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Guide to the Top Resort Communities in Florida
Guide to the Top Resort Communities in Florida
Resort communities offer the comfort of home with the luxury amenities of a vacation destination. Features such as on-site restaurants, pools, tennis courts, and pickleball courts are available for residents. Clubhouses are always busy with scheduled events and activities for residents and their guests. Neighbors become friends through interest clubs and socials hosted throughout the year. 
There are a variety of resort communities to choose from. For example, those who love to hit the links may find their perfect home in a golf community, while those who prefer the sand and sea can find their haven in a coastal community.
Aside from amenities and lifestyle offerings, important considerations when selecting a new home destination include factors such as preferred climate, cost of living, and tax considerations.
Social activities
Being part of an exclusive community means that neighbors get to know each other well. Onsite amenities, such as clubhouses and pools, foster these close relationships. Staff members also organize themed dinners, holiday events, and special interest groups.
Top-Notch Amenities
Resort communities offer updated facilities. Pools, fitness rooms, and tennis courts are generally found onsite. Those who have particular interests such as golf or sailing can find resort communities that cater specifically to those activities.
Family-Friendly Environment
Resort communities are diverse. They may also be gated communities, active adult communities and/or coastal communities. They can be a sanctuary to young families and empty-nesters alike. From playgrounds to lounges, these communities offer amenities to entertain residents of any age.
Further, these amenities add value to the neighborhood, which benefit homeowners in these communities.
Sample Communities to Discover
Lakewood Ranch
Live the Florida lifestyle you’ve been dreaming of—with 20+ villages, each featuring distinctive homes, amenities, and features, Lakewood Ranch is designed to support every aspect of your life. New homes include townhomes, condos, attached villas, single-family homes and estates, with prices from the $300s to over $1 million.
We set out to build a community that is more than just the homes it’s made up of. Here you’ll find all the shopping, dining, entertainment, education, healthcare, nature, and recreational options you could want to make the most out of every day. And the best part is that it’s all already here. You don’t have to envision it—you can simply start living it.
Our 48% open space plan and mixed-use component work together to provide each village on The Ranch with easy access to parks, trails, and recreational opportunities like three town centers, a sports campus featuring pickleball, Sarasota Polo Club and The Farmers’ Market.
Just beyond our backyard you can enjoy Sarasota’s white sand beaches and arts scene, Tampa’s sports teams, and quick access to four airports.
ideal-LIVING has named Lakewood Ranch Best Health and Fitness Community and Best Golf Community. Lakewood Ranch has also earned the spot as the #1 best-selling community in the U.S. for all ages for six years running.
Come explore Florida’s favorite place to call home. LakewoodRanch.com
What to expect at The Ranch:
• 20+ villages, 1 is 55+
• 3 town centers & 8 neighborhood shopping plazas with Publix Grocery stores
• 150 miles of multi-surface trails
• 10,000+ acres of lakes, parks, and preserves
• 60+ clubs and groups
• Over 200 shops and eateries
• 13 community parks
• 162 holes of golf
• 32 courts for racquet sports
• A-rated schools & higher education campuses
• Sarasota Polo Club
• Farmers’ Market voted #1 in Florida
• Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club
• 22 fields at Premier Sports Campus
• Sights and Sounds Performing and Fine Arts Series
Ready to discover it? Great. Request more information below to receive discovery tour packages
and specials. You won’t know until you go!
Shell Point Retirement Community
THE BEST PLACE TO BE
Shell Point® is an award-winning lifecare retirement resort located along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, Florida just minutes from Sanibel Island and the Gulf of Mexico. When you retire at Shell Point, you have the comfort of knowing that your needs will be taken care of – both now and in the years to come.
RECREATION FOR EVERYONE
Shell Point offers an unparalleled lifestyle in an unparalleled waterfront setting. For those who enjoy exploring Florida’s waterways, there’s boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing. For sport and fitness fans there is Shell Point’s championship golf course, four Har-Tru tennis courts, five pickleball courts, a bocce court, fitness centers with trained professionals and four heated swimming pools. Nature lovers will enjoy the boardwalks, bridges, bike paths and miles of walking trails. Residents who are interested in gardening enjoy individual garden plots, a lovely rose garden, and a fully-equipped orchid greenhouse and a butterfly garden.
ARTFUL LIVING
No other community offers the variety of outlets for creativity and personal expression that are available at Shell Point. Shell Point provides extensive craft and hobby facilities, including a complete woodworking shop, lapidary room, train room for miniature train enthusiasts, digital photography lab, modern pottery and ceramics studio, and an art studio with classes for beginners as well as advanced artists in a variety of media. Performing arts are enjoyed through choral ensembles, a jazz band, and multiple musical groups for participants at all levels.
DISCOVER SHELL POINT
Discover for yourself what residents of Shell Point already know – that Shell Point is the perfect place for retirement living – all in a resort-style setting. Shell Point offers private appointments with a tour of the community. Schedule your visit by calling (239) 466-1131, press 1 for Sales.
