The Villages Golf Country Club

The Villages Golf and Country Club is a 1,200-acre gated 55+ community set in the rolling Evergreen foothills of southeast San Jose, established in 1967 on the site of a former hillside vineyard and winery. Over roughly three decades of phased development through the late 1990s/early 2000s, the community grew into 12-13 distinct 'villages' — each with its own architectural character and HOA sub-association — comprising 2,309 attached condos and townhomes alongside 227 single-family homes for a total of 2,536 residences and approximately 4,000-4,300 residents. The focal point is the par-72 championship 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Muir Graves, complemented by a 9-hole par-3 course, a 15-stall driving range, putting and chipping greens, and a Pro Shop — and critically, golf and country club membership is included with homeownership, a rare perk that sets The Villages apart from most 55+ communities in California. Daily life revolves around four community centers — Cribari, Foothill, Montgomery, and Vineyard — which host over 60 chartered clubs and roughly 40 informal social groups covering everything from amateur astronomy, radio, and theatre to bridge, bocce, camera club, ukulele, investment, garden, genealogy, hiking, and faith-based groups (Catholic, Jewish, Episcopal, Humanist). Each center offers something different: fitness center and library at Montgomery; hobby rooms for photography, woodworking, and billiards; card and party rooms; and a resident-run boutique at Cribari selling handcrafted goods. The Clubhouse serves full-service breakfast, lunch, and dinner with sweeping views of the golf course, and the adjacent Bistro Bar & Grille handles casual dining on an outdoor patio. Outdoor amenities match the setting. Over 500 acres of preserved open space wrap the community with roughly 10 miles of walking, hiking, and bridle trails, 2.5 miles of lake shoreline, three picnic areas, and an on-site equestrian center where residents can board horses in private stalls with automatic water and feed. There are four outdoor swimming pools and spas (strategically placed across the community), six tennis courts, four pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, community garden plots, and RV/boat storage. Wildlife — deer, ducks, raptors — is a near-daily sight thanks to the preserved hillside setting. Homes range from roughly 600 to 2,256 square feet across three configurations: two-story condo buildings (6-8 units each), single-level villa buildings (2-3 units each), and detached single-family homes on individual lots. The bulk of inventory is two-bedroom/two-bath, with some one- and three-bedroom options. Recent sales range from the mid-$400Ks for smaller condos up past $1.3M for larger single-family homes with views, and the community's median sale price sits around $730K-$770K. HOA dues vary by village and home type, generally between $600 and $1,900 per month, and cover comprehensive services including golf/country club membership, water, trash, cable, pest control, lawn and grounds maintenance, 24-hour gate security, and professional management. Though the setting feels luxuriously secluded among rolling hills, The Villages is only about 10 miles from downtown San Jose and less than two miles off Highway 101 via San Felipe Road, placing Silicon Valley's employment, cultural, and medical resources within easy reach. The community has consistently been recognized among the top 55+ communities in the United States and remains the premier dedicated active-adult community in the Bay Area.