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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 30+ 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 multi-generational best-selling master-planned community since 2018.
Come explore Florida’s favorite place to call home. LakewoodRanch.com
What to expect at The Ranch:
• 30+ villages, 2 are 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
• 192 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
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Ave Maria
Ave Maria is an award-winning master-planned community that combines an active lifestyle with the charm and friendliness of a small town in the Gulf Coast region of southwestern Florida. The Collier County community encompasses multiple residential neighborhoods, schools, a town center with shopping and dining, office space, business parks, and recreational amenities located 20 minutes east of Interstate 75 near Naples, Immokalee and Bonita Springs.
One of the best-selling communities in the nation, Ave Maria features a resort-style water park and two expansive community parks with picnic areas, sports fields, playgrounds, tennis, bocce and pickleball courts. Residents also have access to quality K-12 education, 100 miles of nature, hiking and biking paths, a dog park, a fitness center, 2 championship 18-hole golf courses, and much more.
Real estate options within Ave Maria include several family-friendly neighborhoods of homes in a variety of styles- from single-family homes to condominiums, plus the Del Webb Naples 55+ active adult community
On Top of the World Communities
Renowned for its beautifully crafted homes and vibrant, amenity-rich lifestyle, On Top of the World in Ocala, Florida, continues to set the standard for active adult living.
At On Top of the World, every day offers new ways to relax, connect, and stay engaged—whether that means prioritizing wellness, exploring lifelong learning, or enjoying a full calendar of social and recreational opportunities designed to keep both body and mind active.
Spanning more than 13,000 acres, this award-winning, master-planned community has been consistently recognized as one of the best places in the country to live. It appeals to active adults seeking thoughtfully designed homes, resort-style amenities, and a true sense of community. Nestled in the heart of Central Florida’s renowned horse country and near crystal-clear natural springs, On Top of the World offers the perfect balance of convenience and escape—close to everything, yet refreshingly different.
A glimpse of life at On Top of the World includes:
• Energy-efficient, concrete-block homes built for comfort, durability, and peace of mind
• Multiple neighborhoods offering single-family, maintenance-free, and luxury estate homes, including golf-front and preserve homesites
• Three championship, par-72 golf courses with professional instruction available
• More than 250,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities dedicated to wellness, recreation, and social connection
• A lively community town square featuring entertainment, fitness, dining, and lifelong learning opportunities
• And so much more to explore, experience, and enjoy
On Top of the World isn’t just a place to live—it’s a place to thrive.
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 guide, 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.
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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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