Dames and Peace Caves - Unique Florida

As we all know, there are many different day-trips to choose from in our area. Our area offers everything from beaches, springs, hiking, biking and really and natural wonder that you can think of for our state! One unique day-trip that we HIGHLY recommend here in Citrus County would have to be the Dames and Peace Caves which in the Withlacoochee State Forest!

Trail 22 Location and Information

Located just 30 minutes South of the Villages of Citrus Hills gates, this trail-head can be somewhat hard to find if you don’t know exactly where to look. If you’re looking for the correct trail, it’s called Trail 22, off of S. Lecanto Hwy (491).

There are no signs or parking area to let you know you’ve reached your destination, but there is a small peace sign spray painted at the trail-head to indicate you’ve reached it. You’ll usually see a few cars parked on the side of the road as well.

The Dames Caves Trail is an easy 1.2 mile out-and-back trail that brings you right back to the road where your car is parked. Since the trail is only elevated a total of 45 feet, the only climbing you’ll have to do is if you actually want to get in or out of some of the caves. This mild elevation makes for a nice day-hike for any age groups!

Vandal Cave

Two of the most popular caves on this trail are called “Vandal Cave” and “Peace Cave.” Vandal Cave is located if you follow the main trail-head East, and you will stumble across it right in front of you. It may look like a giant hole in the ground at first, as this cave had a roof collapse many ages ago. You are able to look directly down into Vandal Cave and see the bottom!

If you walk around the side of Vandal Cave, you’ll find a smaller cave that grants access into the heart of the beast. After a short climb, you get to experience all the natural beauty of Vandal Cave. At this point, you will also notice why it is called “Vandal Cave” with much of the walls covered in graffiti.

Peace Cave

Peace Cave is located on a sub-trail connected to Trail 22. It’s a short walk from Vandal Cave, and you can make it there in just minutes. You’ll know you’ve reached the cave when you see a giant tree with a peace sign spray painted at the base of the tree. The opening to this cave is more of a squeeze to reach the inside, but it is still very-doable. You’ll also need a flashlight for this one, as there won’t be any light to guide you in this time, like in Vandal Cave!

Once you reach the inside of these underground caves, you’ll instantly feel the temperature drop. If you’re quiet, you can hear the underground waterways passing by. There’s just no place like it.

How Much House Do You Really Need in a Retirement Community?

With all of the amenities available to residents at the Villages of Citrus Hills, planning to spend your retirement years here is an easy decision to make. But where things get a little more complicated is when you have to decide exactly how much house you are going to need once you are living here in Florida.

In most cases, you will have a good general idea of how big of a house you are looking for, but we have learned over the years that spending just a little extra time weighing the pros and cons of going a little bit larger or a little bit smaller can be the difference between an almost perfect retirement and one that actually is perfect.

If you are struggling with deciding exactly how much house you are going to need in your retirement years, we suggest taking some time to talk through each of the following five concerns to see how each of them might impact your new lifestyle.

Where Do You Spend Time?

One of the biggest differences in the floorplans here at the Villages of Citrus Hills is the size of rooms like the great room, kitchen, and master bedroom. Depending on where you typically spend the most time, you might realize that you would like just a little bit more space in one of these places.

Of course, if you are the type of person who expects to spend the majority of your time out in the community or kicking back on your lanai, then any cost associated with upgrading these interior spaces will be a wasted expense.

Will You Be Hosting Guests?

The most common reason that many residents choose to go a little bigger on their retirement home is that they are expecting to host guests on a regular basis.

Whether we are talking about long-time friends, children, or grandchildren, having an extra bedroom or two when hosting visitors is always going to be a plus.

What Are Your Hobbies?

Speaking of extra bedrooms, if you are considering picking up a new hobby during your retirement years, you will definitely want to make sure that you have plenty of room to explore your projects without leaving clutter all over the house.

Crafting, puzzle building, and woodworking are all popular retirement community hobbies, and they all require plenty of extra space. And even hobbies like reading and writing can be much more enjoyable if they have their own space in your home.

What is Your Budget?

The first three questions probably got you thinking about pushing towards a slightly bigger retirement home, but the counterargument that you have to consider now is whether you can actually afford that extra space.

In addition to being able to afford the house itself, it is also important to keep in mind that larger homes will be more expensive in terms of maintenance and utilities.

How Do You Feel About Maintenance?

Speaking of maintenance, another great point to consider is that there are many options like the Care-Free floorplans at the Villages of Citrus Hills that include all of the necessary exterior maintenance on your home.

That means you won't ever have to bother with cutting grass, trimming the hedges, or exterior painting. But if you're the type of person who enjoys that type of work (aka crazy), you might not find much value in a home where someone else does the work for you.

Determining the right size for your retirement home is a complicated process that really boils down to analyzing your lifestyle, contrasting it with your budget, and finding the home that best fits those two together. And here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, we have options to cover just about any conclusion you reach.