[bamboosmom]

You are so right Lulu,
we have alot of time to get prepared here. And a direct hit from a hurricane usually doesn't hit in the same place over and over again.

[cakeprincess]

St. Augustine for the small historical town and Port Orange for the popular family town. Sadly, I'm leaving Florida after living here for 15 years, but happily that I'm heading to the Carolina. Moved just because I need a change.

[jkbanks]

My husband and I lived in Sarasota and Englewood and though both were great places to live I preferred Englewood.We lived just minutes from the beach and it was just great.I miss it terribly.

[bamboosmom]

Where are you now JK?

[NY2FL4NOW]

Melbourne/palmbay Thats Where I'll Be Soon

[jackie1014]

treasure island, on the gulf of mexico, absolutely beautiful

[calculus]

bamboosmom, Punta Gord's east side has run down houses and crack cocaine. There is no real beach in Punta Gorda. 30 minutes to Englewood? Not anymore with all the traffic. Punta Gorda is still repairing Hurricane Charley damage. The city has few good restaurants. I wouldn't move there. I would pick Venice over Punta Gorda. At least you have nice beaches and a real seabreeze since you are really by the gulf. Not as overpriced as Punta Gorda Isles

[FL Daisy]

I lived in Port Charlotte for 6 yrs and was a Realtor back then. I hope I don't get bash for saying this but.... here is what the area is like. My parents still lives there so I visit often.

It's true there is no real beach in Punta Gorda, there is one in Port Charlotte but nothing to 'wow' about because the water is so murky, and that is TRUE.

Englewood has the nicest 'closes' beach to PG and PC and it's a good 30-40 minutes drive to get there from PG & PC (depends which town someone lives in)

Punta Gorda 'Isles' is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! No questions about that. One must not confuse Punta Gorda and Punta Gorda 'Isles' - it's together but totally different (lifestyle, housing and all). The only attraction there is Fisherman's Village. That is the 'happening place' of the weekend. It's very quaint, a real nice place worth visiting if one goes to PG.

There are nice places to see 'around' Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda but you'll need to drive a way or need a boat to get there.

That area has grown immensely in the past 5 yrs. The down side, it's only 'housing' that has grown. One has to drive to Fort Myers for fun. I would have thought that, at the pace it has grown, more would have been brought in for fun... it hasn't happened.

Those 2 towns (Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte) are VERY safe thus. I have to give it that, a great place to raise kids. Someone will definitely feel safe in either of those 2 communities. However, kids will grow to dislike it because of the lack of activities for them. It's even boring for people in their 20's and 30's.

Venice is really the place to go if one wants that area; it's safe, has beautiful beach and much more to do then PG & PC. And it's only 15 minutes drive to Sarasota which offers plenty to do for fun, things to see and do.I would chose Venice before PG, PC or North Port.

[FLgirl36]

After 27 years in South Florida, I can not for the life of me pick a place. They are either to congested or don't have the clean stores, I have come to love. If Palm Beach weren't so over populated say if we could turn back time even by 15 years I would live here again. The beaches were awesome to go to when I was young and I didn't mind the traffic then. However, now that I have a family to raise, I want out to a place where they still teach respect for others, to be polite and treat others how you want to be treated. Maybe, some northern Florida area have that but I am headed in land away from the Hurricanes and hopefully some of the selfishness that seems to be occuring on a regular basis in S.Florida. Sorry guys enjoy what you can, it is just to hard to raise a family in this kind of environment where social skills are at an all time low.
Still a FLgirl36 until I sell my home like so many other Floridians I know.

[Delilah]

Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale!