The Best Independent Living Communities in Sarasota County, FL

"We liked DeSoto Palms Assisted Living Community. It had everything. The apartments were nice. The people seemed to be very friendly. They have a lot of activities to do and people coming in and entertainment, that kind of thing. They were very thorough and very nice. We're gonna go back and look at it again. It just seemed to be well thought out. They had a salon and it was very nice. The upkeep was excellent. It couldn't be better. It's near the mall, so there are a lot of restaurants and stores."

"The rooms at Desoto Beach Club were nice. They range from studio to two-bedrooms. They have garages for cars. The place was clean, caring, and convenient. "

"We went to Cypress Springs. My father likes it. It's right behind the shopping center with the Publix, and he loves Publix Grocery Stores. It had several restaurants in it, and he likes the fact that he could just walk across the street. It was off of University Boulevard, and it was relatively quiet; he liked that. He liked the way that the rooms were situated. They were just designed a little bit different than the other places. He requested to go back a second time for this. We just visited the independent and the assisted living there. The rooms were nice. A couple that we looked at had brand new carpet, and you could tell that by the smell of fresh paint and those things. They designed them well to show how you would set up your furniture if you moved in. The lady who gave us the tour was very, very nice. My father liked her, too. The staff was very nice and very helpful. I actually like her the best, too. It had a very limited outside area and very limited parking. They have a fantastic movie room. They show older movies that senior citizens would enjoy."

"I've moved into The Alloro at University Groves. It's been great so far. I like that it's brand new and it's very close to my son. This is not a care facility. It's a 55 and over. We have pickleball, bocce, and a nice big swimming pool. There's a whole bunch of other things. We have get-togethers and wine in the evenings. It's like living in a kind of fancy apartment building. They have breakfast and it's free for residents Monday through Friday. If you want to be there for dinner, you can sign up. It's not free. You pay for it. It's like going to a restaurant, but that's available as well as the bistro for lunch. If you want to eat out, you can eat out. If you want to eat in, you can do that, too. The food is good, but we have a full-sized kitchen in every apartment. It's like being home. There are two buildings, and the activities are sort of in the middle. The staff is excellent."

"I visited Sky Active the Venetian Gardens. The place was very nice. The staff was great and friendly. They had a few religious things that appealed to my mother. They had an entertainment coordinator. They also had a shuttle bus available."

"Elan Manatee was well laid out. They had two-bedrooms but only had one available, which I consider too small for someone in my wife's position. The staff was very good and very helpful. For activities, I think they were having some speakers while I was there. They also had a game room."

"I toured Stone River Retirement Community. It was a lovely experience, and Michael, the man in charge, gave a beautiful tour and was very cordial, and couldn't have done a better job. He was great and the facility is just lovely. And if I was looking for one that was rental only, I think I'd be very tempted to be there. I met some of the staff and the residents. Many came up and said this is a wonderful place to be. The apartments are quite lovely. They had a good selection of studios, one-bedrooms, two bedrooms, and they even had some three bedrooms."

"What we liked about Inspired Living at Lakewood Ranch was their pool and that it was gorgeous and bigger than any of the other places we’ve looked at. My dad likes to swim, and it's the only exercise he likes to do. The furniture and the common areas were beautiful. They obviously had someone with very good taste picking out the furniture. They had a lot of nice sitting areas throughout the property. The staff was very warm, friendly, and welcoming. It seemed that they knew the residents really well. I liked their security feature. For instance, if he goes to a walk, he could just press the button and they would know where to find him on the property. "

Solea Wellen Park is a resort-style, 55+ Active Adult community in North Port, FL. This brand new community brings a maintenance-free lifestyle opportunity for those who are ready to live actively and without the everyday stresses of owning a home. Every corner of Solea, from the luxurious apartment home interiors to the vibrant community event spaces, was designed to foster comfort, convenience, and connection for every resident. Attend daily social events, reinvigorate in stylish surroundings, or discover shopping and entertainment near Solea and the larger Sarasota Bradenton area. No matter what you love, Solea empowers you to pursue it- while we worry about the rest.

"The Gallery at North Port is modern, a very nice facility. We didn't taste the food, but it looked like a pretty good food plan where you weren't locked in, but you have full kitchen facilities, so it was good for us. Some guy was playing music, which was old people's music. They had a small gym, which was fine. They had a pretty nice pool. The staff was very friendly."

"This is not a typical assisted living facility. Most everything (except memory care) is on the ground floor. All the living units open to the outside, onto nicely landscaped courtyards, The residents can walk under cover from place to place, The environment is open, secure, friendly and inviting. It struck me that the residents and the staff were genuinely happy to be there, The rooms were reasonably spacious and the common areas were very nicely done, comfortable and a nice extension of the residents ‘ own rooms. This facility is well designed, staffed by caring professionals where the residents were happy to be living there."

"I have chosen here but I haven't moved in yet. The first thing we noticed when we went on a tour is how happy the people that were there in talking to each other and communicating. That was one of the big things. The price was another, and that was the second thing. They've been very helpful in helping me set up the room and anything else I needed. I'm happy with the size of my room. I don't need a lot, but it has a bathroom and a screened-in porch. I'm on the first floor. I've got furniture delivered there from Wayfair, and they said they'd handle it. And I'm going to have furniture moved down on the 15th from where I am, and they said to let them know and they'll have dollies out and things ready to move them to the room for me. All in all, they've been very, very, very helpful. The staff members have been very friendly. Everybody speaks to me and introduces themselves. They're very, very nice. They have a laundry room on the second floor, and they have a library, which is important to me. They even told me if I knew when the TV was coming, they were going to connect it for me. And my tour was complete."

"The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch assisted living facility looked really well-kept from the outside when we arrived. My friend's mother's family has lived in the region for quite a while and they would like to stay in touch. We especially enjoyed the well manicured lawns and atmosphere of the grounds. My friend's mother loves to tend the garden and we could see that she would be impressed as well. The patio areas also had barbeques where they have hosted and private parties. The main foyer had a lovely receiving area, reminiscent of a quaint country home. The communal areas we saw all had interesting activities occurring, from reading to games and resident interactions. It looked like the residents were really enjoying living there. Outings scheduled included anything imaginable - from restaurants, to art museums, the library, to films, fine dining and theater. They also host parties for residents at the facility which they encourage friends and family to attend. The food choices looked nutritious and delicious, as well as the regular snacks - offered continually. The dining areas have comfortable and decorative seating options. The private living suites were all a nice size and did not seem cramped and were beautifully decorated. We could see that my friend's mother would be comfortable in any one of them. It was clear that the staff at this facility provides understanding and attentive caregivers for the best care of its residents. "

"I visited Mira at Palmer Ranch's independent living facility. It's pretty new, so that makes a difference. The location is not great. You have to have a car if you live there. They have some transportation options, but it's quite car-dependent. The staff was very nice, professional, and pleasant. What I found a little bit undesirable is that they have a main building and an auxiliary building. So, if you get an apartment in the auxiliary building, you have to walk through a parking lot and pass the garages to get to the clubhouse or the swimming pool. It's a little bit inconvenient. The building is beautiful, though. They also have an exercise facility."