[KiwiBee74]

Hello to all of you out there in City Data Land. I am hoping someone can help me with their opinions and/or experiences with Lake Placid, Florida. I am retiring and looking to leave South Florida and move somewhere peaceful and calm, with a low crime rate, light traffic, and away from the coasts. All the info I have been able to find on Lake Placid or Sebring has been from years ago. I would like to hear about how Lake Placid is in 2018. Thank you very much for any info you can pass my way.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by KiwiBee74

Hello to all of you out there in City Data Land. I am hoping someone can help me with their opinions and/or experiences with Lake Placid, Florida. I am retiring and looking to leave South Florida and move somewhere peaceful and calm, with a low crime rate, light traffic, and away from the coasts. All the info I have been able to find on Lake Placid or Sebring has been from years ago. I would like to hear about how Lake Placid is in 2018. Thank you very much for any info you can pass my way.

I am sorry I can't help you, but by coincidence I was watching "House Hunters" on HGTV last night and it was about people looking for a home in Lake Placid! It looked pretty nice there, but really I know nothing. Good luck!

[TransplantedFloridian]

It's a very pretty little town. Very low crime. Peaceful, affordable, plenty of stores and whatnot nearby for convenience.

[OTownKnight]

Very quiet and slow paced, pretty much zero traffic after 9pm. Lots of lakes in the area so if you don't get a lakehouse, chances are you'll eventually meet someone with a house on the lake with a boat.

There's not a lot to do there, and even Sebring doesn't have a whole lot of options for dining or shopping. There's one large retail plaza with some of your more familiar big box stores, a small mall, and a small quaint downtown area with local shops. There's a couple of chain restaurants and maybe some average local restaurants between Sebring and Lake Placid, but that's about it. You'll have to drive 2 hours to Orlando, 2 hours to Ft. Lauderdale, and 2 hours to Tampa.

If you're looking for quiet and laid back and don't want to be near the coast, then Lake Placid might be a good option for you.

[gentlearts]

My sister in law and hubby had a winter home in a very nicely maintained mobile home park there. Sorry I can’t remamber the name, but it was on a body of water. They enjoyed the first few years, but then sold it, because it was sooo boring there.

They are not party people, but they didn’t make any lasting friendships and there is absolutely nothing to do, aside from a few tourist attractions.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by KiwiBee74

Hello to all of you out there in City Data Land. I am hoping someone can help me with their opinions and/or experiences with Lake Placid, Florida. I am retiring and looking to leave South Florida and move somewhere peaceful and calm, with a low crime rate, light traffic, and away from the coasts. All the info I have been able to find on Lake Placid or Sebring has been from years ago. I would like to hear about how Lake Placid is in 2018. Thank you very much for any info you can pass my way.

I get your wanting to move out of South Florida for calm but as already alluded to it could be 180 degrees from where you are now and perhaps too quiet. Have you considered a more vibrant yet quieter place like Gainesville? Despite the fact it's a college town there are many quiet, low crime neighborhoods in town or just on the outskirts that'll give you easy access to plenty to do and something else worth considering in retirement, quality healthcare in close proximity at UF-Shands.

[floridarebel]

Very small town, like a thousand people. People are friendly, and will wave to you when out driving or walking on the streets. Lots of lakes everywhere and landscape is pretty hilly for a FL location. Fishing, boating, outdoor activities are pretty common. The cost of living is relatively low. The area is pretty dead after 8 pm and most local owned businesses are closed on Sunday which is nice. A lot of folks travel up to Sebring for shopping. Sure is a stark difference from South FL. The churches there would be a good way to meet people.

[humeston]

My mother in law lives in Placid Lakes, just outside Lake Placid. I prefer that to the actual city itself of Lake Placid. It is indeed quiet, but peaceful and there are plenty of outdoor activities, such as fishing, golf, boating, biking, hiking, birding, nature, etc. Sebring is just about 20 to 30 minutes north and has the usual chain restaurants and big box stores. I was born and raised in South Florida and I left last year to of all places, Boise Idaho. Have family here and never lived outside of Florida. Now that I got that out of my system, my wife and I are probably going to return to Florida, and Placid Lakes/Sebring is our current target area. It is about 2 hours or so from: South Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Naples, Fort Myers, etc. So really a good strategic location. Nice 3/2 homes go between $130,000 and $200,000. Of course, big houses on the lake go for much more.

Placid Lakes/Lake Placid is a serious retirement area, with many people from the NE and Mid-west living there. About 5,000 people. Sebring has about 10,000.

Warning - Highlands County got-hit hard by the hurricane last year, so check over any homes you are looking at very carefully.

Best of luck, let me know if you need more info, my wife is visiting Placid Lakes right now.


Dart Humeston

[KiwiBee74]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses to my post. They were all very helpful and had good information. Lake Placid is sounding more and more like what I am looking for.

I like outdoor activities, like birding and hiking and just generally enjoying nature. Although, at my age, I'm much slower and my old knees keep me from long hiking :-), but I would enjoy some light nature watching.

In my research, I saw that Lake Placid has Florida Hospital - Lake Placid. Does anyone know how the medical care is there? I know it would not compare to Gainesville's medical centers.

I like the idea of light traffic!

I would be interested in any details about crime and safety. Although, coming from Miami, if there is only 1 murder a week, it would sound great to me :-).

If anyone thinks of any other information that might help in my relocation decision, I would appreciate your thoughts.

[KiwiBee74]

Originally Posted by humeston

My mother in law lives in Placid Lakes, just outside Lake Placid. I prefer that to the actual city itself of Lake Placid. It is indeed quiet, but peaceful and there are plenty of outdoor activities, such as fishing, golf, boating, biking, hiking, birding, nature, etc. Sebring is just about 20 to 30 minutes north and has the usual chain restaurants and big box stores. I was born and raised in South Florida and I left last year to of all places, Boise Idaho. Have family here and never lived outside of Florida. Now that I got that out of my system, my wife and I are probably going to return to Florida, and Placid Lakes/Sebring is our current target area. It is about 2 hours or so from: South Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Naples, Fort Myers, etc. So really a good strategic location. Nice 3/2 homes go between $130,000 and $200,000. Of course, big houses on the lake go for much more.

Placid Lakes/Lake Placid is a serious retirement area, with many people from the NE and Mid-west living there. About 5,000 people. Sebring has about 10,000.

Warning - Highlands County got-hit hard by the hurricane last year, so check over any homes you are looking at very carefully.

Best of luck, let me know if you need more info, my wife is visiting Placid Lakes right now.


Dart Humeston

Hello Mr. Humeston,

How was your wife's visit to Lake Placid? Did she like it? What did she think?

I can't believe you relocated to Boise! What a weather shock that must have been. :-)

Thank you for your post, it had great info in it.