You might read that title and think The Villages must have a lot of gray old ladies. But I’m not talking about those gray old ladies. I’m talking about THE Gray Lady…The New York Times.

Someone in The Villages just wrote me to ask why they couldn’t get The New York Times delivered to their house. This person seemed to think it was some sort of conspiracy and that the only newspaper you could get at your home in The Villages was The Villages Daily Sun.

This is not true, and as far as I know, there’s no newspaper conspiracy in The Villages. The simple fact is, The New York Times, like a lot of other newspapers including I believe USA Today, will not deliver to certain areas unless there are a high enough number of subscribers to make it worth it to them.

Papers that DO deliver in The Villages (other than TVDS) include the Orlando Sentinel and The Wall Street Journal. But if you absolutely need your NYT fix, you’re not totally out of luck. You can pick up a copy at Publix (though its like $6 now on Sundays) or Barnes and Noble.

You might want to find a rental in The Villages for a few year or two before deciding if you want to live there permanently. This is perfectly fine.

But you may not know whether you will have access to all the fun activites and events going on in The Villages. Well the answer is yes, renters do have access to the golf courses and activites in The Villages.

You will need to get an ID card and sign a waiver at the recreation center you plan to use, but other than that you are good to go. For more information visit Districtgov.org and choose between Village Center of Sumter Landing and click the “Recreation” tab.

The Villages is located in the heart of Central Florida, about an hour north of Orlando, putting you close to all the attractions, shopping, restaurants and activities you could imagine.

But some folks (myself included) love being around water, whether its a river or the ocean. I get the question “How far is The Villages from the ocean” quite a bit.

The Villages is about 70 miles from the Atlantic Ocean (Daytona Beach area). This trip will take you about an hour and 30 minutes or so because the route does not include interstate. However, not a bad distance to drive to get to the beach. There’s always quite a bit going on in this area.

If you are looking for beaches that are a little more tranquil, you’ll want to head west to the Gulf of Mexico. The Villages is about an hour drive to Crystal River, and roughly double that (2 hours) to Clearwater which is a popular beach destination.

No matter where you choose to go, bring your sunscreen

One of the questions I get a lot through this site is from people asking what is the best hotel to stay in when I come visit The Villages. The answer depends pretty much on your budget, what amenities you like to have in a hotel, and how close or how far you are willing to be from The Villages.

Perhaps the best known hotel in The Villages is The Waterfront Inn located in Lake Sumter Landing. The Waterfront Inn is a historic hotel built in the 1800’s but you’d hardly know it by looking at her. Just a short walk from the nightlife of the town square, The Waterfront in features suites with flat screen televisions, pillow top beds with 300 thread count sheets, and mini fridges with microwaves. Depending on the season the room rates can range anywhere from $120 on up. 352-753-7535

Next up is The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites The Villages that has 80 spacious rooms all of them containing hair dryers, personal coffee makers, iron & ironing boards. Each room also has well lit work area has two phones with data ports as well as two phone lines. They offer a deluxe breakfast bar in our Great Room where there is coffee 24 hours a day.Rates start around $85 per night. (877) 863-4780

The Hampton Inn & Suites of The Villages is located on County Road 466 across from Laurel Manor recreation center. International polo matches are held less than a few blocks away. The hotel features an outdoor pool, a gorgeous equestrian-themed lobby and On the House ® hot breakfast buffet and southern hospitality. 352-259-8246

TownePlace Suites by Marriott® The Villages, Lady Lake is an extended stay hotel that is set up for your longer visits to The Villages. There are Studio, One and Two bedroom suites with full kitchens, plus a pool and fitness center. 352-753-8686

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Question: I would like to purchase your book however I do not like to use my credit card on the internet.  Is there a phone number I can call to order the book?

Answer: I am not able to take a credit card number over the phone, but I do accept checks. Once I get your check I will send you your book.

Click here for more information on ordering by check.

Thanks for your question!

Question: Does The Villages have a snorkeling and/or SCUBA Club?

Answer: To answer your question, I don’t know if there is a snorkeling club specifically but there is a Scuba Club. Here’s a link to their website: http://users.thevillages.net/johkoe/scubaclub.htm

The club meets on the first Wednesday of each month, there seems to be quite a few members, and the dive trips they have listed on their site sound like a lot of fun. Check it out!

Thanks for the question!

Question: My wife and I are planning an RV trip and will be in the Villages late in April.  We hope to visit my sister and brother-in-law who are renting in The Villages.
What is allowable in regard to my RV during our visit? I have been told that we will not be allowed to park in their driveway. Are there places to store them?

Answer: Well, like most things “it depends”. How long are you planning to stay? According to the deed restrictions: “Trucks, Trailers, Recreational Vehicles, Campers and Boats: All such vehicles require a clearance from your Neighborhood Watch representative to park in The Villages. A clearance is issued for a maximum of 72 hours. Vehicles which fit in a garage are exempt.”

Source: http://www.districtgov.org/vccdd/deedrestrict.asp

So if you’re there 72 hours or less and have permission, you should be o.k. If you need a longer stay you’ll probably need to put your RV somewhere else. Here are some local RV parks. Maybe you can call and negotiate a better rate if you tell them you are just parking it and won’t be using any of their electricity or water.

http://www.villagerrvpark.com/

http://www.recreationplantation.com/

Question: I am considering purchasing in The Villages in the next year – year and a 1/2.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to fully retire for a few years and will need to rent my home.  Do you have any information on rental costs, advertising, contracts, rental information for both owner and tenant?

Answer: This is a common question I get a lot here. Mostly from people who have not lived in Florida or The Villages before and want to try it out for a little while before biting the bullett and buying a home here. This is usually a pretty smart idea. It’s also common for people to buy a home several years before they retire and rent it out to help pay the mortgage or get some rental income.

Whatever the case is for you, this is the best source I have found for information about rentals in The Villages: TheVillages4Rent.com

If you are looking for a more short term stay, maybe just visiting The Villages for a few days or a week or two, you might want to check out my article about The Villages Florida hotels.

Question: What is the zip code (postal code) for The Villages?

Answer: The most common zip code in The Villages is 32162, but The Villages also includes zip codes 32159 and 32163

Question: Are there equestrian activities near The Villages?

Answer: The Villages is only 30 minutes from Ocala. Ocala is well known as the horse capital of Florida. According to Wikipedia there are over 1,200 horse farms in total and about 600 thoroughbred farms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocala,_Florida

A quick search of google for ocala equestrian should give you some good leads to go on.

http://www.google.com/search?q=ocala+equestrian