[ejecteject]

I am looking to punch out of SoCal and possibly look for work at Eglin, but am concerned how I'll fit in. I'm a SWM 38 and have lived in Ventura Co., Calif., for 17 years, where there's little for me to do but go birdwatching at the lakes, parks, etc. My "hip" standards aren't high since I love nature photography, but I'll tell you what I don't like about my area:

3) The COL is atrocious. My low-end 1-BD is $900/mo. The dwindling private-sector engineers/manufacturers don't compensate for COL.

2) The area was once built on defense and agriculture. It's now real estate, retirement, retail, and agriculture. It's grown both too young and too old. There's hardly a middle-class to speak of, money or age-wise, unless you're Latino, in which case it doesn't matter because you're anticipating statehood with Mexico.

1) The sole place to find a SWF over 21 is in the Protestant Evangelical churches, and frankly, the ones there don't impress me as any less stuck up than people are here in general. No one says Hi on the street, much less looks at you, unless they want you to join their church, or give you their business card.

Put another way: I met a rather friendly hotel clerk near a Cal Poly school, and knew I had to ask where she was from. She says, "You know, Floridians might be the stupidest people in the country, but they're probably the friendliest. I don't understand this place. Everyone here is stressed out."

I wonder what living around Eglin entails, besides white-sanded beaches: scouting teenage bible-thumpers, planning for retirement, or some hope?

- CDN

[toops]

I grew up in that area. I don't actually know much about Eglin itself, but "downtown" Fort Walton has a few cool bars to hang out, if that's what you're looking for. Paper Moon is a pretty chill place, they have live music/open mic nights sometimes, but usually it's just people hanging out and having a casual drink. Other than that, there are a few restaurants worth checking out - Big City Bistro is a really good little business, great food for reasonable prices. There are other local restaurants that everyone seems to love - The Crab Trap and Magnolia Grill, but I find the food there atrocious. I guess it depends on who you talk to and if you like seafood - I lived on the coast for 18 years and detest both seafood and the beach.

Going to the beach is another option if you want to do something inexpensive and out in the public; it's crowded on a regular basis. But the good thing about the FWB area is that there's so much coast, there are lots of beach spots to choose from, so you can go to a crowded beach or a more secluded beach.

There are other "touristy" things to do, such as jet ski, parasail, go to the few clubs the area has to offer, most nightclubs, and a Howl At the Moon, and Destin has more clubs, restaurants, and shopping to offer - although getting out there can be a pain in the rear, especially during summer. All in all, I suppose it's a good place for people your age and those wanting to start a family and raise kids; it's a pretty safe place, but when the kids hit the post-license/need for independence age, there is nothing to do unless they're heavily involved with any church kind of activites. There's always bowling and going to the movies, but otherwise, Fort Walton has no real "teen"-centered activities or any cool little coffee shops to hang out, and pretty much everything closes at 9 or 10; the local hang outs after that hour are T.G.I. Friday's or Wal Mart (or the club/bar scene, if you prefer).

Cost of living in the area is pretty ludicrous by my standards. I just moved to Jacksonville where a decent two bedroom apartment can be had for about $800 - $900+ a month, and I'm pretty sure the same goes for the whole Fort Walton area (includes Poquito Bay, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou, Mary Esther and Wright). Some places are nicer than others; Poquito Bay is kind of remote, although it's close to Eglin, but I'm not sure what the housing market is like. My mom keeps telling me that property taxes, mortgages and insurance are getting absolutely ridiculous and people are being forced to move because they simply can't afford it. Insurance is a huge deal anywhere along the Emerald Coast; my mom also informed me that her insurance company will not insure anyone in Florida any longer except for the people that are already policy holders. And if your house is damaged in a storm or hurricane, getting money for a claim is difficult, as well - we got a about a fourth of the cost for our new roof when we claimed damage after Ivan.

Tax is only 6%, although prices are generally higher in Destin, as expected to be.


If you're looking for nature, though, Fort Walton is getting pretty urban. Condos are going up everywhere, especially on the water, which makes absolutely no sense to me; a condo complex is about to go up in Shalimar, which they are advertising at $600K a pop - which is awful, and I don't foresee them as being very profitable, as the houses on the opposite side of the road had the siding and roofs torn off from the last hurricane. But, as much as I don't like the beach, it can be nice to look at, and Eglin is mostly land, as they do a lot of bomb testing there (also be warned that if you live near Eglin or Hurlburt that you'll hear planes overhead at all hours of the day/night), and you can look in to finding nature and hiking trails of the area.

