Flocking to Florida

The quintessential American retirement plan, the last chapter of the American Dream: retiring in sunny Florida.

I vacationed in The Villages, Florida for the past few days. If you are wondering what villages I am referring to, there is a city literally named The Villages in Florida.

The warm climate combined with the convenience and plentitude of stores and restaurants make the city an ideal location for anyone really. Yet everyone who owns a home in The Villages is 55 or older, and the people seem to have the same interest: golf.

The city is composed of many golf courses, but I also noted how there were plenty of banks. Combined, these two observations about The Villages made me think the people must be pretty wealthy. The variety of banks vying for people’s money and the pristine golf courses demonstrated the overall wealth contained in the town. Golf is a fun sport to play, but it is expensive.

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The neighborhood I stayed in had houses with spectacularly trimmed yards, clean streets and driveways and a surplus of live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from each branch. The yards are outstanding, and the houses are also grand; however, many of the houses have a similar style.

Many of the houses have a specific design in mind. Most of the houses are massive, but they are not multi-story houses; rather, each house seems to have many rooms on only the ground floor. Why would these houses only have ground floors?

Stairs are a burden on older knees.

The designers of the houses knew their clientele. 

Another blemish of The Villages is the general structure of the recreational buildings in the downtown plaza and other locations in the area. Most of the structures seem too artificial.

Many of the structures and buildings looked like they were created and erected hours before our arrival. I felt like I was in an amusement park, but instead of little kids running around, older people strolled around in their golf carts which replicated old-fashioned automobiles. 

Another awesome golf cart in #thevillages. #minicadillac pic.twitter.com/JwKoI8q1xB
— Aaron Cranford (@akcranford) March 12, 2014

Plaques positioned on certain buildings downtown claimed establishment in the early 1900s, but The Villages was officially founded in 1992. 

The city could easily develop its own identity, its own culture. It essentially has a specific lifestyle ready, but the artificial look of the buildings makes the town seem a little less authentic itself.

The artificial appearance does not work well, and while many people will flock to Florida to retire in the region, I do not presume they will move there to enjoy the unrealistic structures. The beautifully trimmed communities, textbook golf courses, and sunny, warm weather allow The Villages to be an ideal place to retire. 

Will the artificial appearance make you want to consider a different location to potentially retire?