The best places to live in Orlando

Here is our guide The best places to live in Orlando

Orlando is the number 1 tourist destination in the world, now attracting over 72 million visitors each year. A big draw to Orlando is Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World. If you have visited Orlando before it is most likely you stayed in Kissimmee, home of Disney World. But where do all the locals live?

Ventured away from the theme parks and popular tourist traps, and explore what Orlando has to offer.  Orlando has historical downtowns, boutique shopping streets, and one of the world’s best chains on lakes.

Orlando’s perfect weather, stunning restaurants, and entertainment is why the rich and famous call Orlando home. Here are our Top communities to buy in if you are looking to relocate to Orlando.

Windermere and the Butler Chain of Lakes

The Butler Chain of lakes is a 10-mile chain that is made up of 13 conjoined lakes.  These largest being Lake Butler, Lake Louisa, Lake Isleworth, Lake Down, Lake Tibet, Lake Sheen, Lake Blanche, and Wauseon Bay. Downtown Windermere is a beautiful historic town with cobbles street and a small main street with boutique shops.  These shops include Paloma Coffee Shop, Dixie Cream Cafe, and Pistel.  Just off Main street, you will find well-kept sand roads that lead to the lakes.  Homes here range from small single-story homes to multi-million dollar lakefront mansions. The schools in this area include Windermere Prep, Windermere High School, and Olympia.

The best places to live in Orlando

Isleworth

Isleworth Country Club is the most prestigious place to live in Orlando.  The most famous previous residents include Tiger Woods and Shaq O’Neil.  Isleworth is full of luxury high-end custom-built homes ranging from $1 million dollars up to $28 million.  Homes in Isleworth feature prominent positions on the best lakes on the Butler Chain with private boat docks.  On-site is an immaculate golf course, a private clubhouse with a beautiful pool overlooking the lake.

Keenes Pointe

Keenes Pointe is a high-end luxury community set on the shores of Lake Tibet on the Butler Chain of Lakes.  Home to more than 1500 properties, Keenes Pointe is a popular choice for families. On-site facilities include the Jack Nicklaus designed golf course, clubhouse with restaurant, fitness center, tennis courts and swimming pool.
Located just outside is Keenes Pointe Park, here you will find a children’s play area, soccer, and lacrosse field.  At the end of the park is also a boat ramp giving you access to the Butler Chain of lakes.

Lake Butler Sound

The Reserve at Lake Butler Sound is a gated and guarded community and is home to America’s Largest private residence the Versailles mansion with over 90,000 square feet of living space. Like its namesake, many homes in Lake Butler Sound are situated along the shoreline of Lake Butler. Lake Butler Sound is home to some of the most luxurious properties in Orlando.  Each custom-built mansion has been architecturally designed and finished to the highest standard.

Winter Garden

Winter Garden is one of the most up and coming places to live in all of central Florida.  It has a stunning downtown area full of lively restaurants, bars, and shops. Winter Garden is also home to Plant Street market where you will find the Crooked Can brewery and local eateries.  Just minutes away is Winter Garden village, a large busy shopping Plaza of good shops and restaurants.  Running through Winter Garden is the West Orange Trail, a walking and cycling path that runs for over 20 miles. Eventually, this will join from Floridas Gulf Coast to the Atlantic coast.

Bella Collina

Bella Collina is a master-planned residential community set amongst orange groves and woodlands in the rolling hills of Clermont in Lake County, Florida.  Set over 2000 acres with some of the most stunning resort amenities found in any luxury community, the most impressive is the amazing clubhouse, an enormous 75,000 Square Foot Tuscan inspired mini-village, with stunning streets, cozy restaurants, banquet halls, and wedding venue. Homes vary in size in from modest 3 bedroom homes to multi-million dollar spectacular mansions that sit of the shores of Lake Butler and Lake Siena.

Winter Park

Winter Park is located just a few miles north of Downtown Orlando and is one of the most beautiful and Historic places in central Florida. The main street in Winter Garden in Park Avenue, full of some amazing and lively restaurants, bars, boutique shops, cigar lounges, jewelry stores, and more. The homes here are located on roads just off of Park Avenue. You will find some incredible mansions nestled along the many lakes that scatter throughout Winter Park. Winter Park is also home to one of the best schools in the area, Rollins Collage.

Lake Nona

Lake Nona is one of Orlando’s newest neighborhoods, located close to Orlando International Airport and home to Medical City, a large development of hospitals and medical research facilities. The most exclusive community here is Lake Nona Country Club, a designed resort by Tavistock, the group behind the successful Isleworth Community in Windermere.

Reunion Resort

Reunion Resort also makes it on our list.  This stunning neighborhood is located in Kissimmee and just 5.5 miles from Disney.  Reunion Resort features many high-end custom-built homes but varies from the other communities on our list.  Reunion is zoned for short term vacation rentals which allow owners to offer spare weeks in their homes to paying guests to generate additional income.

If you enjoyed learning about the best places to live in Orlando then make sure you check out the top 10 communities to own in near Disney World.