[jmm25275]

My husband and I are relocating to FL and are undecided on where to live. We want a place very close to the beach (less than 10 miles) but would also like to be close to the shopping areas, restaurants, parks, etc. Good schools would be a plus too. Do you have any recommendations between the Jax area or St. Augustine? Thanks!

[BUP41800]

I like St. Ogg better than Jax., but I personally like smaller towns. St. Ogg has a quaint, picturesque historic district (that often gets overloaded with tourists), and many nice older neighborhoods nearby.
There are a lot of good restaurants, and the beach is readily accessible. I haven't been to the mall there in years--it was fairly dismal then. But there is a large outlet mall near I-95 and State Road 16. I don't know anything about the schools.
St. Johns County (where St. Ogg is located) and southern Duval County are growing like CRAZY. My sister lives in Jax. (Southside). She used to love it there, but now the traffic has gotten nutzoid. The shopping is great, though!

[Karla with a K]

I would say a lot would depend on where you wil be working. I am sure if you gave us an idea of where you would be working we can give you more details.
There are a lot of new developments going up in the ST AUG. area. However I don't know how much I would want to drive 95 north everyday there always seems to be some kind of accident around the 95 & World Golf Village area.
I am also on the Southside I would say both areas have a lot to offer. If possible I would plan a visit to check out both areas.
Karla

[daedalo]

Here's a copy of another thread on Fernandina Beach. I have family ties to NE Fl since 1906. FB is the best small town in Florida... visit St OG, Jax then FB. See for yourself:
[quote=lulu;66471]Hey Daedalo....

When you have a chance tell us how Fernandina Beach is... I hear it's beautiful. There's a husband/wife team of eye doc's (that came out in the paper) that fell in love w/the place & are selling their home & practice in the grove (Coconut Grove, Miami) due to the high ins. costs.

Lulu,

FB is absolutely the best small town in Florida. An old Florida seatown restored to the 9's. Newer areas tastefully done. It is on Amelia Island. Bring $ because the property values are high. But frankly if you can afford something in the 400-500k range, Amelia Island has a great lifestyle. The NYTimes has been raving about FB in their travel section for years. I love going for coffee on Centre Street. You can sit outside on a shady sidewalk, and chit chat with everyone, real small town feel at a slow pace. If the $ are a problem, you can move to the Yulee area, just off-island, and still have all of this.

In addition to this are the close natural wilderness areas: Talbot Islands to the south, Cumberland Island National Wilderness Seashore Park to the north, and the vast Okefenokee Swamp to the east.

East Nassau County is growing too fast however but being an unpopulated area there is an opportunity to make a contribution. I am part of a group working to establish a counnty wide trail and bikeway system, I'm also in a new group to support construction of a library for the Yulee area. Anyone moving here really has an opportunity to make sure it remains a very nice place for years to come.

[scottinmass]

My sister cheryl live in Fernandina Beach and she had a house built new construction and made 100k in 1 1/2 yrs and sold it. Took the money and bought a fixer upper for $275k and paid off all of her bills with the rest. I guess she really loves it there because she's staying, second house there. Long commute to anywhere, she works for a plastic surgeon on the mainland.

[daedalo]

Its a pretty painless commute into Jacksonville from FB. About 35-40 minutes. My friend who lives in Neptune Beach with an office downtown wants to get out of the beaches to Jax ratrace commute. He is considering FB and has been pleased with the ride to and from so far.

I used to live in Lincoln MA which is very conveniently located near route 2 into Cambridge where I worked. But on the best of times, off hours, etc, it was still a good 25 mins. We had people in our office commuting every day from southern Maine or New Hampshire, there were well over an hour at off hours and were upward to 2 hours at rush hour. For what many people across the country spend on commuting, I consider the FB to Jax commute acceptable. The great advantage I see in the northeast is the public transportation. Nothing like leaving the car at home and hopping on the train into Boston. After work stop by a pub, then get back on the train for a comfortable ride back home.

[Salsablondie]

jacksonville has the highest violent crime rate in all of florida. heard it a couple months ago on NPR. i was going to buy property there then i reconsidered. go with StA!