[Michael 61]

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

You are a great ambassador for our community.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

I am not there but I can feel the vibe as you describe it. When I was in college I attended two very large state universities (U of Cincinnati and Ohio State), and I lived slightly off campus and attended summer classes. It was great. Facilities built to handle 40 or 50 thousand students, with only 5 or 10 thousand on site. Small classes, nobody at the athletic facilities, or student union, and plenty of parking. At OSU, in particular, I still remember looking out my window on the Sunday night before Fall Semester would start, and my quiet, peaceful street would be bumper to bumper with parked cars. And I could feel my heart sink.
I'm sure it's a more gradual transition as we 'birds return a few at a time.

Enjoy the summer! I may be a full timer someday, but family and friends who I miss the 7 months I spend in TV, give me great motivation to return north for summers.

[MrFlorida]

You are correct, the summers here are my favorite for all the reasons that you mentioned.

[Carla B]

And, there's plenty of green, now that the rains have started!

[pauld315]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

I agree. I really love summers here but ususally take some vacations in the winter to get out of the madness at that time of year. Funny, you buy a house in Florida to get away from winter but travel during the winter to get awayh from The Villages Vacation Club

[mikeycereal]

While these places are not in the villages, had a great time at the Butterfly museum in Gainesville a couple weeks ago. Not crowded was just right. Their little food restaurant was awesome.

Speaking of food a month ago after flower shopping we went to a restaurant for brunch called Cali, located in Tampa Palms, and the food there was heavenly.

Will be going back again to both places. Summer fun for sure!

[Rwirish]

Summer is the absolutely the best time of the year in TV for all the points made.

[villager7591]

Agree. LOVE the summers, especially the lack of crowds.

[NoMo50]

Agree. Summer is great for a lot of reasons, and especially the ease of getting tee times, and being able to play golf later. But, it's still June, with the hottest months yet to come. The summer heat arrived early this year, and the rains arrived late. However, both did arrive and it's all good. Green everywhere, ponds full, crowds gone...what's not to like?

[asianthree]

Our first start in TV was in 2007, once one retired have always went north starting in May, and didn’t return until October or November.

So is our first summer in TV. During high season, we find traffic much less than where we lived up north, that we chuckle at those who complain.

Summer traffic is less, but lawn companies make up the difference. We eat late, so seating isn’t a problem. Shopping never at brick and mortar, so that not any different in summer. The lighting is a nice backdrop

Heat is a serious problem for me, always has been. So having a hard time being outside, once the heat takes over I am basically useless. My spouse loves the heat, me never. So next year may return to heading north for spring, summer and watch the leaves start to turn.

[G.R.I.T.S.]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

This is my first full-time summer here in The Villages (I visited several times last summer before buying this past December.). As a full-time resident, summer is very different than the winter here (and I'm not referring to the obvious weather and temperature difference). Though I love the temperate winter climate here, I'm also enjoying the summer "vibe" right now. My villa neighborhood is well over half empty (between snowbirds who have left and the many short-term rentals that aren't being occupied right now.) The restaurants are a breeze to get into with no wait. Seating is plentiful at the squares. Traffic is lighter. Parking at the shopping centers is easy. The congestion on the turnpike and I-75 is less. Hotel prices are slashed for short over-nights to beach communities.

And speaking of weather, it has not been a big issue at all (I was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle summers here). The AC makes indoors very comfortable. I am still spending time out on my screened birdcage (morning coffee and again at dusk). And summer has not curtailed my outdoor activities in the morning (pickle ball, golf, shuffleboard) and water volleyball in afternoons.

This truly is a great community in all seasons.

Darn! The secret is out! 😊

[sallyg]

Shhhh....it's a well-kept secret.

[Rick13994]

Completely agree. We generally go outside TV in the winter and do the activities and squares in the summer when it is less crowded.

[Flyers999]

I have to respectively disagree with the OP. For five months of the year, this place is unlivable. Yes, I've adjusted over the years, but I don't call "not going outside after 12 noon" adjusting. More like surviving. it's pure hell, the torture rack, Sodom and Gomorrah, the plague,... you get the picture.

The only thing I like about it is the fact that the crape myrtles are in bloom — giving us the sign that summer is here as the trees burst into bloom with huge, colorful flowers. That's some consolation, I guess. I snapped this picture of one the other day in Chathan (see below).

Anybody else have a picture of a crape myrtle in their village? I would love to see it.