Best area to live in FL
03-17-2010, 07:04 PM
#11
FIERCE ALLEGIANCE
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Location: West palm Beach, FL & SML VA
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Good Topic; We lived in FtLaud for 15 years but moved to Greensboro about 7 years ago. I have business back in FLL and I'm there about every 3rd week. I miss it a ton, especially in Nov-April. My parents also live in Ft.Myers & I have spent many many years on the white sands. While I agree with the laid back feel of the west coast...I personally prefer the East Coast. I need that fast pace life style to work 7 live in. I'll vacation to laid back. We are looking for a florida home right now and we are choosing Palm Beach County or Northern Broward. I have a friend who lives in parkland and loves it. Had 4 boys from 9-17 and they are really well mannered kids and seem to really enjoy the area. Not to mention he has a beautiful home that was priced around $600. Can't get that on the beach. If you can afford a pad on the intercoastal or a finger...go for it...but my kids would hate it there after about 30 days. We need neighbors, a street, drive way and a yard. Plus we have schools to still think about...we're hoping in the next 2 years to spend the school year in S Fla and the summers back up at SML in VA. Good luck to us all.
03-17-2010, 09:07 PM
#12
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Naples /Marco island was very nice when we lived there.
Ft. Myers was great in the 90s and no one new about it.,but its not the 90s anymore.trafic is crazy.+ other problems.but they are working on it.
Sarasota/Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch.slower pace.everything you need......great boating...but if you need to hit a major sport(baseball,football,hockey...ect)just 30 min up the road in Tampa or St, Pete.
Ft. Myers was great in the 90s and no one new about it.,but its not the 90s anymore.trafic is crazy.+ other problems.but they are working on it.
Sarasota/Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch.slower pace.everything you need......great boating...but if you need to hit a major sport(baseball,football,hockey...ect)just 30 min up the road in Tampa or St, Pete.
03-21-2010, 05:24 PM
#13
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Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland. Wish I was at MANGOS in MIAMI!
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thanks rchevells71......just got back from a 4 day trip touring south Florida. My wife and I rented a car and went everywhere we where thinkn about relocating to.
You are exactly right..too far west for me. Was very, very nice though...
Palm Beach seemed a little too old and Miami.... although I love it when I am without the family.. it was craziiiiiiiie!!!
Just traveling on 95 was enough to give you high blood pressure.(and I grew up in around one of th deadliest highways in America ..the Washington-Maryland Capital Beltway.)
We have nothing on 95 in South Florida..it was like a real life version of frogger but for keeps!!! I could not imagine driving that everyday...
Back to the drawing board..maybe a vacation spot for now or a time share and Ill have to tour a little further north and closer to direct water acess....Jupiter maybe, but then the school system becomes a problem.
Last edited by Enforcer2; 03-21-2010 at 05:26 PM.
03-21-2010, 05:41 PM
#14
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I lived in Sarasota for 12yrs and great boating, lots to do and you can go up and down the coast. In July the offshore races and races in St Pete. I had the chance to live on the other coast and preferred Gulf side. Good Luck. hard choices really. But great boating either way.
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03-23-2010, 07:40 PM
#16
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Love the year-round season. 
Even tho I don't have a boat, I vote for the southwest side. More laid back and doesn't have the crowded feeling I get from the east coast. Living in Naples is about halfway between Sarasota and Ft Laud/Mia - perfect for me.
And, as Rick said, there's Ft Myers Offshore.
Even tho I don't have a boat, I vote for the southwest side. More laid back and doesn't have the crowded feeling I get from the east coast. Living in Naples is about halfway between Sarasota and Ft Laud/Mia - perfect for me.
And, as Rick said, there's Ft Myers Offshore.
Of course, in all of the southern part of the state (Tampa south), the boating is great and year-round... even with the worst winter ever we were still able to get out. We do 200-300 hrs a year on the boat and wouldn't have it any other way.
I like the SW coast. One of the reasons is that it isn't the east coast, yet. I was born there and grew up there but was looking for something a little different so I am enjoying it here while it is still what it is. It is nice to have civilization but then be able to still have functioning nature a few blocks away. From here, you can boat the Gulf, Sanibel/Captiva, Charlotte Harbor, Estero Bay, Naples, Marco and then go up to Sarasota/Tampa or south towards the 10,000 islands and the Keys. We went from Bonita Beach to Duck Cay and it was only 2 hours by boat. Also, by car it is only 1 1/2 - 2 hrs to the east coast and a little over 2 to the Tampa area.
Of course, the big kicker is what you like personally and of course what you are looking to spend/job/etc.
03-23-2010, 07:45 PM
#17
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I grew up taking swim lessons at Mission Bay around 1990. Used to live off of SW 19th Street, one block from the 18th traffic circle. It used to feel like such a trip out there but it wasn't so bad during my last trip to 441 when compared to how far west Dade, Broward and northern Palm Beach have built out.
