Can't find a town to call home (Miami, Tampa: rent, buying)

[Confused in FL]

My husband, 2 year old and I have just left L.A. for Florida. We are currently dividing our time between the grandparents in St Augustine and Lakeland. We think we want to live somewhere in Orlando which will be a good middle point between the two. We dont have job location restrictions, but need to be close to the airport. We will rent for at least a year. I would like to be close to parks, shopping, movies, restaurants and fun things/activities for my daughter to do. In one day we visited Celebration (Truman Show?), Winter Park (seemed too crowded) and Windermere. I would really like to avoid the cogestion of traffic if possible...the very reason we left Los Angeles. Any suggestions?

[OC2OC]

Hello. We're also leaving Los Angeles (Orange County) to Orlando. We have 2 young kids and location was not a major factor for us. Anywhere around Orlando, you can be in the airport within a reasonable amount of time. We Angelinos are used to budgeting at least 1-2 hours for a drive to LAX. The Orlando airport even with traffic will be close.

When we checked the areas around Orlando, we liked Winter Garden, just a little North of Windermere and ended up buying a property there. The area is cozy, quiet and family oriented. We didn't want to be so close to the attractions because of the congestion, etc. There will be a brand new mall called Winter Garden Village opening sometime this year.

We should be moving sometime Q1 or Q2 in 2007.

[Prichard]

Orlando is full of traffic congestion, especially during rush hour. I don't know if it's as bad as LA's, as I've only visited there once and it didn't seem to be too bad out there. If you think you're leaving LA and going to Orlando to avoid traffic, think again. We may be smaller than LA, but our road system is not on a grid, and the highways are way over capacity. We have hundreds of lakes, swampy areas and wetlands, and it just wasn't and isn't feasible to build the Orlando area on a grid. So, please don't come here and complain about traffic - it's bad, we know it. And some of us (me) don't care if it gets any better. Personally, I'm tired of seeing new roads get built - people who don't like traffic will go elseware and the bad traffic will level out over time.

If you need to have access to an airport, then Orlando or Miami are really your only two good choices. Jax and Tampa have ok sized airports, but they aren't the hub that Orlando and Miami are. I don't know about all that driving back and forth from St. Augustine to Lakeland - that's rough.

[pianogal]

You may want to consider the Waterford Lakes area. It's about 15-20 minutes at most from the airport and has all the shopping you could want. I live in the Lake Nona area even closer to the airport, but there's not much in the way of shopping out here yet.

[florigidge]

truman show was film at seaside in the panhandle, if i'm not mistaken.

why don't you stay in st. aug? it's not a bad location at all.

[AJ67]

i would stay in st augustine also, there is noway if you come to orlando will you get away from traffic...

[traysea]

I had to laugh.. Truman Show came to mind when I saw Celebration for the first time too... too perfect and planned.

Check out Winter Garden and Oakland on the West sides... someone prior mentioned that there is a bunch of development going in just south of 50 in WG.

The is a new Charter school in Oakland, the Bike trail is wonderful and walking downtown WG is fun with the kids. There is Foundation Academy (Baptist School.. really nice) and in Clermont a great place to work out if you require a gym membership.

The hospital in Clermont is great from what I hear (my old neighbor had to go frequently for sports injuries with the kids).

50 is conjested and frustrating but no way does Orlando compare to driving in LA or CA. c'mon guys. I grew up in CT and it takes 45 minutes to go 3 exits on 91 (or is that 95~) from like Westport south 3 exits.. it's gridlock ... all the way into the city.. and I know from relatives traffic in CT is bad but not as bad as LA.

The benefit of WG and Oakland is you can hop on the turnpike very quickly to get around. I don't remember it taking me too long to get downtown unless there was rain or an accident. I commuted from Oakland to downtown Orlando in 02' and again, it wasn't that long.. maybe 1/2 hour. I remember there being more traffic getting on to the E-W/408 from downtown and a lot of stop and go until I could pick up the Turnpike... and yes from what I hear getting off the turnpike there are backups (and vaguely remember).

However again, comparing to my time before that commuting in KY/OH .. I would sit on the off ramp to Field Ertel in Mason for 5-10 minutes back in 97 sometimes longer waiting to get to work. It would take what an easy drive of 20 minutes and turn it into .. oh crap I am going to be late for work kind of day!!!

Good luck

[florigidge]

yeah, celebration is very stepford looking to me, but......

"Principal photography for "The Truman Show" began on December 9, 1996 in Seaside, Florida. In March of 1997, the cast and crew arrived in Los Angeles to complete the balance of filming on stage and local locations."

[mels]

I recently spent some time in Davenport and the traffic wasn't too bad getting to and from the airport. It's a small town, but it was nice.