[mark47]

Coming from Sarasota to Savanna Ga with a two day stop in The Villages. This is so little time that I want to make the best of. Are there any areas or things that I should focus on for those two days? I know I have to come back and spend more time in The Villages later on.

[2BNTV]

Take the trolley tour. Visit all three squares and the Eisenhower rec center. After that, it will be time for you to leave. Most of all, enjoy yourself. You will never be able to see everything in TV in two days so don't get crazed.

BTW - Talk to anyone and everyone about TV. People are friendly and always want to talk about their experiences in TV.

[Villager Joyce]

Rent a golf cart if possible. Only way to travel.

[John_W]

Stay at the Waterfront Hotel at Lake Sumter Landing. Nice place and good central location. You can walk to restaurants and the square. You're near Buena Vista, which should be your main north/south road, go south to see Brownwood, go north to see shopping on 466. You can also go a mile east to Morse and go north over the bridge and you can see the older sections or go south on Morse and see some of the most popular areas. Go to Google and search The Villages and click on the map, look for Lake Sumter Landing and then print out that immediate area. As long as you don't stray far from Buena Vista or Morse you shouldn't get lost.

[Fredman]

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

Take the trolley tour. Visit all three squares and the Eisenhower rec center. After that, it will be time for you to leave. Most of all, enjoy yourself. You will never be able to see everything in TV in two days so don't get crazed.

BTW - Talk to anyone and everyone about TV. People are friendly and always want to talk about their experiences in TV.

Good advice"....don't rent a cart

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I'd say invest in a $5.00 map. Have fun and bring the checkbook

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by LI SNOWBIRD

I'd say invest in a $5.00 map. Have fun and bring the checkbook

I'll say. We have never bought a time share, never had gone to a free blurb to get anything, I never ever thought seriously of Florida to retire, (he did) disliked the really nice, well kept homes next to one that had a car up on blocks, liked to vacation in Florida, but living here was out of the question, especially marsh land in the middle of the State.

Oh boy!

Nothing like an excellent capitalist family to create Utopia. We got suckered in....but no one tried to sucker us, no one.They don't have any kind of "thing" to talk you into anything here. If you want to see new property, it is up to you.




Mark. Be prepared to be amazed and then incredulous, followed by suspicious. But....

I say it's all good. Welcome home Mark.

I don't work for the developer, most of us feel the same way. We are livin' the dream.

[mark47]

Thanks for all the good advise. I have purchased the villages GPS app so I won't get to lost. Been trying to get my wife to the villages for over a year. Finally convinced her that we should stop over on our way to Ga. Been in Sarasota for about 22 years so we know Florida. I'm about a year away from retirement and I want to retire in a place like the villages. Just need to slowly convince the wife.

[pooh]

SOunds like what my husband dealt with....he kept asking if I wanted to see The Villages. NO was my answer all the time....I didn't want to be around a bunch of old f**ts.....LOLOLOL. Well, we came to Florida to visit my son and his family and finally I relented,,,a trip up to see what this place was all about was on the agenda. We've lived here for 10 years now.... (I was the one who told the Salesperson to find us a house with specific requirements, we weren't in a rush....the house was found, we retired and moved from CA without batting an eye.

Enjoy your visit...and it won't hurt to bring a checkbook ....

[Duppa]

Two days? Coming from Sarasota? Well, you don't need to be "sold" on the Florida sun (like a Northerner)... So, I'd say, base yourself at Lake Sumter Landing (stay at Waterfront Inn)... walk to everything close... Take two drives: (1) Brownwood, via Buena Vista; and (2) Spanish Springs, Morse Boulevard... I DO NOT ADVISE NEWBIES to STRAY TOO FAR OFF THESE MAIN ROADS. On your pleasant drive up and down Buena Vista and Morse (both sort of north-south roads), you'll see all the beautiful homes you need to see (and imagine the rest are just as beautiful, and they are!)... You'll get a sense of the pools, the many recreation centers, golf courses, the green grass, the neat yards, the gorgeous plantings everywhere... Be assured, whatever else is beyond these these two main roads, TV is just as amazing north to south, east to west! I'd say stop and walk thru at least two Regional Recreation Centers (Rohan, on Morse and Eisenhower, on Buena Vista).... Stop at one Neighborhood Recreation Center, try McLin Rec Center, off Morse, very close to Rohan. On these recreation centers, suffice to say, there are three sizes (Really Big, Big, and Just Right... do your research and next time, explore the difference) FOOD: Two Days is enough time to squeeze in at least four-five meals. For the "flavor of things"... try these MUST standard eats: Lighthouse (LSL), Gators (LSL), Ay! Jalisco (Spanish Springs), and Ricciardi's Italian Table (Brownwood)... I also HIGHLY recommend eating at LEAST one breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Evans Prairie Country Club (just off Buena Vista) OR Belle Glade for lunch or dinner, just off Morse. SHOPPING: There is a ton of shopping in every direction, especially NORTH, so don't waste time looking (for and at that)...rest assure, TV has shopping covered. GOLF (and sports): look and salivate, but no-time for that pleasure of life (dream it for next visit)... MOVIES: If you can stand the wonder after wonder glaze that will appear in your eyes, see a movie at Barnstormers Theatre (Brownwood) or walk over to the Playhouse (Lake Sumter Landing)... TV offers the BEST movie experience, period! FINAL WORD (and I hesitate to say "final" because this "two-day quickie" is anything but final!), if anything, buy a $5 TV map for the ride home (don't mess with it while here, you'll only become brain mushed), look briefly at it, just to get a sense of the SIZE of TV...(it's bigger than Manhattan, if that makes any sense to you)... 110,000 (and growing population) of like-minded seniors who love life and living... who drive (YIKES) some 60,000 golf carts!
[NOTE: To my TV friends and neighbors, I apologize in advance if you think I've slighted anyone and their "favs" of TV... But 2 days is a tall order for a quick look-see...Just think, 'it's all good, right?"]

[Ken24]

Rent a cart and check out all three town centers if you get lost someone will come along and point you in the right direction. Getting lost is half the fun enjoy.

[landscapelady]

Where in California??? We are thinking of moving to tv, but our fellow Californian's think we are crazy.

[Fraugoofy]

Originally Posted by mark47

Thanks for all the good advise. I have purchased the villages GPS app so I won't get to lost. Been trying to get my wife to the villages for over a year. Finally convinced her that we should stop over on our way to Ga. Been in Sarasota for about 22 years so we know Florida. I'm about a year away from retirement and I want to retire in a place like the villages. Just need to slowly convince the wife.

Buy a $5 map. The Villages GPS is spotty and depending on your cell service you may end up in several dead zones...

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

[Golfer92]

Make sure you visit Spanish Springs. There are a lot of places to eat, movie theater, live music. This is my favorite place to visit.

[Chatbrat]

After spending some time in Sarasota, I know what great restaurants you have there, try the following Hemingways for seafood, Arnold Palmer or Nancy Lopez for steaks

The Italian restaurants in the Villages are way below the quality that you have in Sarasota, so is the chinese food. The diversity and things to do in the Villages is the main factor why we came here, also the quality of professional management. The Villages is not run by a HOA or a POA.