[5FLgirls]

You mentioned in your post that you were flying into Jacksonville and then driving south towards Tampa and if I understand correctly, you're not interested in the southeast coast. Here are a couple comments for you:

South Florida is a perfect place to find all the activities you enjoy and the weather would be perfect for year-round activities. With the slump in the housing market, finding ocean front won't be a problem. Ft. Lauderdale, (even some parts of Miami), West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and some parts of Martin County. Although some might not find these places laid-back - they are what you make of them.

Please make sure to check out the beaches of Jacksonville. Jax Beach, Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach all sound like places you might enjoy. Jax Beach and Ponte Vedra (though some might say it's hoity-toity) are both laid-back and small town areas right on the beach.

I've lived in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and loved them each for different reasons at different times in my life. Also, please take into account CJFlorida's comment about renting!

[California to Florida]

I think I am set on renting for the first year, partly thanks to all your comments.

I do love Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach; I have stayed in a condo on the beach that belongs to a friend many times. In fact, that's what first made me consider this move. I loved walking out the door every morning and walking on the beach, sleeping to the sound of waves, etc. I realized through those vacations that oceanfront real estate is still "do-able" pricewise in Florida. It is completely out of reach here in California.

However, my perception is that winters may be too cold for me that far north. I'm not sure what's happening weather-wise in Florida today, but the newspapers say Jacksonville is below freezing! The rest of the state seems to be fairly cold today also, though.

If anyone is familiar with Del Mar, CA, I am looking for the Florida version of that town. Close enough to a major city (30 minutes from San Diego), but with a small town feel. Terrific restaurants, a great dog beach, laid back atmosphere, low crime, etc.

What is the difference between Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens?

Also, am I right to write off the Panhandle? The "redneck riviera" thing turned me off, but I am reading that the beaches are amazing.

Anybody have any information on Hutchinson Island?

I appreciate everyone's advice. I am SO looking forward to this trip next week! I am trying to gather as much information as possible prior to my trip so that it is as beneficial as possible, so please keep the posts coming!

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by California to Florida

Fernandina Beach;

If anyone is familiar with Del Mar, CA, I am looking for the Florida version of that town.

Bingo! The north Palm Beach County/south Martin County could meet that criteria as well. Wish I could live there . Jupiter, Tequesta, Stuart, etc...not sure if that would be significantly less expensive though, heh. Palm Beach Gardens has a "California" vibe to it too.

[CJFlorida]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Bingo! The north Palm Beach County/south Martin County could meet that criteria as well. Wish I could live there . Jupiter, Tequesta, Stuart, etc...not sure if that would be significantly less expensive though, heh. Palm Beach Gardens has a "California" vibe to it too.

You nailed it. From Stuart down through Palm Beach Gardens would be a great fit for that poster.

[CJFlorida]

Originally Posted by California to Florida

I think I am set on renting for the first year, partly thanks to all your comments.

I do love Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach; I have stayed in a condo on the beach that belongs to a friend many times. In fact, that's what first made me consider this move. I loved walking out the door every morning and walking on the beach, sleeping to the sound of waves, etc. I realized through those vacations that oceanfront real estate is still "do-able" pricewise in Florida. It is completely out of reach here in California.

However, my perception is that winters may be too cold for me that far north. I'm not sure what's happening weather-wise in Florida today, but the newspapers say Jacksonville is below freezing! The rest of the state seems to be fairly cold today also, though.

If anyone is familiar with Del Mar, CA, I am looking for the Florida version of that town. Close enough to a major city (30 minutes from San Diego), but with a small town feel. Terrific restaurants, a great dog beach, laid back atmosphere, low crime, etc.

What is the difference between Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens?

Also, am I right to write off the Panhandle? The "redneck riviera" thing turned me off, but I am reading that the beaches are amazing.

Anybody have any information on Hutchinson Island?

I appreciate everyone's advice. I am SO looking forward to this trip next week! I am trying to gather as much information as possible prior to my trip so that it is as beneficial as possible, so please keep the posts coming!

To answer two of your questions, Palm Beach Gardens is a city, get details by googling City Data Palm Beach Gardens. Palm Beach can refer to two things, one is a very rich island town. The other is Palm Beach County which runs from Jupiter down through Boca Raton.

The panhandle? Yes, I would not think that would fit what you asked for. It is beautiful, but more conservative and southern.

Like the poster said, Stuart down through Palm Beach Gardens sounds better for you.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by California to Florida

I think I am set on renting for the first year, partly thanks to all your comments.

I do love Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach; I have stayed in a condo on the beach that belongs to a friend many times. In fact, that's what first made me consider this move. I loved walking out the door every morning and walking on the beach, sleeping to the sound of waves, etc. I realized through those vacations that oceanfront real estate is still "do-able" pricewise in Florida. It is completely out of reach here in California.

