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Is there anyone with a young family in Naples who is happy there? We love nature, the water and sporting activities. We'd like to live in a nice neighborhood with lots of children. ...even if there aren't an abundance in the entire city. Will send to good public [if available] or private school if necessary.
How does Bonita Springs compare?
You really want to stay out of SWFL if you have a young family & want them to grow up with other kids. SWFL is just not set up that way nor do the people who live there want it to be geared towards young families. It is a retirement area, especially Naples, & people move there for that specific reason.
Suggest looking further north in FL. More family oriented.
We lived in SWFL & had a toddler. We moved this past fall b/c we had #2 on the way & want our kids to grow up in a community that has varied demographics, kids on bikes, playing in their yards, variety of family services, etc instead of a retirement community. Don't even get me started on the schools....
Bonita Springs is better but has a far way to come in terms of being a decent community to raise a family.
I know what you are looking for b/c we were looking for the same thing Thankfully, we have found it. Good luck.
You really want to stay out of SWFL if you have a young family & want them to grow up with other kids. SWFL is just not set up that way nor do the people who live there want it to be geared towards young families. It is a retirement area, especially Naples, & people move there for that specific reason.
Suggest looking further north in FL. More family oriented.
We lived in SWFL & had a toddler. We moved this past fall b/c we had #2 on the way & want our kids to grow up in a community that has varied demographics, kids on bikes, playing in their yards, variety of family services, etc instead of a retirement community. Don't even get me started on the schools....
Bonita Springs is better but has a far way to come in terms of being a decent community to raise a family.
I know what you are looking for b/c we were looking for the same thing Thankfully, we have found it. Good luck.
I disagree. I think SWFL has done a great job at becoming more family oriented. They've built water parks, and play parks, skate parks, they have a zoo, lots of programs for kids like swimming programs, afterschool, lots of little leauge, hockey leagues, soccer a mall, which has a very big play area in the middle for kids with a jungle gym like play area all matted with foam. You name it and they're trying to now accomidate. While they do cater to the older residents they're finding they younger population is bringing with them money and growth which they like.
There are bad schools and good schools no matter where you are. As far as good schools I'd stick to Pelican Marsh, Laurel oak for the young ones (I'm assuming they're elementary school age?) There are also private schools like Naples Christian Academy, The Caring Place and there's a highschool thats slipping my mind right now..
What is your price range for housing? Prices are going low low low in Naples and its a great time to get in on a really nice neighborhood. I think its great the kids can play outside year round, yeah even in the summer. Most playgrounds have sun blocker like tarps over them so the kids don't get burned on the metal and some playgrounds have water parks built into them that the kids can use and some even have misters that mist that playgrounds, many summer programs are offered that take the kids to the movies, water parks, skating etc.
You can jump to Ft. Myers beach with the kids for a day, or to Estero to see a hockey game and they always have concerts at Germain Arena for all ages.
There are many many resturants to choose from and there's always the beach. I completely plan on raising my family there, my friends all have young children there an like it. Its all preference, a lot of people that don't like that area come there due to some situation like spouse with job offers or tranfers and don't go there willing and are now stuck with the market slump.. Go check it out for yourself and see how you feel about it.
No offense, Tara, but you do not have children. You cannot understand.
Naples median age is 60 while Florida, as a state, is 38.
It is a retirement community laddened with noveau rich. Always has been, always will be. I did see a younger mom at a McDonalds in Naples literally screaming at a worker b/c there was cheese on her son's hamburger. It was classic Naples.
There are better places to raise families in FL. Most on this forum who live or lived in SWFL do not recommend young families moving to Naples.
Sorry, but a mall with a playpark & misters at a park isn't a reason to move to a city. Plus, those can be found in Any City, USA. Oh, but I assume not in Keene.
Of course home prices are falling. An average 5th grader could tell you why.
No offense, Tara, but you do not have children. You cannot understand.
Naples median age is 60 while Florida, as a state, is 38.
It is a retirement community laddened with noveau rich. Always has been, always will be. I did see a younger mom at a McDonalds in Naples literally screaming at a worker b/c there was cheese on her son's hamburger. It was classic Naples.
There are better places to raise families in FL. Most on this forum who live or lived in SWFL do not recommend young families moving to Naples.
Sorry, but a mall with a playpark & misters at a park isn't a reason to move to a city. Plus, those can be found in Any City, USA. Oh, but I assume not in Keene.
Of course home prices are falling. An average 5th grader could tell you why.
I am well aware of the median age of Naples, I've lived there since 82. You think there's nothing for kids to do there now? Try being there in the 80's and earlier. There are a million things for kids to do and you're a hop skip from Disney, or Bush Gardens or Miami. There were still farms where major intersections are now when I was a kid and only had very few afterschool programs and no rec. centers. The only parks to play at were Fleishmans and an old wooden one at Veterans. Thats it. There were just a few schools too.
Parks aren't reasons to move but the point is there are A LOT of people with kids there and a lot for them to do, perhaps you're not looking or are so soured about Naples you don't want to look. If the population was failing to bring in new families with kids why would they keep building a new school every year? Keene NH schools system is so bad one is in the works of lossing its accrediation this year , and the other has failed inspection for the past 5 years and this year will be closed if not fixed.
You want to talk about not wanting families, the program on last night was about towns turning down builders who want to build starter and affordable homes in NH. Why? Because the people don't want kids cause kids cost tax money for educations. The thinking is "the squirrels and deer don't need education or schooling so keep the kids out" I kid you not straight out the mouth of one of the city planners. There is a mass exodus of young people out of northern states, and where they going down to the Carolinas and Fla, or out to the Mid West. Perhaps you thought the grass was gonna be greener on the other side and when you were so dissapointed Naples wasn't like "your town" or how they do it where you came from you were totally turned off and couldn't see the good in the town.
