: Looking northeast, Dr Phillips is bordered by Universal Studios Orlando and Interstate 4

Doctor Phillips, Orange County

Although it’s considered a dense suburban environment, Doctor Phillips is just minutes away from Orlando’s resort corridor and half an hour to both downtown Orlando and the Orlando International Airport. It is defined by its elegant estates and golf courses and is within a stone’s throw of Sand Lake Road’s luxury spas and fitness studios. Many families move to the Dr. Phillips area on the reputation of its public schools alone.

What’s in a Name?

This community is named after Dr. Philip Phillips, an iconic Florida figure who made his fortune selling his massive orange grove holdings—which at one point stretched over 18 square miles of Orange County—to Minute Maid and Granada Groves in the 1950s. But long before that, he was admired for his spirit of innovation, installing facilities on his property that would eventually become a small village named “Dr. Phillips.” Today, Dr. Phillips has a population of 12,458.

Always known as a charitable man, Dr. Phillips would deliver turkeys to families on Christmas Day and established a hospital in the 1950s for working Black people, who had difficulty obtaining healthcare otherwise. His legacy lives on throughout Florida, and the ingenuity find among this suburb boggles the mind.

A golfer on the 18th hole at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club.

Waterfront Living

Perhaps Dr. Phillips’ standout feature is the sheer volume of homes located on the water-front. There are more than 3,400 homes in the community, built from 1970 to the present, many of which can be found on the Butler Chain of Lakes, a 5,000-acre chain of lakes, consisting of 13 lakes and a canal system.

There are more than four dozen communities inside Dr. Phillips’ boundaries, all with different personalities. Phillips Landing, a 24-hour gated community, was meant for relaxation—it sits on the shores of Lake Serene, Big Sand Lake and Little Sand Lake, a peaceful respite where residents can enjoy natural beauty from a picturesque gazebo. Discover custom-built estate homes and maintenance-free villas in Turtle Creek, set on the shores of Lake Little Fish.

Among the most prestigious is Bay Hill, highly sought for its pristine landscapes and breathtaking homes at the Bay Hill Lodge & Country Club. The wealth of amenities includes access to six tennis courts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a junior Olympic-sized pool with aquatic fitness classes, a top-notch spa and, of course, entry to one of the world’s most renowned golf courses.

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