[gemorc]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I love having lunch at the Lighthouse restaurant at LSL on a fair day and sitting outside wondering if the "don't feed the alligator" signs are real or a spoof.

I like LSL best because it is closer and SS is WAY up north.

There you go again, girl. Come on up, we will be glad to have ya.

[musicman]

I prefer SS. It seems to be a more relaxed atmosphere, people are more friendly and more observant of traffic and parking rules both pedestrians and drivers).

My last 3 visits to LSL have made me think of the old "wild west" movies, where the bad guys ride in to town and kill the sheriiff and turn the place upside down. On one visit I was nearly run down by a guy driving his golf cart on the sidewalk. On another, I turned the corner at Old Mill and Canal and encountered at least a dozen people walking (staggering) down the middle of the road all of whom looked at me as if I were insane to think I could drive on the road. At my last visit, I observed at least 6 golf carts parked in the traffic lanes on Old Mill and Canal streets, full of people drinking beverages from the huts. I had to manuever down the middle of the two lanes to get by. It is shocking how unfriendly people are. I routinely step aside to let others pass and hold doors for folks to enter or exit but rarely get even an acknowledgement that I exist, let alone a simple "Thank You". I know that there are many friendly folks around, but the grumps seem to be taking over.

Are the streets town squares considered private property therefore exempt from any requirement to observe traffic laws? I believe they are public streets and parking in traffic lanes and walking down the middle of the road is dangerous and illegal. If the streets around the square are NOT public roads, then why not block all vehicular traffic and make them pedestrian areas? Odd that I rarely see any police presence. It's too bad. I have begun to avoid going to LSL even though I love to visit Barnes and Noble, Thai Ruby and Up The Creek. I just don't feel welcome and I don't feel like risking an encounter with a pedestrian or improperly parked vehicle. My wife used to love to visit the Tuscany Spa and GarVinos but now she won't go there at all. If the movie we want to see is at Old Mill, we skip it.

[The Great Fumar]

MUSICMAN
That may have been the ART SHOW you were at and the streets were closed to through traffic........Your lucky you got out alive !!!!!

My favorite town square is BROWN WOOD .....But then I like picnics and practicing my sand shots.....

fumar of the future and beyonnnnnddd ..

[musicman]

No art show, no closed streets. Just a "normal" day in LSL.

I don't feel lucky that I got out alive. I feel lucky that I saw the staggering pedestrians in the road and THEY got out alive.

[The Great Fumar]

Both " DOWNTOWNS' are great and I enjoy both of them . If there is any difference its that LSL is more modern and up to date while SS is more rustic and give you a feeling of the TRUMAN SHOW.
This is not a negative , I personally liked the Truman Show ....If we added a couple of rides it would take on the feeling of " ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL".........
( oh great, now I'm going to hum THAT for two or three days)

What a Country .. fumar .

[sschuler1]

My husband and I were heading north on 27 when we happened upon The Villages for the first time. We turned into Spanish Springs and we were both enthralled with the "Disneyesque" feel to the town square. We found a parking spot and wandered toward the sales center. We ended up taking the tour before we got back on 27 to continue our journey north toward home. We talked about The Villages the entire ride home, and haven't stopped talking about it since. We would have never seen LSL just passing by, so they are right when they say that more outsiders probably stop at SS.

[hernando]

Lighthouse Restaurant does have alligators in the lake. I have seen them many times. It's a great place to eat with a great staff!!

[Barefoot]

We love both Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs. They are both great fun. However we generally prefer LSL as we enjoy the boardwalk and having dinner overlooking the water.

[l2ridehd]

Seems musicman and I have had opposite experience. I have found the people at LSL more friendly and the grumps at SS. Perhaps we just visit on the wrong days. Both have their pro's and con's, but for us LSL seems to meet our needs better. Garvino's is great now that they have the bar in the back with music several nights, Thai Ruby is one of our favorite place to eat, and Barnes and Noble, and many other places just seem to be where we go more so than Bourbon Street or Katie Bells. Go to them when we go to SS for something else, but would not go there just for them. Also like the Key West style and feel of LSL a little better. So each to their own and I guess that is why they made them different.

[73Goat]

Originally Posted by 784caroline

I always wondered why the difference in "Happy Hour Times"...5-6 at LSL and 5-7 at SS.

LOL, so people can hit both the same day?

[chuckinca]

15 minutes golf cart ride