As any resident of the Villages of Citrus Hills will happily tell you, there are hundreds of great reasons to choose Citrus County as your retirement destination. Depending on your own personal interests, there are a number of different things about our community that might excite you.

To help make sure that you don't miss the most important reasons to head our way, we have put together a list of the top 10 reasons to live in Citrus County!

10. Great Healthcare

One of the reasons to live in Citrus County that often goes overlooked is the fact that we have an outstanding network of healthcare providers.

Between Citrus Memorial Health System and Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center, you won't believe the quality of care that is available here, should you ever need it.

9. Close to Major Cities…

Because we’re situated just over an hour from both Orlando and Tampa, there are big-city amenities associated with both of those cities that are available to residents of the Villages of Citrus Hills.

This is great to know for things like catching shows, shopping, or attending professional sporting events, but it can be an even bigger deal if you need to fly out of one of the international airports in those cities.

8. …Not Too Close Though

While many of our residents think nothing of driving to Orlando or to Tampa for a day, we are also located far enough away that you don't have to worry about any of the stress that comes with city living. Like big-city traffic.

7. Fantastic Golf Courses

One amenity that Citrus County residents are not lacking is quality golf courses. In addition to the excellent courses here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, there are also more than a dozen other public and private courses to choose from in the area.

6. Beautiful Local Parks

Being "just far enough" from the big cities goes hand-in-hand with the number of local, state, and national parks you will find throughout Citrus County. Whether you are looking for a great picnic spot, a place to relax on the beach, or a walk through the woods, you will never run out of quality options here.

5. Rich History

Many of our local parks also boast impressive history that tells the incredible story of the area. But in addition to the local parks, you will also find lots of history in downtown areas like Inverness and Crystal River, as well as in our local museums.

4. The Nature Coast

Another thing our residents love about all of the local parks in Citrus County is the amazing amount of wildlife you can find there. We are located right in the heart of Florida's "Nature Coast," so there is never a shortage of wildlife to be seen, especially if you are passionate about birding.

3. Wide Array of Dining Options

You can find a single great restaurant in just about any town across the country, but here in Citrus County we are proud of the fact that we have an incredibly wide range of excellent restaurants. No matter what style of food you are looking for, you can find someone making it right here.

2. Pristine Waterways

Between the Withlacoochee River, Crystal River, Kings Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico, there are more waterways to explore in and around Citrus County that most people know what to do with. Whether you are passionate about kayaking, fishing, or just heading out for a cruise, there is always something happening on the waterways around the Villages of Citrus Hills.

1. The Manatees

As much as we love to brag about the rest of the wildlife you will find throughout Citrus County, our biggest selling point is that we are the only place in Florida where you can swim along with giant manatees right in their natural habitat.

Between Homosassa Springs and Three Sisters Springs, manatees make their homes here in Citrus County and our residents love to stop by to appreciate them.

As we said before, this list is just the tip of the iceberg as far as reasons you might choose to live in Citrus County. Come on down and see for yourself!

Many people who choose to move to the Villages of Citrus Hills do so because of the great weather, reasonable cost of living, and overwhelming number of options for golfing. But the fact that Walt Disney World is located only an hour and a half away is definitely a factor that many residents come to appreciate over the years.

There is simply no other attraction on the planet that is quite like Disney World. Whether you visit the parks with grandchildren, grown children, or as an adult couple, there is a never-ending and always-changing collection of things to see and do that will take your breath away time and time again.

In order to help you get the most out of the fact that you will be living right up the road from the theme park destination that people travel to from around the world, we put together six key tips that particularly apply to local residents.

Invest in an Annual Pass

Disney World goes out of its way to take care of Florida residents by offering annual passes that come at steep discounts to purchasing tickets at the gate. Locals can purchase a “Weekday Pass” for as little as $13.66 per person each month.

If you want access on the weekends too, that price goes up to a little over $25 per person, which is still a huge discount for anyone who plans to visit more than a few times each year.

Take Advantage of the Off-Season

Since Disney World is such a kid-focused destination, most families tend to visit during the summer months when school is out. But since you are planning to live here all year, you will have the advantage of enjoying the parks during the winter months when the crowds are much lighter.

Some of the best times to visit the park are in the fall right after the new school year starts, during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and right after the New Year and into early February.

Stay On-Site Once in a While

Living just a short car ride away means that you have the luxury of driving down for the day and then heading home at night. But you are definitely doing yourself a disservice if you don’t make it a point to stay at the parks at least a few times every year.

Disney World is the gold standard for every measure of service and customer satisfaction, and the onsite hotels are no exception. Staying in the onsite hotels also adds even more “magic” to the Disney World experience.

Learn Which Rides Differ from Park Hours

As a local resident who takes advantage of the great deals Disney offers on annual passes, you are going to get to know each of the parks a lot better than most of the people who are only able to visit once every few years.

Using your “insider” information to your advantage, take note of which rides open and close at times that are different from the main park gates. You might also want to keep notes on which rides have longer lines at different times of the day.

There’s an App for That

Whether or not you bother to keep your own notes, you can have access to lots of great notes that other people have collected over the years by taking some time to download all of great Disney World apps that work as virtual tour guides.

There are literally dozens of these apps available for iPhone and Android, so take some time to search for the best ones and you will be amazed at how they enhance your Disney experience.

There’s More Than Just Disney

It’s also important to remember that there is even more to the Orlando theme park scene than the four major Disney parks. You might also want to make plans to explore SeaWorld Orlando, LEGOLAND, and Universal Studios throughout the year.

Whether you are looking to spoil your grandkids or happen to be a kid-at-heart yourself, there is no limit to the fun and excitement you can find at Walt Disney World, just a short drive away from the Villages of Citrus Hills.

Make sure that you do everything you can to take advantage of living so close to this magical destination.

Top 10 Reasons to Live in Citrus County