The Orlando area's famous for its theme parks, but it often seems like most of the excitement is geared toward the little ones. That became even more true when Disney closed down the adults-oriented Pleasure Island section of Downtown Disney (as it was known then—it has since been rebranded as Disney Springs). But Universal Orlando Resort's CityWalk offers tons of fun for us active adults, with cool dining, drinking, entertainment, and shopping options, all without the cost of park admission. 

About CityWalk Orlando 

This section of the Universal Orlando Resort property opened in 1999 as part of a major expansion. It serves as the entrance to the two adjoining theme parks, Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure, as all visitors pass through CityWalk to reach the ticket booths and admission gates for either park. But it's also a self-contained destination in its own right, especially for adults (though there's certainly enough to amuse the grandkids, too). 

There's no charge to enter CityWalk, but you're still on the hook for the $20 parking fee. Unless you go after 6:00 pm; then, parking is free for Florida residents (with a valid State ID) and only $5 for everyone else. Or, if you're a real night owl, parking is usually free for everyone after 10:00 pm. These reduced and free rates just don't apply during bigger special events, like Halloween Horror Nights and New Year's Eve. Also, if you have a preferred or premier level annual pass to the Universal parks, free parking is one of the perks. 

Between the food and drinks, the entertainment, and the retail stores, there's plenty for grownups to do at CityWalk to pass the entire day and evening. Here's a quick look at what you'll find there: 

Entertainment at CityWalk Orlando 

• The amazing Blue Man Group performs one or two shows almost every day of the year
• Catch just about any flick you've been wanting to see at the state-of-the-art, 20-screen AMC movie theater (complete with a full beer, wine, and liquor bar)
• Take a break from the pro courses and putt on two 18-hole mini golf courses with the amusing theme of 1950s sci-fi and horror movies
• Sing karaoke backed by a real, live band and real, live professional backup singers at CityWalk's Rising Star—and of course laugh and dance and sing along with all the other performances of wildly varying quality
• Bounce to some live reggae, check out exhibits about Bob Marley's life and career, and enjoy Caribbean cuisines at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
• If you're feeling just a little rowdier, see a rock show at Hard Rock Live, the live performance space attached to the world's largest Hard Rock Cafe
• We'll go out on a limb here and guess you're probably not too thrilled by the prospect of hitting up a nightclub filled with 20-somethings shaking their tail feathers, but just in case, there's also The Groove 

Dining at CityWalk Orlando 

• As mentioned, there's a very big Hard Rock Cafe at CityWalk, serving classic American cuisine and famously displaying all sorts of oldies and classic rock memorabilia
• And, in case you skimmed past the last section, Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom serves up excellent Caribbean food
• Partake of Louisiana-inspired meals using locally sourced ingredients at celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse's restaurant, Emeril's Orlando (FYI: his delicious, stunningly decorated Pacific-themed restaurant Tchoup Chop is right down the street from CityWalk at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando)
• What's more Florida than Jimmy Buffet? Enjoy some laid back tunes (including live guitar music on the “Porch of Indecision”) and atmosphere while partaking of Key West and Caribbean-inspired food, and of course a margarita or three at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Antojitos offers fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine inspired by the country's street food and cantinas
• If shrimp and seafood are on your wish list, hit up Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and be prepared to answer some trivia about Forrest Gump for your server
• Go for the unlikely but successfully executed combination of burgers and sushi at Cowfish
• There's quality sports bar atmosphere and food, along with an astounding selection of craft beers, at NBC Sports Grill & Brew
• Vivo Italian Kitchen puts a contemporary spin on classic Italian food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients
• Eat at Red Oven Pizza Bakery for some fantastically fresh, surprisingly elegant pies
• Classic Louisiana cuisine, dueling pianos, and Mardis Gras all year long await at Universal CityWalk's recreation of Pat O'Brien's, the legendary bar in The Big Easy
• At the CityWalk Hot Dog Hall of Fame, you can order famous dog preparations from famous ballparks around the country 

More at CityWalk Orlando 

These are just some highlights of what's available at CityWalk. There are also a number of less unique places like Starbucks, Burger King, Panda Express, Moe's Southwest Grill, Menchie's, and Cold Stone Creamery, just to name some, if you're looking for something a little faster, cheaper, or snackier. Some of the stores include Tommy Bahama, Fossil Inc., Fresh Produce, and the Universal Studios Store. There are also several open-air bars you can stroll up to and stop for a drink.  

