Aventura...Need info on public schools, good area to raise kids??? (Miami: housing, condos)

[LisainPonteVedra]

Please, I need info asap. My husband just got a job offer in Hollywood Florida. We are moving next week and still haven't decided where we are going to live. Looked into Boca Raton, Aventura, Cooper city. Need advice. How would the commute be from Aventura? From Boca? How are the public schools in Aventura? Please help!! The more advice the better....bring it...I am waiting...

[blackklight]

all i can tell is you that aventura is easily one of the safest and nicer areas of miami-dade county.

[auntjo]

Aventura is only minutes from Hollywood, much closer than Cooper City (unless your husbands job is pretty far west of I-95). But no matter where it is in Hollywood, Aventura is way closer than Boca! Aventura is a great city, with excellent schools. The city has a community center for its residents and several parks including a free water park for kids and, if you need it, a doggy park. There are several other parks Oleta River State Park is one. You are within 30 minutes of Ft. Lauderdale & Miami airports & South Beach. Sunny Isles Beach is about 2 miles. Any kind of restaurant or store is within minutes. And one of the largest outlet malls, Sawgrass Mills, is about a 30 minute drive.(it is closer to cooper city)
<LI class=dispUrl>www.cityofaventura.com<LI class=dispUrl>www.floridastateparks.org/oletariver/default.cfmCheck out these sites & email me if you have any specific questions I can answer. I have lived in this area over 30 years....good luck

[LisainPonteVedra]

Thanks for the advice. We are still trying to figure out where it is we want to be....but we are really considering Aventura. Seems that it will be way closer for my husband than Boca. I did a search, and all of the schools in Aventura seem good as well....anymore advice would be appreciated!!

[carolinadreamin]

We left Aventura in 2004 because it was becoming insanely overcrowded and congested and is worse today. It's only about 2 square miles with numerous high rises, each unit with 2 cars or more, and those cars are all on the street at once, or so it seems.

Aventura is close to Hollywood and, in my opinion, a better place for childless couples as we were our 8 years there. I lived in another high rise 6 years before that so saw the town's enormous growth from quiet, pleasant community to mall mecca and traffic nightmare.

Unless they've done something to fix it, the traffic intersection at Miami Gardens Drive and Biscayne Blvd. is pure chaos most of the day, with cars blocking the intersection, lights allowing 2 cars through from the side streets, etc. In season it may take 30 minutes to drive a few blocks, especially around the mall which is the centerpiece of town. We learned to find back roads but after a while everyone found them too and they were congested. We found it best to try going out to dinner or shopping at off-peak hours or face the stressful crunch.

We left Aventura before we had our daughters so I don't know about the schools, but the single family homes there are not as abundant as high rise condos and they are very expensive. There's a huge glut of condos on the market now so you will have your pick if you're buying one.

There are train tracks along Biscayne Blvd. and trains blow whistles most of the time. We got used to it after a while but we know many of our neighbors were annoyed by that.

Hollywood has many of the same problems but it's far more spread out. For families I always suggest our hometown of Plantation. It's a bit of a drive to certain eastside parts of Hollywood but for the quiet, parks, small-town feel pretty close to everything and family lifestyle, it's fantastic.

[PBCboy]

Aventura is congested but it's a rather nice city. All of the traffic and such actually makes it feel like a large city. It's much closer than Boca Raton, there's a good amount of shopping, and it's generally regarded as one of the best areas in South Florida. The only problem is the insanely high prices for housing (though there's plenty of high-rise condos, though they're definitely not my thing), but considering your mentioned Boca Raton and Aventura as possible places to move your budget could probably afford it. I would say Boca Raton is better for kids though.

[unixpilot]

Originally Posted by carolinadreamin

We left Aventura in 2004 because it was becoming insanely overcrowded and congested and is worse today. It's only about 2 square miles with numerous high rises, each unit with 2 cars or more, and those cars are all on the street at once, or so it seems.

Aventura is close to Hollywood and, in my opinion, a better place for childless couples as we were our 8 years there. I lived in another high rise 6 years before that so saw the town's enormous growth from quiet, pleasant community to mall mecca and traffic nightmare.

Unless they've done something to fix it, the traffic intersection at Miami Gardens Drive and Biscayne Blvd. is pure chaos most of the day, with cars blocking the intersection, lights allowing 2 cars through from the side streets, etc. In season it may take 30 minutes to drive a few blocks, especially around the mall which is the centerpiece of town. We learned to find back roads but after a while everyone found them too and they were congested. We found it best to try going out to dinner or shopping at off-peak hours or face the stressful crunch.

We left Aventura before we had our daughters so I don't know about the schools, but the single family homes there are not as abundant as high rise condos and they are very expensive. There's a huge glut of condos on the market now so you will have your pick if you're buying one.

There are train tracks along Biscayne Blvd. and trains blow whistles most of the time. We got used to it after a while but we know many of our neighbors were annoyed by that.

Hollywood has many of the same problems but it's far more spread out. For families I always suggest our hometown of Plantation. It's a bit of a drive to certain eastside parts of Hollywood but for the quiet, parks, small-town feel pretty close to everything and family lifestyle, it's fantastic.

+1 to this post... I spent 7+ years in Aventura / Sunny Isles Beach and this post is spot on.

[elfyum]

I work in Aventura so I'm here everyday. (well, night )
Yes, it's VERY congested - lots & lots of traffic/people crammed into a small area. BUT - it is a VERY nice area & VERY convenient! You can walk to anything/everything! (Though I wouldn't particularly wanna cross the main intersections during rush hour! ) If you can afford it, definately check it out!!!

[PheMekh]

Aventura´s traffic is sickening.
Plus not a great place to raise kids if you´re anti-drugs.
ALOT of drug activity among young and even older people in Aventura.
Watch out, don´t judge a book by its cover!

[compelled to reply]

I am STUNNED nobody steered her towards Cooper City. It's immediately west of H-Wood and is probably the most family friendly community in South FL.