Perhaps the mom was yelling because her son is allergic to dairy or cheese and it could have killed him.. Did you think about that? And you make it like people don't freak out everywhere you go in the USA. People act like that all the time everywhere. I see it all the time but you just want to justify it by saying "typical Naples behavior". Its typical people behavior.
I think the fact is you are just not happy there at all and want to defer everyone from moving there becasue rarely are your posts ever positive about Naples.
No I don't have kids.. My husband and I have been trying and like I said I fully intend on moving there in 15 days. There are plenty of things to do in Naples, Bonita (which you rave about yet its progressivly "ethnic" in some parts with a lot of illegals because they can't afford Naples so its the next best deal). I think perhaps the person should go to Naples themselves, see if its to their liking and go from there.
The home prices are falling everywhere.. Is that just a Naples thing too? The whole US isn't in a crisis cause the only place they're leaving is Naples..
I totally agree, Tara.
Naples has come a long way and is improving every year. More and more is being done to accomodate younger people and families.
Im suprised to here some people saying that there is nothing to do around Naples? From what I can recall, there is quite a bit of activities for young families. They have numerous summer programs for the kids, and very nice play grounds. Also there is year-round events that take place, such as Christmas at Cambier, the canoe races, the Collier County Fair, and the Snow Fest to name a few.Naples is also not far from the east coast, Tampa and even Orlando. Maybe there isnt as much to do as in a bigger city, but im sure thats not what most people are looking for when they decide to live here.
Im not saying Naples is perfect but it sure is a beautiful, safe place to live, and with the recent downfall in home costs, its become more affordable. There is plenty of middle class workers, such as my self, to live comfortably here. My fiance and I bought our first home last year and its a 5 minute walk from the beach, and we didnt have to pay an arm and a leg for it.
I wouldn't suggest any young family to move to Naples and try raising a family. Don't paint yourself in a corner buying a home just because the prices are going down. Focus on a good education for your young ones. We don't have the Country Day Private Schools, or Hutchinson Private Schools. Odd for an area with so much wealth! Your choices are limited in Naples!
Hi, I am wondering why you are looking to get out, I don't mean to be nosy so if it's a private reason please do not tell me, but we may move to Naples and I want to know what I am getting into first. We have 3 young children and have an option to move there but from reading the posts on here the majority are exetremely negative on the area and seem to state that if they had an option they would all move out of Naples! I don't know if that means the area is truely God-awful or if it means that most people who take the time to write posts are people who have a gripe with the area and want to be heard.
I think that people that actually live here are just bored. There really is not a whole lot to do with kids here. I am 31 and been here for almost 7 years with a 7 year old. I am only here because this is where my family is (parents, grandmother and aunt). If I had a choice, I would be somewhere else but for now, I am here. If you like the beaches and outdoor activities it is a great place to be. My son and I do not like the beach so that limits what we can do around the area. There is alot of older people here. That makes traffic bad. Most of the time during "season" the traffic is alot worse and there are many many many people that do not know how to drive.
All in all, I love the weather here, except for the extreme summer when it feels like 200 degrees outside and you can barely breathe. Other than that, there is more to life than the beaches for me. So while I am one to say if I had the choice I would get out, but for now I stay put until something else comes my way.
Single,33, 4 kids ages 13,12,6 and 4 ....Naples,FL , Denver, CO or Hagerstown, MD?
Naples is not the place for young families. It's all old, retired, rich, snowbirds. I don't know much about Hagerstown, but I will assume that they also have 4 seasons and snow, the same as Denver.
My Aunt married, moved to Denver, and had her two kids there. When she moved to California when they were teenagers, they both moved back to Denver as adults. I guess they liked it there.
I just found this thread and had to comment. I live in EAST NAPLES and LOVE LOVE LOVE it here. I have lived in SW FL for 8 years (Bonita Springs prior to East Naples where I specifically moved because there are MORE kids), and I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. We are successful, working parents who strive for a good life for our children. I lived in Boston prior to FL and all over Ohio before that. But here, in Naples, I have never in my life met more people my age, who are successful, who I have things in common with, and who all have kids. I am constantly amazed at the amount of activities and things to do for kids. Every single weekend there are festivals, events, shows, and events geared toward kids. The Naples Daily News has a daily listing of things to do. No, I don't think the NDN is a good newspaper, it's simply a place to see what it going on around town. If you have a child in school (even preschool) you are constantly kept up to date on what is going on around town for kids. I know families who live all over Naples - East Naples, North Naples, Old Naples, East of 75, etc, etc. On the rare occassion there is nothing to do, we get kids together for a pool party, go to the beach, play on riding toys outside, go to the park, the water park, and/or various indoor places that exist only for kids (there are many!). There are lots of Moms Groups, and if that's not your thing, I have found that people are friendly, easy going, and generally wanting to make friends. Sure, I am concerned about education for my kids. But I researched the hell out of it and there are plenty of "A" schools and school choice has made it possible to live anywhere in Naples and still attend a good school. There are also plenty of private schools that range from about $5,000/year on up. Yes, I know many people cannot afford private schools, I'm just pointing out that there are options. I have met people who moved here from all over - Denver, the Northeast, California... do they miss the snow, their friends, better shopping? Sure. But it's all relative, and while the grass may be greener (or not), I don't know anyone who hates living here (honestly!), and I know so many young families and I've never heard anyone complain that there is nothing to do. I just wanted to put my experience out there because the negativity other posters have expresssed is not something I have experienced here, at all.
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Thankfully, we have found it. Good luck.