As for the people, there's a mix. I'm generally of the {DELETED} school of thought, as most people have proven that true - but usually, unless someone's having a bad day, it's pretty friendly around there. The traffic can get kind of out of hand, though, especially in the downtown area because it's one of the two places you can get to Destin - the other being through Bluewater Bay, over a toll bridge. Although bridge expansion has been considered, many people are opposed to it because they would most likely build into neighborhoods; but like most government officials, I feel like the people won't be listened to and they'll build where they feel like it.

So there's some good, some bad; I know this was a long post, but I hope it was informative and helpful. If you have any other questions I might be able to answer, please let me know. :]

[ejecteject]

It is a long response, and I really appreciate it. 'Sounds like a lot of things I could deal with, given that I'm not looking for a home or to have kids.

A date would be nice after 17 years though. Eglin sounds like Camarillo, CA, where I first moved to in this my next to NAS Point Mugu: they drop bombs there too (except way out to sea). 'Thing was, until nextdoor Ventura got revitalized, there wasn't much for teens to do there either, so after high school, it was a place many gals simply left.

Unfortunately, with the base downsizing and the retail and real estate dominating, this still isn't quite the varied land of opportunity. The biotech is on the richy-rich side of the county (we're talking where Will Smith's kid goes to school), and it never really blossomed further. Unless you visit a realtor, it seems every woman you look at here is over 50 or under 21, a mom trying to make it by, or someone's daughter who's on her first job without a college degree (or a diploma) or any clue of what lies beyond county borders. We have a community college, but the bigger universities are toward Santa Barbara or L.A.; many who go there can't afford to come back here now.

The good news is that FWB and Destin sound like a friendly, decent neighborhoods, and that the base isn't going anywhere. I'd be interested in the towns around it, like Shalimar or Panama City - or even Pensacola - if they offer a little more "diversity" more meeting middle-agers.

Thank you!

[sunrico90]

The Shalimar, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach are great places... The largets USAF base in the US is not going away. Soon the new joint fighter will be replacing the F-15's.. Hurlburt Field just got the 1st CV22. This is a great place for jobs and to get back in the game... No fears, way cheaper and better.....

[toops]

Eglin is the third largest AFB, and it's mostly land (or so I thought).

I think mingling won't be a problem, if you like going out and socializing. There's a community college, and the percentage of kids that leave to go off to college is pretty high, but I still see people I used to know when I go home. It's a nice place to live if you like to hang out at the beach and socialize and whatnot. Age range is all around, there are families and adults and there are old people (who will always get in front of you and drive 25 in a 45 MPH zone).

Pensacola is a bit like Fort Walton, a bit bigger, but generally the same people/attitude, although it's not as beachy as Fort Walton; Pensacola Beach is actually in Gulf Breeze.

[sunrico90]

Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the United States Air Force 96th Air Base Wing of the Air Force Materiel Command, and is also headquarters for more than 45 associate units.

Eglin is one of the largest Air Force bases in the world, covering 724 square miles (1,875 km²) of reservation and 97,963 square miles (253,723 km²) of water ranges in the Gulf of Mexico.

[AustinTraveler]

Pensacola Beach is actually in Gulf Breeze.

Pensacola Beach is on Santa Rosa Island, not in Gulf Breeze. In fact, Pensacola Beach is part of Escambia County (same as Pensacola), while Gulf Breeze is in Santa Rosa County.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by AustinTraveler

Pensacola Beach is on Santa Rosa Island, not in Gulf Breeze. In fact, Pensacola Beach is part of Escambia County (same as Pensacola), while Gulf Breeze is in Santa Rosa County.

You are correct....

[Bones]

[quote=sunrico90;721418]Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the United States Air Force 96th Air Base Wing of the Air Force Materiel Command, and is also headquarters for more than 45 associate units.

Eglin is one of the largest Air Force bases in the world, covering 724 square miles (1,875 km²) of reservation and 97,963 square miles (253,723 km²) of water ranges in the Gulf of Mexico.



Sunrico, some nice pics...

[sunrico90]

[quote=Bones;760303]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the United States Air Force 96th Air Base Wing of the Air Force Materiel Command, and is also headquarters for more than 45 associate units.

Eglin is one of the largest Air Force bases in the world, covering 724 square miles (1,875 km²) of reservation and 97,963 square miles (253,723 km²) of water ranges in the Gulf of Mexico.



Sunrico, some nice pics...

Eglin AFB is one of the best bases to work and with a great community....