Hunters Creek

Hunter’s Creek, an exclusive master-planned community, has been recognized as one of best places in America to live by CNN’s Money Magazine. Located 20 miles directly south of Downtown Orlando, the Kissimmee community is saturated with the amenities of modern suburban living. Residents enjoy an array of convenient options that encompass contemporary retail and dining, private parks, public schools and proximity to Orlando’s exciting attractions and the city’s buzzy business district. “I’m biased because I live, work and play here, but that’s the kind of community it is,” says Cyndi Collao, office coordinator for the Hunter’s Creek Community Association and longtime resident. “I raised my kids here. It’s a tight-knit community where kids can grow up together.” Anchored by an appealing collection of single-family housing in quaint neighborhood settings, the community’s reputation precedes it. “We’re an older neighborhood with about 25,000 residents in 36 separate neighborhoods. We’ve been in existence for about 30 years now, and we’re a well-established name,” Collao says. Anyone who lives in the Orlando area knows Hunter’s Creek.” Contemporary custom homes in a variety of sizes populate the community, offering a hometown feel among walkable streets dotted by palm trees and well-manicured lawns. Standard features include private driveways and attached garages. Pool homes are common, and large homes grace the community’s many waterfronts. Prices range from $400,000 for a mid-sized home to upwards of $1 million for the community’s largest homes, which are highlighted by decorative Mediterranean-style estates. Townhouses priced between the low 200,000s and the high 300,000s provide multi-family alternatives. The community also is home to 55-plus apartment complexes and assisted-living facilities. “There’s something for everyone,” says Collao, who adds that Hunter’s Creek is an HOA community and fees vary by neighborhood. Each neighborhood has a dedicated manager that works with residents and other departments under the direction of the Hunter’s Creek Community Association to maintain the residential aesthetic and neighborhood infrastructure. Shopping, dining and entertainment are spread throughout the community. The John Young Parkway commercial corridor that runs through the heart of the community is lined with convenient stops such as a full-service Publix and a variety of eateries. Long-standing favorites include the Ale House and Gator’s Dockside, but the community’s culinary scene has expanded in recent years. “We’re getting a lot of mom-and-pop restaurants now,” Collao says. “We’ve got Latin food, Mexican, Indian, Thai, everything you can think of.” PANNA Orlando, a fast casual Venezuelan restaurant, is a popular stop among the newer eateries. On the community’s south side are a pair of sprawling retail centers. The Loop contains more than 40 stores, eateries, a movie theater and a trampoline park. The adjacent Crosslands Shopping Center features a Fresh Market and 4 Rivers Smokehouse, a highly rated contemporary barbecue chain. Several small parks spread throughout the community offer an array of recreational options. Residents of the community have access to all the parks, regardless of the neighborhood in which they live. They can play basketball and compete in racquet sports at Mallard Pointe Park and Eagle Park, both of which also include playgrounds, paved walking paths and fishing opportunities. Dogs can enjoy each other’s company at Vista Park I. Other options include the Shingle Creek Trail, which leads south to the nearby Shingle Creek Regional Park. Officials plan for the trail to stretch for 32 miles from Kissimmee to Wekiva Springs State Park once it is completed. There are four Osceola County public schools in the community, giving students in kindergarten through eighth grade several options from which to choose. Hunter’s Creek Elementary and West Creek Elementary are rated A-minus and B-plus, respectively, by Niche. Hunter’s Creek Middle School also is rated B-plus, and Renaissance Charter at Hunter’s Creek is a B-rated K-8 school. Older students can attend Freedom High, an A-minus-rated school that offers academies in a variety of subjects, from mass media to engineering to hospitality. In addition, the Osceola County School for the Arts, an A-rated institution that serves students in sixth through 12th grades, is located in neighboring Falcon Trace. When residents venture outside of the community, opportunities abound for work and play. The South Orange Blossom Trail, which forms the community’s eastern edge, leads to the Central Business District and cultural attractions in Downtown Orlando. Gatorland is a hidden gem of an attraction in neighboring Falcon Trace. State Route 417, which runs through the community, leads directly to Disney World less than 10 miles west. Even closer to home is the International Drive entertainment corridor, which can be accessed just 5 miles west. Additionally convenient is the Florida Turnpike. Located just east of the community, it leads to other nearby regional attractions such as Dr. Phillips’ Restaurant Row and Windermere, described by Realtor Rochelle Warriner of United Real Estate Preferred as “the Beverly Hills of Orlando.” Residents also have quick access to SunRail commuter service at the nearby Tupperware Station. The rail line leads north to downtown and south into the heart of Kissimmee. The Orlando International Airport is within 10 miles of the community. In addition to overseeing the departments tasked with the upkeep of the community and its neighborhoods, the community association is involved in charitable endeavors, organizing social events and senior fitness activities at the town hall and is the force behind annual community celebrations. “Our signature events are Bunny in the Park around Easter, the Fall Festival and the Twilight Parade to kick off the holidays,” Collao says. “Community groups, churches, schools and businesses all get together for a parade down Town Center Boulevard. And Santa comes!” The community association works with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Citizens on Patrol program. Trained volunteer residents patrol the community in sheriff’s office vehicles.