[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by Lemoncello

It seems there are a number of friendly people in Florida already!

I had a little information regarding some of the locations, but I knew nothing of Stuart or of Orlando's reputation. As a Disneyesque destination, Orlando should've been obvious.

I welcome additional observations. A friend mentioned Vero Beach and Mt. Dora, I believe it was, as possibilities, too. Thanks so much for the feedback. If you're in need of desert southwest info., I've got plenty.

All the Best.

Here's a few links to Stuart & Martin County for you. Vero Beach is also nice, but more expensive. I don't know what your budget for relocating is.

Stuart, Florida Website - (stuartfla.com) - Everything about Stuart, Florida

Welcome to Stuart, Florida and the website of the Downtown Business Association of Historic Stuart, dedicated to promoting and enhancing the reputation of Stuart as an enduring business, social and entertianment center.

Martin County Fla official tourism site for the best family beach vacation in Florida.

Martin County Home

Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce - Stuart, Florida - GoodNature.org

[Dementia]

Originally Posted by SomewhereElse

If your concerned about your area being Mexicanized, stay away from South Florida, it is already Cubanized, Mexicanized, Ricanized, El Salvadorianized, Guatamalanized and Hatianized. English is NOT the primary language!

English is the primary language. Don't listen to these people. Yes, we have many immigrants that don't speak English, but the vast majority of people speak and understand English.

[Mis B. Havin']

South Florida gay friendly, yes maybe, the south americans? Well Lived here for 8 years, why cause I had a good job I liked, it has ended and I cant wate to get out will not even consider staying here.

[RADuda]

Hi all. I read with interest the posts on this thread, as I too am researching places to which to relocate within Florida. My reason is that I am an adult-learner (40+) college student, Florida resident since 1998, so staying within the FL state system is cost-effective. I'm now at FSU in Tallahassee, but have lived in the SE of FL for 8 years.

I understand the original poster's concerns about living in a friendly but not flaming place. I was born 10 miles west of NYC in a small but progressive suburb, and my 'husband' and I and other roommates from time to time lived in my house for many years without any Rainbow flags out front, nor ANY ill will or harassment from neighbors. I have >>never<< lived in what I would call a "gay ghetto," and I disagree a bit with one poster that says that Wilton Manners (which I unfairly disparage as 'Lilting Manners') is NOT a gay city--they pride themselves on it, with an out gay mayor, many gay bars, hosting Gay Pride events, etc., but, it is a somewhat mixed laidback place.

I do understand what some posters say about South Florida (meaning the 3 SE-most counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach) as having lots of refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean (Haiti and Cuba most prominently), but I disagree with typecasting the ENTIRE region as 'having English as a second language.' That >>is<< true the further south you go--closer to downtown Miami and 'La Calle Ocho', the SW 8th St. that is the Tamiami Trail--but it is not so true in Broward, and less so in Palm Beach County, where I lived for 8 years before relocating to Tallahassee for Fla. State Univ. The further north you go, like into Stuart in Martin County or Port Saint Lucie in St. Lucie County, the more quickly this changes.

When in Palm Beach County, I lived in both West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. The latter is the more livable of the two, and resembles a less-"Out", smaller Wilton Manors. West Palm Beach is still a rather large, and quite polarized city, while Lake Worth is much smaller and more integrated. I would check Lake Worth, 66 miles north of Miami, and about 30 to 40 minutes north of Ft. Lauderdale and its gay subset, Wilton Manors.

Boca Raton, IMHO, is the worst of the worst, and the best of the best--it is in more conservative PBCounty, just north of the Broward County line, and just south of Delray Beach, which is another really nice place, albeit quite expensive. (Even >>proximity<< to Boca is pricey.) Boca is possibly the rudest, most corrupt, most NY of all of south FL, and also among the most expensive. "Pretentious" is a word that comes quickly to mind. If you like 16 yo girls in Benzes that daddy bought, and rude old NY jews taking over in Winter, go for it. If not, be forewarned. It's hellish. However, the Boca Raton Hotel and Club is a jewel, and if money is no object, the houses are spectacular, and the neighborhoods are mostly manicured and very exclusive. The choice of restaurants is wide-ranging and will suit almost any taste, and even any price range, Nonetheless, I would call it neither Gay friendly nor homey. FYI, to give you an idea, Palm Beach County's Gay Pride events--with the word "GAY" prominently MISSING from ALL promotions!--are held not in Boca NOR in West Palm Beach, but in charming downtown Lake Worth, and are VERY well attended. Lake Worth prides itself on diversity, whereas Boca reveres money, stature, and wealth. Conspicuous consumption are rampant in Boca and also in the "Island" of Palm Beach. Dinosaurs in Rollses and Bentleys are quite commonplace.

I am also thinking of transferring to either USF in Saint Petersburg or New College in Sarasota, and I would expect that SRQ (Sarasota) is a bit more like a smaller amalgam of all of Palm Beach County, both of which served principally as Resort getaways for the ultra-rich Yankees that founded them. However, as in PBC, SRQ is an hour from Tampa when you want that urban gay life, and about 45 minutes from St. Pete. (I would investigate St. Pete, as it has a liveable, walkable/bikable downtown, a subset of gay venues smaller than Tampa but more friendly, and is closer to beaches.)

