2,000 Homes and Counting: Latitude Margaritaville Watersound Hits a Milestone in Paradise

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is rocking into 2025 with an achievement worth raising a margarita glass to. This month, the Jimmy Buffett-inspired 55+ community on Florida’s Emerald Coast sold its 2,000th home, marking a major milestone less than three years since opening in May 2021​. What was once a visionary idea of “living life like a song” has quickly become a reality for thousands of active adults, and the atmosphere is bursting with excitement and island-style celebration.

Click here to learn more about Latitude Margaritaville Watersound.

Celebrating a Tropical Milestone

Executives behind Latitude Margaritaville Watersound say the community’s swift success has exceeded all expectations. “Reaching 2,000 home sales at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is a significant milestone for this community,” said Jorge Gonzalez, President and CEO of St. Joe, one of the development partners​.

“The continuing demand for new homes speaks not only to the quality of the homes and abundance of amenities that residents can enjoy, but also to the appeal of the quality of life in Northwest Florida.” In other words, it’s not just the beautiful homes drawing folks in – it’s the fun-loving lifestyle and Florida panhandle charm. Indeed, sales have “exceeded all projections” as today’s vibrant 55-plus crowd embraces the community’s one-of-a-kind mix of fun, food, music and escapism.​

To celebrate the 2,000-home mark, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is buzzing with festivities. Residents who’ve been there from Home #1 to Home #2000 are sharing pride in how their neighborhood has blossomed. Many recall that when the first residents moved in, the town square and amenities were just coming to life – now there’s a full-fledged tropical town center where live bands play, neighbors dance under the stars, and every day feels like the weekend. The community has even garnered national accolades, recently earning a spot among the “top 50 master-planned communities in the U.S.” for its laid-back, active lifestyle​. In short, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound has struck a chord, and 2,000 happy homeowners are singing its praises.

Click here to learn more about Latitude Margaritaville Watersound.

Life’s a Party at Latitude Watersound

Ask anyone living in Latitude Margaritaville Watersound what daily life is like, and you’ll likely hear that it “doesn’t feel like a retirement community; it’s a vacation”​ kiplinger.com.

The community was designed so that every day offers that resort-style magic – whether you’re zipping to the beach in your golf cart or joining friends for happy hour by the pool. Key amenities and activities include:

• Live Entertainment: An outdoor bandshell in the Town Square hosts frequent live music and dancing. Residents bring lawn chairs or simply kick off their shoes on the recessed dance floor (with a little extra “cushion” for dancing feet) and groove to everything from tropical tunes to 80s hits​. There’s a jumbo screen for outdoor movie nights and big games, too.
• Food & Fun: The two-story Latitude Bar & Chill restaurant – with its rooftop Overlook Bar – serves up Margaritaville’s signature food and drinks with panoramic views of the Intracoastal Waterway​. It’s become the social hub where neighbors meet for cheeseburgers in paradise and boat drinks at sunset. On weekends, you might find a farmers market or a tiki bar pop-up in the Town Square for added fun.
• Paradise Pool: The sprawling lagoon-style pool features a beach-like gradual entry, its own Tiki Island, and plenty of space for floatables and relaxation​. It’s not uncommon to hear live steel drum music or a DJ spinning your favorite Buffett and Beach Boys tunes in the afternoons. “Music everyday at the pool is so awesome,” one new homeowner raved​.
• Fitness & Wellness: The Fins Up! Fitness Center offers state-of-the-art equipment, indoor lap pool and spa, and group fitness classes ranging from yoga to water aerobics​. There’s even a Telegraph Business Center for those who want to plug in and work remotely between rounds of golf or pickleball.
• Outdoor Recreation: Pickleball and tennis courts (lit for night play) are always busy with friendly tournaments​. A community “Fin Ball” league (Margaritaville’s twist on wiffle ball) has formed, and neighbors gather for games on the lawn. There’s also mini-golf, bocce ball, a kayak launch to explore local waterways, and Barkaritaville Dog Park for the pups.

From conga lines at the latitude-adjustment hour to impromptu jam sessions by resident garage bands, fun is always on the schedule. As one resident, Bill, puts it: “It’s a good gig… It doesn’t feel like a retirement community; it’s a vacation.”​

The carefree, “no-worries” vibe that Jimmy Buffett envisioned is fully alive here in Watersound.

