Ft. Myers neighborhoods with lots of families and kids? (Fort Myers: jobs, hospital)

[floridagirl1981]

Hi! I was wondering if anyone knows of neighborhoods in Fort Myers that have lots of families and children around? My husband and I are looking forward to starting a family and upgrading to a house within the next few years and it is important to me to be in a neighborhood with a "family" feel. The kind of place where lots of people decorate at Christmas and do trick or treating on Halloween, that kind of thing.

I am tired of living in neighborhoods that are mostly retirees and/or people who come into the state, work for a few years, then move away. I don't want our next neighborhood to have that kind of feeling if you know what I mean....

[Roadrunner69]

It used be Tanglewood but I'm not sure anymore. I do know that Three Oaks seems to be a good choice for families and parts of San Carlos Park. Its hard to say anymore with people losing they're jobs I don't think any place is to stable like neighborhoods up north were.

[mbtrom]

Gateway is very family-oriented and has plenty of kids. Schools may be an issue, though.

[floridagirl1981]

I have heard that about Gateway....although I have a feeling we'd be in our fifties before we'd be able to afford a house in there. ;-) What do you mean about the schools? just curious. thanks.

[mbtrom]

There are better public schools in Fort Myers than those that the Gateway residents can go to. Gateway is in the east zone so they mostly can attend Lehigh schools. There is a charter school in Gateway but I have heard mixed results.

[Mrs.Bewitched]

I was renting in Naples for two years and when prices started going downward, I knew I couldn't afford much in Naples, but I heard about San Carlos Park. My husband and I, on many different occasions, drove through the area, looking at different streets and different houses and so on.

Now, of course you have your shady streets...but you would have that in any neighborhood. I wouldn't live on any street with duplexes, because then that means you would have different renters moving in and out.

But we have two children, and it definitely is a "neighborhood". WHere we used to live, it was really a child-friendly area, so every Halloween, we used to have to drive to a neighborhood to go trick-or-treating. This is the kind of neighborhood you can do that in. Kids on each block.

Luckily, for schooling, San Carlos is in the "middle" zone, which means you get to pick schools from all three of the zones in fort myers. All that means is that you have more choices than other zones, so you have more shots at picking schools.

[fl07]

I'd suggest Danforth Lakes- off Daniels/Palomino- South Zone for schools and easy access to airport and 75.

[aphro23]

I know SW Fort mYers is the best area. I would look into Bellamar At Beachwalk...

[1growngirl]

I am moving to PGI at the end of July and I have two young daughters (10 & 11). I am very concerned with some of the threads I have read. I did research on Sallie Jones Elementary and Punta Gorda Middle. My children have always attended a Charter School in Atlanta and I hope that some of the same statndards apply. I have been sending resumes out in droves, as I worked in finance with Emory University Hospital, I got several replys, but it seemed as soon as they learned I was still in Georgia, they lost intrest. I have a father who lives in Port Charlotte, but I don't want to live there. Are there any children in PGI? Are there any people my age (47) who still live a little on weekends after work maybe? Please let me know.

[1growngirl]

I am pretty much in the same predicament as you are. I have two small children and I have been told the PGI is a nice place to live. I researched some schools and I have had some responses regarding jobs. But I am still confused as to where to go. My father lives in Port Charlotte. However I would very much like to be near a beach and nice neighbors. I am still young (45) and I would also like to know what do people my age participate in? Does any one know?