What is the warmest, most progressive city in Florida for night owl freelancer? (Fort Lauderdale: taxes, live in)
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Good question! Well, yes, I do like San Fran, but the reasons I won't go back are: it's too crowded, too much concrete (well, in the city at least) and most importantly, too expensive. And this is a little gray area, but I think I want activity, but no longer as much activity as San Fran or South Beach/Miami. Regardless, the lower the cost of living, the better now. But, who knows!! I should definitely visit and who knows, I could fall in love with South Beach....
Are there any 24-hr coffee shops or Internet cafes that have decent wireless connections? (especially non-chain ones?). Or any that are at least open until midnight? Any late night movie theaters? Community theater houses?
I currently live in the country, near honest-to-goodness farms! I'm about a 20-minute drive from the capital, which boasts one or two 24-hr diner/Internet cafes, and that is a godsend! Plus plenty of bars and restaurants. I do love living out by the farms though . I can bike on roads that hardly anyone drives down and see horses and deer. I wonder if there is a location that has similar qualities near St Petersburg? Kind of rural, but close enough to stores and close enough to St. Pete's for night activity? Over that Sunshine Skyway Bridge looks like the communities get a little less dense, but it's only 30 minutes away. Do I have options in Terra Ceia? Parrish? Or anyplace across the bridge?
Thanks!
Yes, check out Bradenton or Sarasota. Lots of open space in Manatee County but a fairly quick (and beautiful!) trip over the Skyway Bridge to St. Pete. We love it here. Not sure what is available in Terra Ceia - it's beautiful, but a little expensive. Definitely check it out around here, it might be just what you are looking for.
When you say St. Pete is "progressive" are you referring to the political or social climate or the updated city structure?
I mean that it seems liberal, but not a southern Democrat liberal that many in the South my be used to. They're not scared to spend money on doing infrastructure and bike lanes correctly. There's plenty of hipsters and hippies. Lots of arts. I'd venture to say that the art "scene" in St. Petersburg is 2 or 3 times what it is in Tampa. There's definitely more of a bohemian vibe of people who aren't offended by people who are different.. then again, I'm sure everyone's experiences will vary.
Also, St. Pete has a lot of mom and pop stores still although the chains are coming in. A lot of St. Petersburg restaurants have vegan options and some are even completely vegetarian. Meze 119 is an amazing vegetarian restaurant that probably wouldn't survive in most Florida cities.
I mean that it seems liberal, but not a southern Democrat liberal that many in the South my be used to. They're not scared to spend money on doing infrastructure and bike lanes correctly. There's plenty of hipsters and hippies. Lots of arts. I'd venture to say that the art "scene" in St. Petersburg is 2 or 3 times what it is in Tampa. There's definitely more of a bohemian vibe of people who aren't offended by people who are different.. then again, I'm sure everyone's experiences will vary.
Also, St. Pete has a lot of mom and pop stores still although the chains are coming in. A lot of St. Petersburg restaurants have vegan options and some are even completely vegetarian. Meze 119 is an amazing vegetarian restaurant that probably wouldn't survive in most Florida cities.
It sounds like you really love where you are now and by the sounds of it, who wouldn't? Perhaps you are thinking that you need to be near family or they put a bug in your ear. Be careful that you don't lose your little slice of paradise. It can't hurt to check and see if the same circumstances can be duplicated, of course, but if not...I've found that no two places are the same, that there are very different things about regions, even cities and towns and we can't expect the same things everywhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ragingtulip
So, tell me about St. Pete's,
City center and north is safe? Nice? Expensive?
Is it all pretty urban?
Are there any 24-hr coffee shops or Internet cafes that have decent wireless connections? (especially non-chain ones?). Or any that are at least open until midnight? Any late night movie theaters? Community theater houses?
I currently live in the country, near honest-to-goodness farms! I'm about a 20-minute drive from the capital, which boasts one or two 24-hr diner/Internet cafes, and that is a godsend! Plus plenty of bars and restaurants. I do love living out by the farms though . I can bike on roads that hardly anyone drives down and see horses and deer. I wonder if there is a location that has similar qualities near St Petersburg? Kind of rural, but close enough to stores and close enough to St. Pete's for night activity? Over that Sunshine Skyway Bridge looks like the communities get a little less dense, but it's only 30 minutes away. Do I have options in Terra Ceia? Parrish? Or anyplace across the bridge?
to answer your question of close enough to SPB, the answer is no, not really, but I would look at Parrish and Myaaka City all east of 75, or around Gibsonton perhaps in South Hillsborough county, a quick jump to civilization of Brandon/60 area. Tiera is losing its agrarian flavor but it's still sort of rural. I also would look into Arcadia . Lots of open spaces/farming/cattle ranches.
Be aware than northern Florida is more like south Georgia and Alabama (around the capital). Some of us don't find that truly attractive one bit (Jeb Bush's wife refused to live in the capital for example.. and she really never did..I wouldn't either)
to answer your question of close enough to SPB, the answer is no, not really, but I would look at Parrish and Myaaka City all east of 75, or around Gibsonton perhaps in South Hillsborough county, a quick jump to civilization of Brandon/60 area. Tiera is losing its agrarian flavor but it's still sort of rural. I also would look into Arcadia . Lots of open spaces/farming/cattle ranches.
Be aware than northern Florida is more like south Georgia and Alabama (around the capital). Some of us don't find that truly attractive one bit (Jeb Bush's wife refused to live in the capital for example.. and she really never did..I wouldn't either)
Arcadia?
Holy crap. Nice area, mind you, but probably not what she had in mind. She says she's a night owl freelancer - whatever that means - and is looking for some things that are left open at night as well as an area that is a bit progressive. Arcadia is a conservative farm area in the middle of nowhere. Granted, you can drive to civilization but not on a bike. The closest larger town is what? Port Charlotte? And that is pretty much a retiree red neck town with not much to offer, either.
Like I said, Arcadia is nice for certain folks but probably not ideal for the OP.
to answer your question of close enough to SPB, the answer is no, not really, but I would look at Parrish and Myaaka City all east of 75, or around Gibsonton perhaps in South Hillsborough county, a quick jump to civilization of Brandon/60 area. Tiera is losing its agrarian flavor but it's still sort of rural. I also would look into Arcadia . Lots of open spaces/farming/cattle ranches.
Be aware than northern Florida is more like south Georgia and Alabama (around the capital). Some of us don't find that truly attractive one bit (Jeb Bush's wife refused to live in the capital for example.. and she really never did..I wouldn't either)
Are you speaking of Tallahassee, FL? We visited there and thought it was a nice city.
Arcadia is pretty much the opposite of what the OP wants...
St. Pete - I could not love it more. I left for a job - and cried all the way to Gainesville, then intermittently after that.
It has a wonderful arts scene, great restaurants, amazing string of parks at the waterfront. It has a lot of really interesting neighborhoods around the urban core (which is a very pretty neighborhood in itself). Crescent Lake, Bayboro, quite expensive to buy but not to rent Old Northeast, Kenwood (lots of bungalows) - I know I'm leaving out some. The Pinellas Trail is on the other side (gulf side) of St. Pete, I guess it links up w/the east somewhere but I'm not sure where, but you can bike it up through Dunedin, which is also a really cute little town. There's also talk of trying to save the Friendship Trail Bridge, which goes across the bay. I prefer St. Pete to Tampa, personally...more substance, less pretension. But Tampa's fun too.
There's great community theatre in downtown St. Pete. I'm not sure about the 24-hr coffee houses.
I'm not as crazy about the west side of St. Pete/Tyrone Square area - it's (to me) very bland, suburban. But the beach is great :-D
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