[litngstrik]

Considering move to Tallahassee area from northern, AZ. Need to get back to the ocean, desperately. I have one child who will be entering high school, so the change is scary for everyone. Is weather bearable some of the year. Is the beach beautiful. Is the economy any good? I am a nursing assistant but spouse has been struggling w/death of construction here in AZ. What is Wakulla County like? Any info, suggestions you might have. I can't wait to visit it, hopefully before years end. Northern, AZ is drying up, dusty, crowded and economy is frightening. Thanks for advice.

[gumbyfly]

Is weather bearable some of the year? That would depend on what you mean by 'bearable'... It gets hot and humid in Tallahassee. If you can stand it, then it is bearable. I kind of depends on what you personally like.

Is the beach beautiful? No beaches in Tallahassee my friend... The coastline near this area is more of a boating and fishing attraction than a beach attraction. Mexico Beach is about the nearest 'beach' - and is about 1 hour's drive away.

Is the economy any good? For medical workers and FSU professors - yes. For state workers - comes and goes depending on the budget. For home builders - not yet (have to wait for the media to quit raining on the housing market's parade).

What is Wakulla County like? Way cheaper to live in than Leon county. Really a beautiful area (National Forest for the most part). Still fairly backwoodsredneck-ish, but less so than areas farther away from Tallahassee. Every now and then you will see the 'Willkillya' bumberstickers to remind you of how deep in the south you really are...

"Northern, AZ is drying up, dusty, crowded and economy is frightening."
I had the same opinion of Tallahassee when I was laid off from my job last summer. Now that I have been away for a few months, I really miss all the recreational things there were to do in the area.

'Home' will always be what you make of it. Northern Florida does not have mountains and snow, and is a lot more humid, rainy, buggy, and pollenated than AZ is. I have personally lived in both AZ (Ft. Huachuca) and in Tallahassee, and loved various things about both areas. If I could land a job in Phoenix, I would be there in a day...

[litngstrik]

Thanks for the info and words of wisdom. And you are totally right, places look ugly when things are not going good.. or did Jim Morrison say all that first, haa-haa, but it's soooo true. Nice to hear from someone who has lived in both places, Wakulla area looks like it's the garden of eden when you look at websites. Can you tell me about that long bike path from Tallahassee to the ocean? At least that's what a website said about it.. is it 20 miles or so, lined w/trees. We have nowhere to ride bikes unless you want to put your life at risk on all the narrow streets, blind corners and dirt roads we have around here.
All info and opinions are greatly appreciated! Thanks again

[gumbyfly]

There are soooooooooo many places to ride a bicycle in the Tallahassee area (or run, or walk, or walk a dog...). It only took me about six months to find a few favorite running trails - Eleanor Fat-Lipps Park (Klapp-Phipps really, but who can remember that?) just north of I-10 on Meridian is my favorite - a 5-mile loop of forested trails around a lake.

The St. Marks Trail is an old rail line that was ripped up and paved over. It goes from the southern side of Tallahassee to St. Marks (about 13 miles if you start from the railhead at Capitol Circle). It is maintained nicely by the parks system, and is shaded from the sun by tall canopy trees for a large portion of it.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by litngstrik

Considering move to Tallahassee area from northern, AZ. Need to get back to the ocean, desperately. I have one child who will be entering high school, so the change is scary for everyone. Is weather bearable some of the year. Is the beach beautiful. Is the economy any good? I am a nursing assistant but spouse has been struggling w/death of construction here in AZ. What is Wakulla County like? Any info, suggestions you might have. I can't wait to visit it, hopefully before years end. Northern, AZ is drying up, dusty, crowded and economy is frightening. Thanks for advice.

There is no beach in Tallahassee. Tallahassee sits on the edge of a hilly plateau some miles north of the gulf coast (which is a good thing, if you worry about hurricanes) It is 45 minutes to two hours to get to the beach. BUT: the beaches about one hour away are among the most beautiful in Florida. I live in Tallahassee, and when I want to go to the beach, St. George Island is a short and scenic drive south and west on Highway 98.

The economy is mostly white-collar government jobs and related industries, so Tallahassee is overflowing with law firms, lobbying firms, consulting firms, some IT outfits, etc. No heavy industry to speak of outside of local agriculture. We have two hospitals, AHCA, the Department of Health and a scattering of nursing homes around, so finding a health-related job might not be too much of a problem. The real estate market here is not nearly as bad as other parts of the state - and I know that affordable housing developers, at least, are still building stuff (or at least applying for the money).

Wakulla is just south of Tallahassee and a bit less developed and more rural. Many people live in Wakulla County where the cost of living is a little lower, and commute <30 minutes to town. Personally I do not think it is as pretty as Tallahassee/Leon County - Wakulla County lies on the coastal floodplain, so the vegetation and terrain are different.

I have lived in this area for 20+ years, so if you have more specific questions I will try and help you.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by litngstrik

Thanks for the info and words of wisdom. And you are totally right, places look ugly when things are not going good.. or did Jim Morrison say all that first, haa-haa, but it's soooo true. Nice to hear from someone who has lived in both places, Wakulla area looks like it's the garden of eden when you look at websites. Can you tell me about that long bike path from Tallahassee to the ocean? At least that's what a website said about it.. is it 20 miles or so, lined w/trees. We have nowhere to ride bikes unless you want to put your life at risk on all the narrow streets, blind corners and dirt roads we have around here.
All info and opinions are greatly appreciated! Thanks again

That would be the St. Marks trail. It starts at a parking lot on the south side of Tallahassee and winds through woods and some small communities southward to the coast. There used to be a bar at the sound end called Posey's but I am not sure if they survived the last hurricane.

[gumbyfly]

Posey's is dead and gone.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by gumbyfly

Posey's is dead and gone.

Yeah I thought I heard it was closed. I haven't been down that way lately.

Do you remember Outz's? Burned down.

Are there any places like that down that way anymore?

[gumbyfly]

Hammaknockers in Panacea has live bands on Saturday nights, and draws a fairly decent crowd. Nothing like Poseys, and farther south, so the Tallahassee crowd doesn't venture out that way to much. I have never been to Outzs'.

[goskinsma]

I am from MA and thinking about going to graduate school at FSU. I was wondering if anyone could comment on the general demographic in Tallahassee. Obviously it must be flooded with college kids. But what about the beaches that are a drive away. Do the beaches represent a younger crowd? How nice is the campus for anyone that may have been there. Would you say Tallahassee is an ideal place to live in comparison to other cities in FL? Specifically for a 23yo male.