Well-Known Destination Named Florida's Most Unusual Town
By Zuri Anderson
August 4, 2023
The United States is home to some bizarre happenings, from our fascination with UFOs to the hundreds of strange landmarks and activities. Several places in the country have garnered a reputation for their out-of-the-ordinary tourist attractions, festivals, natural landscapes, restaurants, and other quirky features.
If you're curious about these destinations, Travel ALOT pinpointed the most unusual town in every state. Here's what the website had to say about its list:
"These places hold stories, traditions, and monuments that are sometimes a little off the beaten path--not many of these places are at the top of vacation bucket lists. But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth a visit! They all contribute, in their own small way, to the long, sometimes bizarre story of the United States."
According to writers, The Villages is the most unusual town in Florida! Here's why:
"It's easy to overlook the peculiarities of this retirement community, The Villages. With its picturesque golf courses, beautiful vintage Spanish-style homes, and generally serene atmosphere, it practically screams 'endless relaxation in your golden years!' But look a bit deeper and you'll find that beneath the peace and tranquility, something much more unsettling is occurring. Sure enough, the STD rates in The Villages are staggeringly high, suggesting that the residents here have found a very unconventional way to liven up their later lives! To say that The Villages is anything but a normal town would be an understatement—it truly is one of life's great mysteries."
To address this racy myth about The Villages, U.S. News & World Report spoke with Dr. Marivic Villa, who's worked in the town for nearly two decades and runs a clinic there. She told reporters she doesn't see a lot of patients testing positive for STDs.
"People just want to paint the picture that old people here are like young people in New Orleans," she said in August 2022. “I’m not saying that they’re not thinking about having sex... They do — a lot — but not to the point that there’s STDs left and right and all over the place.”