Cheryl & Tom
Cheryl & Tom
There are lots of things to see and do in central Florida!
Listed below are some of the places within an hour of The Villages. If you are interested in traveling further than an hour, let us know-- there are many great spots to visit in the state!
If you are renting a home in The Villages and you have a temporary resident pass, you can enjoy the many free Villages amenities-- golf, pools, rec centers, pickle ball, tennis, corn hole, bocce ball, shuffle board, crafts, games, etc.
Local theatres are: The Sharon, The Savannah Center, The Tracy, Tierra Del Sol, and Old Mill Playhouse. Show schedules and ticket information can be found at: https://www.thevillagesentertainment.com
On that same website (above) you can find the free nightly entertainment/live music schedules at the squares/restaurants, as well as festivals and events that may be happening during your stay.
There are various communites that will have 4th of July events. Nearby locations include:
Wildwood on July 3rd, 5-9pm (fireworks):
https://www.wildwood-fl.gov/parksrec/page/happy-birthday-america-celebration-and-fireworks
Leesburg at Venetian Gardens on July 4th, 4-9pm (fireworks):
https://www.leesburgflorida.gov/news_detail_T6_R325.php
Brownwood Paddock Square on July 4th, 4-9pm (no fireworks):
https://www.thevillagesentertainment.com/special-events/all-american-celebration/
Some favorite restaurants (also see some listed in links below this section):
In The Villages:
For breakfast/lunch:
Reveille - https://reveillecafe.com/
For lunch/dinner:
Kumo Sushi and Hibachi (reservations recommended) - https://www.kumothevillagesfl.com/
Mezza Luna (reservations recommended) - https://mezzalunagrill.com/
In Leesburg:
For lunch/dinner:
Great Chicago Fire Brewery and Taproom - https://chifibrew.com/
Ski Beach - https://www.skibeachleesburg.com/
Please contact us with any questions! There are many more fun things to see and do-- too many to list here.
If you are interested in heading to a beach, we are less than two hours from both coasts.
If you are extending your stay in Florida, let us know if you'd like suggestions for other fun places to visit!
Brownwood Paddock Square
Restaurants include: Prima, Harvest, and Bluefin (dinner reservations recommended), plus several others that are good for lunch or dinner. Brownwood also has shops and nightly live music from 5-9pm.
Lake Sumter Landing Square
Restaurants include: Chop House and Red Sauce (dinner reservations recommended), plus several others that are good for lunch or dinner. Sumter Landing also has shops, the Old Mill Playhouse movie theatre, and nightly live music from 5-9pm.
Spanish Springs Town Square
Restaurants include: Bella Vita, Coastal Del Mar, and Amerikanos (dinner reservations recommended), plus several others that are good for lunch or dinner. Spanish Springs also has shops, The Sharon Performing Arts Center, a bowling alley, and nightly live music from 5-9pm.
The Market at Sawgrass Grove
Sawgrass Tavern is located here. There is also a small marketplace (coffee shop, burgers, pizza, and ice cream), a golf store, and nightly live music/activities from 5-9pm (plus 12-2pm on most Saturdays).
Ednas' on the Green
Small, casual, mostly outdoor venue with daily live music, food and drinks, and a nice golf course view... one of our favorite spots!
Russell Stover Chocolates
Lots of candy and really good ice cream here. Worth a visit if you have time.
About 10 minutes from The Villages.
Tap House Social
Great taproom and eatery located in The Villages. Many craft beer varieties.
Victory Sports Grill
Newly opened sports bar and restaurant in Middleton. Fun atmosphere!
Two Old Hags Wine Shoppe
Quaint tasting room and shop in downtown Leesburg.
Another is Hamrick Family Vineyards.
https://www.hamrickfamilyvineyards.com/
About 20 minutes from The Villages.
Yalaha Bakery
German deli and bakery, with live music on certain days.
Next door is the Yalaha Bootlegging Company that offers tastings and has a cute little gift shop.
About 25 minutes from The Villages.
Eisenhower Recreation Center
This rec center is a military museum full of items collected or donated mostly by The Villages residents who served, or who had family members that served. *You must have a Villages guest pass to get inside this unique rec center.
Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures
Airboat tours offered by reservation.
About 20 minutes from The Villages.
Another tour is offered by Tom and Jerry's Airboats.
https://airboattoursorlando.com/
Silver Springs State Park
Scenic park with various activities including hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and glass bottom boat tours. Visitors might see monkeys (yes, monkeys!), alligators, turtles, birds, manatees, and fish. The extended glass bottom boat tour is very interesting. It offers some area history, plus views of the springs and wildlife (needs reservations).
https://silversprings.com/plan-your-day/glass-bottom-boats/
About 50 minutes from The Villages.
World Equestrian Center — Ocala
Largest equestrian complex in the U.S. with various daily events and competitions. There are restaurants and shops onsite.
About 45 minutes from The Villages.
Mt. Dora
Fun town with many shops and restaurants.
Grantham Park is where the Mt. Dora lighthouse is located.
The catboat tours are fun if this is of interest.
https://www.catboattour.com/
About 40 minutes from The Villages.
Catboat Clermont
Catboat tours departing from Clermont -- cruises through the Clemont Chain of Lakes.
About 50 minutes from The Villages.
Peddler's Wagon
A great little store with cute gifts and lots of Christmas items. They often serve snacks and drinks while you shop!
About 45 minutes from The Villages.
Wooton Park
Known as America's Seaplane City, Tavares is home to something incredibly unique: a seaplane base with for-hire tours and excursions for every budget. Jones Brothers Air and Seaplane Adventures offers local flightseeing tours as well as paddle excursions, fly-in dinner dates and even bar hopping by sky.
About 45 minutes from The Villages.
Orange Blossom Opry
Great place to hear live music. Check their schedule for shows. The house band is very good!
Eaton's Beach is a fun tiki-bar type restaurant nearby. https://eatonsbeach.com/
About 30 minutes from The Villages.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park Visitor Center
A nice park and refuge center for endangered or injured wildlife including Florida black panthers, manatees, alligators, eagles, etc. They even have a hippo named Lou.
About 1 hour from The Villages.
LunaSea Alpaca Farm
Alpaca farm that offers hands-on tours by reservation.
About 40 minutes from The Villages.
Crystal River Preserve State Park
Scenic park with wildlife and nearby springs. Activities include hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and boat tours.
About 1 hour from The Villages.
Winter Park
A bustling and cute downtown with many shops, restaurants, and activities. The Winter Park Playhouse is a small, professional, local theatre that has fun musicals.
https://www.winterparkplayhouse.org/
About 1 hour from The Villages.
Disney Springs
Popular spot for dining and shopping with various live music shows throughout the day. One of our favorites restaurants is Raglan Road (reservations recommended - request a table in view of the stage if available).
https://www.disneysprings.com/dining/raglan-road-irish-pub-and-restaurant/
About 1 hour from The Villages.
Walt Disney World
Disney World is about 1 hour away from The Villages.
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios is about 1 hour from The Villages.
SeaWorld Orlando
Sea World is about 1 hour from The Villages.
Boosters Bar & Grill
Located in the southernmost section of The Villages. Boosters is a fun sports bar and restaurant. Reservations are now being accepted here.
Middleton by The Villages®
Coming soon! Under construction!
One of the newer areas just outside The Villages with shops, eateries, and live music.
Eastport Town Square (The Villages)
Coming soon! Under construction!
Another big square in The Villages-- the southernmost. Eastport will have many restaurants and shops, as well as a large stage for live music. https://www.thevillages.com/whats-new/growth/welcome-to-eastport/