As you can see, there's a lot of fun to be had at Universal's Citywalk Orlando, even for us active adults. Have a great time!

Feature Image Credits - Kamira / Shutterstock.com

As the Baby Boomers have been retiring en masse in recent years—and as they will continue to do by the millions over the next several years—demand for homes in an active-adult community has gone through the roof. No pun intended. It's true in popular retirement destinations like Florida, but also around much of the rest of the country. Developers have kicked things into high gear to try keeping up with demand, and existing 55+ communities have expanded while new ones pop up all over the place.

With so many options across in-demand locations like Central Florida, the prospect of picking an age-restricted community can seem completely overwhelming. But don't be deterred. The many amazing benefits you'll enjoy once you settle on just the right place make it more than worthwhile.

Here are 10 tips for making sure you identify that perfect active-adult community:

1. Meet the people. They're your prospective neighbors, friends, teammates, dinner companions, dates, and exercise buddies. Walk among them, talk to some of them, and ask about life in the community.

2. Tour the amenities. Resort-style 55+ communities offer so many facilities and amenities these days, but don't just read the brochure. See what they're really like, whether they're well maintained, and if they're in use.

3. Review the social program calendar. You're moving into an active-adult community because you want to be an active adult. See what sort of social and physical activities, classes, organized events and outings, and other offerings are available, and how regularly. When you talk to people, inquire about how popular these things are.

4. Check out the medical care situation. You're going to need primary and/or specialist healthcare sooner or later. If the community has on-site facilities, ask residents about their quality. Otherwise, look into how convenient and well-rated surrounding options are.

5. Learn about transportation options. If you need a ride to off-site medical services, shopping, entertainment, or other destinations, does the community have shuttles? Does a bus into town pass by the neighborhood? Do residents like to carpool?

6. Determine what maintenance and other care you get. Basic yard care is usually included with your annual fees, but you'll want to confirm. What sort of home maintenance and upkeep is available, either for free or for a fee? Is there support and security if you go away?

7. Research the community finances. Review the HOA's financial records and take a closer look at the community's developer. If you're considering a Florida community, also look into public records of the Community Development District (CDD) if there is one. Check county public records for liens and foreclosures and request minutes from the HOA or board meetings to see what's been discussed.

8. Ask about the approval process. Some age-restricted communities have pretty rigorous approval processes for new residents. Your potential new friends and neighbors may peruse your financial information, insist on speaking to references, and more. Talk to someone involved in the process so you know exactly what you're getting into.

9. Find out about all the fees. Buying into an active-adult community typically comes with a few yearly fees, dues, surcharges, etc. These benefit the entire community and make possible all the amenities and services, but they can add up. Don't get caught off guard by the annual payments you'll be expected to make. Similarly, make sure you're informed about the local tax situation.

10. Know your restrictions. Under HOAs or other governing bodies, residents invariably have rules, regulations, and restrictions they must follow. They can affect your ability to rent or sell your property, have a pet, park in your driveway, decorate your yard or home, place security signs on your property, grill or smoke outside, and more. The wrong rule for the wrong person can seriously detract from the experience of living in a 55+ community.

And for an eleventh bonus tip, it's important to work with an experienced area real estate agent when shopping around for a new community. They help with all of the above, and they listen to what you're looking for and point you in the right direction.

The city of Tavares, FL is the county seat of Lake County. It's one of the most charming cities in the area, and it's an incredibly convenient location for anyone wanting easy access to all the diverse offerings of Central Florida. Orlando, the theme parks and resorts, and the Tampa Bay area are close at hand, as are quaint towns, numerous state parks and nature reserves, so many lakes and springs, campgrounds, beautiful beaches, and just about anything else an active adult could want.

If you're looking for the ideal spot to call home or purchase a vacation home in an amenities-rich 55+ community in sunny Central Florida, Tavares has some excellent homebuying opportunities and is well worth a close look. Here are some fast facts and lifestyle information about the city to help you get a better idea of what it's like:

