Moving to FLA ??

Good luck! I'm sure you will find some nice place that is friendly in which the residents will stop by, ring your doorbell and welcome you to the neighborhood!
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IMO, you can't beat the Gulf Coast.

Naples/Fort Myers, Sarasota up to Clearwater and Tampa are nice. One thing to keep in mind is that over the winter, Tampa and Orlando can actually be pretty cold. There can be a big weather difference between places that far north and Fort Myers/Naples or Lauderdale/Miami areas during Nov-Feb.

I used to drive up from Sanibel for the 24 @ Daytona (probably this weekend) and I'd leave daytime highs in the 70's for Daytona Beach which would be in the 50's.

 

Also, some of the folks down there have much bigger boats.
I think Tiger Woods has a large custom yacht he keeps in Florida.
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Nah... 7000 posts of stupid crap... 1000 of big cans!

 

You need to narrow it down more... FL is huge. each region VERY different...

NW (pensacola/pan handle) = alabama
NE (jacksonville) = Atlanta
Central west (tampa) = I find it quiet
Central East (daytona beach) = Virginia beach
SW (naples) = st peter's waiting room
SE (miami) = Energetic

 

You forgot central FL = Disney and cartoon characters

 

There are some really nice horse farms around Ocala.

That's about the only part of Florida I'd want to live.

 

HAHA! That's a keeper!

 

Where is John's Mecca, Big Can Central?

 

FL is a mixed bag, John. You're looking for coastal, so Orlando and Ocala are out. Central FL on the coast is pretty redneck-y, and so is North FL. Leaves you with South FL or SW FL. Personally the Gulf Coast is way too slow. I'd recommend Palm Beach or Martin County. Prices are low right now and if you shop you can get the kids into a great school and still be near the water. Be advised insurance is a pretty big hassle, and expensive, if you are east of I-95.

 

Ya, but are there plenty of mud flats for his boating enjoyment?

 

All over. FL has mangroves all over the state. Best flats fishing is on the west coast and in the Keys.

John remember that fishing mag I sent you? The owner's a good friend, next time you come down I'll see if he will take us fishing.

A few of us next weekend are heading to Everglades City, it is south of Naples. They call it the "land of 10,000 islands" and it is where all the Stone Crab boats come it. Neat area. All flats.....

 

May I recommend a look at the overlooked "Space Coast".... Cocoa, Cape Canaveral, Viera, Melbourne...

I live in a condo on the intracoastal, 40 minutes from Orlando Airport, 7 miles from the beaches, keep my boat within walking distance, not far from the inlet to the sea, and a hop to the Bahamas, etc... Daytona is an hour away, West Palm 2 hrs, and Tampa @ 2 hrs... worth a look and having lived in Orlando for 20+ years, I like the quiet and the water and lack of traffic. I live in Cocoa Village and can walk to numerous restaraunts, shops, etc. It's not big city, but that is a short drive away.
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I used to live in Tampa in Hyde Park, which I thought was pretty nice. There are titty bars everywhere so you should like that and they have two really nice malls so your wife can go spend money while you're in the titty bar.

 

I lived on the intercoastal in Fort Lauderdale just down the way from Larry Flint's house.

What I loved about Florida:

Beautifully warm winters
Giant thunderstorms in the summer
Girls in thong bikini's
Girls without thong bikini's at the numerous strip clubs
Partying at South Beach
Warm, blue water and sandy beaches

What I hated about Florida:

Humidity
Bugs
Crazy drivers going either 10 or 100mph
Tourists
BUGS (especially Palmetto bugs)

I'd live there again no problem. If I could I'd spend the winters there.

 

Summers in the southern half of the state can be brutal. No way would I live there unless it was in the northern regions.

 

Palmetto bugs? Jeeeeeeeeeeesh! Florida has scorpions, Brown Recluse, Fire Ants, Wheel Bugs, Blister Beetles, Stinging Caterpillars, Puss Caterpillars, Hag Moth Caterpillars and Velvet Ants and you are worried about how big Florida's freak'en cock roaches get?

Just get one of these and you'll be fine
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Quality stuff there.....You ever lived in Florida?

 

Yeah, it's because of those fire ants that we get such great radio commercials by Ortho - the ones that says "the best part is every body dies..... including the queen!"

and don't forget about the subterranean termites.... even a cinder block home isn't safe !

 

This guy could help..........
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NW (pensacola/pan handle) = alabama
NE (jacksonville) = Atlanta
Central west (tampa) = I find it quiet
Central East (daytona beach) = Virginia beach
SW (naples) = st peter's waiting room
SE (miami) = Energetic

I have lived in Tampa, ST Pete and now out side of Jacksonville. My grandparents lived in Orlando for 30 years. The above post was a good snapshot of the state.

What I like

Art and Culture in Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville. Some good museums, formal gardens and lots of art events each year.

Racing lots of it with motorcycle, boat and car racing on the calendar year round.

Weather and the beach. I live about 20 min from the beach at Jekyll Island in GA. I love the beach at Fernadina as well as Sand Key in St Pete.

Fishing lots of it both fresh and salt water.

Horseback riding in Ocala


What I hate

Poverty and crime FL is the USA's third world country with the very rich and very poor. With unemployment going up I think we are in for a crime wave

Drug culture This affects all classes. I know a lot of rich parents who are spending lots of money on rehab for their kids. King Heroin and Queen Cocaine is every where in Florida.

Rude people in West Palm Beach At Cavilino met lots of rude rich middle age women. Did Bernie Maddoff steal their vibrators as well as their money?

No hills except in Ocala that makes for boring Ferrari driving.

I like the Jacksonville ( San Marco, Ponte Vedra) and Ocala area the best.