Move to Houston or Tampa? (stats, beaches, vacation)

[blueslily]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Houston isn't weekend-trip distance from any point of the East Coast, driving. It's weekend-trip distance to New Orleans, Gulfport, MS or maybe the western Florida panhandle at farthest, and then that's still ~15 hours of your weekend driving, not counting any stops.

Houston <-> New Orleans and Tampa <-> Charleston, SC are a similar distance and drive.

If you're used to Myrtle Beach, you're not likely to be impressed with the beaches/water here.

East Coast? Hahaha, Im not that silly.

I definitely was not referring to the US east coast.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by blueslily

East Coast? Hahaha, Im not that silly.

I definitely was not referring to the US east coast.

So what's wrong with the US East Coast?

[blueslily]

Haha, nothing is wrong with the east coast. I was just saying that I realize that a wknd trip to the US east coast is a stretch. Lol.

[blueslily]

Man, based on responses, I think I will certainly choose a different location. Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. Houston is off the list.

[BryanS1978]

Tampa native here. Weather in Tampa is mild, 95 summer, 70’s in winter. Beaches are 100% better than the Texas gulf coast. Seafood is unreal in fla, won’t find much catfish or Tilapia like here, get use to grouper, tile fish, and a larger variety of fresh seafood. Don’t worry to much about crawfish, Florida’s variety are bigger, usually called lobsters. Quality of life is better imho. I came here to work, still own home in old carrolwood in Tampa. People are more outgoing in Florida I’ve noticed as well.

[worldlyman]

Originally Posted by BryanS1978

Tampa native here. Weather in Tampa is mild, 95 summer, 70’s in winter. Beaches are 100% better than the Texas gulf coast. Seafood is unreal in fla, won’t find much catfish or Tilapia like here, get use to grouper, tile fish, and a larger variety of fresh seafood. Don’t worry to much about crawfish, Florida’s variety are bigger, usually called lobsters. Quality of life is better imho. I came here to work, still own home in old carrolwood in Tampa. People are more outgoing in Florida I’ve noticed as well.

I grew up in the Tampa Bay area, former long-time Clearwater resident.



And Tampa Bay summers are far from being "mild", lol. It gets hotter earlier when spring arrives and stays hotter as fall departs compared to Houston. I will happily take a gray nippy 50 degree winter day in Houston over a sunny impromptu 88 degree December day in Largo or Dunedin or St. Pete. The turn of some gray winter days in Houston makes for great espresso weather with some peeps over at Agora, Cafe Brasil or Empire. But most winter days in Houston are blue and pleasant compared to the 3/4 of the country.



Galveston restaurants blow away what Clearwater Beach has to offer if we are to compare metro prime urban beach towns. Both beach areas have had great significance to me growing up.



What Galveston lacks with the surf, it sure beats many a Florida beach town in terms of rugged charm and mystique.


Houston has far more mass variety of people than Florida put together. And what is great about Houston is how its varying international ethnicities try to make it work for the better even if there are some difficulties in that regard. It is not like the traditional relative xenophobia of Tampa Bay though it has gotten better down there in leaving that sorry aspect in the past.

[kwr]

Originally Posted by blueslily

Man, based on responses, I think I will certainly choose a different location. Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. Houston is off the list.

I wouldn’t base the decision on city data. You need to get boots on the ground and investigate for yourself. You get a very limited view point on here. A small number of posters. I’ve lived in Florida three times (Miami twice and Ft Lauderdale). Traveled a few times to Tampa. My preference is Houston for the diversity, food and big city amentities that Tampa lacks.

[BryanS1978]

Well I suppose it depends on the person then. No worries, I just wanted to share my opinion about Tampa, born and raised for 34 years straight and now Houston.

And Tampa is pretty diverse, maybe not as much as Houston. But I can’t tell cause I’m not looking or asking where people are from, I tend to mind my own business.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by kwr

I wouldn’t base the decision on city data. You need to get boots on the ground and investigate for yourself. You get a very limited view point on here. A small number of posters. I’ve lived in Florida three times (Miami twice and Ft Lauderdale). Traveled a few times to Tampa. My preference is Houston for the diversity, food and big city amentities that Tampa lacks.

Tampa doesn't leave an impression on travelers. Orlando is nearby and is what most people experience visiting the middle-third of Florida.

The closest to Houston's diversity, food and big city amenities in Florida is Miami/Fort Lauderdale. The problem is that it's so far away from the rest of the U.S. (blows the Galveston I-45 cul-de-sac remark out of the water) and even from Tampa and Orlando for Florida. Now that Winn-Dixie is in trouble, shopping at the Publix monopoly sucks even more.

I had driven to Miami last summer and spent the first night in Mobile. It took me an entire day of driving to reach Tampa at 10 pm Eastern (the time zone change worked against me). For some reason, it took the whole day to reach Fort Lauderdale on I-75 from Tampa.

I like Miami's tropical latitude, but the isolation even from the rest of Florida is the sticking point. Also what is the main economic driver in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, or Tampa? Houston has the famous oil & gas energy industry, but Miami and the other Florida cities lack an economic benchmark. Florida is basically "blah" for tourists.

[cjairo191]

Florida is basically blah for tourists. That is a huge lie. The numbers will tell you differently if you look up stats. Its probably reversed. Why would a tourist visit Houston for vacation or Texas as whole? You only visit that city for business or I guess if you like their sports or rodeo, but the main tourist, that is laughable.

Just visit both cities. Houston probably has better paying jobs. But the natural scenery and city is ugly but they have some good man made tall buildings downtown with a better skyline. I hear the northern suburbs are nice with tree cover which we have too. But do they have top beaches, natural huge rivers and a bay waters. Do they have natural clear springs? If you like being near nice waters, Tampa will win this one easily. Also we are closer to more attractions. Orlando being 1 and half hours away. Go only to Houston for work.