[RaoulnL.A.]

Hello,
Great board! I am living currently in southern california & tired of the materialism and free swinging values. I am looking into ft. lauderdale (becoming mini south beach? ), Ft. myers (hearin bad things on this board).

Is there a beach city that is up & coming that has a communtiy that is very active & health conscious. organic restaurants, nice high end gyms, active beaches (holds many athletic events)? I am financially secure.

hearin some good things about del rey beach

thanx

[FedUpInFtMyers]

Avoid Ft. Myers like the plague then. There's plenty of "free swinging values" here, that's for sure, and that is just one of MANY problems here, but who knows? Maybe it is the "free swinging values" that contribute to all the other problems here.

How about Tampa Bay area (Sarasota, Bradenton, St. Petersburg, Largo, Seminole, Clearwater, or even Tampa)? I don't know a thing about Ft. Lauderdale; however, I have visited Delray and didn't visually notice any of the things that we have going on over here. Delray seems to get a lot of positive things said about it on the CD Forum. Also, I know people who live in Lake Worth (near W. Palm Beach) who have a good life and love it there. I lived in Tampa Bay prior to coming here, and even though there are only about 120 miles between Tampa and Ft. Myers, they are like two different countries.

But, as I review your post again, Sarasota definitely meets all of your needs. That is where we go to hang out to maintain our sanity while we anxiously await jobs so that we can get out of Ft. Misery. Visit Sarasota's Saturday Morning Market downtown and the Whole Foods Market also downtown. Also, I'm quite sure that you can find at least one high-end gym in Sarasota, and I am certain that you would appreciate St. Armand's Circle (shops, restaurants, and a spa). Please take a look at these things on the internet and pay Sarasota a visit before you decide. Good luck to you!

[gypsychic]

I think St. Petersburg might be a good fit for you. It is much larger than Sarasota, and MUCH younger! I lived in Sarasota and it is really geared toward wealthy retirees. I also did not find the restaurants all that great. Another good thing about St. Pete is it's proximity to Tampa, which has an urban vibe and lots to offer a young guy. Also, St. Pete has fantastic Gulf beaches. I do recommend a visit to the area to see if it suits your needs, since we can only offer our own recommendations based on our preferences and experience.

I don't know a thing about Del Rey but read a lot of good comments on this forum so it must have a lot to offer as well.

Good luck!

[House4Sale]

Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, maybe Delray Bch., Jupiter.

[FedUpInFtMyers]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I think St. Petersburg might be a good fit for you. It is much larger than Sarasota, and MUCH younger! I lived in Sarasota and it is really geared toward wealthy retirees. I also did not find the restaurants all that great. Another good thing about St. Pete is it's proximity to Tampa, which has an urban vibe and lots to offer a young guy. Also, St. Pete has fantastic Gulf beaches. I do recommend a visit to the area to see if it suits your needs, since we can only offer our own recommendations based on our preferences and experience.

I don't know a thing about Del Rey but read a lot of good comments on this forum so it must have a lot to offer as well.

Good luck!

Thanks for saying it, GypsyChic! Of course, I wanted to recommend St. Petersburg; that is where we used to live, and that is where we're headed back. St. Petersburg feels better to me; however, I am not sure that about the "high-end gym" criteria or organic markets. There is a small place in St. Pete called "Rollin' Oats" which is pretty neat, and there is another larger store on Central Avenue in St. Pete (name escapes me now - both names and addresses, at least could be found on the internet), but nothing like Whole Foods Market.

St. Petersburg is not that far from Sarasota so I think that the original poster should check out both. St. Pete also has a Saturday Morning Market downtown; however, it shuts down during summer months, so if the original poster wishes to visit that (which is a great idea to get a feel for that holistic, organic, health-conscious crowd), best to do it soon! You can also find info online on the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg. You can even subscribe to some e-newsletters that will give you info concerning the markets (when, where, and for how much longer until Fall). Maybe you could find a high-end gym near downtown or along the beach area (Gulf Blvd). St. Pete also has a HUGE bike club where people of various fitness ranges join groups and ride together. That may be something of interest. There is definitely nothing wrong with St. Pete, that's for sure. In my opinion, it is the VERY BEST that FL has to offer. I just thought that the original poster was looking for something more expensive appearing or glamorous (after reading his criteria), and while there are a lot of VERY NICE, BEAUTIFUL places in St. Petersburg, and there are people there who have lots of $$, I never met anyone there that had money that flaunted it or made it obvious. In fact, I was surprised when I learned who had money up there because they were just so down-to-earth. Maybe that meets the original poster's criteria. St. Pete, while very beautiful, just never felt "upscale" to me, and for me, that is a plus. Not sure that is a plus to the original poster, though.

[Jon F Moss]

Originally Posted by House4Sale

Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, maybe Delray Bch., Jupiter.

Delray Beach may have what you're looking for....be sure to check it out!

If you like to TRI, then south florida will have plenty to offer you

[RaoulnL.A.]

I used to do tri's! lol

took 7th overall in 2002 L.A. sprint tri, 3rd Age group

seems like st petersburg & del rey are on my list!!!!!

whats the diffrence in st. pete & south tampa? someone said check out south tampa caus of teh old folks in st.pete

[PalmBeach]

Coming up on my fifth year in Delray Beach, it's great! Also look into Highland Beach if you desire an ocean front condo lifestyle. Your fitness center of choice is probably the Athletic Club of Boca Raton.

[RaoulnL.A.]

any areas in delray or near with homes on the beach? 1/2 acre of land?
1mil-2mil?

[FedUpInFtMyers]

Originally Posted by RaoulnL.A.

I used to do tri's! lol

took 7th overall in 2002 L.A. sprint tri, 3rd Age group

seems like st petersburg & del rey are on my list!!!!!

whats the diffrence in st. pete & south tampa? someone said check out south tampa caus of teh old folks in st.pete

People always say that, but quite frankly, I never thought that there was such a HUGE population of old people. Ridiculous. Of course, senior citizens retire in most cities in FL, but there is a good mix of 20s, 30s, and 40s in the Tampa Bay area. South Tampa is going to feel more like city life, and if you want beaches, you will have to go over the Howard Frankland Bridge to go into Pinellas County (also the county that St. Pete is in). It is just a matter of what you are looking for. Do you want to feel like you're living near a downtown big city area (skyscrapers, big tall buildings, near zoo, Busch Gardens, Bucs games, etc.), or do you want a residential, near beach feel? The area off of Westshore Blvd. in Tampa is absolutely gorgeous. You could bike or run along the bay, but you could also bike or run along any of the beach areas in Pinellas or even downtown St. Pete. Both areas very pretty. Just a matter of preference.

Also, after being in FL and living in two different cities during the past 8 years, I have to say this to you: Don't put too much emphasis or concern on "old people" and looking for the "younger crowd" because the younger crowd isn't all that it is cracked up to be (no idea what exactly is the official age of maturity, responsiblity, accountability here), and "old people" make the most reliable and trustworthy neighbors. There are young, yuppy, and upwardly mobile crowds everywhere in Tampa Bay (that term includes St. Petersburg and its nearby cities). Just keep in mind that not everyone your age will be on the same level as you. Some are still living like there is no tomorrow and as though they are still in high school. That being said, I'm confident that St. Pete or South Tampa will meet all your needs and far exceed all of your expectations.