Long before retirement, many of us feel the pull toward a lifestyle centered around ease, luxury, and connection. One growing trend that embodies this is the rise of golf cart-friendly 55+ communities. These neighborhoods embraced the electric revolution long before it was mainstream—why waste money on gas when most of your trips are just a short ride away?
But these communities aren’t just about golf; they represent a way of life—one that values convenience, camaraderie, and a more enjoyable daily routine.
Here’s What Makes a Community Golf Cart-Friendly
The best golf cart communities go beyond allowing residents to own and operate golf carts. They offer a higher standard of living, integrating that mode of transport into daily life with features like:
- Dedicated Golf Cart Paths: Separate lanes or trails for easy travel around the neighborhood without interfering with traditional traffic.
- Local Accessibility: Grocery stores, medical offices, restaurants, and recreation centers are within a short golf cart ride.
- Regulatory Support: Local laws and homeowner association (HOA) rules accommodate golf cart use, often allowing street-legal models to travel beyond the community.
- Safety Considerations: Well-marked crossings, proper signage, and speed limits promote a safe environment for carts, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Benefits of Living in a Golf Cart-Friendly 55+ Community
The appeal of a golf cart lifestyle is multi-faceted. The pace is less rushed, and it’s much easier to stop and chat than when you’re in a car. Even those who do not play golf find that these communities offer a variety of benefits:
- Convenience and Ease of Transportation: Golf carts provide a simple, efficient way to travel within the neighborhood. You’ll find specialized garages, golf cart parking lots, and on-site cart dealers and mechanics in the best golf cart communities.
- Cost Savings: Operating a golf cart is more affordable than maintaining a car, with a lower initial investment, negligible fuel costs, minimal maintenance, and inexpensive insurance.
- Environmental Benefits: Electric golf carts offer an eco-friendly alternative to cars, reducing the carbon footprint of daily transportation.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Golf Cart-Friendly 55+ Community
If you’re considering moving to a golf cart-friendly community, look for a well-planned layout with amenities and essential services accessible via a golf cart. Check if the neighborhood includes trails or designated paths for safe and convenient travel. It should also be near essential services like medical facilities and pet supply stores. Keep in mind that you can still have a car onsite.
Not all communities have the same rules regarding golf carts. Some require specific registrations, while others restrict where residents can drive them. Review the local laws and HOA policies to confirm that golf cart use aligns with your expectations. You’ll also see that some golf cart communities are part of larger, census-designated areas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, those areas represent “closely settled, unincorporated communities that are locally recognized and identified by name.”
Finally, consider the overall cost of living in the community, including HOA fees, golf cart costs, and access to amenities. Some communities include golf cart paths as part of their general infrastructure, while others may require additional fees for their upkeep.
Now, we can move on to the good part: some of our best golf course communities in Florida, Arizona, California, Georgia, and Illinois. The golf-cart-friendly 55+ communities highlighted here are among the top choices, but they’re far from the only options available. Let’s take a look!
Florida
On Top of the World – Ocala, FL
Low $100ks – Low $700ks
Our first gated golf cart community is undoubtedly impressive, with 10,000 attached and single-family new and resale homes sized from 1,000 to over 3,000 square feet. Located in the heart of Central Florida, this 55+ community has everything retirees need.
On Top of the World’s long list of resort-style amenities include three golf courses, clubhouses, pickleball, tennis, and swimming pools. There are also two restaurants and a conference center. The Ranch Fitness Center and Spa is this neighborhood’s world-class spa and state-of-the-art fitness center. Also, Circle Square Commons is the entertainment and social hub.
On Top of the World lets its homeowners have well-maintained, registered private golf carts. The HOA provides a complete list of rules. The carts can be used at night if they have headlights, turn signals, windshields, and brake lights.
Kings Point – Sun City Center, FL
Low $100ks – Mid $400ks
Perfectly poised between Tampa and Sarasota, Kings Point is a gated golf cart community with 5,277 resale attached and single-family homes. There are three courses here, with different membership options. The floor plans range from 800 square-foot condos to more spacious units with nearly 2,000 square feet—there are over 100 HOAs.
The central social hub is Kings Point Clubhouse, a 90,000-square-foot clubhouse with swimming pools, activity rooms, and a cafe. The South Clubhouse offers a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-style pool, and sports courts. Additional perks include a performance theater, more recreation centers, a day spa/salon/barber shop, and a pet park.
Vitalia at Tradition – Port St. Lucie, FL
Low $300ks – High $600ks
Adjacent to a master-planned community (Tradition), Vitalia at Tradition offers 1,200 resale single-family homes built from 2006 to 2022. These homes range from 1,400 to 2,907 square feet and have different contemporary floor plans.
While Vitalia doesn’t have an on-site course, it has a putting green and practice facilities; nearby courses include MetroWest Golf Club, Isleworth, and Orange Tree. Vitalia’s main attraction is its Captiva Club, a 24,000-square-foot recreation center with a fitness center, hobby rooms, and a ballroom. Outside, you’ll find residents enjoying a resort-style pool, sports courts, and a lakeside pavilion. Also, there are biking and walking trails throughout this gated community.
Solivita – Kissimmee, FL
Low $300ks – High $600ks
As a master-planned active adult community in Kissimmee, Solivita is 11 miles from Walt Disney World Resort and has two championship 18-hole golf courses. This active adult property offers 5,900 new and resale attached and single-family homes. It features over 20 floor plan collections. All in all, the homes range from 891 to 2,545 square feet.
