Quick estimate of driving times?

[CapnTrips]

Originally Posted by dothetwist

OP...are you retiring here, or will you be employed?

Either way, there are lots more factors in determining where to live than weekend drive times, no?

We'll be retiring. There are definitely more factors involved, but the issue of driving times is an important one for us: my wife wants to be close to a beach, but I'd prefer to be close to a city for amenities (and away from flood zones).

We've visited the Sarasota area, but will not visit Tampa area til this summer. I thought that by checking out driving times I could get a realistic idea of how far from either downtown Sarasota or Tampa/St. Pete we can search for a place.

[dothetwist]

Originally Posted by CapnTrips

We'll be retiring. There are definitely more factors involved, but the issue of driving times is an important one for us: my wife wants to be close to a beach, but I'd prefer to be close to a city for amenities (and away from flood zones).

We've visited the Sarasota area, but will not visit Tampa area til this summer. I thought that by checking out driving times I could get a realistic idea of how far from either downtown Sarasota or Tampa/St. Pete we can search for a place.

Fair enough.

We did a similar search for 2 winters before we bought in Gulfport. Boots on the ground for an extended period, renting in an area you think you want to live is the best approach. We wanted walkability to restaurants, water/beach, under 30 minute drive to TPA (we fly to DCA almost monthly for eldercare issues). We rented vacation homes in Dunedin, Gulfport and Safety Harbor, for about a month in each city, over 2 winters before we bought. We can drive to DTSP in 15 minutes for museums, concerts, etc.

[CapnTrips]

Originally Posted by dothetwist

Fair enough.

We did a similar search for 2 winters before we bought in Gulfport. Boots on the ground for an extended period, renting in an area you think you want to live is the best approach. We wanted walkability to restaurants, water/beach, under 30 minute drive to TPA (we fly to DCA almost monthly for eldercare issues). We rented vacation homes in Dunedin, Gulfport and Safety Harbor, for about a month in each city, over 2 winters before we bought. We can drive to DTSP in 15 minutes for museums, concerts, etc.

Haven't heard much about Safety Harbor, but I have heard good things about both Dunedin and Gulfport -- any particular reason you chose the latter?

[dothetwist]

Originally Posted by CapnTrips

Haven't heard much about Safety Harbor, but I have heard good things about both Dunedin and Gulfport -- any particular reason you chose the latter?

We wanted to be able to walk to a good sized body of water in under 10 minutes. For us, the water access in Dunedin was too noisy (there's a park that runs along St. Joseph Sound, but it's next to the main thoroughfare). Safety Harbor's access to water is mostly hidden by the ownership of private land along the bayfront in town; the mangroves and other tall growth on the waters edge rarely allows a glimpse at the water itself other than from the City pier. In Gulfport there's a small sandy beach, a large fishing pier; in the mornings you can see dolphins just off shore. In the evenings, the lights from the barrier island (St. Pete Beach, etc.) sparkle in the distance as we walk on the beach after dark.

All 3 cities have the same pluses we wanted: excellent restaurant scenes, brick streets, interesting architecture, great walkability. It was important to us to be able to walk to several non-chain restaurants for dinner out most nights (over a dozen here in Gulfport in 7 minutes walk time from our home). This may not be important to others, but after 40+ years of marriage, I've retired from cooking! And we like to have wine with dinner and have a zero alcohol and driving rule in our home.

To us SH was more for young families and it does indeed have better schools than our part of Pinellas. Dunedin struck as having more older retirees. Gulfport's a bit less homogeneous, has a vibrant art scene (two nightly Art Walks every month), just a bit more funk and edge to it.

Today some of Gulfport's streets are closed from 11 to 11 for St. Paddy's Day party; and the weekly Tuesday Market is also going on (it was hard to decide which vendor would get our lunch money...so we split it between the Jerk Chicken booth and the Thai food booth. Walked the food home in 5 minutes, ate on our screened porch where the (mostly Irish folk) music from OMaddy's is wafting over for our listening pleasure. Tonight I'll ride my bike up to Smokin' J's BBQ (8 blocks/5 minute bike ride) and bring back a smoked chicken; while they're packing up the chicken, I'll walk next door to the 7-Day a week Produce Stand for some fresh corn.

BTW, we retired at age 50 from NVA (last home was Fairfax Station). Went West to the funky artsy town of Bisbee AZ for 5 years; then 5 years fulltime in Central Mexico on the shores of Lake Chapala. We may not be typical retirees...not looking for gated, 55+ communities or condos. Everyone figures it out themselves; in our case, we look at retirement as a series of Five Year Plans.

