The cottages (actually tan park models) are nestled beneath tall trees next to Saint Charles Lake. The homes all look alike and are neatly lined up along quiet lanes. Each one has a driveway (but no garage), one bedroom, one bath, a living room and a kitchen. The living room is furnished and has a "Murphy" bed that pulls down from the wall. The bedroom has a queen size bed, and the kitchen has a table, a dishwasher, a stove, a refrigerator, a microwave and dishes. Some cottages have a screened-in porch, and some have lake views. All homes are non-smoking.

The management company takes care of all maintenance issues and keeps the grounds watered and mowed.

Leases run from June 1st to May 31st, and standard lease prices start at $995 per month. The community offers a discount to people who sign a 12 month rental agreement but stay eight or fewer months. These prices start at $5,995 per year.

An extra $1,000 per year rents a cottage with a screened-in porch. Another $400 per year buys a lake view. A monthly maintenance fee of $30 covers water, sewer and trash. Utilities are extra. All cottages are air conditioned. No smoking allowed.

La Casa del Sol prides itself on its community spirit and has a number of regularly scheduled activities, including bingo, bridge games, dance lessons and movie nights. Ice cream socials, theme dinners, barbeques, pancake breakfasts and holiday events are further ways that residents stay busy. Life here feels a little like summer camp.

Amenities include a putting green, a horseshoe pit, a shuffleboard facility, a clubhouse with large pool, a hot tub, a billiards room, a meeting room, an exercise room and a small library. Nearby attractions include Walt Disney World, Cypress Gardens, Sea World and Busch Gardens.

Davenport's Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission.

Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 50s and 60s. On average, the area receives 50 inches of rain per year.

Visit www.villageflorida.com for more information.

Florida:

Named Pascua Florida by Juan Ponce De Leon, the Sunshine State did not enter the Union until March 3, 1845. Balmy mild winters began attracting snowbirds to the state in the late 19th century. Retirees continue to flock to the state. It's not hard to see why tourism has become the leading industry.

International trade and citrus are also major contributors to the state's economy. Eighty percent of the nation's oranges and grapefruits are grown here, and 40 percent of all U.S. exports to Latin America flow through Florida.

Florida's landscape includes uplands and coastal plains. It contains more than 11,000 miles of waterways and about 4,500 islands spread across 10 acres.

Florida has 1,250 golf courses, more than any other state in the Union. The 47 mile Pinellas Trail is the longest urban trail on the east coast. Orlando theme parks attract more visitors than any other theme parks in the U.S. The only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles co-exist is in National Everglades Park.