Click here to learn more about Latitude Margaritaville Watersound.

Voices of Happy Residents: “It Keeps Us Young!”

Perhaps the best testament to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound’s success is hearing from the residents themselves. Many came seeking an active retirement, and they’ve found so much more. “We had the big house and the pool… but we really loved the beach and this is our chapter,” says Sharon, 72, who moved to Margaritaville Watersound with her husband after RV-ing around the country in search of the perfect retirement spot​.

Now, she couldn’t be happier with their choice. “There’s so much socializing. We go to the fitness center three to four times a week, we were in a dance troupe, and almost every weekend there is entertainment. It keeps us active and young,” Sharon explains.

Her husband Roger agrees that any minor downsides of community life are “overshadowed by all the positives”​ – mainly, the wonderful friends and experiences they share.

They’re far from the only ones feeling the Margaritaville magic. New homeowner Debbie (who jokingly calls herself a “Parrothead-in-training”) says she’s amazed at how quickly neighbors become friends. “I love living in Paradise! If you can’t be happy here then that is your problem,” she laughs. “Love the fitness center. Music every day at the pool is so awesome.”​

Similar sentiments echo across the community’s Facebook groups and social gatherings. In fact, one recent resident video testimonial captures a common refrain: “We are so happy here and it was just the perfect transition from working a career and having fun and still having life left in you to just [do] the things that you’ve always dreamed about”​

Source: instagram.com.

In that same clip, the residents encourage anyone “on the fence” about moving to “put your name on the list”​ – because they don’t want future neighbors to miss out on this experience.

For some, Margaritaville Watersound has even delivered surprises beyond sunshine and music. Longtime single resident Fran Clader, 63, moved from California and ended up finding love right in the neighborhood. “I found love at Latitude. I wasn’t looking for it… he swept me off my feet,” Fran says of meeting her fiancé David at a community mixer night​.

The pair are now engaged, living proof that this community isn’t just about partying in paradise – it’s also about finding a true sense of belonging and joy in one’s later years. As another homeowner, Joe, summed up: “I’m extremely happy with my choice of living within Margaritaville and all of the amenities and the lifestyle options available to me now and in the future.”​

In Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, “your best life” isn’t a cliché – it’s happening every day.

Click here to learn more about Latitude Margaritaville Watersound.

The Party’s Just Getting Started – Join In!

With 2,000 homes sold (and countless memories made), Latitude Margaritaville Watersound isn’t slowing down one bit. More phases of development are underway to welcome the next wave of 55-and-better residents drawn to this Emerald Coast oasis. Exciting new amenities are on the horizon – including a Workin’ N’ Playin’ Center with a theater (dubbed the Last Mango Theater), creative studios, a hobby workshop for golf carts and crafts, and even a pet spa for the pampered pups​.

A new full-service marina and a healthcare campus are also in the works just outside the community, ensuring that residents can truly have all they need at their fingertips​.

In short, the future is bright (and suitably laid-back) in Margaritaville Watersound.

If you’re a 55+ adventurer looking for your own slice of paradise, there’s never been a better time to check out the action in and around Watersound. Schedule a tour or swing by one of Latitude Margaritaville Watersound’s lively open-house events – you might catch a concert or a margarita in hand as soon as you arrive. And friendly residents are always eager to say “welcome to the neighborhood!” As one resident advised with enthusiasm, “Anybody that’s on the fence… come on in!”​

Ready to change your latitude? Prospective retirees can visit the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound sales center (open daily) or explore the community’s website for info on Discovery Tours and events. 🏝️ Fins Up! The welcome mat is out, and the next chapter of fun could be just around the corner.

P.S. – If you’re exploring Florida’s Panhandle, also consider a few other nearby gems for active 55+ living. Just up the road in Freeport is Firefly at Hammock Bay, a charming active-adult enclave where residents rave about the friendly atmosphere. “My husband and I love living in Hammock Bay… this community has so much to do!” says one couple, noting the clubs, fitness center, pools and year-round events that kept them busy from the day they moved in​.

Another great option is Watersound Origins in South Walton, often described as “a coastal village” community, blending abundant amenities with the natural beauty of towering pines along Lake Powell​.

Each community has its own style and spirit, but they all share one thing in common – a chance to live your best life in Florida’s beautiful Emerald Coast. 🌴

Fins Up, and here’s to the next 2,000 homes filled with laughter and island spirit!