On the whole Harbour Ridge is a picturesque setting, with beautiful pink, orange and yellow flowers in addition to other striking foliage. The Lakeside building has nice tables outside where one can eat lunch. The dining room staff, from myriad countries such as South Africa and Ireland is wonderful. The food is good, with delectable cracker assortment on the table to start. Dinner, even during the COVID period, is easily accessible for pick up or at Lakeside, though vegetarian options, other than salads, are scarce. As is the case in the majority of restaurants in the US, there seems to be little to no concern for the extensive use of plastic in take out and snack bar meals. There is recycling pick up in each village, but not sure if the club (& dining room) recycles at all.
The infinity pool is lovely, inviting, with gushing massage spouts and lanes for laps. (In the summer though, the pool runs quite hot, even at 7 or 8 pm.) With luxury rest rooms. pro shop and sauna, the fitness Center, is well-outfitted, but nonetheless is difficult to get into if you are not a club member. (even if your family is a member/resident of the club) Takes lots of phone calls and other hoops to jump through to pay to go the gym even once. There seems to be a slight suspicion of anyone who is not a member here, even if they arrived well before the COVID break out.
Additionally, Roundup (and other toxic pesticides) are used regularly. I witnessed workers, with backpacks of huge jugs of fungicide on their backs, dumping gallons of blue chemical liquid into the pond. Harbour Ridge is a National Audubon sited bird sanctuary, but I wonder how the birds can survive? And indeed, they seem to be scarcer here than they used to be, with usually only one Anhinga or White Ibis seen around the entire perimeter of the long pond (1/4 mile?) behind our village. read more