[moosemountain]

Does this exist in Florida? It seems like the houses are all on postage stamp lots. Am I looking in the wrong places? Want to be near a nice beach, not crowded, some room in the country to hike (near state park?) Neighborhood with houses spread out, small town, neatly kept property. Shangri La? I hate heat, so know I could not stay there in summer.

We live in the wilderness now, off grid in a log house on a mountain, so think it may be a culture shock. Florida has never been a place I even wanted to vacation. But getting older..... maybe dumber?

[boxus]

What is your budget? There are plenty of places that fit what you describe, it is just you might be paying quite a bit for it.

If you have a low budget, look towards the armpit/panhandle area, and north of Tampa.

[beach43ofus]

I'd look at the Northern 'burbs of Crestview and Defuniak Springs. Florida has some rolling hills up that way, and you can find large lots cheap, and even brick homes. Reasonable drive to beach and parks to hike.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by moosemountain

Does this exist in Florida? It seems like the houses are all on postage stamp lots. Am I looking in the wrong places? Want to be near a nice beach, not crowded, some room in the country to hike (near state park?) Neighborhood with houses spread out, small town, neatly kept property. Shangri La? I hate heat, so know I could not stay there in summer.

We live in the wilderness now, off grid in a log house on a mountain, so think it may be a culture shock. Florida has never been a place I even wanted to vacation. But getting older..... maybe dumber?

In short, yes. Check out small towns like Stuart (and neighboring Hobe Sound), Vero Beach or the NW and S/SW side of St Augustine as a few examples of lower density places with larger lots readily available close to the beach. All three are quaint towns with plenty of services yet uncrowded largely, and even though in-town St Augustine is seen as touristy it's more/less a day time event given it quiets down considerably after 5pm.

[Fredesch]

Originally Posted by moosemountain

Does this exist in Florida? It seems like the houses are all on postage stamp lots. Am I looking in the wrong places? Want to be near a nice beach, not crowded, some room in the country to hike (near state park?) Neighborhood with houses spread out, small town, neatly kept property. Shangri La? I hate heat, so know I could not stay there in summer.

We live in the wilderness now, off grid in a log house on a mountain, so think it may be a culture shock. Florida has never been a place I even wanted to vacation. But getting older..... maybe dumber?

The dry Tortugas may be what you are looking for. Good luck on your search.

[craigiri]

Do the basic math - 10's of millions of people, more 10's of millions of visitors and a very limited amount of nice beach.

How about rivers? If you like those, look up near the Swannee in Gilchrist County.

My nephew lives in a small town in SC - some of those places North of Hilton Head.

If you want Florida you have to go inland a bit. Here in Sarasota, if you go to the West Side of the big interstate you can get 5 or 10 acres and there are plenty of orange groves, state parks and horse farms. But it ain't gonna be Maine...by a long shot. As they say "you're not in Kansas anymore"....

In general, though, you don't find "kindred spirits" in Florida living out in the hinterlands. More like industrial agriculture and the immigrants that support it, etc.

[gentlearts]

It seems to me that there is a whole lot of nothing for miles in the center of Florida, where they raise cattle and oranges. I bet one could find a few acres for a reasonable price. You wouldn’t be close to the beach, but you could day trip. Friends of ours used to have a place in Lake Placid area, and it was very quiet and rural.

[logybogy]

Check out the Appalachacola, St. George Island, Carrabelle all south of Tallahassee in the Panhandle. Gorgeous beaches, large lots, extremely remote. I think it is the best fit for you in Florida looking at your qualifications.

The Panhandle is the least populated and has some of the best values for property in the whole state. This is where you should be focusing.

[NorthofHere]

Originally Posted by moosemountain

Does this exist in Florida? It seems like the houses are all on postage stamp lots. Am I looking in the wrong places? Want to be near a nice beach, not crowded, some room in the country to hike (near state park?) Neighborhood with houses spread out, small town, neatly kept property. Shangri La? I hate heat, so know I could not stay there in summer.

We live in the wilderness now, off grid in a log house on a mountain, so think it may be a culture shock. Florida has never been a place I even wanted to vacation. But getting older..... maybe dumber?

Hike in Florida? Walk maybe, hike needs mountains ;-) Lots of state parks, they are really nice. You will want houses on postage stamp lots...it is freaking too hot to concern yourself with a large lot and if you are using it as a winter retreat the less land the cheaper to have someone maintain it. You can find larger lots of land on the west side of 95 on the east cost and traffic there will be less but you have to face traffic to get to the stores and you are no where near a small town. Not near the ocean is Mt. Dora (no it is not a mountain) that is near the lakes. The town is cute, historic. Near the ocean I like New Smyrna beach, crowded at certain times of the year; however there are parts of the beach that aren't crowded even in the summer. Cape Canaveral National Seashore is at the end of S. Atlantic Blvd.

If Florida has never been a place you even wanted to vacation why are you even looking here?

[kombuchaluchador]

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I would probably recommend that you not move to Florida. It really satisfies none of the criteria that you mentioned . Parts of North Carolina may have what you're looking for, or perhaps Oregon or Washington .

Just want to save you from making a mistake, and as a Floridian who actually likes it here, I really don't want yet another person who doesn't appreciate what we have to move down and complain .