[aewan68]

I left SoFla in the past year, mainly due to my Career options which hit a dead end. My Wife and I both lived in FL a combined 36 years between us both so it wasn't an easy decision but it had to happen.

While there are areas that are slower paced in the State, they may not offer people good career or job options, I'm talking people of the working age. While this is subjective on what you do, for me it was the case so we made a decision to leave. Also these areas may not offer what you desire culturally or fill in the list of things you like to do.

The BS associated with living in SoFla did not help, but I tolerated it for a long time. If it's not working out for you, you have to cross that bridge when you come to it and do your homework on where you want to move.

We moved to California, San Diego Area and we have no regrets, I only did it because of my career and options for other opportunity/career pathing and the salary I was offered made it all possible. If that happened in SoFla, we never would have left but that was a pipe dream I gave up on a long time ago and as they say the writing was on the wall.

[justin230]

I could never live in South Florida. Central Florida is bad enough. Central Florida was good 20 years ago, but it has grown too much, and is too developed now, so it's bad now.

[Icemodeled]

Where we live in Florida it's not a concrete jungle by any means, traffic isn't any worse then back in Ohio and we have met a LOT of very friendly folks. There is a lot of unused land, state parks, forests and citrus farms near us. Plunty of room to get out into nature. Plus lots of parks, trees and grass areas. Sounds like possibly your just living in an area of FL not right for you. The town we choose feels so much like back where we moved from, instantly felt like we're just back in our old town.. Except warmer weather and palm trees haha.

Everything you mentioned is not 100% for all of Florida. We personally dislike Georgia and wouldn't consider moving there, Alabama maybe. I would be more drawn to the Carolinas or moving westward if we left here. If your not happy and are done with FL, Maybe you should be researching areas to move on those state forums and get some ideas where you would be happy. Good luck!

[MAniacTHW]

Yeah, St. Pete being crowded and full of tourists and concrete, etc. isn't a new development. It's been that way well before you chose to move there.

Sounds like someone didn't do their research. As usual for people complaining on this site.

[Spring Hillian]

On many of the rivers you will find concessions offering kayak, canoe, tube, skiff and pontoon boat rentals.

I was on the Weeki Wachee river last week. Crystal clear water which comes from the spring which is just off US 19 and SR 50. Wonderful looking down on the abundant amount of fish, the Manatees are making their way up from the Gulf. Turtles sunning on half sunken logs, several small gators, birds, total quiet.

The Chassahowitzka river is amazing. Ive seen Dolphins in it feeding on fish. The Withlacoochee river flows north. Another beautiful creation of nature. There are other springs and rivers all around here,
Lots of nature preserves as well.

FL is a whole lot more than concrete jungles, rude people, crowded roads.

Originally Posted by floridanative10

I agree with this. The older I get I am more amazed at all the amazing stuff inland florida has like all the beautiful springs and love getting away from the traffic and tourists and hectic crap near the coast. I love diving and sailing and I love the ocean but anybody that doesnt have a canoe or kayak and explore all the springs and rivers in florida is missing something

some of the smaller florida towns have some amazing springs and rivers and gorgeous small towns. Florida is an amazing state

juniper springs



wekiwa springs



crystal river

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by justin230

I know there is good parts of Florida still, but how long will they stay good? I see how bad places like Spring Hill have got recently & it makes me leery of moving anywhere else in this state. Only the panhandle seems safe from development. Once I can find a job near a less populated area, I'm moving. I'm just afraid I'm gonna move & the new area will start getting built up.

Spring Hill has 100,000 people. It was created (in 1968) to be a place where retirees could golf, fish, boat or whatever else they wanted to do far away from urbanization. Its a nice area but like everywhere has attracted trashy people from all over. The retirees are mostly gone and the age group of 18-65 is the majority at about 50%. 20 years ago there was little retail and restaurants but now we have all the nations major retailers here.

This area has a controlled growth factor since there is a lot of preserved land. To the south its pretty much built up, to the east is rural and to the north is Citrus country where development is starting. To the west is marshland, wetlands and the Gulf. There will always be breathing room here.

Check with the planning board in areas of interest and see what is planned to happen in the near future.

[floridanative10]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

On many of the rivers you will find concessions offering kayak, canoe, tube, skiff and pontoon boat rentals.

I was on the Weeki Wachee river last week. Crystal clear water which comes from the spring which is just off US 19 and SR 50. Wonderful looking down on the abundant amount of fish, the Manatees are making their way up from the Gulf. Turtles sunning on half sunken logs, several small gators, birds, total quiet.

The Chassahowitzka river is amazing. Ive seen Dolphins in it feeding on fish. The Withlacoochee river flows north. Another beautiful creation of nature. There are other springs and rivers all around here,
Lots of nature preserves as well.

FL is a whole lot more than concrete jungles, rude people, crowded roads.

Chassahowitzka and Withlacoochee are gorgeous. If florida were a country it would be something out of the caribbean or central america, just gorgeous scenery

there are pretty springs and rivers all over the united states but alot of them you are going to die of hypothermia if you fall in them most of the year or they are surrounded by cold weather if they are hot springs. these are beautiful and warm water. This isnt on our overcrowded coasts either

What other state has stuff like this?

Chassahowitzka





Madison Blue Spring in Lee, Florida, along the upper Withlacoochee River

[smarino]

This seems to be a highly popular thread topic! You could almost copy and paste the titles and the posts and they would all look pretty much the same.

There is no such thing as what you are describing on a state wide basis, it varies city by city, just like anywhere else.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by smarino

This seems to be a highly popular thread topic! You could almost copy and paste the titles and the posts and they would all look pretty much the same.

There is no such thing as what you are describing on a state wide basis, it varies city by city, just like anywhere else.

I do agree the "I hate FL" threads are all much alike. Of course most of the disgruntled include the entire state in their realm of discontent but what is usually the problem is one city or parts of a geographic area that they find unsuitable. There is a lot of FL out there to choose from.

After the place I was very comfortable in, Orlando, became what seemed to be the #1 place for people to flock too, I knew that anyplace with the work "city" in its name was not a place to consider.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by justin230

Only thing keeping me here is money. If I had enough saved, I would've done moved already.

Since you have a reachable goal, make it happen. A part-time job with all the income from it going into your "relocation fund" it will happen a whole lot sooner for you.