However, my perception is that winters may be too cold for me that far north. I'm not sure what's happening weather-wise in Florida today, but the newspapers say Jacksonville is below freezing! The rest of the state seems to be fairly cold today also, though.

If anyone is familiar with Del Mar, CA, I am looking for the Florida version of that town. Close enough to a major city (30 minutes from San Diego), but with a small town feel. Terrific restaurants, a great dog beach, laid back atmosphere, low crime, etc.

What is the difference between Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens?

Also, am I right to write off the Panhandle? The "redneck riviera" thing turned me off, but I am reading that the beaches are amazing.

Anybody have any information on Hutchinson Island?

I appreciate everyone's advice. I am SO looking forward to this trip next week! I am trying to gather as much information as possible prior to my trip so that it is as beneficial as possible, so please keep the posts coming!

Jax is only cold about a couple weeks a year. It's a record freeze all over FL right now. jax will get down to 20 tonight. Then, another cold one on Thur night. However, by the weekend it's supposed to be warm again. It doesn't last long. The NICE thing about Jax is that you do get a bit of a season change, leaf changing colors, etc. It helps with the consistent warm weather, and lack of real seasons. I think it's healthy for the soul. Trust me, if you are used to real winter...Jax is a breeze. California gets chilly...I used to live there. It is colder in Cali than anywhere in FL. The lack of humidity and the Pacific Ocean keeps the temps down.

[TriMT7]

You might want to check out Hutchinson Island in Martin County/St. Lucie County (treasure coast).

You can find oceanfront condos there in your price range, and it's 10X more relaxed on the treasure coast than Palm Beach County and points South....without being TOO far from the action when you want it! Also, Martin County is one of the best rated school systems in the state.

[5FLgirls]

Originally Posted by LewLew

Jax is only cold about a couple weeks a year. It's a record freeze all over FL right now. jax will get down to 20 tonight. Then, another cold one on Thur night. However, by the weekend it's supposed to be warm again. It doesn't last long. The NICE thing about Jax is that you do get a bit of a season change, leaf changing colors, etc. It helps with the consistent warm weather, and lack of real seasons. I think it's healthy for the soul. Trust me, if you are used to real winter...Jax is a breeze. California gets chilly...I used to live there. It is colder in Cali than anywhere in FL. The lack of humidity and the Pacific Ocean keeps the temps down.

I lived in Palm Beach County for many many years and then moved to Jax where it was unseasonably cold the year I lived there. Jax can be cold. People have said to me that Jax and Southern California are alike in weather minus the humidity. IMO, I don't agree. Jax never got as cold as California has been this year. It was windier and nippier at times but I've worn a jacket more in California than I did in Jax. Also, my Christmas Day in Jax was gray and dreary. In Palm Beach County, it was always either raining, warm or humid. In California, it was clear skies but chilly.

We've been hanging out in the Gaslamp District of San Diego lately and it reminds me of Philadelphia. You will not see anywhere near the amount of homeless people in Florida as you do on just a few blocks in San Diego.

To the OP specifically - you will probably like Palm Beach Gardens and Stuart. Palm Beach (the island) is a nice place to walk around and eat at a nice restaurant but not for you to live. It's nothing like Del Mar.

[ucfjtm]

I know you're planning on only looking through the Atlantic and southern Gulf coast, but don't ignore the Destin, FL area in the NW panhandle:
Community Site - EmeraldCoast.com - Destin
It's a very nice community on the most beautiful beaches of Florida that won't break your bank.. $400-500k should easily get you a very nice condo ON the beach. It's a very laid back area, but has its share of beachside bars & restaurants. Boating life is very popular in that area with all the bayous (not swampy like Louisiana, just inlets of Choctawhatchee Bay). My parents are in their 60's and my mom scuba dives fairly regularly there. There are some off-shore reefs, although not as nice as the keys.. that's what a quick flight to Key West is for. There are quite a few good elementary schools in the area, including Destin Elementary:
DESTIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in Destin, FL - Test Results, Rating, Ranking, Detailed Profile, and Report Card

DM me if you want examples of what's available ON the beach..

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by 5FLgirls

Please make sure to check out the beaches of Jacksonville. Jax Beach, Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach all sound like places you might enjoy. Jax Beach and Ponte Vedra (though some might say it's hoity-toity) are both laid-back and small town areas right on the beach.

I've lived in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and loved them each for different reasons at different times in my life. Also, please take into account CJFlorida's comment about renting!

The poster has had some of the considerations I have and I too took a trip to Jacksonville to look around. First, the market didn't respond to my resumes and I have no clue as to why. Second, I too was open to Palm Beach County.

Jacksonville is coming around and becoming less Southern, making transplants feel more at home. People were quite nice everywhere I went. I think I could have done it, but it didn't work out. The southern half of Florida is less Southern without a doubt, and a transplant (such as a Californian) would probably fit in better. I'm a native Californian and considered it but haven't done it. I've also been told that there is now some CA to FL migration. Once past the humidity and the flatness, they seem to adjust ok.