[DAVES]

Originally Posted by tbrock555

I do not want to start any debates here, masks or no masks, shut downs or no shut downs, distancing or no distancing, etc. I do have strong feelings in a way I am sure half would agree with me and half would not but debate is not my purpose here. I am just trying to find out how things are there now. Me and my wife are planning to visit sometime soon to see if it is a good fit for a possible permanent move. Just wondering how close to what the villages normally are would we experience. Are most things open. We are not golfers at all but will surely try it when we are there. Also what is the situation with supermarkets, restaurants, churches, working out in the gym, swimming pools, walking paths, gun ranges, billiards clubs/tournaments and all the other clubs. In north Jersey now and it is miserable here, as it is in NYC as much of my family and friends still there tell me. I want to visit the villages to see all it has to offer, just trying to find out if I come there now or very soon how much of what it has to offer will be available. Again, not looking for any debates, just trying to find out how much I would miss out on if I came down there now or are things fairly close to normal. Thanks again for all the help.

Your question seems to be should you move to the villages. "Not looking for any debates."
Truly simple reply, it is a major decision. We do not know you and yet you ask us to make a life change decision for you.

My view my life style is if you don't have the time to do something right you may need to have the time to do it again.

The villages has or used to have a plan where you could rent one of their properties at a reasonable cost. I think the limit is two weeks. We did that 3x before buying. You could for a longer stay rent someone's home in the Villages.

I'm sure you will get replies that my village is better than ..............
You need to decide what you want, what you can spend, if you need to sell an up north home, business etc before moving or not moving.

We are in full time residence. We are from where you are now. Right now, I used to hate it when people sent us e-mails hey it is 70-80 how is the snow and cold? Truth you can be happy or miserable anywhere. If, you decide to move to the villages be sure to bring some windshield ice scrapers. They are great for removing bugs from you windshield in love bug seasons. We are happy. All of us everywhere are as happy or as miserable as we choose to be.

[stebooo]

Pretty much everything is open to some extent. Weather cool, but you will enjoy knowing it only gets better, when in. Full swing

[wmailman]

I say go for it, visit the Villages, you won’t regret it. I do not live in the villages but have visited a few times. I am a very active 60 year-old, in excellent health, who loves most outdoor activities especially biking. I also work in healthcare so I understand the virus and while I respect the virus, I don’t fear it. I also realize because of my good health, even though I am 60, I am probably in a low risk category. I also happen to live in lockdown hell of Pennsylvania and completely agree with the previous poster about how our governor is trying to bankrupt small businesses. People in Florida are so lucky to have a governor who understands all the destruction and trauma being caused by complete lockdowns, to businesses as well the effects of social isolation, especially to senior citizens, like my father, who live alone. I visited Tampa for a bike trip in November and couldn’t believe how life was almost normal in Florida, with lots of outdoor activities, seeing people walking, jogging, biking, boating, outdoor dining, etc. living as safe as one could under the current circumstances, yet taking precautions with wearing masks when indoors. The great thing about Florida is if you’re into outdoor activities, there are 1 million things you can do outdoors at a time when people in the northeast are being locked down and living with crappy weather. I had an unexpected opportunity to visit Florida last month, in mid December, at the time our governor was locking us down once again and creating fear for anyone who even thought to fly by plane. I needed a break from the lock down and so I booked a one week trip to the Villages. Couldn’t pass up those $70 round-trip airfares. I didn’t regret it for a moment. Once again I was amazed how life was so different from back home, so much to do outdoors. I biked every day, took walks, played the long putt minigolf near Fenney, spent time in the hot tub every day at our rental home, dined outdoors at Edna’s on the Green under the most gorgeous oak trees with their live music but preferred not to dine in a restaurant for safety reasons.
I did several indoor exercise classes, Walk Away the Pounds, for the first time. I was very impressed with the safety measures that were taken. I also attended an indoor line dance. Everybody wore masks inside and for the exercise class, once the exercising started, people had the choice whether to keep their mask on or not. I chose to keep my mask on, as did about half the people. We were spaced out very far apart, the ceiling fans were going, I felt very safe. I loved my week there.
I loved it so much that I just re-booked another week in February. Airfare is now $90 round-trip so prices are slowly creeping up.The only thing that really concerns me about visiting the villages is the airplane. I take my precautions, I wear 2 masks and a face shield, the same protection I were at work. While I feel very safe, I realize it is not 100% guarantee of not catching the virus. Go for it, take your precautions and you won’t regret it.

[jklfairwin]

I wear a mask inside anywhere and avoid places where social distancing is not possible. Outside walking I wear a mask slung below my chin and pull it up quickly whenever I encounter the occasional inevitable group absentmindedly taking up most of the walkway and then pull it down again when clear. That seems to work well. I never comment on those not wearing masks, even in stores, but give them plenty of space.