[CaliKari86]

(This is a copy/paste of my other thread asking about Clermont vs Melbourne. However after a little more searching I feel that Gainesville or Sarasota might be nice too)


Hello. I'm interested in moving to FL and from what I've read, possibly Sarasota or Gainesville (or any surrounding cities that meet most of my criteria). I hear that FL jobs and schools arn't the best but how are there in these cities?

I don't care much about how boring a town is. If I can drive to a theme park (with an annual pass) maybe once a month I'll be fine. Or if there's a mall within maybe 15-20 miles. My boyfriend and I are in our young 20s and mostly like to stay inside watching movies (though a theater would be nice) rather than party. If there was a walmart nearby for quick shopping or a 24 hour diner, I'd be happy too.

I feel I should mention that we are a mixed couple (I'm black, he's white). I know "racism exists everywhere" but I'd just want to be able to walk hand in hand with out too many stares. Also which cities have the most galleries/museums within maybe a 20-30 mile radius? I have a BA in art (with a museum practices certificate) so I would be hoping to get a job in that field though I'd be fine with something simple like a bookstore as well.

As for housing, we would probably be looking to do a short term rent first to get use to the area and have more time to look for a more permanent place. Since I don't know what jobs we'll have, something affordable (maybe under $700/month for at least 1-2 bedroom) would be nice.

Sorry if this is a long post but most posts I see arn't as detailed and responses seem to ask for more as to help find decent places to live. Thanks for any and all help.

Oh yea low crime would be nice too. I'm from Crescent City, CA and all my friends talk of crime all the time yet I never see it first hand. So something like that to non-existent (yea right) would be nice. Thanks again for responses.

[jambo101]

Both towns are somewhat similar for the usual amenities of life however Sarasota trumps Gainesville when it comes to proximity to beaches also trumps Gainesville in its proximity to St Pete and Tampa and everything they have to offer including events,theaters,museums,job potential.Busch Gardens,Dali Museum etc.
Also Sarasota may be a bit more racially tolerant as Gainsville although having a couple of colleges is really out in cracker country as in rebel flags,pickup trucks and that good old boy southern hospitality shtick..
PS. the Gainesville area is extremely Republican,also Burning Quorans seems to be the local fun thing to do..

[CaliKari86]

Thanks for the comment. Is Sarasota an "affordable" place to live?

[jambo101]

Not sure what rents are like in Sarasota as i'm more familiar with the St Pete area but i would presume that the closer you get to the water the higher the rents.You would probably find something in your price range by doing a Google search of Sarasota rentals.

[gypsychic]

I agree with jambo, that Sarasota would beat out Gainesville on several fronts for you. Sarasota is known as the "culture coast" of Florida, with all sorts of arts and cultural offerings. As jambo stated, it is also within an easy drive to St. Petersburg and Tampa which offers many more. Sarasota has some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida, and definitely on the Gulf Coast. It is a small city with big city amenities and has a very cosmopolitan vibe with transplants from all over the country and the world.

I don't know too much first-hand knowledge of Gainesville, but it from what I know, it is a pretty "college-centric" town, and of course much further from beaches and museums, etc.

As far as rentals, depending what you want you can probably find something here in your range, especially now that our "season" is over. You will probably want to check Craigslist or find a property management company in the area. You can find a lot more good info by reading some posts on the Sarasota forum.

Good luck to you!

[FLGator487]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Both towns are somewhat similar for the usual amenities of life however Sarasota trumps Gainesville when it comes to proximity to beaches also trumps Gainesville in its proximity to St Pete and Tampa and everything they have to offer including events,theaters,museums,job potential.Busch Gardens,Dali Museum etc.
Also Sarasota may be a bit more racially tolerant as Gainsville although having a couple of colleges is really out in cracker country as in rebel flags,pickup trucks and that good old boy southern hospitality shtick..
PS. the Gainesville area is extremely Republican,also Burning Quorans seems to be the local fun thing to do..

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I just have to step in and correct this as a person who actually lived in Gainesville.

The Gainesville area is not "extremely Republican" - election results for the last 20+ years clearly show this - nor is it anything close to racially intolerant. People in Gainesville barely notice gay couples, let alone interracial ones. It's a very typical college town. Sarasota County, on the other hand, produced none other than hyper-bigot and generally insane Katherine Harris, and the median age there is 50 years old - need I say more?

To the OP's general question: as a younger person myself, I would not consider Sarasota County. Far too old in its demographics. It is known for some "artsy" elements, but this doesn't seem important to you. Gainesville is within 2 hours driving distance of both Orlando and Tampa, and less than that to beaches. Unless immediate proximity to beaches is very important to you, I would definitely recommend Gainesville.

[CaliKari86]

Thanks for the replies about both towns. After talking with my boyfriend, our number one priority right now (since we don't have kids) would be job availability. Like I said, I would prefer working a gallery/museum but if there's something similar I can deal. He wants to write but would like to also work in publishing if possible. Guess I should've mentioned that earlier

[Jlopes26]

Sarasota is very artesy and has nice beaches. Gainesville is more "college" town type. I still think Sarasota hands down. You would just have to live there or anywhere to understand.

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Both towns are somewhat similar for the usual amenities of life however Sarasota trumps Gainesville when it comes to proximity to beaches also trumps Gainesville in its proximity to St Pete and Tampa and everything they have to offer including events,theaters,museums,job potential.Busch Gardens,Dali Museum etc.
Also Sarasota may be a bit more racially tolerant as Gainsville although having a couple of colleges is really out in cracker country as in rebel flags,pickup trucks and that good old boy southern hospitality shtick..
PS. the Gainesville area is extremely Republican,also Burning Quorans seems to be the local fun thing to do..

You are clueless. Gainesville has a gay mayor and has twice as many democrats compared to republicans. It's one of the most liberal cities in Florida.

You can find the totals at the top of the page for Alachua. The city limits of Gainesville are far more liberal that Alachua as well.

http://elections.alachua.fl.us/

[SoFLGal]

I would have to agree with the recommendation of the Sarasota area for the many reasons already stated.