Thinking of moving to FL

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by FloridaNative35

I love Orlando and moved here for my kids.

For the record, I hate the theme parks (I had not even been in 8 years since I took my older kids and my 5 year old daughter just went for the first time a few months ago). Also, I don't like the beach. I go about twice a year because the kids enjoy it, but I've never cared for it. The beach is place I visit, it is not somewhere I'd ever want to live.

I have kids in HS and a 5 year old. We go to Lake Eola, to the Science and History Center, to Leu Gardens, to play mini golf (going today actually), to farmers markets, to art strolls in Thornton Park, to wander around Ivanhoe on a weekend or spend a day on Park Ave. We wander downtown, we go to music festivals, we do the rare boat ride in Winter Park or swan boat ride downtown. We also do the usual movies, frozen yogurt, etc. Usually, what we do costs very little.

My oldest son works with animal groups, goes to some gaming thing at Fashion Square and a sci fi thing at a coffee shop. I (along with friends) attend lit readings, art shows, and engage in other varied and fun activities.

Having lived in or spent time in many other cities (inc Charlotte, Philly, and all over Florida, as well as in the UK), I can say with certainty that Orlando has tons of things to do for people of all ages and is an ideal location for families.... WITHOUT considering the beaches or theme parks and I-Drive nonsense. Add that in, and there is absolutely a ton for everyone.

Now, there are some things lacking. The music scene does not suit me, for one, but what the city offers in visual arts makes up for it, IMO.

Downtown is relatively clean, with the exception of what really is only a minor homeless problem (compared to other cities), and I always feel safe.

As for the food scene... it is weird in Orlando, but it is absolutely better than Tampa's. There are some highly rated restaurants on Rest Row and down by Disney, some gems in and around downtown and in Winter Park, the food truck scene is out of control, and the vegetarian options are growing faster here than in most of the cities in the US. Is it GREAT? No. But it is good and it is better than Tampa.

Tampa seems more impressive on paper... higher population, etc. But if you really know it and you really know Orlando (and are looking at both objectively), there is no contest.

St. Pete tops Orlando is some categories, as does Miami and even some smaller cities in Florida. And Tampa has the one advantage of having a more interesting geography (the water mostly), but it is ridiculous to say Tampa is better for families or for foodies. [Nothing against Tampa.]

I am not an Orlando cheerleader. There's a lot I love about this city, and a lot I don't like. The sprawl annoys me and I'd give anything to make the city more pedestrian-friendly. I also hate the limited retail in downtown and would love to see the end of shopping malls and strip plazas here and everyone else on the planet. Having said that, Orlando is interesting, increasingly vibrant, and shows more promise than most other cities in the US. For that reason, more than any other, I would recommend it to families looking to find a place to call home for a many years to come. Orlando will only get better.

I agree with pretty much everything you said and will reiterate I said the food scene in the Tampa Bay area is better than Orlando's, not strictly Tampa alone. I too find the St Pete/Clearwater area infinitely more appealing than Tampa in that category (and overall as well) and I think when factoring in the metro area as a whole it tips toward the Tampa Bay area versus Orlando. There's more variety there and it's well dispersed versus Orlando's somewhat concentrated options (SW side).

[annerk]

Originally Posted by FloridaNative35

I love Orlando and moved here for my kids.

For the record, I hate the theme parks (I had not even been in 8 years since I took my older kids and my 5 year old daughter just went for the first time a few months ago). Also, I don't like the beach. I go about twice a year because the kids enjoy it, but I've never cared for it. The beach is place I visit, it is not somewhere I'd ever want to live.

I have kids in HS and a 5 year old. We go to Lake Eola, to the Science and History Center, to Leu Gardens, to play mini golf (going today actually), to farmers markets, to art strolls in Thornton Park, to wander around Ivanhoe on a weekend or spend a day on Park Ave. We wander downtown, we go to music festivals, we do the rare boat ride in Winter Park or swan boat ride downtown. We also do the usual movies, frozen yogurt, etc. Usually, what we do costs very little.