• Tavares is relatively centrally located in Florida, with a few major thoroughfares running through for easy road trips anywhere you want to go
• The city is 7.5 square miles with close to 15,000 residents and about 5,000 households
• Over half the population is 45 and older
• As of early 2016, the average household income is $40,000 and the median home value is $146,500, a 5.9% increase over the past year
• This is a residential-oriented community with a small but fun commercial downtown district
• Tavares is a lake-lover's dream, nestled between Lake Eustis, Lake Harris, and Lake Dora
• It's also “America's Seaplane City,” offering a variety of seaplane excitement, including day trips, “flightseeing,” vacations and charters, flight training, and more through the city's aviation partner Jones Brothers & Co. Air and Seaplane Adventures
• It's just a little over half an hour's drive from downtown Tavares to The Villages, less than an hour to downtown Orlando, and about 1.75 hours to downtown Tampa
• Just a few other cool nearby smaller cities include Leesburg, Mount Dora, Clermont, DeLand, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Sanford, Clearwater, Winter Haven, and Lakeland
• Ride the Old West-style Orange Blossom Cannonball steam train between Tavares and neighboring Mt. Dora, a funky, hilly little city renowned for its antique shops and festivals
• Downtown's Wooten Park is a hub of recreational life in Tavares (and it has an awesome splash pad for when the grandkids are visiting) 

View our very own Nicky Martz as she takes an actual Seaplane flight over Central Florida.

If you start looking into buying a new or second home in a master-planned community in Florida, you're bound to encounter the term “Community Development District” (CDD) eventually. And you're bound to wonder what that means, especially if you're not from the state.

Without getting into the legal mumbo-jumbo, a CDD is basically a highly localized governing body created pursuant to Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes. OK, that's legalese, sorry. Forming a CDD is an alternative to incorporating as a municipality. It oversees planning, financing, development, operation, and maintenance of its planned community to the benefit of both the developer and the residents.

Basic CDD Operations

A CDD is responsible for infrastructure, public spaces, recreational facilities, security, public lighting, public parking, public events, schools, fire management, water management, sewers, mosquito control, and other fundamental operations within its planned community. It is a legal entity that can enter into contracts, instate rules and bylaws, own property, borrow money and issue bonds, and impose assessments and taxes.

Every Community Development District is bound to official State financial disclosure and ethics regulations. It is managed by a six-member Board of Supervisors; five are elected by property owners in the district, and these members elect their Chair. All meetings and records are open to the public and budgets are independently audited yearly.

These governing bodies are funded by those who benefit from them. Landowners in the community pay in conjunction with their property taxes, and typically there's an annual amenities or service charge as part of the community contract. Costs vary by CDD and typically fluctuate from year to year.

Benefits of Community Development Districts

CDDs in Florida date back to 1980, when they were devised as a way to finance and efficiently manage rapidly booming development across the state. One of the key advantages for developers is that they don't have to fund infrastructure upfront. This also offers a major benefit to home buyers, who enjoy lower initial property prices thanks to deferred infrastructure costs, while property values reliably rise.

Residents, rather than developers, retain control over the services, facilities, and overall direction of their community as a CDD. They also have immediate access to maintenance, rather than going through a municipality, which often entails red tape and lengthy waits.

CDD 55+ Communities in Central Florida

There are more than 600 CDDs in Florida, the majority of which were founded in the mid-2000s. Several leading active-adult communities in Central Florida operate as a Community Development District. If you're interested in exploring these options, please click through for an overview and to see current home listings.

• The Villages in The Villages, FL
• Arlington Ridge in Leesburg, FL
• Solivita in Kissimmee, FL
• Lake Ashton in Lake Wales, FL

In case you haven't heard, Central Florida is an amazing place for birdwatching enthusiasts. There are lots of beautiful, serene state parks, wildlife preserves, expansive lakes, and other destinations where birders can see so many diverse species year round. There are also plenty of fun and informative organized events all around Central Florida and the rest of the state where birders can get together and enjoy some of nature's fabulous displays. 

Here are three recommended upcoming Florida birding events: 

Sunset at the Rookery – February 13, 2016 – Eustis, FL 

Every day around sunset, hundreds of birds settle in to roost at the Trout Lake rookery. Come from 4:30 to 7:30 pm to observe the awe-inspiring phenomenon. You'll see double-crested cormorants, anhingas, wood ducks and other waterfowl, great egrets, snowy egrets, great blue herons, and more. 

More information 

16th Annual Orlando Wetlands Festival – February 20, 2016 – Christmas, FL 

Head to Fort Christmas Historical Park from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for this free event. Explore this fascinating wetlands habitat with guided birdwatching tours and photo hikes, bus tours, wildlife shows, live music, and other fun (including for the grandkids). 

More information 

Big O Birding Festival – March 9 to 14, 2016 – Hendry County, FL 

This festival celebrates bird life living around and migrating to South Central Florida's Lake Okeechobee area. Guided birding tours take place on foot, by bike, and on swamp buggies and boats. Also, workshops, vendors and other activities are held at the festival headquarters in LaBelle, FL.