There are several amenity centers at Solivita, including The Palms Amenity Complex, with a state-of-the-art fitness center, a trained fitness team, and a business center. Outside, there are pools, a sun deck, and sports courts. Solivata’s Riviera Spa & Fitness Center is even larger than The Palms, with similar features, an indoor walking track, and a dance studio.
Additionally, residents enjoy outdoor activities at Solivita’s Freedom Park, dance the night away at The Starlite Ballroom, and explore their creative sides at The Waterfront Galleries. There’s also a dog park. The Solavita Community Association manages the golf cart rules and regulations for residents.
Sun City Center – Sun City Center, FL
Low $100ks – Low $800ks
Sun City Center broke ground in 1961 and is one of the Sunshine State’s best-loved 55+ communities. Builders completed its last section in 2018, and the grand total for this property is 9,500 resale attached and single-family homes. These floor plans range from 1,503 to 3,086 square feet.
Sun City Center has three amenity campuses, which include a fitness center, a pool, hobby rooms, and Arts and Crafts Center. There’s also a large conference center and a Community Hall for dinners, dances, and stage shows. Active residents can access two dog parks, volleyball, pickleball, and tennis courts. Golfers play at the many different courses at Greater Sun City Center. Residents drive their carts on the public streets in the Sun City Center, but they must be 18 years and older and have liability insurance.
The Villages – The Villages, FL
High $100ks – Low $2Ms
With over 90 miles of golf cart paths, twelve championship golf courses, and country clubs, The Villages is a force of nature. To clarify: The Villages is a census-designated area in Florida. It shares that name with The Villages, a 55+ community described here. The Villages has 70,000 new and resale condos, attached, single-family, and manufactured homes, with about 100 floor plans.
The Villages has post offices, restaurants, banks, healthcare centers, shopping, and recreational amenities. Residents easily travel throughout The Villages and choose from 41 executive and 12 country club courses.
You’ll find regional, village, and neighborhood amenity centers throughout The Villages. These facilities have fitness centers, swimming pools, sports courts, and activity rooms. Golf carts are integral to this lifestyle, and residents drive them on designated pathways. That’s the best way to explore The Villages and a great way to meet people.
Arizona
Sun City – Sun City, AZ
Below $100k – Low $1Ms
Built from 1960 to 2016, Sun City offers 28,257 condos, attached homes, and single-family homes. They rangefrom 946 to 2,137 square feet and were completed by different builders.
This welcoming 55+ community has seven recreation centers with fitness facilities, restaurants, hobby rooms, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Sun City also has an incredible number of golf courses, religious centers, performing arts theaters, and an on-site hospital. Residents head outside to play pickleball, bocce ball, and tennis. There’s also a fishing lake.
Sun City residents must follow Arizona’s golf cart laws. The state allows golf carts on public roads when drivers have the proper driver’s license and auto insurance (other restrictions apply).
California
Laguna Woods Village – Laguna Woods, CA
High $200ks – High $1Ms
This best golf cart community in The Golden State is Laguna Woods Village, a gated property with 12,736 resale condos, attached homes, and single-family homes. There are over 90 floor plans, ranging from 675 to 2,600 square feet. Some of these condo models have up to three bedrooms.
Laguna Woods has a 27-hole championship golf course and a 9-hole par-3 golf course. Its standout amenities include seven clubhouses, an 814-seat performing arts center, an arts and crafts clubhouse, state-of-the-art fitness centers, and five outdoor pools. There’s even an equestrian center with stables, riding lessons, and special events. Golf cart drivers must obey specific rules, such as posted stop signs, speed limits, and parking regulations.
Georgia
Cresswind Peachtree City – Peachtree City, GA
High $700ks – High $800ks
Our best Georgia golf cart community is on the smaller side, with 650 resale single-family homes completed in 2023. There are three home collections, with luxurious floor plans ranging from 1,448 to 3,058 square feet.
The Club at Cresswind is the main social hub here, with a state-of-the-art fitness center, resort-style swimming pools, an amphitheater, and outdoor sports courts. Nearby golf courses include Flat Creek Country Club and Planterra Club. This community has over 100 miles of multiuse paths for golf carts, cyclists, and pedestrians. Residents travel those paths throughout the neighborhood to parks and shopping centers throughout Peachtree City. All carts must be registered.
Illinois
Sun City Huntley – Huntley, IL
High $200ks – High $600ks
Illinois retirees flock to Sun City Huntley, a mid-sized golf cart community with 5,489 resale condos, attached homes, and single-family homes. The floor plans range from 1,014 to over 3,000 square feet. Many of the homes have golf course views.
Sun City Huntley is known for its Whisper Creek Golf Course. Residents enjoy discounted fees and can sign up for memberships. The Prairie Lodge is the community’s 94,000-square-foot clubhouse, with a state-of-the-art fitness facility and swimming pools. You’ll find more amenities at Meadow View Lodge. Much of this property is protected open space and nature preserves, including beautiful Wildflower Park—there’s also a fishing lake and a lighted tennis facility.
Embracing the Golf Cart Lifestyle
While the golf-cart-friendly 55+ communities highlighted here represent some of the best options available, they’re by no means the only ones. Each offers unique features that make them stand out, but there are plenty more out there waiting to be discovered.
If you’re drawn to the idea of a lifestyle where convenience and community are key, we encourage you to connect with a trusted 55places.com partner agent. They can help you explore golf-cart-friendly communities in your desired area and guide you toward the perfect fit for your next chapter.
