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Old 03-30-2012, 06:20 PM
 
419 posts, read 903,106 times
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I've spent like 20+ years coming down to Florida from the midwest for vacations. In general, FL is my favorite spot in US. However, I find myself torn between permanently settling in Sarasota vs. Orlando.

I have a completely mobile income so finding a job and locating near it are not a factor. I like the ocean and beaches a lot, ....but love Disney, all the other parks, and am used to a much bigger city than either S or O.

I make friends easily, and could make a go of it either place, but wondered if anyone has lived in both cities and had an opinion? Pros and cons?
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Old 03-30-2012, 07:13 PM
 
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Call me stupid but after 20 years ,what are your pros & cons?

To me Sarasota is far better & when you need your Disney fix, it isn't that far away from Sarasota, is it?
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Old 03-30-2012, 07:40 PM
 
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I found Orlando to be too big and the traffic is beyond insane. The water parks are nice but I much prefer the Gulf Beaches. On the other hand, Orlando probably has the edge in terms of golf courses and pizza places.
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Old 03-30-2012, 08:40 PM
 
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I lived in both places and also in other cities much bigger than those.

What are your questions about Sarasota and Orlando? What are you looking for in a town/community? Do you like restaurants, bars, hiking, nature, children's activities, senior activities, history, shopping, major leage type sporting events, arena concerts, proximity to maor airport? Do you like rural and quiet or action and bright lights or somewhere in between. Are certain demographics important to you? Do you plan to travel in the state and to what areas?

Do you want to live in a condo, highrise, apartment, mobile home park, large newer home, older small home, gated or historic, in the city center, far out suburb? It all boils down to what YOU are looking for and what each of these cities offers you.
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Old 03-30-2012, 10:44 PM
 
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The 20+ years coming here was mostly spent in Tampa and Clearwater....I had family there for many years and stayed with them. But made day or two trips to Orlando and down to Sarasota. So, I know Tampa/cw/and st pete very well, but came to realize I'd not want to live there.

If I was in Orlando, I'd want to live in a high rise in downtown. In Sarasota, close to the beach.
The only absolute is I want to be around a lot of people - all ages. I'm sensing cost-of-living is pretty close?

I know all these "whats the better place" questions can seem pointless, but I just have trouble evaluating big decisions.

Picking the best pizza, for comparison, is easy for me
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Old 03-31-2012, 10:14 AM
 
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Sarasota, in general, has a much older population than Orlando. Also Sarasota gets a large influx of retirees aka anowbirds that arrive Jan-Feb-Mar more or less. There are younger areas of Sarasota, mainly in the many newer subdivisions in Palmer Ranch area and Lakewood Ranch area, both outside of the downtown area.

Sarasota has some newer and some not-as-new mid-rise condos downtown which is not far from the beach but closer to Sarasota bay. However, the place is not action packed, especially in the summer. Retirees live in a lot of the not-so-new condos.

There are condo buildings on the beaches in Sarasota, and that might be something for you to evaluate. Longboat key is loaded with them and Siesta key has a good bit and also check Lido Key. Lido key has a tourist related shopping area called St Armands Key...but it usually has a large number of retirees as the main demographic. Siesta has lots of shorter term vacationers that are mainly after surf and sand and sun. Not sure if the city life type of action that you are looking for is in Sarasota though, even on the beaches... Sarasota is a much smaller town than Orlando.

Orlando's visitors are much younger than Sarasota's snowbirds, since the theme parks are the big draw in Orlando. Orlando's full time residents also seem to be a more diverse bunch in terms of age groups9much younger than Sarasota on average). However, if you live near the theme parks, being near neon tourist shops and hotels starts to get weird, and having folks pull over in the right lane with maps in hand and fingers pointing out the window is something you get used to (tourists from all over the world, they get lost sometimes). When you live real close to the theme parks, many others in the area on vacation and you aren't.

Lots of folks that live and work in the Orlando area try to move a little farther from the theme parts due to the theme park traffic, tourists and the heavy tourism related businesses (and lack of things for non-tourists). From Orlando, you can easily head east to the Atlantic beaches and usually can get there in an hour or less. Lots of nice beaches to visit and an easy, enjoyable commute. Traffic on I-4 can be awful at rush hour.

There are lots and lots of conventions in the Orlando area. Sarasota has symphonies and a ballet and opera and several theatres and many arts related activities and even circus related activities, since Ringling Bros circus originated in Sarasota many years ago. it is still considered a circus down with all the history and some offshoot circuses winter in that area.

Orlando easily trumps Sarasota in relation to national concerts since they have a major Arena in Orlando, plus the Orlando Magic NBA team. The theme parks are a nice place to go and are easier to go from Orlando. To be honest, when you live in Sarasota, you really don't head to the theme parks as much(at least I don't). When I lived in Orlando I had an annual pass and would stop at the theme parks for a few hours , maybe for dinner or fireworks. When you live in Sarasota you want to plan a whole day or maybe a weekend. That is much more of a commital of your time and you end up not going as much. The theme parks are a great place to mingle with crowds and be in the middle of action, and this sounds like the OPs goals - action and people and activity.

I cannot comment on highrise condo living in Orlando. Back when I lived there, there was an area near the downtown library where a lot of homeless people mingled. I am not sure if this is still the case, but be careful about that. Actually, Sarasota also has a small homeless group that hangs out near the downtown library and also at Five Points Park which is across from the library. They have been there for at least 10 years. Some newer condos in Sarasota were built since then and the new resisdents have been vocal about the homeless hanging out just outside the condos. Apparently the new condo owners didn't do their homework, since the homeless have not changed their activity pattern. the city removed benches from the park because homeless were using them and wouldn't leave. It's an ongoing thing in the Sarasota newspapers. Not sure if Orlando has the same issue, but you should research this before you buy so you don't become one of the unhappy condo owners.

Last edited by sware2cod; 03-31-2012 at 10:24 AM..
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Old 03-31-2012, 10:56 AM
 
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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For me, Sarasota has so much more culture than Orlando. I mean how many cities in the United States actually have their own opera company? Not many. Plus the plethora of theater companies, the Ringling Museum is world class, all the colleges, the downtown art scene, just too much too mention.

And then there is the obvious, Sarasota is one of the most beautiful cities anywhere.

Lastly, it's cooler by the ocean than it is inland.
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Old 03-31-2012, 11:41 AM
 
17,452 posts, read 38,829,694 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blueherons View Post
For me, Sarasota has so much more culture than Orlando. I mean how many cities in the United States actually have their own opera company? Not many. Plus the plethora of theater companies, the Ringling Museum is world class, all the colleges, the downtown art scene, just too much too mention.

And then there is the obvious, Sarasota is one of the most beautiful cities anywhere.

Lastly, it's cooler by the ocean than it is inland.
I agree with you on all counts! For me, I would never even consider living in Orlando. I like a small city, lots of nature, all the arts and uniqueness and gorgeous waterfronts here. That said, the OP likes "lots of people" and the theme parks, so Orlando might be a better fit for him.
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Old 03-31-2012, 02:33 PM
 
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The hottest and coldest weather I have experienced in Florida has been in Orlando.
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Old 03-31-2012, 08:33 PM
 
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We love Disney too, so, we carry annual passes to Disney AND live in Sarasota. Best of both worlds. You won't get the gulf breezes in Orlando in the summer (that REALLY make a difference), and the traffic and chaos in Orlando is frustrating, at best. Besides, going to Disney is more of a feeling than it is a place, if you know what I mean, and I always want that "feeling" to be away from home, kinda mini vacation.
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