Eldercare issues with my 91 y/o FIL (in McLean) brought us back to the East Coast last year, as we help him to stay in his own home as long as he can. Cheap and frequent non-stops from TPA to DCA were instrumental in picking the Tampa Bay area as well as for our travelling elsewhere.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by CapnTrips

Haven't heard much about Safety Harbor, but I have heard good things about both Dunedin and Gulfport -- any particular reason you chose the latter?

If you are looking in the Gulfport area also include its neighbor Pasadena.
http://www.lorainesacademy.edu/images/map_01a.gif

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Are you guys getting on I4 to go to St. Pete Beach?

And leaving close to Gandy?

There's NO way in hell it comes close to 45 mins.

From South Tampa to Don Caesar....Always traffic, always many stop lights....I am assuming it would take me "20 minutes" at 3am...because it never took me less than 40...Plus finding parking...that alone eats up 15 minutes ....

[mrviking]

Originally Posted by PhotoProIP

From South Tampa to Don Caesar....Always traffic, always many stop lights....I am assuming it would take me "20 minutes" at 3am...because it never took me less than 40...Plus finding parking...that alone eats up 15 minutes ....

We head to pass-a-grill many a sunday from Brandon in 40 minutes.

[CapnTrips]

Originally Posted by dothetwist

We wanted to be able to walk to a good sized body of water in under 10 minutes. For us, the water access in Dunedin was too noisy (there's a park that runs along St. Joseph Sound, but it's next to the main thoroughfare). Safety Harbor's access to water is mostly hidden by the ownership of private land along the bayfront in town; the mangroves and other tall growth on the waters edge rarely allows a glimpse at the water itself other than from the City pier. In Gulfport there's a small sandy beach, a large fishing pier; in the mornings you can see dolphins just off shore. In the evenings, the lights from the barrier island (St. Pete Beach, etc.) sparkle in the distance as we walk on the beach after dark.

All 3 cities have the same pluses we wanted: excellent restaurant scenes, brick streets, interesting architecture, great walkability. It was important to us to be able to walk to several non-chain restaurants for dinner out most nights (over a dozen here in Gulfport in 7 minutes walk time from our home). This may not be important to others, but after 40+ years of marriage, I've retired from cooking! And we like to have wine with dinner and have a zero alcohol and driving rule in our home.

To us SH was more for young families and it does indeed have better schools than our part of Pinellas. Dunedin struck as having more older retirees. Gulfport's a bit less homogeneous, has a vibrant art scene (two nightly Art Walks every month), just a bit more funk and edge to it.

Today some of Gulfport's streets are closed from 11 to 11 for St. Paddy's Day party; and the weekly Tuesday Market is also going on (it was hard to decide which vendor would get our lunch money...so we split it between the Jerk Chicken booth and the Thai food booth. Walked the food home in 5 minutes, ate on our screened porch where the (mostly Irish folk) music from OMaddy's is wafting over for our listening pleasure. Tonight I'll ride my bike up to Smokin' J's BBQ (8 blocks/5 minute bike ride) and bring back a smoked chicken; while they're packing up the chicken, I'll walk next door to the 7-Day a week Produce Stand for some fresh corn.

Since you sound like you're familiar with the general Gulfport area, I'd like to ask your opinion of Pinellas Point? There appear to be some nice looking homes on or near Serpentine Drive for a reasonable price (at least if you're from No VA). But, the Trulia crime stats suggest that it is a bit close to high crime areas -- true?

[dothetwist]

I don't know anything about Pinellas Point. Looks like we go through it on I-75 when we (rarely) drive down to Sarasota and other points south.

Between Gulfport and DTSP (Downtown St. Petersburg), we have all we need for shopping, dining, art shows, museums, other events. We will occasionally drive up to Dunedin and Safety Harbor for events and meals.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by PhotoProIP

From South Tampa to Don Caesar....Always traffic, always many stop lights....I am assuming it would take me "20 minutes" at 3am...because it never took me less than 40...Plus finding parking...that alone eats up 15 minutes ....

There's too many lights? On the Gandy Bridge? Interesting. I'll have to remember that next time I take a trip out that way.

I'd imagine it taking 40 minutes to get across a bridge if your car stalled and you had to push it. Even then, 40 is a stretch.