Florida's most perfect location (Clearwater, Port St. Lucie: for sale, jobs, house)

[gustavo32]

Wat do you think of Naples

[bamboosmom]

Naples is beautiful but really expensive!

[bekahdoo]

Marianna/Jackson County

[lulu]

Brian...
Yesss...indeed - if Miami has one thing down packed it's the food. It does have the great tasty food from all over the world. Gosh.. I can't wait till the Holidays now since you mentioned the roasted pig w/mojito & a glass of cold, cold cider, too...! My mouth is watering. Well, I could also go for a corned beef on rye w/mustard, & a dill pickle of course from the glass jar on the counter right now, too.....yum, yum... Where have the sour pickles gone?? I haven't seen one in like 30 yrs...
Jordan Marsh, yeah...what a great store that was on the other end of Dadeland. We lost our old Florida Burdine's, now - that was a Florida icon & I was sad to see it go. Remember Jefferson's, Woolworth's?? I loved the Woolworths' on a corner of Lincoln Rd. - it was always full of touristy colorful things & to a kid it was like a mini-disney land. Lincoln Rd. has changed drastically now, before families would stroll throughout in the evenings in their Sunday's finest. I remember a synagogue there where the retiree's on the beach would go all the time, the last time I went like 4 yrs. ago, it was all boarded up & looked abandoned. You know these so called Art deco hotels now, that were once full of chairs in the front & all the adorable reitrees' sitting there having a jolly ole' time?? Ohhh...and the dances?? I remember when I was like 12 I joined a couple of elder ladies in the dance...it was memorable indeed. I felt soooo.....sheltered & safe in those days & my parents would rent all summer long a place right off the pier - my dad would just go to work from there & we stayed at the hotel with dog, cat, grandma & all - there were no summer camps or summer school - this was it. I tell you any kid would rather have that, instead. To think it was affordable. I thank my parents for giving me that. Since you mentioned the Biltmore...remember it had been closed for years & years...My grandmother always was telling her old stories how it used to be a Veteran's Hospital and how Miami Beach was used for training our troops for WWII right on the sand. Everybody thinks it's a neon light place for partying but if they only knew the history in those silent sands and the past history of those gone invisible souls that once sat in front of those hotels... but yet live in my mind.
And now the Fountainbleau Hilton...which was the best of the best where all the Hollywood stars would go, and the women dressed to the hilt with their long white gloves... is closed for a total overhaul. A few months back they had like a huge garage sale & let the public in to buy everything inside - curtains, dishes w/the 'F' on them, cups, furniture, lamps, linens, etc, etc.. Lots of folks went to buy a some sort of souvenir, get a last glimpse & say their final goodbye to this one of a kind Miami beach icon. Ohh...remember all the houseboats??

[bamboosmom]

Here's a article that was published recently by a local realtor.

Punta Gorda the best place to live in Florida.

Punta Gorda was named "Best Small City" to live in by Money Magazine in 1996.

Sunshine, clean air, 129 square miles of sparkling waters, fishing at its finest, wildlife in abundance and a friendly atmosphere draw those who seek the natural pleasures of life. Low crime and inexpensive living keep them here in the heart of the southwest coast of Florida.

Punta Gorda is a unique city in Florida. It has been a city since 1887. That may not seem old to northerners, but our founding fathers were real pioneers. Key West type homes make up our historic downtown area. In the late 1800's, Punta Gorda was the end of the railroad line and things were barged from here to Key West.

Our historic area and downtown properties are in the process of major revitalization. It's architecture contrasts with the more modern "Florida homes" found in Punta Gorda Isles. Both blend nicely to give us a rare small town atmosphere.




You Can Find A Nice Home Many Places, BUT
You Can't Find A Small Town With More Charm Anyplace.

[Spookmeister]

Punta Gorda was named "Best Small City" to live in by Money Magazine in 1996.


1996? typo or living on past glory?

[bamboosmom]

Yea, that is what they are still printing. But it is still really a nice small town! Not every place in the USA gets such an honor to be mentioned in that magazine too

[macguy]

Originally Posted by bamboosmom

Here's a article that was published recently by a local realtor.

Punta Gorda the best place to live in Florida.

Punta Gorda was named "Best Small City" to live in by Money Magazine in 1996.

Sunshine, clean air, 129 square miles of sparkling waters, fishing at its finest, wildlife in abundance and a friendly atmosphere draw those who seek the natural pleasures of life. Low crime and inexpensive living keep them here in the heart of the southwest coast of Florida.

Punta Gorda is a unique city in Florida. It has been a city since 1887. That may not seem old to northerners, but our founding fathers were real pioneers. Key West type homes make up our historic downtown area. In the late 1800's, Punta Gorda was the end of the railroad line and things were barged from here to Key West.

Our historic area and downtown properties are in the process of major revitalization. It's architecture contrasts with the more modern "Florida homes" found in Punta Gorda Isles. Both blend nicely to give us a rare small town atmosphere.




You Can Find A Nice Home Many Places, BUT
You Can't Find A Small Town With More Charm Anyplace.

If you check here removed and do a comparison it is in fact, at least on paper one of the best places to live now. Unfortunately one of the reasons Money magazine called it that back then is it had and still does one of the highest predicted growth rates in the state currently over 31% making it good for future investment but that usually is what changes things for the worst as far as crime and quality of life.

The best thing when looking for a place to live is to be ahead of the curve, you don't want to be in a place that is dying but growing. You can enjoy the growth maybe have a business or what ever, but if it out grows you, or your wants and needs, you have something to show for your having been there and can parlay that into another and maybe better way of life. Few people live their who life in just one place, that's the adventure.

[bamboosmom]

Originally Posted by macguy

If you check here removed and do a comparison it is in fact, at least on paper one of the best places to live now. Unfortunately one of the reasons Money magazine called it that back then is it had and still does one of the highest predicted growth rates in the state currently over 31% making it good for future investment but that usually is what changes things for the worst as far as crime and quality of life.

The best thing when looking for a place to live is to be ahead of the curve, you don't want to be in a place that is dying but growing. You can enjoy the growth maybe have a business or what ever, but if it out grows you, or your wants and needs, you have something to show for your having been there and can parlay that into another and maybe better way of life. Few people live their who life in just one place, that's the adventure.

well said Mac! We are for sure growing here in Charlotte County and many young couples with children are moving into the area. That is nice to see! Of course with more people there will be added crime as in any place in the country. The quality of life is getting better with all the new things being done around the area.

[MiaDolFan]

The Brevard County area is one of my favorites. There are two wide inland bodies of water--Banana River and Indian River, with Meritt Island in between. Parts of Meritt Island are even hilly.
Port St. Lucie Inlet area also very scenic.