[floridaguy04]

We currently live in destin and are thinking of relocating to boca raton. We are looking for

Lots of shopping and restaurants, destin has nothing.

Clean neighborhood around 1-1.8 million FAR from any low income area or crime.

Full time Family community, destin is mostly part time old people.

Upscale, (mercades, BMW, bently, Ferrari, white table cloth restaurants, ect)

No Rough sketchy people around.

Good schools.

These are all things destin dosent have or has little of, will boca raron have these things?

[bmw335xi]

I used to live in Boca Raton and it sounds like a really good fit for you

[OTownKnight]

Boca has a lot of that. You're right next to West Palm which has all the dealerships you speak of (Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini, etc.). Boca itself is comprised of many multi-million dollar neighborhoods. So much so that they would almost look at YOU as being the rough sketchy one at only $1.8 million lol. Totally kidding.

Boca, Delray, areas of West Palm are all very nice and upscale with all the high end shopping and dining you could possibly desire, but keep in mind it's SoFla so these nice areas are going to blend in with some rough areas, and they'll be much closer together than you think.

I'm from the panhandle so I'm extremely familiar with Destin and the rest of the emerald coast. Much more land and spread out up there than South FL is. I would say Destin and Sandestin are more segregated from the rougher areas of Ft. Walton and Shalimar, whereas you can be in a multi million dollar neighborhood in Boca and then 2 minutes down the road you're in an area with some sketchy apartment complexes. Don't think that just because you see a Capital Grille next to a Ferrari dealer next to a Louis Vuitton store means that you're around nothing but safe, classy, rich people in a 3 mile radius.

Also Boca is going to be WAY busier with WAY more traffic and noise than you'll get in Destin, even during the summer season. You also don't get the cooler winter weather like you do in Destin. Say hello to hot and humid all year round.

[beachmouse]

There are some parts of Destin that are almost as rough as the dodgier parts of Ft. Walton Beach (think part of the area north of McGuire's- when I was running a Meals on Wheels program in the area, I had a volunteer quit on me after she accidentally knocked on the wrong door in one of those little trailer parks and it was a meth lab). So if the OP ventured much away from US 98 in the harbor area, sketchy is a known quantity.

[jghorton]

Originally Posted by floridaguy04

We currently live in destin and are thinking of relocating to boca raton. We are looking for
Lots of shopping and restaurants, destin has nothing.
Clean neighborhood around 1-1.8 million FAR from any low income area or crime.
Full time Family community, destin is mostly part time old people.
Upscale, (mercades, BMW, bently, Ferrari, white table cloth restaurants, ect)
No Rough sketchy people around.
Good schools.
These are all things destin dosent have or has little of, will boca raron have these things?

Having spent 26-years on the Space Coast, just north of Boca --- and now the last 7-years in Destin, I've got a different perception of Destin and also of the key differences between the two.

It's hard to think of anyplace along the Space Coast that has more restaurants and shopping than Destin -- Granted, many of the restaurants and much of the shopping are tourist-oriented. Also, while Destin has no high school (really strange), Okaloosa County schools are regularly rated among the best in Florida. Do you really buy enough upscale cars to make that a major consideration -- The 'rough, sketchy' people in Destin are largely tourists from somewhere else, not locals (of which you will also find plenty in Boca). If you count the 30A area, there are certainly enough $1-$2M+ neighborhoods in Okaloosa/Walton county to satisfy most folks. Indian Trail and beachfront condo's pretty much hit this range in Destin.

The key differences that favor the Space Coast are far less cold weather and an ability to get away from heavy traffic. (However, it's getting to the point that any place near the Florida coast is jammed with traffic). Not sure where the notion that BOCA has more traffic than Destin comes from (?).

Boca has several really upscale (expensive) areas with white table cloth restaurants. Not sure if there is a direct parallel between 'low income areas' and 'crime;' except the crime in LIA's is certainly more readily apparent.

[floridaguy04]

Originally Posted by jghorton

Having spent 26-years on the Space Coast, just north of Boca --- and now the last 7-years in Destin, I've got a different perception of Destin and also of the key differences between the two.

It's hard to think of anyplace along the Space Coast that has more restaurants and shopping than Destin -- Granted, many of the restaurants and much of the shopping are tourist-oriented. Also, while Destin has no high school (really strange), Okaloosa County schools are regularly rated among the best in Florida. Do you really buy enough upscale cars to make that a major consideration -- The 'rough, sketchy' people in Destin are largely tourists from somewhere else, not locals (of which you will also find plenty in Boca). If you count the 30A area, there are certainly enough $1-$2M+ neighborhoods in Okaloosa/Walton county to satisfy most folks. Indian Trail and beachfront condo's pretty much hit this range in Destin.

The key differences that favor the Space Coast are far less cold weather and an ability to get away from heavy traffic. (However, it's getting to the point that any place near the Florida coast is jammed with traffic). Not sure where the notion that BOCA has more traffic than Destin comes from (?).

Boca has several really upscale (expensive) areas with white table cloth restaurants. Not sure if there is a direct parallel between 'low income areas' and 'crime;' except the crime in LIA's is certainly more readily apparent.

Im saying when i drive around i want to see mostly nice cars and not old beat up cars. And i dont want to be around crime ridden areas, low income areas or "diverse" areas and yes there is a direct parallel between all 3

[OptimusPrime69]

OP, Boca has all of what you're looking for. It's got that flashy south FL vibe.... luxury cars, designer stores, clean, manicured lawns and public spaces. An air of snobbery reigns.... Not that that's a bad thing. Lots of shopping and great restaurants. I think Boca is far more sophisticated than anywhere in the panhandle. . Tho u will find diversity.... I mean it's south Florida afterall.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Gibson345

No comparison, one is redneck, the other is not ! Panhandle has always been called the Redneck Riveira

Exactly

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Gibson345

No comparison, one is redneck, the other is not ! Panhandle has always been called the Redneck Riveira

I call that area LA..........Lower Alabama!

[CaptCephus]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

I call that area LA..........Lower Alabama!

Heck I'd rather live around Circle City than live on the Redneck Riviera..at least I would know where I am..really.