[silviodante]

I'm not sure how common this is among my generation (especially for us Northeasterners who remember those long trips down 95), but no matter how many bad things can be said about Florida, it still is such a magic place to me. It's the only state that I have such an irrational fondness for, mainly because I have so many good childhood memories from there (mainly Orlando and the west coast). Does anyone else share this sentiment, and was it a factor when you moved, and- if so- has it worn off now that you're there?

Now, partly because of this nostalgia, I have strongly considered Florida as a place to go after grad school. However, whereas I love the state as a whole, I can't think of any actual city that does it for me in Florida. Because of my field- and my age- I need to be somewhere at least sizeable- thus narrowing it down to: Orlando, Tampa Bay area, Jacksonville, and South Florida.

Orlando and Jacksonville, while large cities, just seem non-existent in the professional/academic world and seem to offer little for 20-30 year olds.

South Florida seems ideal career-wise, but I really like being in a more all-American type place. It sounds like people who move to Miami slowly go crazy with the stresses of big city life. Miami just seems to have all the problems of LA and none of the classiness of other big cities like NY, SF, DC, etc. I don't know, I haven't ever heard of someone enjoying living in Miami (and these are people that love the Florida lifestyle).

Tampa seems to be my best bet- but it sounds like its now awesome for young people and not great career-wise. It just doesn't jump out as a great city. I just wish there was an Atlanta or Raleigh type city in Florida.

Anyway, I guess my question is whether anyone else shares this nostalgic view of Florida, and really wants to go there, but also can't envision where they would possibly live. And, has the Florida that left that fondness imprinted in me (from the 1980's) completely disappeared- as I get that impression from this board.

Thanks

[backtofla]

i guess it depends on what type of job when you are talking about careers. investment bankers would obviously pick nyc or san fran. but pretty much everything else exists. actually therer are ibanking jobs here, just not as much as nyc/sanfran/etc...

just depends on what career you are talking about really.

[PBCboy]

Nostalgia can be a tricky and misleading thing.

[5FLgirls]

I know exactly what yur talking bout. My extended fams lived in SFL my whole life and most of my vacations have always been in FL. Right after college, moved here, married and raised kids in WPB burbs. We rarely considered moving from the West Palm area. Despite the amount of geriatrics, it's a great place to live and just keeps getting better. We got relocated last year to Jacksonville. I'm embarrased to admit I didn't even remember driving thru it on 95. I love it here. Take into account, I'm in my mid-30s now. Jax is young!! My husband and I were usually the youngest anywhere we went in SFL.
My husband just got a job offer in S.California and that probably ranks #2 behind FL in places I'd want to live. It is with a heavy heart that we leave FL. As Backtofla wrote, career is a factor. There wasn't another company in FL that had my husband's career and you can't go back to the past (workwise) just for a place to live.
If you're young--pick the city that interests you and go try it! My husband attended UM and absolutely loves Miami. We have friends in Tampa and they wouldn't live anywhere else. Go with your gut.

[JSnFla]

yes i had those feelings as a kid as well from many many visits to south florida so i finally moved to the ft lauderdale area 5 yrs ago. i would not reccommend u move to south florida at all. take the worst of LA and NYC and u have south florida. its not really professional, very party/club/shallow type of place and its almost all hispanic/latin/black (not saying that is bad just saying u will be minority if white)...so this area nowhere near lived up to childhood memories so i am moving to tampa in a few weeks where most of my family has gone. it seems like a great place, not perfect but a cool place to live for a young person. if u have skills and are educated and smart u will get a good job eventually wherever u go, for the most part. it depends also what kind of person u r whether florida is for u. florida is outdoorsy, bikinis, beach, always bars/clubs around, transient but still has cultural aspects and fine dining and other amenities in the main cities.

[oceandreams94]

Yes I have a LOT of childhood nostalgia with Florida. I used to spend many summers visiting my aunt who lived in Astor at the time. She would take me to Daytona Beach and to Disney and Epcot. Florida just seemed magical, LOL.
I have to admit that that is a tiny part of why we will be moving there..HOWEVER....we are also grown ups now and are not coming down wearing rose-colored glasses.
I really have enjoyed reading these boards to see the good and the bad stuff too.

[Rhett_Butler]

Lots and lots of nostalgia here actually. Grandparents lived in Coral Gables when it was much nicer and belonged to some country club down there and I remember visiting. They also had an ocean front condo in Stuart so yeah, times were good when we went to visit.

What's wonderful is even after moving I still have family in Florida and my daughter won't get deprived of that wonderful feeling. There's something cool about crossing that border on I-95 seeing that "Welcome to Florida: The Sunshine State" and seeing palm trees and everything and the sudden balmy heat and the orange juice at the welcome center (Do they still do that??)..... It is a magical feeling that I'd never attempt to deny.

Living in it was just a little less magical for me. One extreme makes me appreciate the other I guess... So I need to be where I get all the extremes....

[Rhett_Butler]

Oh..... forgot what I was actually going to say.... Not sure where you heard Orlando lacked in professional world things as it was fast growing in that respect (just can't vouch for the pay) and as far as being a place for 20-30 somethings I found it rather ideal from a social aspect.....

Keep in mind that moving down to Florida with barely a couple of nickles to rub together looking to start from the ground floor can be tough.

Good luck on your decision, but you're right to question the difference of living in Florida and visiting...