More information

If you're already a casual or serious birdwatcher, or if you're looking for a new hobby that gets you outside more, Central Florida has lots of fantastic birding opportunities for active adults. Take advantage of the 2,000-mile long Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, which extends across the state, as well as plenty of other locations offering prime birdwatching; find some recommended Central Florida birding destinations here. There are also lots of organized birding events throughout the year. 

Why Birding? 

In their natural habitats, birds offer a beautiful, calming show that helps stress melt away and fills you with awe for nature. In Central Florida, you also get to experience all sorts of other wildlife. It's a hobby that promotes fitness, well-being, and an improved mood, getting you out of the house, immersed in nature, and moving around. It's simultaneously relaxing and stimulating. 

The birdwatching community is a fun, friendly, and interesting one, too. Birding, especially when you take advantage of organized events with guided tours (which are often free or cheap), is a great way to meet new people, make new friends, and learn new things. Visiting state parks and wildlife preserves, attending events, and otherwise participating in the birding lifestyle also supports conservation efforts and local ecotourism.

Central Florida Hosts the Country's Largest Annual Birding Event 

At least, that's the claim of The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, which takes place every January at the Titusville campus of Eastern Florida State College in Brevard County, FL. The 20^th anniversary festival will be held January 25 to 30, 2017. Florida's Space Coast includes many of the state's different habitats, attracting a diverse array of bird species in large numbers.  

Learn more about The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. 

Central Florida Is Paradise for Nature-Loving Active Adults 

Birding is just one of countless outdoor recreational activities offered in abundance in Central Florida. There's so much other wildlife; numerous state parks and nature preserves; beautiful beaches, stunning springs, large lakes, and chains of lakes; endless opportunities for hiking, biking, swimming, camping, RVing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, golfing... the list just goes on and on. 

It's a question most people grapple with eventually: When should I retire? The wondering and calculations and drawing up lists of pros and cons often start in the mid-50s, but sometimes not until the early 60s; by then, though, it's on pretty much everybody's mind.

There's a powerful allure in finally escaping the work obligation. Retirement also means the freedom to spend more time with the grandkids and other loved ones, travel, relax poolside, write a book, or whatever suits your fancy.

Creating a retirement plan is a highly personal matter. Obviously, there's no one-size-fits-all right answer as to when it's the best time to retire. Your finances, eagerness to keep or stop working, plans and goal, hopes and dreams, your significant other's situation and desires, and countless other factors come into play.

And while the prospect of retirement seems so exciting in theory, it's usually a little scary when it comes down to it. Concerns over losing a primary income, giving up something that keeps you occupied much of the week, separating from coworkers that have been part of your life for years, and other thoughts can be stressful.

In many cases, these worries cause people to push retirement back. But while there are good reasons to delay retirement, fear isn't one.

In fact, a 2015 New York Life survey of retired 62 to 70 year olds found that 46% of retirees wish they'd retired sooner (and 51% of those who retired after 60). The respondents consistently said they should have retired about 4 years earlier than they did.

Here are some important questions to help decide when it's time to pack up the office desk, tell your kid to clean out the guest room, and maybe find a nice new home in an amazing resort-style active-adult community:

Am I Financially Ready to Retire?

This is the big one. Your best bet here is to consult a professional financial advisor. You need to be able to live off your savings, assets, and any post-retirement income coming in. Plus, you'll want disposable income to do all the things you want to do in retirement. Have you maxed out the benefits you can accrue through your job? Will you have to pay penalties for cashing in a retirement account early? How long until your pension and social security kick in? Are you prepared for common unexpected expenses? There are lots of numbers to crunch.

Can You Fill Your Time?

Not everyone's prepared for the major lifestyle shift of retiring after a lifetime of working. Suddenly, there are enormous voids to fill. It's not just time; work is a primary driver for getting out of the house and provides a good deal of social interaction. Even with general plans to travel and visit family, you need specific plans to occupy your time, go places, and interact with people on a day-to-day basis.

What's Up with Your Spouse or Partner?

If you're retiring as part of a team, consult the other half. Is your significant other ready to retire too? Is he or she ready for you to retire? Discuss the other person's plans, desires, and aspirations, because they have to sync up nicely with yours. Some compromises will probably be in order, but you must find ways for retirement to make both of you feel happy and fulfilled.

How Do You Feel About Your Job?