My oldest son works with animal groups, goes to some gaming thing at Fashion Square and a sci fi thing at a coffee shop. I (along with friends) attend lit readings, art shows, and engage in other varied and fun activities.

Having lived in or spent time in many other cities (inc Charlotte, Philly, and all over Florida, as well as in the UK), I can say with certainty that Orlando has tons of things to do for people of all ages and is an ideal location for families.... WITHOUT considering the beaches or theme parks and I-Drive nonsense. Add that in, and there is absolutely a ton for everyone.

Now, there are some things lacking. The music scene does not suit me, for one, but what the city offers in visual arts makes up for it, IMO.

Downtown is relatively clean, with the exception of what really is only a minor homeless problem (compared to other cities), and I always feel safe.

As for the food scene... it is weird in Orlando, but it is absolutely better than Tampa's. There are some highly rated restaurants on Rest Row and down by Disney, some gems in and around downtown and in Winter Park, the food truck scene is out of control, and the vegetarian options are growing faster here than in most of the cities in the US. Is it GREAT? No. But it is good and it is better than Tampa.

Tampa seems more impressive on paper... higher population, etc. But if you really know it and you really know Orlando (and are looking at both objectively), there is no contest.

St. Pete tops Orlando is some categories, as does Miami and even some smaller cities in Florida. And Tampa has the one advantage of having a more interesting geography (the water mostly), but it is ridiculous to say Tampa is better for families or for foodies. [Nothing against Tampa.]

I am not an Orlando cheerleader. There's a lot I love about this city, and a lot I don't like. The sprawl annoys me and I'd give anything to make the city more pedestrian-friendly. I also hate the limited retail in downtown and would love to see the end of shopping malls and strip plazas here and everyone else on the planet. Having said that, Orlando is interesting, increasingly vibrant, and shows more promise than most other cities in the US. For that reason, more than any other, I would recommend it to families looking to find a place to call home for a many years to come. Orlando will only get better.

Conversely I think that the music scene here is tremendous. I guess it depends on what type of music you like. There are definitely some genres underrepresented. The number of local bands and musicians signed to major label record deals out of the greater Orlando area in the past half dozen years proves that there is a great scene full of talent in the area. Many major label artists call this area home, and it's more common than not to see them jamming with other musicians--if you know where to look. You won't see them announced as "so and so from such and such, rather, "Hey, we're going to bring up our friend Charlie to jam with us." If you don't know who Charlie is, it will go right over your head.

I agree that the restaurant scene is much better than Tampa has to offer.

[jet757f]

I would pick Orlando for retirement because of the nice warm temperatures in the Winter.
I would pick it over other cities in FLorida because it is less likely to experience a hurricane due to its location.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by jet757f

I would pick it over other cities in FLorida because it is less likely to experience a hurricane due to its location.

sebring FL is like that too. Sebring is quieter, with cheaper housing and less traffic. If you like better access to bigger city amenities though, then Orlando is preferable.

[jet757f]

Sebring does look like a good location too. Are the mosquitoes a problem year round with all these lakes?

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by jet757f

Sebring does look like a good location too. Are the mosquitoes a problem year round with all these lakes?

Orlando has tons of lakes too, I hope you realize

They both have that issue

[Rebek56]

I don't live in Florida but grew up there and visit Brevard County with some regularity. It seems a good place (if one has work), and there is PLENTY to do with kids. Of course, I'm of the "leave no child inside" mindset, so parks and outdoor activities are among my top priorities.

[will724]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

What made you decide that Orlando out of all places in Florida was the place to go? It's a rather large state with many cities as family-oriented as Orlando, some even more so. Many choose Orlando out of some vacation experience they once had, so bear in mind vacation and everyday life will differ significantly. Posting in the Florida forum will more likely receive balanced feedback versus "chamber of commerce cheerleading" for one town.

I was thinking of Orlando because of it's central location and the fact I have family in Titusville.