The Villages® · Florida

108 neighborhoods. One hometown. Here's how to choose yours.

The Villages is the world's largest 55+ community — more than 108 named villages spread across Sumter, Lake and Marion counties, organized around five entertainment hubs. Where you buy decides your town square, your golf, your price range and your daily rhythm. This guide breaks down each area honestly: the calendar, the dining, the theaters and clubs — and what residents love, and don't love, about living there.

Explore the Areas Talk It Through With Jennifer

Start Here

The four areas, north to south

Villagers navigate by town square and by road — north of CR 466, between 466 and 44, and south of 44. Start with the area that fits your life, then narrow to individual villages inside it.

Spanish Springs Area

North of CR 466 · 27 villages · The original Villages

Where it all began in 1994. Mature oak-shaded streets, the lowest entry prices in the community, and the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. Villages include Silver Lake, Orange Blossom Gardens, Country Club Hills, Tierra Del Sol, Hacienda and Santo Domingo.

Explore Spanish Springs →

Lake Sumter Landing Area

CR 466 to SR 44 · 31 villages · The center of it all

The geographic heart of The Villages, built around a waterfront boardwalk square. Central to everything, with the community's strongest dining cluster. Villages include Bridgeport at Lake Sumter, Bonnybrook, Amelia, Lynnhaven, Hemingway, Mallory Square and Tamarind Grove.

Explore Lake Sumter → · Spotlight: Bridgeport

Brownwood Area

South of CR 466A · 15 villages · Old Florida cattle-town square

2010s construction, modern floor plans and the liveliest evening square — the Log Cabin Stage, stadium seating and festival weekends. Villages include Collier, Fernandina, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Gilchrist, Sanibel and Osceola Hills.

Explore Brownwood → · Spotlight: Collier

The South — Fenney, Sawgrass & Eastport

South of SR 44 · 30+ villages and growing · The newest frontier

The newest homes in the community, nature trails and preserves, Sawgrass Grove's market-hall dining, and the brand-new Eastport town center. Villages include Fenney, DeSoto, Marsh Bend, Monarch Grove, Chitty Chatty, McClure, Richmond and St. Catherine.

Explore the South → · Spotlight: Fenney

Community Calendar

A year in The Villages — the rhythm every area shares

Dates shift a little each year; always confirm the current schedule on the official calendar at thevillages.com/entertainment. But the rhythm never changes:

Every single week

Nightly, 365 days a year: free live music and dancing on every town square, roughly 5–9 pm (later on weekend nights in season)
Saturdays: Hometown Market at Brownwood Paddock Square
Market nights & growers' markets rotate through the squares during the week
Monthly: classic-car Cruise-In at Spanish Springs; art & craft shows on the squares
Daily: 3,000+ club meetings, sports leagues, classes and recreation-center programming from dawn to dark

The year's big anchors

Winter season (Jan–Apr): peak entertainment season at The Sharon and the Savannah Center; Strawberry Festival at Brownwood; St. Patrick's Day Parade
Spring: Blueberry Festival at Brownwood; outdoor concert season in full swing
Summer: July 4th celebrations on the squares; The Villages Balloon Festival at the Polo Fields (fall)
Fall: Italianfest, Oktoberfest at Brownwood, Heritage Festival; holiday craft shows
December: the Christmas Parade, tree lightings on every square, holiday concerts

The Honest Version

What residents love — and what they warn newcomers about

❤ Loved, community-wide

The golf cart life. 100+ miles of dedicated cart paths — groceries, the doctor, dinner and the square, all by cart. Many households drop to one car.
Free executive golf on 40+ courses, plus championship golf at resident rates — 700+ holes in total.
A social life on rails. 3,000+ clubs and 100+ recreation centers; new residents consistently say they make friends faster here than anywhere they've lived.
Music every night. A different square, a live band, and dancing under the lights — free, 365 nights a year.
Everything is kept up. Landscaping, pools, trails and squares are maintained to a standard most communities can't match.

⚠ The tradeoffs, community-wide

The amenity fee is mandatory — about $204/month per household (2026), whether you use the facilities or not.
CDD bonds. Most homes carry a Community Development District bond; newer southern homes can owe $20,000–$35,000+, paid in annual installments on the tax bill. Always ask for the remaining balance.
Growth and season traffic. One of America's fastest-growing areas — roads and restaurants get busy November through April, and construction continues in the south.
Florida summers. Highs in the mid-90s with daily afternoon storms, June through September.
Rules are real. Deed restrictions govern everything from paint colors to parking — great for curb appeal, not for everyone.
You'll still need a car for trips beyond the bubble: airports, big-box runs and some medical care.

Resident-sentiment summaries reflect themes reported across resident forums, buyer guides and local coverage as of November 2026 — experiences vary by village and by person. Amenity fee figure per Villages Community Development Districts reporting for 2026; verify the current fee and any home's bond balance before purchase.