Do you love going to work every day? Dread it? Does it make you feel fulfilled, bored, miserable? Are you productive and doing things you believe in, or do you sit there watching the clock run down day in and day out? If you still get something positive out of your job, maybe it's best to stick with it; if it's just a source of stress that's holding you back, perhaps it's time to move on to the next stage of life.

How's Your Health? Your Partner's Health?

Though it's not one of the more pleasant topics, evaluate your health and your significant other's. Also, consider your parents' medical history. Are they still going strong in their 80s? Did they pass away relatively young from conditions with a genetic component? While nothing is ever certain, having a general time frame in mind can be a big help deciding when to retire.

Consider a 55+ Community

Here at Central Florida 55+ Realtors, we're strong advocates for taking up residence—or a vacation home—in one of the area's active-adult communities. Surely that comes as no surprise.

But we decided to specialize in this niche because of our passion for these communities, which we live in ourselves. They are enormously beneficial for keeping you physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially active in the retirement years. They make it so easy to relax and to engage as the mood strikes. A home in a 55-plus community truly helps you make the most of the post-work years.

Clermont, FL is a fast-growing city in Central Florida's beautiful Lake County. It's one of the hillier places in Florida—which may not be saying much for such an overwhelmingly level state—but the rolling slopes are undeniably picturesque and charming. 

It'd be hard to find a location that better situates you for any mood, whim, or need than Clermont. It's so close to the world-class culture, dining, entertainment, hotels and resorts, medical care, and attractions of Orlando, yet removed just enough for tranquility at home. Plus, amazing state parks, beautiful beaches, the Tampa Bay area, The Villages, a variety of unique smaller towns and cities, and so much more are only a short drive away. 

There's a lot happening in Clermont. If you think you might want to be part of it by finding a new or second home in one of the city's popular resort-style active-adult communities, here's some additional information to help you make the decision. 

• Clermont is close to the geographical center of Florida and convenient to major roadways, making it easy to go anywhere in the state
• This approximately 15-square-mile city is home to a little more than 30,000 residents
• About half the population is 45 or older
• It's a residential-oriented community with a rural-suburban setting and feel
• The median home value in Clermont is $210,700 as of early 2016, representing a 7 percent increase in one year
• It's less than a half hour drive from downtown Clermont to downtown Orlando, under 1 hour to The Villages, and about 1 hour and 20 minutes to downtown Tampa
• A few other fun, smaller cities nearby include Winter Park, Winter Garden, Mount Dora, Tavares, Sanford, DeLand, Clearwater, Winter Haven, and Lakeland
• Outdoor recreation, lake activities, golf courses, and sports facilities are a big part of life here
• Downtown Clermont and its Historic Village offer great shopping, dining, and more
• The city has much exciting development planned, especially for its downtown waterfront district, but it's also being careful to retain the area's quaint and quiet characteristics
• First Friday Food Trucks events, featuring great food, music, and other fun, are held downtown every month and are a great opportunity to enjoy the community and meet new people
• There's an award-winning winery in town offering tastings, tours, and more: Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards
• Bacchus Vino Etcetera hosts a wine club, tastings, and more, further making Clermont a destination for wine lovers
• The local South Lake Campus of Lake-Sumter State College offers fun and informative low-cost continuing education classes for adults 

If you've been wondering whether it's a good time to sell your home in a 55+ community, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” About five years ago, the ample Baby Boomer generation began retiring, driving up demand for active-adult housing and communities. But they've just gotten started; over the next 10 years, they'll account for 10 million new retiree households in the US, as Forbes recently reported.

Developers and builders have been working hard to keep pace with skyrocketing demand for active-adult communities, especially in retirement hot spots like Central Florida. Still, the market remains strong for sellers with properties in this niche.

Selling under favorable market conditions is of course one of the best ways to maximize your home sale price. If you are preparing to sell, here are 10 tips to further help you get the highest price possible:

1. Stage your home in a warm but neutral manner. Make sure everything's neat, immaculately clean, and shiny. Delineate functional living spaces, make the beds nicely, hang new towels in the bathrooms... all the little homey details matter. Clear out all clutter—especially in closets, on counters, and in cabinets; buyers love storage space!

2. Pack up as much of your stuff as possible and store it off the premises. Remove photos of you and your family and anything else that makes the home feel like yours. Effective staging and depersonalizing lets potential buyers easily envision how they'll use the spaces and make the home theirs.

3. Repair, touch up, or replace damaged doors and frames, walls, paint, window sills, baseboards, closet fixtures, shelves, blinds, light switch and outlet covers, dripping or leaky faucets, and anything else that's not in perfect shape.