I would make the analogy between Gulf Coast and Atlantic or "Gold" Coasts this way: Miami is like Tampa; St. Pete is more like Ft. L., and Pinellas County more like Broward; SRQ is more like Palm Beach County, except without the renewed, formerly poorer older neighborhood that became Lake Worth. I also agree with the poster about North Florida. Remember it this way: FL is upside down. The further South you go, the more "Northern/NY;" the more North you go, the more "Southern," including the racism, segregation, and homophobia. Tallahassee's gay community is very closeted, hidden, and there is only one venue, which is billed as being "pan-sexual" so that it can attract the FSU students who are "questioning."

Maybe we need to settle in Bradenton, and create the next Gayborhood! I'm open to it. My applications are in to both USF St.P., and New College.

Good luck to you.

--Richard

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by RADuda

I am also thinking of transferring to either USF in Saint Petersburg or New College in Sarasota, and I would expect that SRQ (Sarasota) is a bit more like a smaller amalgam of all of Palm Beach County, both of which served principally as Resort getaways for the ultra-rich Yankees that founded them. However, as in PBC, SRQ is an hour from Tampa when you want that urban gay life, and about 45 minutes from St. Pete. (I would investigate St. Pete, as it has a liveable, walkable/bikable downtown, a subset of gay venues smaller than Tampa but more friendly, and is closer to beaches.)
t

Hi Richard - I think you have this area pegged - I am a straight married female, raised in Tampa, lived in Sarasota for 17 years. It is definitely a resort getaway for people from all over the world, wealthy retirees and tourists. There is a small gay population here, I had many gay and lesbian friends, many of whom owned antique shops or restaurants.

I would definitely pick St. Pete if I were you, I think you will find it more laid back, friendly and more "real." It used to be just a retirement city, but over the past 15 years or so, it has kind of morphed into a younger "hipper" place overall, especially in certain areas like the downtown. St. Pete also gives you easy proximity to Tampa for more night life, etc. I have a gay relative who lives there and absolutely loves it.

I would stay out of Bradenton - that place is too backwards, too old, and getting more crime ridden by the day.

Good luck to you.

[RADuda]

Thank you for your confirmation. I hope it helps the original poster. It certainly confirms what I thought already by way of the research I have done. USF SP, here I come! :-)

Take care.

[scooterdoo]

I can't believe somebody hasn't mentioned Key West. We are extemely gay friendly! I haved here for 22 years and most of the island is very easy going. Come and visit and you won't want to leave.
Scooterdoo.

[AllenAtlanta]

Originally Posted by RADuda

Tallahassee's gay community is very closeted, hidden, and there is only one venue, which is billed as being "pan-sexual" so that it can attract the FSU students who are "questioning." --Richard

Richard, thanks for your post. My partner and I are two gay guys in our 50's who will soon be moving from Atlanta to Tallahassee. I know ... I know ... moving from the Gay Mecca of the South to a city where Gays remain closeted. There are other threads on City-Data posted by Gay couples in other parts of the country asking about the gay lifestyle in Tallahassee (or lack of it), but there are people from Tallahassee responding that Leon county is more liberal and accepting than other areas of north Florida. Although being Gay in Tallahassee isn't anything like Hotlanta, my partner and I at our ages are really more home-bodies and are not into the Gay nightlife and bar scene at all (the Midtown lifestyle here in Hotlanta).

We think (hope?) a city smaller than the Atlanta metro-area (~5 million) with universities will have things to offer, as long as the city culture is not ultra-conservative and homophobic. So many of the posts on the City-Data threads about Tallahassee seem to describe Tallahassee as generally liberal and not really filled with homophobic bigots. Is this how you see it?

We know there are other areas of Florida with large Gay communities (Orlando area and Wilton Manners near Ft. Lauderdale) that would offer a more open Gay lifestyle, but our jobs are taking us to Tallahassee, so we're trying to just make sure that when we buy a home together in a Tally neighborhood that the neighbors will be generally "okay" with it.

Allen

[TriMT7]

There is a gay social group in Tallahassee for older men, I think, generally 40+ known as the "Primetimers".... might want to check it out. They do dinners, etc.

The Betton Hills area also attracts a more eclectic crowd, including gays into older, historic neighborhoods and houses.

[ahimsamom]

I would suggest St. Petersburg actually. It wasn't on your list, but there is a solid gay community there and neighborhood -- the Kenwood area. Very residential and mellow. The Grand Central downtown district is arty and gay-friendly but not "clubs and boozing."

Eckerd College, Stetson College of Law, and USF St. Pete are there and St. Pete College has several campuses in Pinellas County as well. USF Tampa would be about a 30-min drive also.

The recession has hit this area hard and there are a LOT of affordable, beautiful homes in this area for sale. TONS of beaches accessible from all parts of the county. And there is culture, a fine arts museum, a Dali museum, and other smaller ones, plus a zoo and aquarium in Tampa.

We relocated here from San Francisco not even a year ago and are soon moving to Tallahassee for a job. We don't want to leave here -- we didn't want to leave SF, either, but it's just too expensive and I lost my job right before having a baby. The job thing is just not happening here for either my husband or I. It's been a crazy year for us and certainly a lot of people. So that being said, you seem confident in getting a job no problem, but I know in Florida statewide in the universities there are hiring freezes and/or budget cutbacks, so you might want to check before making a big move.

Good luck!