GLENLAKES
When looking for value in a Florida home, it’s wise to begin with what is outside as opposed to inside. A great place to start is Central Florida’s Nature Coast, and perhaps the best place to finish is GlenLakes Golf & Country Club. A private gated community, GlenLakes’ emphasis on conservation and low density complements one of the state’s most pristine landscapes. This is an area where water reigns supreme in both quality and quantity. GlenLakes is surrounded by spring-fed lakes, pristine rivers, and miles of state- owned nature preserves. And the Gulf beaches are just a short drive away.
Within this Eden-like setting, GlenLakes offers a vibrant, adult-oriented club lifestyle centered on a spectacular 35,000-square-foot clubhouse with pool, tennis courts, fitness room, restaurants and lots of social activities. A Ron Garl-designed golf course offers impeccable greens and is accommodating to all skill levels.
GlenLakes offers a broad mix of lifestyle options, with an array of home plans that can be customized to the owner’s specifications. All residences are of impeccable quality and include standard features normally found in higher-priced homes. And GlenLakes is close enough, yet peacefully secluded from metro Tampa, in an area largely unaffected by traffic or crime, but abundant in natural beauty and serenity. That’s a value proposition that money can’t buy!
where Florida’s west coast, three miles from Weeki Wachee, just north of Tampa and west of Orlando.
amenities 18-hole golf course designed by Ron Garl; clubhouse with pool, clay tennis courts, fitness room, restaurants, banquet facilities and social activities.
real estate New golf course homesites from $100s to $175s; lakefront homesites from $175s to $250s. Maintenance-free homes (homesites not included, priced from $50,000) start at $240,000; custom estate homes (homesites not included, priced from $54,000) start at $329,000.
contact 800-222-9003; glenlakes.com
TERRA VISTA
Florida’s draw as a retirement destination for aging baby boomers bodes well for those developers who can proactively anticipate the needs and desires of potential owners. A case in point is Terra Vista of Citrus Hills, a country club community that has clearly been positioned ahead of the curve.
The rolling hills of Central West Florida are an attractive change of pace, offering a Carolinas-like setting with Florida’s temperate year-round climate. In this setting—where elevations can rise up to 250 feet—Terra Vista offers an upscale community with an extensive array of amenities and a housing mix that is as varied as any gated community in the state. And the community is virtually surrounded by water, from Florida’s “Nature Coast” along the Gulf of Mexico to the Silver Lake Recreation Area and Weeki Wachee Springs.
The developers of Terra Vista eschewed pricey signature golf courses and instead opted for three solid and well-maintained layouts that can accommodate novices and low handicappers alike. Recently opened is an expansive 42,000-square-foot BellaVita Spa & Fitness Center. Perhaps most importantly, the amenity centers at Terra Vista are run by a team of experienced managers whose primary objective is providing an unparalleled level of member service.
The personal touch is extended to Terra Vista’s real estate operations as well. The community is actually divided into several gated neighborhoods, each reflecting a distinct character and housing options from maintenance-free villas to palatial estate homes. There are more than 20 models from which to choose, but all can be customized to meet the owner’s individual preferences.
It’s a degree of flexibility rarely found in master planned communities. And it’s why you hear Terra Vista residents constantly describe their experience with words like “leadership,” “professional” and “honesty.” Now that’s thinking ahead of the curve.
where Citrus County on Florida’s Gulf Coast, north of Tampa
amenities Three golf courses, two tennis centers, three clubhouses with restaurants and lounges; new spa and fitness center.
real estate Single-family homes and detached maintained homes priced from the mid-$300s to the $900s.
contact 800-511-0814; citrushills.com
MYSTIC DUNES RESORT & GOLF CLUB
There’s a delicate balance to be maintained when serving as a highly regarded family resort and a reputable golf resort. Orlando’s Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club has handled the task admirably.
Mystic Dunes certainly has the family angle well covered. Carved from rolling orange groves and native protected wetlands, the resort encompasses more than 600 acres and offers a wide array of resort amenities and services. The spacious, well-appointed villas comfortably accommodate broods large and small. In fact, in addressing the de rigueur requirements of family travel—space, convenience and service—Mystic Dunes is as good as it gets. The Walt Disney World® Resort is just two miles away, and the seemingly endless array of other Central Florida attractions and activities are easily accessible as well.
Golfers will find plenty to like here as well, first and foremost being the highly rated Mystic Dunes Golf Club. With 80-foot elevation changes, rolling sand dunes, mature oaks and large wetland areas, the Gary Koch-designed course offers two distinctly different nines. The "Lowcountry" style front nine is reminiscent of classic Carolina courses, meandering through native wetlands and marsh areas, and bordering oak and cypress forests. The back nine features the characteristics of a British Isles links course, with extensive perimeter mounding and pot bunkers, and lush, rolling fairways. Mystic Dunes Golf Club also features a 60,000-square-foot practice facility and a clubhouse featuring the resort’s signature restaurant, Kenzie’s Steak House…a tribute to legendary golf course designer Dr. Alister MacKenzie.
With a variety of packages and activities, one can be as active as desired at Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club from exhilarating golf to fun in the sun at one of the four resort pools, bike riding or simply strolling the lushly landscaped grounds. Or perhaps just sit back in front of your big-screen television, sip lemonade and wonder how one place can do everything this well.
where Orlando
accommodations 717 villa accommodations in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations.
amenities 18 holes at Mystic Dunes Golf Club, designed by Gary Koch; four resort pools including the newly expanded Dunes Lagoon water recreation area; tennis, basketball, miniature golf, and a wide range of resort activities and activity packages; on-site dining.
contact 877-747-4747; mystic-dunes-resort.com