4. Paint all the interior and exterior walls a neutral color. Bold, bright, or unusual colors are a highly subjective matter of taste. Not only do they interfere with potential buyers' ability to envision the home as their own, it immediately prompts focus on needing work done if they purchase.

5. Do whatever it takes to rid your home of odd or offensive odors, including from pets and smoking. These work against you big time, even if potential buyers are only affected subconsciously. Disinfect, deodorize, use specialty products, air the place out, and take the garbage out frequently.

6. Boost curb appeal by tending to the house exterior and yard. Power wash the house or add a fresh coat of paint. Make any needed repairs to the roof, gutters, walls, windows, walkway, and driveway. Keep the lawn mowed and bring in a professional landscaping team to make your property look well-cared for, lush, and inviting. And don't ignore the deck or patio, if applicable.

7. Bring in a professional photographer to stage and take pictures of your home for online marketing. The majority of potential buyers get their first exposure to your home on the web. Professional equipment and proper lighting, highlighting, arrangements, angling, and focus in the images go a long way toward making your home look as appealing as possible.

8. Work with an agent with extensive experience in your area and 55+ communities. They know how to price high but realistically and how to reach motivated buyers. Look for a broker with a SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation.

9. Use a real estate agent who develops a full marketing plan to sell your home. The more interested buyers you have, the better your chance of getting or even exceeding your asking price. Multiple potential buyers bid against each other, whereas if you're only dealing with one interested party, they're just competing against you, which means the price will likely only go down.

10. Don't ignore lowball price offers. Sure, some potential buyers who make particularly low offers hope you're desperate, but usually they're willing to negotiate, and sometimes they're willing to go much higher than the first number they quote.

Some Central Florida 55+ communities have gorgeous clubhouses that serve as the center of social life for their residents. Other larger age-restricted developments offer their own complete town center, with a selection of restaurants, shops, and services for convenience. 

And then there's The Villages. 

The Villages is the largest active-adult community in Florida—and the world. Situated less than 15 miles northwest of Leesburg and only about an hour's drive from Orlando, The Villages spans more than 20,000 acres. There's tons of stuff to do there, including over 60 places to dine and drink, all sorts of cultural and entertainment offerings, countless social clubs, golf courses, fitness centers, and more; find more in-depth information about activities at The Villages here.

This thriving, active community supports not one, not two, but three entire town centers: Brownwood Paddock Square, Lake Sumter Landing Market Square, and Spanish Springs Town Square.

Each old-fashioned, themed town square includes everything you'd need and want in a town center—restaurants, retail and specialty stores, professional and medical services, entertainment, and more. And it's all in scenic, well-maintained, thoughtfully designed, pedestrian-friendly areas easily accessible by golf cart, the preferred mode of motorized transportation in The Villages.

Also, every night of the year from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, all the town squares host free public entertainment. So there's always a good reason to head “downtown,” meet up with friends, and make some new ones.

Brownwood Paddock Square in The Villages

This is the southernmost town center in The Villages. The theme here is that of a charming, rustic old-Florida cattle town. The nightly entertainment takes place at the log cabin on Paddock Square. Each downtown core features its own modern multi-screen movie theater; The Barnstorm Theater is the one at Brownwood Paddock Square.

Also enjoy about a dozen cool places to eat and drink—including World of Beer, Gator's Dockside, City Fire, and TooJay's—and even more shopping, health and beauty services, and professional and medical services.

Lake Sumter Landing Market Square in The Villages

The most built-up town center in The Villages is centrally located and designed with a distinct seaside village vibe. The looming lighthouse here is an unmistakable landmark and site of the nightly entertainment.

The Old Mill Playhouse is the movie theater in this section. You'll also find a golf cart dealer, Winn-Dixie, Barnes and Noble, the delicious Peterbrooke Chocolatier, Lighthouse Point Bar & Grille, RJ Gator's, plenty of clothing and accessories shops, home furnishings stores, about 20 places to eat and drink, and lots more.

Spanish Springs Town Square in The Villages 

The northernmost town center in The Villages offers Southwestern flair and lots of excitement, including the monthly classic car Cruise-In. Church on the Square is a great venue here, while The Rialto Theater caters to moviegoers at this end of the community. 

Popular Katie Belle's Resident Club is located here, as is a good selection of clothing and accessories shops, a number of health services, The Corkscrew Winery, and other fun, tasty places to dine, drink, and share some laughs with friends and neighbors.