Seniors Find A Best Retirement City

Dade City is popular with senior tourists for its antique stores, restaurants and historic architecture including the Pasco County Courthouse, Hugh Embry Library, and Edwinola, a quaint place to stay.

The annual Kumquat Festival is hosted downtown and the surrounding area is a large producer of the tart kumquat, a citrus fruit eaten whole. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.

Dade City’s downtown is mostly known for its antique shops and restaurants. Two excellent educational institutions, St. Leo University and Pasco-Hernando State College, are located in the Greater Dade City area.

The city motto reads: Proud Heritage: Promising Future and Dade City is known as one of the 100 Best Places to Retire.  So seniors are invited to check it all out for yourselves, and enjoy visiting the wide array of Dade City antique stores.

 Seniors Visit The Pioneer Florida Museum

The Tocobaga Indians, the original inhabitants of the region, had small villages in the northern part of Tampa Bay. In December of 1836, construction of Fort Dade began. Thomas R. Tucker and Sarah Tucker were the first white residents of what eventually became Pasco County.

In December 1842, James Gibbons was issued a permit for 160 acres, which later became Dade City. The community was officially incorporated in 1889. During World War II, Dade City was home to a prisoner-of-war camp. The name “Dade City” was given in honor of Major F.L. Dade, a martyr of the Seminole warfare.

Plenty to see and do in and around Dade City  beginning with the Pioneer Florida Museum that displays exhibits depicting the life of pioneers. It has an old train depot, a 1913 locomotive, a pre-American Civil War house, a school, and a historic Methodist church.

Seniors Find Historical Sites Of Interest

Seniors can enjoy the Crystal River State Archaeological Site, Dade Battlefield State Historical Site, Historical Bok Sanctuary, and Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historical State Park are several historical sites near Dade City.

Hillsborough River State Park, which covers almost 4,000 acres, offers swimming, fishing, camping, canoeing, and picnicking opportunities, as well as nature trails for hikers.

TripAdvisor lists nearly two dozen things to do and see in and around Dade City starting off with the Giraffe Ranch. I’d want to pay a visit to Hancock Groves on Blanton Road. It is a premium farm, serving the Dade City area with fresh wholesome locally grown pick your own oranges and strawberries.

Toss in your clubs, there are more than half a dozen great courses senior golfers can play. And other popular attractions include the Lowry Park Zoo, the Florida Aquarium, Adventure Island Tampa Bay, and Busch Gardens.

Seniors, set your GPS for Dade City and experience for yourself the many amenities this city has to offer. Enjoy your stay. -jeb