How Safe Is Altamonte Springs??

[aznboihea]

I was just wondering if anyone had further info on the Park at Vineridge Apartments and the area around 434? Near Winn Dixie, Costco, etc...

[Magnulus]

Traffic is horrible in Altamonte. You couldn't pay me enough money to live there. It has some of the worst traffic in the area going right through it.

There's a Best Buy, a CompUSA- both filled with ignorant sales staff, some chain restaurants and failing home furnishing businesses... but that's about it. The selection at these stores is nothing special, either. In this day and age of the Internet and online shopping... why would I want to bother with that kind of traffic?

Don't live in Altamonte, you will regret it unless you just love traffic, strip malls, dumb clerks. Just don't.

[JRR]

We have lived in the Altamonte area since 1994. Never been robbed, assaulted, had a car stolen, or had our house broken into. We live in a mixed neighborhood; some houses (like ours) built in the 70's and some newer. Most of the neighbors have lived here for several years. Kids ride their bikes around and people walk around in the evening. Not exactly a hellhole. But like any city in America, big or small, Altamonte has good areas and not so good areas.

Sure traffic can be bad on 436 around the mall/I-4 at times, but you learn some ways around areas like that. To say there is only Best Buy, CompUSA, chain restaurants and going out of business furniture stores is laughable. There are more stores than you can shake a stick at. And if you look away from all the chain restaurants on 436, there are some other decent restaurants.

Until we can retire to the North Carolina mountains in a few years, we have no plans on leaving Altamonte. It may not be Nirvana, but it's certainly not the worst place in the Orlando area.

[camper3]

I have lived in Winter Park, Conway, Colonial Town and Altamonte. By far, Altamonte is the best place -- in terms of having most of what you need.

Crime is EVERYWHERE in Central Florida. But I feel safer in Altamonte than the other places I mentioned.

[Crane's Rooster]

The reason traffic is so bad on 436 and 434 is because that's where everyone who is NOT from Altamonte travels on. There are multiple alternate routes and back roads that residents use to breeze through the city while outsiders coming in to the great shopping sit in traffic. Most of the residents are also not all that willing to reveal our insider info.

Altamonte is great community with so much more in addition to the big box retailers and restaraunts. There's a good Indian restarant there along some really good Cuban, Mexican a good Sushi restaraunt and good Steak House. The Kobe there is one of the originals and considered by many to be the best one. There's also a good Greek restaraunt on 434 that's been there for years now.

Altamonte, although not one of the older, is one of the more established communities where you can find a sense of community. There are alot of neighborhoods there where everyone knows their neighbors, the kids all played little league together and graduated high school together. Everything there basically revolves around it's two high schools and Altamonte can basically be split up that way.

If you're from west of I-4 it's all about the Lake Brantley Patriots, if you live in Eastmonte it's all about the Lyman Greyhounds. The Schools really lend themselves to local pride and tradition. I can't speak for Lyman but Brantley athletics play is a huge part of the community in Westmonte. The football, aquatics, weightlifting and baseball programs there are perpetual powerhouses. Anytime the Patriots make the playoffs you can expect to see Patriot Red, White and Blue in just about every store and restaurant. By my count, since the shortly before I started at Brantley, over a decade ago, we have produced 2 NFL players, mutliple D1 college football players, and I believe 4 major league draft picks, 2 of which are still playing in the majors.

Their also good traditions there like Red White and Boom, the Christmas displays around Crane's Roost, Friday night Football, Brantley H.S. Carnival, Taste of Altamonte. If you want to see some amazing Christmas light displays check out the Springs Oaks neighborhood behind the Best Buy. It's a tradition in the neighborhood for residents to try to outdue each other. Awards are given out and one street in particular, Lemon Street, is so famous people come from all over and park for blocks to walk around and take pics there. Santa also rolls through the neighborhood on a big red fire engine on Christmas Eve. Yes, this type of tradition and community does exist in Central Florida and Altamonte is on much more than just a mall.