Ventana Lakes

Ventana Lakes is a 55+ active adult community sprawled across 480 acres in Peoria, Arizona, distinguished by its signature nine-lake system covering 30 acres of shimmering water, waterfalls, and walking paths. Originally developed by Lennar Homes with 21 floorplans between 1987 and 2000, the community was later finished by Shea Homes, and in 2017–2020 K. Hovnanian added 69 homes under its Four Seasons brand, bringing the total to roughly 1,770 residences. Homes range from compact 952 sq ft attached duplexes and fourplexes to single-family homes up to about 2,534 sq ft, offering everything from low-maintenance garden homes in sub-neighborhoods like The Shores, North Shores, and Gardens at Ventana Lakes to coveted waterfront lots where homeowners can build personal docks and step onto walking paths straight from the backyard. Life here revolves around water and socializing. The lakes are fully stocked for catch-and-release fishing (there's even an annual fishing derby where grandchildren are welcome), and non-motorized boating — paddleboats, pontoons, kayaks — is allowed throughout. A full walk around the largest lake runs about 1.5 miles. Amenities are spread across four clubhouses, each with its own character: the Landings serves as the main clubhouse with a state-of-the-art fitness center, aerobics and dance studio, sauna, steam room, library, billiards room, card rooms, and heated pool and spa; Edgewater is the arts-and-crafts hub with quilting, sewing, ceramics (onsite kilns), and watercolor rooms; and additional clubhouses host small-group activities and specialty spaces like a Yacht Club. Four pools total dot the community, two of them heated for year-round use. Active residents have their pick of sports: pickleball, tennis, bocce ball, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, water volleyball, handball, horseshoes, ping pong, and a putting green. A full-time Activities Director curates a packed calendar — monthly bus trips to casinos and shows, concerts, breakfasts, dinners, dances, karaoke, and luncheons. Resident-led clubs run the gamut: bingo, bowling, bridge, canasta, croquet, dance, hiking, investment, Italian American, Mah Jongg, pinochle, poker, quilting, table tennis, and water aerobics. A twice-weekly e-blast and the monthly Ventana Views newsletter keep residents informed, and an onsite management office with a full-time Community Manager handles association matters in person. Location is a major selling point. Ventana Lakes sits just a few miles west of the Loop 101, putting all of the Valley of the Sun within easy reach — downtown Phoenix is about 30 minutes away. Arrowhead Towne Center mall (159+ stores and restaurants) is barely two miles off, and the Peoria Sports Complex, spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, is close enough to catch a game on a whim. Willow Creek Golf Course sits practically next door, and golfers have dozens of additional courses within a short drive. Lake Pleasant Regional Park to the north offers boating, fishing, and hiking, while Westgate Entertainment District, State Farm Stadium (Arizona Cardinals), and Desert Diamond Arena are about 15 minutes south via the 101. With its modest HOA fee, broad amenity set, and that unusual desert-lakes setting, Ventana Lakes attracts buyers looking for a more intimate, established 55+ community than the mega-developments farther west in Surprise or Sun City.