Wellen Park, FL 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Wellen Park is a master-planned community developed by Mattamy Homes in the popular city of Venice on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Its coastal location and warm weather attract many homebuyers seeking a picturesque retirement. In addition to this, Wellen Park provides residents with on-site shopping, dining, entertainment, and health care as well as a strong sense of community throughout its various neighborhoods.

Climate & Geography

Located on the western coast of Florida, Wellen Park is situated in an area that experiences hot and humid summers and mild winters that rarely reach freezing temperatures. Higher-than-average rainfall usually happens between June and October, but overall, residents can expect to enjoy over 250 sunny days a year.

With the Gulf of Mexico to the west and swamplands to the east, Wellen Park and the city of Venice sit on mostly flat land and enjoy cooler average temperatures than Central Florida. Residents of this master-planned community also have easy access to beaches and coastal waters.

Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment

Residents looking to enjoy the outdoors near Wellen Park have several options in and around the community. Myakka State Park, the Garden of Five Senses, Wellfield Park, Centennial Park, Warm Mineral Springs Park, and Manasota Key Beach are all local hotspots nearby, while Wellen Park itself has a network of trails, parks, and playgrounds throughout its neighborhoods.

In its prime coastal location, Wellen Park provides a variety of entertainment to its residents. When it’s not serving as the Spring Training facility for the Atlanta Braves, the on-site CoolToday Park hosts concerts, movie nights, happy hours, and other community events. For avid golfers, Wellen Park also features 18-hole golf courses and clubhouses in several of its neighborhoods.

Downtown Wellen is a walkable area with numerous places to eat, drink, and shop, including a Food Truck Park. Also, the Marketplace, located on Tamiami Trail, offers even more shopping and dining options as well as plenty of parking and access to daily conveniences.

Cost of Living & Taxes

As is the case with many popular seaside areas, the cost of living in this part of Florida is higher than the national average, and that’s largely due to the cost of housing and groceries. Other cost of living categories, such as health care and transportation, are either similar to the national average or just slightly above it.

For retirees, Florida is an especially desirable state because it does not tax Social Security, pensions, or other forms of retirement income, but Venice does have a combined sales tax rate of 7 percent. Also, Sarasota County offers a homestead exemption for property taxes for those who claim their Florida property as their primary residence.

Health Care

There are numerous local health care facilities surrounding Wellen Park, including Venice Regional Bayfront Health, Englewood Community Hospital, Sarasota Memorial Health, Fawcett Memorial Hospital, and Sarasota Memorial’s North Port ER and Health Center. Among those, Venice Regional Bayfront Health and Fawcett Memorial Hospital were ranked as “high performing” by U.S. News and Reports.