The Hidden Side of Sun City

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Southshore Story Time

Sun City Center - The Retirement Revolution

Part One

A City with No Children

In 1961, under the blazing Florida sun and the promise of eternal leisure, developers broke ground on something unheard of: a community for retirees and only retirees. No schools. No swing sets. No children’s laughter echoing down cul-de-sacs. They called it Sun City Center, a pastel paradise where golf carts outnumbered cars and early bird dinners were a competitive sport.

It was marketed as the future of aging—a place where one could remain active, social, and blissfully distant from the chaos of youth. The plan worked. Residents arrived in droves, drawn by the shuffleboard courts, bocce leagues, and the unspoken guarantee of peace.

But the ground they built the city on had a life of its own. Residents reported odd humming noises at night, flickering lights near the HOA building, a subtle feeling that they were never really alone. Most ignored it. Until, during a landscaping project near the recreation center, a crew hit something metallic beneath the soil. An old, sealed door. Thick steel. Locked tight. The shuffleboard courts were quickly re-poured to cover it.

Whatever lay underneath was none of their business.

But not everyone felt that way.

Featured Story

Scallop Season Is Back

Time to dust off your snorkel and get ready to chase underwater popcorn—scallop season is officially on.

Starting June 15, Floridians (yes, that includes us here in Southshore) can head up the coast to spots like Steinhatchee, Crystal River, and Homosassa for one of the weirdest and most beloved summer traditions: swimming face-first into saltwater grass beds in search of little shellfish that clap at you and dart away like they’re late for a meeting.

Here’s the need-to-know:

• You can collect scallops by hand or dip net.

• The limit is 2 gallons per person in the shell, or 1 pint of meat. Boats get a max of 10 gallons total.

• You do need a saltwater fishing license unless you’re wading from shore without a boat or have a license exemption.

• And no, you can’t go pro—commercial scalloping is off-limits.

If you’ve never been scalloping, picture snorkeling combined with hide-and-seek, sunburn, and a cooler full of seafood gold if you’re lucky.

So grab your gear, gas up the golf cart (or you know, a real car), and head north. The scallops are waiting… and they’re faster than they look.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

AROUND TOWN

Featured Summer Camps & Training

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Until next time,

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