Eastport in The Villages: What Is Open on Central Lake, the Nightly Music, the Hotel, and What Is Still Coming

What is Eastport in The Villages?

Eastport is a town center the developer of The Villages built around Central Lake, with a European-influenced downtown, a brick-paved alley, waterfront dining, a hotel and a recreation complex. Its walkways opened to the public in November 2025, and shops, restaurants and the hotel have opened in stages since then.

The developer's own overview describes Eastport as roughly 250 acres, with a network of trails circling Central Lake and three pieces around it: a downtown of boutiques and waterfront restaurants, Olympia Recreation, and a golf area with the nine-hole Bellaire Executive course, a golf academy and a driving range.

Eastport did not open all at once. In a November 6, 2025 post, the developer said the construction fences had come down and the walkways were open for exploring, while the shops and eateries were still to come. Hotel Eastport followed in December 2025, and the tenant list has been filling in through 2026.

If you know the three classic squares (Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood), our town squares guide covers them side by side. Eastport works the same way in spirit, with a central gathering spot, evening music and shops within a short walk, but it is newer and still growing, and much of its draw is the lake and the recreation next to it.

What restaurants and shops are open at Eastport?

As of October 23, 2026, the developer's Eastport page lists six restaurants and food spots as open: Island Fin Poke, Lucky Goat Coffee, Oak & Stone, Prime + Ember, Sundaze and Yamas Mediterranean. Open shops and services include Found for Home, Mia Sorella, Seacoast National Bank, CenterWell, The Villages Golf Cars and a Logo Store.

The table below is the developer's directory as it stood when this post was written. A listing without a coming-soon tag is the closest thing to an official open sign, but hours are not posted for most tenants, so call ahead.

Oak & Stone is the newest big name. Trade coverage in September 2026 put its opening at October 6 at 7016 Central Lake Drive, with a 6,049 square foot space, 78 indoor seats, a 38-seat patio and a self-pour wall of 36 drafts, 16 wines and 14 bourbons. It was billed as the chain's first Central Florida location.

Tenant list: thevillages.com Eastport page, updated October 23, 2026. Oak & Stone details: FSR magazine and Villages-News.com, September 24, 2026.

Is there live music at Eastport, and when?

Yes. The entertainment calendar lists a band at Eastport nearly every evening. The early November listings run 5 to 9 p.m., while the October 30 and 31 shows run 6 to 10 p.m. The only event tagged free on the page is a College Football Watch Party on Saturday, November 7, at 3:30 p.m.

Here is the published lineup as of October 30, 2026. The entertainment site says every event is subject to change, so check the morning of.

Later dates load on the entertainment site, and a printable Eastport Happenings calendar for the month is linked from both the entertainment page and the developer's Eastport page. Hotel Eastport's Boardwalk Bar adds its own live music on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month, 5 to 8 p.m.

Eastport also hosts bigger one-off events. Our dragon boating guide covers the November 14 Dragon Boat Rodeo on Central Lake.

What is Hotel Eastport, and can visiting family stay there?

Hotel Eastport is a 120-room hotel overlooking Central Lake at 7065 Beebe Court. It opened for reservations in December 2025 and has a mid-century lobby bar, Yamas Mediterranean, Sundaze ice cream, a pool, the Boardwalk Bar and meeting space for up to 260 people. Bookings run through hoteleastport.com.

When the developer first announced the hotel in 2024, it described the building as four stories in a mid-century modern style, meant as lodging for residents' visitors. The December 18, 2025 announcement said it was open and taking room reservations, with dining and live entertainment a short walk away in the town center.

• Rooms: 120, per the hotel's own site. Room types, rates and pet policy are not on its homepage.
• Food and drink: Yamas Mediterranean (open daily, hours vary by day), Sundaze ice cream by the pool, a lobby bar serving coffee and cocktails, and the Boardwalk Bar, listed as open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
• Events: over 4,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a ballroom and a terrace, with catering and weddings.
• Contact: 352-492-1940, the number the developer also lists for Sundaze.

For a household that hosts often, a hotel inside a town center changes the math on a spare bedroom. Visitors staying here are a walk or short cart ride from Eastport's restaurants and music, though they will still need the right guest credentials for resident amenities; our recreation centers guide explains how guest IDs work.

What recreation and golf is near Eastport?

Olympia Recreation, at 1210 McPherson Terrace, anchors the area with The Athletic Club, The Summit rock climbing wall, sports pools, Farragut Softball Complex and Sophie Doodles Canine Park. Golfers have Bellaire Executive, a nine-hole par 27 course, plus the Central Lake Golf Academy and driving range. Blanchard Recreation opened nearby in March 2026.

The developer's Eastport page also says more outdoor recreation is coming soon there.

