[tothehilt]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

For those who've lived in Port Orange, is it just a smaller version of Daytona? Ie: lots of white trash, lifted trucks and Harleys?

Yes. From Ormond Beach to New Smyrna Beach is only about 20 miles. All the cities limits bump up to each other so there is no escaping the bikers, rednecks and white trash. And I'm being serious when I say this. Port Orange is even starting to develop a homeless problem on the east side.


From my experience growing up in Port Orange, this is what you'll experience throughout the year.

Jan: Snow birds, Rolex 24 race fans
Feb: Snow birds, NASCAR fans
March: Snow birds, Bikers, Spring Breakers
April: Snow birds, Spring Breakers, Conventions/Special Events
May: Family Vacationers, Conventions/Special Events
June: Family Vacationers, Conventions/Special Events
July: Family Vacationers, NASCAR race fans, Conventions/Special Events
August: Family Vacationers
September: Family Vacationers (limited)
October: Snow birds, Bikers
November: Snow birds
December: Snow birds

Year round
- College age students (Palmer, Embry-Riddle, Bethune-Cookman & Daytona State)
- Homeless at nearly every intersection begging for money.


If you haven't checked out my post about my honest opinion of Port Orange, please check it out. It may help you since you're curious about that area. I'll quote it below.

Originally Posted by tothehilt

I recently returned to the Daytona area over Thanksgiving to visit family and friends after moving away 11 years ago. Here is my honest opinion of the area I grew up in. Better known as the Daytona area.

I grew up in the Daytona area (Port Orange-32128) from age 2 to 21 (1988-2007) and got out as soon as possible. It's more of a hick town with a beach then your standard Florida beach town. If you're into NASCAR, lifted trucks, low wages, basic education and no real industry outside of tourism then Daytona is the area for you. Don't let the two universities in the area fool you. About 95% of the students enrolled in those schools are not from the area and will not stay in the area post graduation. The employment sectors in the area are retail, tourism, medical and construction. Also the area is HIGHLY controlled by the 5 wealthiest families in the area (France's, Brown's, Hosseini's, Richey's, Yeoman's). The local politicians care little about the will of the people as they are bought and paid for by those top 5 families. And now my friends and family still in the area tell me that the Daytona area has started turning into a retirement area with tons of large and small 55+ communities being built and to be built over the next few years. Crime in the Daytona area has always been high for an area of it's size. This is most likely due to the stagnant low wages that have plagued the area for decades now. And while compared to other areas the rent and home prices might seem low or average, when you figure in the lower wages the majority of Daytona residents make, housing costs are high for the area. On my latest visit to the area I noticed almost immediately that the homeless have taken over nearly every street corner. While I was there, it seemed that at every intersection I stopped at contained at least 1 homeless person begging for money with a cardboard sign. The area has always had a homeless problem like most other cities and towns along US1 (aka The Transient Highway), but now it's out of control. I've never seen it as bad as it is now. I hated the area while I was growing up there, but now I am so glad I left as the area has slid even further down hill. I feel bad for my friends/family who feel stuck there and am constantly urging them to leave. So in closing, it's my opinion that if anyone reading this is seriously considering moving to the Daytona area that they seriously think twice. In my opinion, you would be much better served moving to the Tampa, Sarasota or even the Orlando areas. Those areas have MUCH more to offer then the Daytona area.

And that is my honest opinion of Daytona.

[Fredesch]

Originally Posted by tothehilt

Yes. From Ormond Beach to New Smyrna Beach is only about 20 miles. All the cities limits bump up to each other so there is no escaping the bikers, rednecks and white trash. And I'm being serious when I say this. Port Orange is even starting to develop a homeless problem on the east side.


From my experience growing up in Port Orange, this is what you'll experience throughout the year.

Jan: Snow birds, Rolex 24 race fans
Feb: Snow birds, NASCAR fans
March: Snow birds, Bikers, Spring Breakers
April: Snow birds, Spring Breakers, Conventions/Special Events
May: Family Vacationers, Conventions/Special Events
June: Family Vacationers, Conventions/Special Events
July: Family Vacationers, NASCAR race fans, Conventions/Special Events
August: Family Vacationers
September: Family Vacationers (limited)
October: Snow birds, Bikers
November: Snow birds
December: Snow birds

Year round
- College age students (Palmer, Embry-Riddle, Bethune-Cookman & Daytona State)
- Homeless at nearly every intersection begging for money.


If you haven't checked out my post about my honest opinion of Port Orange, please check it out. It may help you since you're curious about that area. I'll quote it below.

There are crappy areas and nice areas in all metro areas. With your calendar what you are saying is 100s of thounsands of people a year want to visit Daytona metro area - NASCAR and the beaches included.

Feel free to favor places like Kansas where they don't have visitors that come for nice winter weather and the beaches.

[tothehilt]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

There are crappy areas and nice areas in all metro areas. With your calendar what you are saying is 100s of thounsands of people a year want to visit Daytona metro area - NASCAR and the beaches included.

Feel free to favor places like Kansas where they don't have visitors that come for nice winter weather and the beaches.

Exactly my point. When you live in the worlds playground, all those visitors tend to lower the overall quality of life of those who live there day in and day out by raising the crime rate and boosting an industry that trends towards low wages. Not to mention having to deal with all those people all the time. It gets old year after year after year after year. Other areas of Florida make dealing with the large numbers of visitors tolerable by also having other industries that foster higher wages. This is NOT the case for Daytona or Volusia County for that matter. And yes, ALL areas have their bad/rough sections and the homeless issue is a common one for Florida cities along US1. But it's only a serious issue for areas with relaxed transient/loitering laws & ordinances like most Volusia cities have. Growing up and living in the Daytona area clearly wasn't for me, so once I graduated college I left. That was 11 years ago. I now only come back to visit family/friends every few years. If I would've stayed in the Daytona area I would be earning half of what I currently do and I definitely would not be working in my desired field. I now live in an area that has 4x the population of the Daytona area and has twice the total annual visitors Daytona gets, but not near as many vacationing visitors (aka tourists) as Daytona. Which I find much more peaceful. My overall point is that it's my opinion the Daytona area is a great place to visit, but not to live.

[Huasho]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

For those who've lived in Port Orange, is it just a smaller version of Daytona? Ie: lots of white trash, lifted trucks and Harleys?

Not much there, had to go for some business and it’s really nothing interesting in PO

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Huasho

Not much there, had to go for some business and it’s really nothing interesting in PO

I agree. It's a VERY small town. On the beach. There's really nothing there.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

I agree. It's a VERY small town. On the beach. There's really nothing there.

And I love New Smyrna Beach as there are very few people who call others red Necks, etc,in it which makes the city a much nicer place to live than having such low life as those who use such terms as you neighbors.

[MMan1988]

Yeah me too. I live in SE GA but I’ve vacationed in Ponce Inlet for years.