Winter Haven & general vicinity (Orlando, Lakeland: HOA, home, employment)

[jeanniepep]

My husband works for State Farm, so we are hoping that the right position will open up for him in the next year or two at the Winter Haven office. I don't know a ton about the area so I'm hoping you locals can help!

We are in our 30's, and would prefer an area that has some fun things for us to do. We're not totally wild partiers but we would enjoy a little nightlife now and then - restaurants, taverns, occasionally the odd bowling alley or miniature golf course. We like parks and such too. Right now we live in the middle of Nowhere, Michigan where I'm freezing my ass off half the year and have to drive 15 miles just to get groceries, so I'd be THRILLED if there were an area that might have some fun places we could reach via bicycle!

We don't have kids so schools are not a concern. I do have a couple of small dogs and cats so I'm not sure the lakes are such a hot item for me, my pekingese must look like a chicken nugget to an alligator. Are gators a problem around the lake or do I sound like a hopeless midwesterner assuming that?

Ideally I'd like a neighborhood with a little character, preferably not a planned development and we would love to avoid an HOA if at all possible. And, I am going to try to get a job at Disney, so north of Winter Haven would be better than south, but that's not a dealbreaker - right now I drive 45 min to get to work so I'm used to driving.

Do you have any opinions about Dundee? Is Winter Haven better? Other surrounding areas? Thanks in advance!!!

[mia_magination]

Winter Haven is a great area, full of older neighborhoods and shopping areas with plenty of restaurants. They have a great bowling alley there as well.

The alligators will not usually harm you unless it is mating season at which time you are advised by signs posted to be cautious and stay away from known mating areas. So your little chicken nuggets should be fairly safe

I'm not familiar with the names of the older neighborhoods if they even have any, however you have a nice selection to chose from. The nightlife might not be too strong in Winter Haven but you have Lakeland and Orlando not too far away with more "Happening" things going on for you.

Dundee is more rural and Winter Haven is more city type, however the taxes and home prices are probably cheaper in Dundee.

Disney is only about 30 min. away from Winter Haven, and more opportunity for employment in Lakeland is about 30 minutes in the opposite direction.

Winter Haven has just about everything you would need, it's a nice older town with lots of character and old buildings. Good luck and try to keep warm