Bellaire plays under the same rules as the other executive courses, which our executive golf guide explains, including what the amenity fee covers and how tee times work.

Sources: thevillages.com Olympia, Bellaire Executive, Blanchard and Golf Academy pages, read October 30, 2026.

What is still coming to Eastport?

As of October 23, 2026, the developer lists seven Eastport tenants as coming soon: Maseritas Tacos and Tequilas, Peach Valley Cafe, E-Bike Superstore, Fleet Feet, FORM Pilates, Go Fish Clothing and Jewelry Co., and Sur La Table. No opening dates are posted. A live camera of the square is also listed as coming.

Coming soon is a statement of plans, not a date. Earlier developer pages from 2024 described features such as a waterfront stage and rooftop golf car parking in a video, but the current Eastport page does not describe either, so this post does not count on them. Watch the developer's Eastport page and its separate Eastport timeline page for changes.

One more thing that is still settling: the address. The developer's Eastport page uses 6980 Central Lake Drive, and the entertainment calendar uses 7025 Central Lake Drive for events. Both lead to the same town center.

What should you know before your first visit to Eastport?

Go in the evening if you want the full picture: the town center is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the music starts at 5 p.m. most nights. Golf carts are allowed for touring, navigation works best by name, and most restaurants post no hours on the developer's directory, so call ahead before you plan dinner.

1. Pick an evening. A weeknight band from 5 to 9 p.m. shows how the square actually feels, and the hotel's Boardwalk Bar adds music on the first Tuesday and third Thursday.
2. Walk the lake path. Trails circle Central Lake, and that loop is the best way to see the downtown, the hotel and the recreation in one go.
3. Stop at Olympia. It is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and shows the recreation side of Eastport that a dinner visit misses.
4. Bring the cart if you have one. The developer's November 2025 post said golf cars are welcome for touring the town center. It does not publish parking details, so allow a few minutes to find a spot on a busy night.
5. Call ahead. Phone numbers are in the table above; hours are not.

If you are house hunting, plan the visit around the homes, not the other way round. The newest villages in our southwest and newest section guide and the south of SR 44 guide are the areas to compare against Eastport, and the Village Finder narrows them by what you want nearby.

The local take

I was born and raised in Marion County, and I represent buyers independently. Eastport is the question I expect to hear more and more, because it is where much of the newest building is happening, and a new town center is a real draw. My view is simple: buy what is open, and treat the rest as a bonus.

Separate the open list from the coming-soon list. Six places to eat and a full recreation complex are open today. Seven tenants are listed as coming soon, without dates. If a specific restaurant, store or feature is part of why you want to live near Eastport, make sure it is on the open list before it shapes your price.

Check the bond on newer homes. Homes in newer sections can carry a newer infrastructure bond, and the balance on a specific address can change your monthly cost more than anything at the square. Our bond guide shows how to look it up, and the cost of living calculator puts the amenity fee, bond and utilities into one number for a given home.

Visit at 8 p.m., not only at 10 a.m. Music runs into the evening most nights. If a home you like is close to Central Lake, stand in its driveway on a weeknight and decide for yourself whether that sounds like an amenity or a nuisance.

Time the routes you will use. Drive or ride to the recreation center, the grocery store and the doctor you expect to see, not just the square. I am glad to map those routes for any home on your shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What are Eastport's hours?

The developer lists the Eastport town center as open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily as of October 2026. Individual restaurants and shops set their own hours, which mostly are not posted on the developer's directory. Olympia Recreation is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and the hotel's Boardwalk Bar lists 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Is Eastport open to people who do not live in The Villages?

The developer's November 2025 announcement said Eastport's walkways were open to the public, and the restaurants, shops and hotel list no residency requirement. Resident amenities such as Olympia's pools and courts are different and follow the District's ID rules, which our recreation centers guide covers. Confirm current rules with the District before you go.

Is there a dog park near Eastport?

Yes. Sophie Doodles Canine Park is listed as part of Olympia Recreation, at 1210 McPherson Terrace in the Eastport area, along with the Farragut Softball Complex. The developer's pages do not post separate hours or rules for the dog park, so check with Olympia at 352-674-1841 before your first visit.

Can you kayak or boat on Central Lake at Eastport?

The developer lists a guided kayaking tour of Central Lake through Olympia Recreation, and kayaking appears in Olympia's activity list. Dragon boat teams also train and race on the lake. Rentals, private boating rules and launch sites are not described on the pages read for this post, so ask Olympia directly.

What is Oak & Stone at Eastport?

Oak & Stone is a restaurant with a self-pour tap wall at 7016 Central Lake Drive. September 2026 coverage put its opening at October 6, with 36 drafts, 16 wines and 14 bourbons on the wall, 78 indoor seats and a 38-seat patio. The developer's directory lists it as open, phone 352-391-6422.

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