill you get a feel for where you are,, if you get lost, the map does double duty,, just pull it out and look puzzled and before you know it a dozen friendly faces appear to guide you. Enjoy.

Agree with the previous posters...I have rented near Spanish Springs twice in the past two years, and I love that area. But then again I have enjoyed all of the neighborhoods in The Villages that I have rented in. If you do get lost in the golf cart (and you probably will, so don't stress about it), just pull your cart over to the side of the golf cart trail, take out the map, and a knowledgeable TV resident will probably shortly pull over to help you. Lucky you to be renting for 2 months! Enjoy your time in TV! :wave:

Here is the site for a pdf of the Rec News http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/a...es/recnews.pdf

Here is the site for the monthly calendar of events http://www.districtgov.org/images/RecCalendar.pdf

And here is the site of the recreation map, although it's loading verrrrrrry slowly right now http://www.districtgov.org/departmen...ges/RecMap.pdf

You can use these sites to inform yourself in advance, or just to get yourself all worked up about what you're looking forward to.

Everybody's ideas so far are great. I'll take you to Gracie's, 'cause she has good food too! (not to mention Coolaroos.)

thanks to all posters
 

wow...i posted a question as to where to start as a first time renter.....and all replies were great.......guess i need more time on the site i could not find my original post ... but stumbled on it and was very surprised......and thankful!!
......wife has major concern about the heat....any tips on easing her fears??

I cant wait!!

thanks again

I don't know where you're from, bfd. It is hot down here in the summer, but the opportunities to stay out of the heat are great. Air conditioning abounds. I would much rather put up with three months of heat down here than the 6 months (even more this year--I track it every day!) of cold up in MI. If your wife is a cold-weather fan, she might feel differently.

There's different kind of grass down here; there's different kinds of landscaping; the temperature swings are different. It will definitely not be what you are used to if you live up north somewhere.

One July we came down to visit for a couple of weeks specifically to decide if we could stand the summer heat or not. Maybe you should try renting for a while in the summer to get an idea.

Good luck to you and your wife! I hope you decide you like it.

Average high temperature for December/January is in the mid 70's.

Low's in the mid 40's.

CFrance is spot on about renting for a couple of weeks (or longer if you can do so) in the summer to see how you and your wife do in the central Florida summer weather. I have rented a few times in TV in the summer just for that reason, and I did just fine. I would rather have Florida's heat and humidity and AC in the summer than have to drive through snow and ice from December through March. Just this wannabee's two cents.

60 days just to enjoy...we have always been on the go somewhere

thanks again for tips for ist time renters
 

I realize this may be a bit premature but....we are really looking forward to our trip and have been inviting friends and family to come visit......
when friends come to visit do they need a guest pass to enjoy some of the ameneties that are available......the owner we are renting from set us up with a pass but what about our guests?...........thanks for any help
i really would like them to see katie bells!

I am just a wannabee, but I think everyone who wants to get into Katie Belles needs either a Villages resident ID or a Villages guest pass. Every time I have been to Katie Belles I have been asked for my guest pass. I would call Katie Belles and ask. Maybe the owner you are renting from would be willing to give your guests some guest passes? Hope you have a great time during your visit. :wave:

When you rent, you receive a temporary resident pass that gives you all the same rights and amenities as a resident. That includes getting your guests their passes. When you check in, at Lake Sumter Sales Office, someone will explain things to you. They will give you the latest Recreation News and some free maps. You can also buy the $5 map (best investment ever) at the same time. Have fun.

are you counting down the days

Definitely buy the $5 map of The Villages. I bought the map from Banner Merchantile. Their stores at located at Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood.

Great info! Thanks

The Trolley is worth the ride (free) and you will pickup some good information and begin to get a feel for TV. The weather should be great---dry and not hot. As a matter of fact, bring a jacket. Talk with people---you will find out "more than you want to know"----well, you get the picture. All you have to say, "we just got here and can you tell me........". The map is a must----lay it out on the kitchen table and look at it often and within a week or two you will have a good idea of the main routes to take as you travel about TV. Drive down to the south end of TV (south of 466A) and look at all the construction going on---you will be amazed. Mostly, just relax and enjoy.

Guest passes: Once you have your ID, you can get them for your friends at the larger rec centers -- just fill out the form and they'll print them right up for you. Being high season, be prepared to wait in line to get them.

Ask your sales rep (assigned to you when you get your ID) for the $5.00 map -- sometimes they'll get it for you for free.

Do get lost -- it's half the fun of the golf cart both for those who are lost and those who stop to help. Great way to meet new folks and chat a bit about TV.

Remember to take time to just relax. It is easy to get so busy that you forget you need to rest, too.

oh yes counting the days.....all ready spent hours this forum and others....crisis now though.....great grandma fell and broke her hip the other day.....hope this does not destroy our plans....time will tell

I know it sounds crazy...But i cant wait to get lost!.....many posts say that the busiest time in the villages is jan-march....and getting lost will give us the chance to see if there are some villages that are a little quieter.....we were raised in chicagoland and retired to rural michigan on a lake and crowds are a definite deal breaker..............
we plan on visiting open houses in different neighborhoods to get ideas for the future
curious about other rentals ..... we used Vacation home rental to find this years home but wondered if there were better methods.......thanks for any help

Liked
 

I just liked you on Facebook for future reference, thanks for the post

What part of rural Michigan? What lake? You may well find this area to be a deal breaker in the winter if you are used to, say, somewhere in the UP--the Snows, for instance, or even some of the Bear Lakes (there are many) over toward the east. Their summer population doesn't rival TV's winter population. Rural MI and TV... two entirely different kettle of fish.

But we did it--Michigan lakes to here--and love it. So I hope you find it to your liking.

we are from sturgis mi. area on lake templene.......i have read many posts on totv and they say the busy time is jan-march as i expected.....but wondered of the are some of villages are more quiet than others.....or is it just the cart paths and roads and town centers that are more crowded?.......we are early risers and golf cart rides without crowds is my dream.......is this possible jan-mar???.........cant wait to get there.....you full timers sound like the lucky ones!!

we have found dec and jan to be not so bad for the winter months...of course we eat late so resturants are not as crowded and play golf early..remember it can be a warm perfect day or cold so bring warm clothes also

That sounds like us back nearly seven years ago. We had previously rented in Bonnybrook, Amelia and Palo Alto. First, go to Banner Mercantile Store in Spanish Springs and get a map. Take the trolley ride as you'll find it well worth it. The Villages is huge and don't be afraid to ask directions. You'll find lots of people to help. We were fortunate as when we first got off the trolley, a new resident had approached my wife and said 'I know you." This couple was most gracious in showing us around and by the second year, we were pros on getting around ha,ha,ha. We're still learning short cuts but half the fun is getting there. Enjoy your December and January stay. There really isn't another place like TV.

thanks for all the feedback....do we need to go for line dance lessons before we get to the villages?.................

I sent you a personal message.

No,you can go with my neighbor and me when you get here! Thursday morning, I believe. I promised her I would try it with her. We need more newbies so our klutziness might be better hidden!