When you think about retirement communities in Florida, you're probably thinking about a little village where life moves at a slower pace. Maybe you'll play bocce on Monday, go bowling on Tuesday, and head to the clubhouse for an early dinner on Wednesday. However, if you've always lived your life in the fast lane—whether by listening to rock and roll, or riding on your hot rod—you may not be interested in changing over to the slow lane for your retirement.
For a generation that was raised on rock and roll, and spent its formative years listening to the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix, there is a happy medium. A new retirement community village near Orlando, Florida, doesn't shun this rock-and-roll lifestyle—it welcomes it.
No wonder Lake Weir Living, an alternative to golf communities at the Villages in Florida, was recently named "Best in the U.S. Retirement Showcase" by Newsweek magazine. This retirement community encourages its residents to move in and bring along their fast-lane toys. These toys include motorcycles, jet skis, boats, ATVs, classic cars, and RVs. Did you ask for a red convertible or a Harley-Davidson for your 60th birthday? No problem—Lake Weir Living has homes with three to five-car garages, and concrete side pads for a boat or RV.
"We have couples that want large pools, man caves, climate-controlled workshops and garages so gigantic and customized that the phrase 'Garage Mahal' is fitting," says Neil Schuster, co-managing partner for Lake Weir Living. "They have no desire to idle around, mentally or physically, no desire to ride a golf-cart. They want to get out and play!"
Here's another way that this community near The Villages Florida is designed for the generation that embodies individuality and freedom, and chose to burn their bras to make a point: you don't have to pay any fees to the man when you live here—or, in the case of a planned community, a homeowners association. Simply put, there is no HOA at Lake Weir Living.
This community is so hip—without breaking a hip—that is has its own blog that features regular webisodes with its residents. WWBDS? What would Bob Dylan say? "He would sing, 'Forever young," adds Schuster, a great way to describe the folks who've decided to park their Harleys in this non-traditional retirement community in Florida.
Rock on, brother.