Plantation Bay
Plantation Bay
Few communities offer the kind of abundance that has come to be expected at Plantation Bay. You won’t need your imagination to know what life will be like here in the charming seaside town of Ormond Beach, Florida, where an unhurried pace, year-round warm weather, no state income tax, and a lower cost of living offer superb value and a lifestyle second to none.
Plantation Bay is a distinguished community that stands out for its harmonious blend of thriving wildlife and state-of-the-art facilities. With the Founders Club, an impressive 40,500 square-foot full-service Golf and Lifestyle Center influenced by the charm of the West Indies, a second full-service clubhouse, the Prestwick Clubhouse, a grand 7,000 square-foot Spa and Fitness Center, well-lit Har-Tru tennis courts, pickleball courts, walking and biking paths, and two and a half championship golf courses, it is the perfect place for both living and leisure.
Plantation Bay offers dozens of award-winning one- or two-story homes starting at just under 2,000 sq ft. Choose the plan that best speaks to your taste, needs, and personality. Choose from spacious, low- maintenance one- and two-story townhomes, single-family custom homes, and custom estate homes by one of the country’s largest homebuilders celebrating over 40 years of building excellence. Request information about Plantation Bay below.
- Acreage– 3,600 acres (1,450 hectares) Gatehouse – Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club is a gated development with around-the-clock security.
- Club Structure – Homeowners may choose from a range of optional membership packages including clubhouse, fitness, sports, and full golf memberships. All memberships in Plantation Bay are optional, allowing you to indulge in only the activities you love.
- Golf – An established trio of well-maintained golf courses adds up to a unique private golfing experience, with a total of 45 holes set among gentle hammocks of moss-draped indigenous oaks, extensive practice facilities, a brand-new Pro Shop, and quality instruction by a PGA Professional staff.
- Clubhouse –Two full-service clubhouses, The Founders Club and the Prestwick Clubhouse provide a range of indoor and outdoor dining options, along with versatile event spaces suitable for business meetings, weddings, and private parties. The Founders Club is our newly completed 40,500 sq ft Golf and Lifestyle Center that brings a refreshing West Indies-styled flair to the community with an abundance of elevated amenities.
- Tennis – Plantation Bay’s robust tennis program features 10 lighted Har-Tru tennis courts with an active schedule of lessons, clinics, and league play, including special lessons and camps for youth players.
- Pickleball – Plantation Bay is proud to offer 10 dedicated Pickleball courts to play on, making it the go-to destination for everything Pickleball. From tailored lessons to friendly matches, and organized round-robins to holiday-themed tournaments, Plantation Bay is the ultimate setting to master the art of Pickleball.
- Recreation – Additional recreational amenities include basketball, and bocce ball courts, nature parks, and miles of private walking trails.
- Swimming – Members have access to a private swim pavilion with a heated lap pool, a zero-entry free-form pool, ample deck space including a tiki cabana bar, and regularly scheduled water aerobics classes.
- Spa & Fitness – Plantation Bay’s 7,000-square-foot spa and fitness center combines quality strength training and cardio machines with free weights, steam rooms, exercise classes, personal trainers, and a full menu of massage and beauty treatments.
- Shopping & Dining – From casual fare to haute cuisine, residents can experience a variety of dining options without leaving the development. The property is convenient to an extensive selection of shops, restaurants, and commercial services within easy driving distance.
- Area Attractions – Plantation Bay residents have easy access to nearby coastal communities and miles of wide Atlantic beaches. The property is about 30 minutes from Daytona Beach and Port Orange, 25 minutes from St. Augustine, 45 minutes from Jacksonville, and just over an hour from Orlando.
- Healthcare – Advent Health located about 15 minutes away provides 24-hour emergency care and a full range of inpatient and outpatient services. Additional healthcare options are available throughout the Daytona Beach-Port Orange area.
- Leases – Long-term leasing options are available.
Single-Family Custom Homes For Sale – Priced from the $500,000s
Custom Estate Homes For Sale – Priced from the $700,000s
Townhome Villas For Sale – Priced from the $400,000s
Disclaimer: Prices subject to change. Void where prohibited.
Get Started
Finding and choosing the right resort community can be a daunting task. This is where ideal-LIVING can help. Sign up below to receive our complimentary relocation package, which offers tips on how to find a community that suits your needs. In this guide, you’ll discover the best resort communities in Florida, as well as what you can do to get started. Sign up for this free package to take the first step in your exciting journey.Free Package includes:
- ideal-LIVING Relocation Guide
The ultimate guide to find your ideal destination, life and home. This annual guide contains more than 15 state maps, a location-based cost of living and climate comparison chart and discovery travel packages.
- ideal-LIVING Magazine
Quarterly print magazine features the best places to retire and/or purchase your ideal second home.
- ideal-LIVING E-Newsletter
Receive our digital newsletter, two to three times a month, highlighting communities around the country and abroad.
- Tickets to ideal-LIVING Live Events
The ideal-LIVING Resort & Retirement Show has helped retirees and second-home buyers find their ideal community and home for more than 30 years.
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