Need Help! Moving from Boston MA to Sarasota FL area! (Jacksonville: hotels, home)

[Big House]

Originally Posted by beerme1

Ah yes, Pedro's South of the Border and the millions of billboards like:

Pedro says
Weather foecast cool today, hot tamale!

I forgot about the billboards! I just remembered the area.
I'm going to take pictures of some of them, and post them when I get down. - At least I hope to remember to do that! I love them they are so creative. I remembered the area, and all the tourist crap they have - that I love. It's mostly junk and cigarettes - I don't smoke. But it is so unique ya gotta live for the moment and take it in. Ha ha.

[angelnfl]

Hi, I also moved from Massachusetts and have never regretted moving here. I chose North Port because the median age is about 38 where as Venice was something like 64. One thing to consider though is if you are coming from Boston and enjoy the city life, then I would bet you would prefer Sarasota. I came from a smaller town in Mass and find North Port has the small town feel but is still close to many stores, restaurants and the movie theatre in Port Charlotte. Also, North Port is very family and kid oriented compared to Venice to me. Wherever, you end up, I am sure you will love it as much as I have. Good luck and welcome to paradise!!!

[smiledoc1]

Originally Posted by Big House

Well, you should be better than half way down by now. I hope you had a nice fun trip. As a kid I always liked stopping at a place called "South of the Border". I think it was in South Carolina, but I can't recall because I haven't driven down in years.

As smiledoc noted post an update of your route and experiences. I'm leaving in a week for a hopefully un eventful drive down with my boat in tow. I hope you have an opportunity to give us an update before I leave. It has been fun watching the clock tick down as you're more transpired.

Good luck in Sarasota!

Bighouse,
Did you leave yet for Sarasota?

smiledoc1

[Big House]

Originally Posted by smiledoc1

Bighouse,
Did you leave yet for Sarasota?

smiledoc1

Hi,
Nope, I haven't left yet. I'm all packed and ready to go though. I picked up my boat, and have been packing and loading stuff all day. I has been snowing for the last couple hours now, so I was doing it in the snow.
I am leaving at 4:30 in the AM, so I don't think I will be checking back in until I'm down there.

I bought a house in Punta Gorda Isles not Sarasota, but I love the whole area, and can't wait to get down there and take my boat out. I'm trailering it, I'm not boating it down. So we will be arriving either really late Sunday night, or really early Monday morning depending how traffic and weather.

[FloripaUSA]

Originally Posted by smiledoc1

Can you let me know the route you took as Mrs. Smiledoc1 and son will be driving from central MA. in December? Any driving tips are welcome. Have a safe drive.

Best,
smiledoc1

Hello!

We took 95 South all the way down to Daytona Beach, than we took Route 4 to Orlando and than I-75 South to Sarasota.....It was a very tired trip, we left Boston at 4PM Saturday and drove until NJ, we took a rest for few hours in NJ, than drove all day Sunday and stop in South Caroline to Sleep at 8PM. We left SC at 6AM on Monday Morning and got to Sarasota at 4PM. (very tired)....If you are using a GPS becafull because it told me couple of times to get off I-95, I didn't and the GPS keep ed re-calculating the route!
Good Luck!

[FloripaUSA]

Originally Posted by Big House

Well, you should be better than half way down by now. I hope you had a nice fun trip. As a kid I always liked stopping at a place called "South of the Border". I think it was in South Carolina, but I can't recall because I haven't driven down in years.

As smiledoc noted post an update of your route and experiences. I'm leaving in a week for a hopefully un eventful drive down with my boat in tow. I hope you have an opportunity to give us an update before I leave. It has been fun watching the clock tick down as you're more transpired.

Good luck in Sarasota!

Hi!

I have stopped there before, not this time because I was driving the truck with a tow and I kind of avoided getting of the Hway because of the turns! It is in SC right at the very first exit, I love this place too!!!! I passed there at night and was beautiful! I found to be very tired! and we got rain from NJ to SC, other than that everything was fine! Gasoline price was GREAT......SC I pump for $1.53
Have a great trip!!!

[FloripaUSA]

Originally Posted by angelnfl

Hi, I also moved from Massachusetts and have never regretted moving here. I chose North Port because the median age is about 38 where as Venice was something like 64. One thing to consider though is if you are coming from Boston and enjoy the city life, then I would bet you would prefer Sarasota. I came from a smaller town in Mass and find North Port has the small town feel but is still close to many stores, restaurants and the movie theatre in Port Charlotte. Also, North Port is very family and kid oriented compared to Venice to me. Wherever, you end up, I am sure you will love it as much as I have. Good luck and welcome to paradise!!!

Hello!!!

That's nice that you like it here! We're so far in love with this place, people are very friendly, I think within the next year we will be looking for a house in NP, right now we are right in the city, but we want to buy a house in a smaller city like NP with more land!!
This weather is great I feel like I am in a different country!!!! (LOL).

Thank you,

[ptp999]

Hi there, I have a house for rent in the beautiful Palmer Ranch subdivison in Sarasota. the rent is $1600 per month, including pool maintenance. It's great location access to I-75, 5 minutes to Siesta Key beach and other amenities. The house is available by Dec 31, 08. If you are interested in renting, please contact us at (941) 256-0578 or email: ptp999@gmail.com . Thanks.

[FloripaUSA]

Hello All,

It's being almost 2 months in this Paradise....I have enjoyed every single day so far, eve being so busy with work, but this is the place I want to live for the rest of my life, I just LOVE it! It's being all I dreamed for it....I was down the Beach on Christmas day! I couldn't believe! It's a Dream!

I want to Thank you ALL, for all the HELP I got from this Site!!!
If anyone that want to ask me anything to help with the move to Sarasota, please let me know! I travel all day in Sarasota and Venice and got to know the area pretty much well, the bad areas and good areas!


Thank you....

[smiledoc1]

Originally Posted by FloripaUSA

Hello All,

It's being almost 2 months in this Paradise....I have enjoyed every single day so far, eve being so busy with work, but this is the place I want to live for the rest of my life, I just LOVE it! It's being all I dreamed for it....I was down the Beach on Christmas day! I couldn't believe! It's a Dream!

I want to Thank you ALL, for all the HELP I got from this Site!!!
If anyone that want to ask me anything to help with the move to Sarasota, please let me know! I travel all day in Sarasota and Venice and got to know the area pretty much well, the bad areas and good areas!


Thank you....

It is snowing again here in central MA and we are in a brutal cold snap. Mrs. Smiledoc1 and son and I will be there in March. Save some nice weather for us!!