Community Spotlight: The Villages – Where Golf Carts Rule the Road

Welcome to our new monthly feature exploring America’s most golf cart-friendly communities. For our inaugural edition, we’re visiting The Villages, Florida – the undisputed golf cart capital of America.

When Michigan businessman Harold Schwartz began developing a mobile home park in Central Florida in the early 1970s, few could have imagined it would evolve into America’s largest active adult community. What started as Orange Blossom Gardens with just 400 homes has blossomed into a sprawling paradise spanning three counties with over 150,000 residents.

Golf Cart Paradise by the Numbers

The Villages boasts some impressive statistics:

• More than 85,000 golf carts (nearly one for every two residents)
• Over 100 miles of dedicated golf cart paths
• 54 golf courses
• 3 town centers with nightly entertainment
• 12 golf cart bridges and tunnels crossing major roadways

As noted in a recent episode of Golf Cart Chronicles, a new YouTube miniseries from GolfCartingTV, many residents have found that “the golf cart isn’t just for golf. It’s become their primary vehicle. They take it shopping, to restaurants, to concerts in the square – everything.”

Beyond Basic Transportation

These aren’t ordinary golf carts. Villagers have transformed their vehicles into expressions of their personalities, from custom-painted bodies honoring military service to luxury models with leather seats and premium sound systems.

“What makes this community unique isn’t just the golf carts themselves,” I observed during my visit for Golf Cart Chronicles. “It’s how they’ve shaped the community. These vehicles have evolved far beyond basic transportation into custom expressions of their owners’ personalities.”

Popular styles include classic car replicas, luxury models with wood-grain dashboards, and themed designs featuring everything from sports teams to tropical paradises.

A Community Built for Connection

The genius of The Villages’ design is how it prioritizes socialization through its extensive network of golf cart paths connecting neighborhoods to town centers, recreation facilities, grocery stores, and medical offices.

The three town centers – Spanish Springs, Brownwood, and Sumter Landing – serve as social hubs, each with its own architectural theme hosting free nightly entertainment. On any given evening, hundreds of golf carts fill the designated parking areas as residents gather to dance, dine, and socialize.

During my time filming in The Villages, I was struck by how the golf cart lifestyle has transformed daily routines. Many residents start their day with recreation activities, attend social clubs in the afternoon, and finish with evening entertainment at the town squares – all without ever starting their car.

Recreation and Lifestyle

While golf is certainly a major attraction with 54 courses (including 40 executive courses that are free for residents), The Villages offers over 3,000 clubs and activities. From pickleball to swimming, tennis, and even polo matches, there’s something for every interest – all accessible by golf cart.

The golf cart lifestyle isn’t just fun – it’s economical. Many Villagers report significant savings from reducing their reliance on traditional vehicles, with lower fuel costs, reduced maintenance expenses, and insurance plans often under $100 annually.

Creating Community Through Transportation

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of The Villages isn’t the infrastructure itself, but how golf carts have shaped social interactions. The open-air, slower pace of golf cart travel encourages residents to wave at neighbors, stop for impromptu conversations, and join friends spontaneously for dinner or entertainment.

Even as The Villages continues to grow southward with new neighborhoods, the commitment to golf cart accessibility remains at the forefront of planning, continuing the vision of founder Harold Schwartz and his son Gary Morse.

As I concluded in my Golf Cart Chronicles segment: “In The Villages, they’re not just driving golf carts – they’re driving the future of community living.”

FAST FACTS: THE VILLAGES

Location: Central Florida, approximately 45 miles northwest of Orlando

Population: Approximately 150,000 residents

Golf Cart Culture: Estimated 85,000+ golf carts with dedicated infrastructure

Recreation: 54 golf courses, 96 recreation centers, 200+ pickleball courts

Town Centers: Three distinct town squares with nightly entertainment

Website: TheVillages.com