Florida Friends

Why in the world would someone be "dying" to move someplace he's never been???

I live here. I don't love it. Southern and coastal Florida where the beaches are tend to be overbuilt and I think very ugly while northern Florida (where I live) is pretty but there's NOTHING to do. Culturally, it's a pretty desolate place all-around. If I was given the choice, though, of anywhere to live in the state, I would live either in Key West (which I do really love), Fernandina or St. Augustine. I also like Cocoa Beach, but the crime rate there is through the roof.

And of course, we have the Orlando area, which is nice to visit, but the traffic is terrible and I wouldn't live there, either.

Also, if you're coming to decide if you want to live here, you should come in the summer and not go to the beach. Because living here is very different from visiting and swimming every day. We have a very different kind of heat than California.

Having to put on work clothes and get in and out of your car and run errands nand live life is a very different expeience. Plus, most summer it pours rain a good part of almost every afternoon.

Come to the Emerald Coast (Florida Panhandle)! Destin is pretty upscale, while Panama City is a spring break type of place. Southwest flies to Panama City and Destin is 45 minutes west of there. The above comment is correct though - not much to do here but shop and sit on the beach.

Lived here for 25 years. Half in Fort Lauderdale, half in Tampa. First thing I would say is to wait until October when the weather starts to cool down. Sure, the rates are cheap in the summer but it is very hot and you will likely have a better time if you wait.

It really depends on what you like to do. The beaches on the gulf side are far superior to the east coast so if you want to do that you can go virtually anywhere from Naples all the way up to Clearwater.

Others like the night life. In which case you really should try South Florida although I would say it depends on your age as to where you would go. The restaurants are pretty much consistently great and there is a lot do whether you try Palm Beach, Broward or Dade.

You can always try the keys. They are not my thing, but others love to go down there.

The panhandle is a place I've never visited, but everyone tells me it is great. Destin, Panama City etc. Others could tell you better than I.

There are always the Orlando theme parks, although I haven't gone there in 16 years and don't miss it.

Good luck. We love tourists so come visit.

Hi there MFP friends...,

I live in northern California with my Husband.. He is dying to visit Florida He thinks we need to move there. However we have Never been...

We would love to come for a vacation.. we love the ocean.
Any suggestions????...... we are clueless where to go



i'd say we are half and half on things to do and just chilling..



thank you!!!

Holli

oh, and I disagree with the statement that north florida is 'culturally deficit" ...

"Desolate." It doesn't mean the same thing.

And compared to most places, it absolutely is.

Why in the world would someone be "dying" to move someplace he's never been???

I live here. I don't love it. Southern and coastal Florida where the beaches are tend to be overbuilt and I think very ugly while northern Florida (where I live) is pretty but there's NOTHING to do. Culturally, it's a pretty desolate place all-around. If I was given the choice, though, of anywhere to live in the state, I would live either in Key West (which I do really love), Fernandina or St. Augustine. I also like Cocoa Beach, but the crime rate there is through the roof.

And of course, we have the Orlando area, which is nice to visit, but the traffic is terrible and I wouldn't live there, either.

Living on the beach on the East Coast From Cocoa Beach to Flagler Beach is very isolated. It's barrier islands and old people. There aren't a lot of hotels, just condos, condos, and more condos. And no shopping, no fine dining, except the occasional diamond in the rough, and not a lot of jobs. The center of Florida from the Georgia border to Miami is all old citrus groves (mostly dead), scrub pine and swamp with the occasional patch of population. It is farm country and cattle country, and COUNTRY country.

South Florida area, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and a nice drive to Key West make a great couples vacation. Central Florida, Orlando, Tampa, COCOA BEACH (ahem) is great for families with kids, and Clearwater-St. Pete to Sarasota and Fort Myers is a great vacation for older folks. Except Clearwater is also a nice beach for a day-trip for anyone because it's huge and very white sand, but I wouldn't stay there on vacation. St. Pete Beach is better for hotels and what-not. The traffic in Orlando is less than traffic in LA by a lot, but it is still very bad. The Panhandle is basically Alabama.

Sawgrass area is FANTASTIC for golf. That's near Jacksonville.

But honestly, moving here can be a shell shock. It is a lot more open emptiness and pine scrub than most people realize. It's very different to live here than it is to vacation here. And if you don't have a job lined up before you get here, you might be treated a little like a carpet bagger. And if you're young, the older people will treat you like you don't belong in "their" state.

Do I still love it here? Yes, but I am a native.

I also very much rcommend looking at hotel ratings and reviews when you book. I went to Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago with friends (they took care of the details) and the hotel we stayed in -- a Holiday Inn or some other major, well-known chain -- was right on the beach and pretty pricey. It had a gorgeous lobby and pool area, but the rooms were disgusting. Like, you didn't want to touch the walls disgusting.