Quaint village sort of living.. (Tampa, Dunedin: apartments, rentals, living in)

[Pnutty1]

I had posted this in the General Florida and thought Id get LOTS of ideas for places since Florida has so many smaller cities. Nope didnt really get the info Im looking for.


Which city/town would you suggest village living for me

Certainly Dunedin really fits my criteria but I believe there has to be more. And maybe folks who do know Dunedin can suggest other places for me.

[gypsychic]

That budget is too low for coastal cities, and you will have to compromise on other things as well. You might look into Winter Haven (central FL). Has a really cute downtown, lots of lakes, very pretty, you can probably find something there in your budget. Competition for rentals is FIERCE in the coastal cities, especially near amenities, so rentals are very high (and hard to come by)

Another place you might like is Venice (especially the island). Walkable/bikable to downtown and the beaches, small, pretty, safe. Older demographic there. BUT..... again, the budget is probably too low.

[Pnutty1]

Thanks gypsychic. Winter Haven does have what you mentioned, plus the 50+ community center like Dunedin, bikeable, it does have small fun events. Also is Legoland which has Cypress Gardens and from pics looks really pretty. It has a nice art community.


So I can give up the beach. I can give up a lot of things!! If I dont have the money, then thats that.

[GoodBeer]

Gulfport (in St. Pete) may have what you're looking for.

Gulfport Florida

[dothetwist]

The OPs budget is $500 a month in high season...as a Gulfport resident who rented here in high season while we shopped for our home, I can tell you that $500 is probably too low for a WEEKLY rate, let alone for a month!

The historic, village part of Gulfport is from the waterfront, north to below 22nd Ave South, west to 59th Street and then East inside of 49th St.

Look at https://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rental...-west/gulfport

For shared rentals, look here:
https://www.airbnb.com/s/Gulfport--F...ss_id=3fwzpmw5

[Pnutty1]

quick update.

Since it looked as though Id have to live away from the beach, I compromised. What I really want is a warmish winter, really affordable safe apartments with the bikeable smallish downtown.

I drove through Alabama down two different routes in the past, and I thought Alabama has got a good feel to it. So I posted in their AL forum.

Someone said Decatur met my criteria. This is right on the Tennessee river. 25 mintues from Huntsville AL, another fine place. Suddenly this appealed and look right to me, and the more Ive researched the more it grew that Florida isnt the place for me.

So Ill be visiting soon to scope it out.

Done Florida for a decade. Which is why it was to be a winter home. Hated the other half of the year! But I can see full time living in Northern AL.

[Noodlenoggin]

Village life? Not in the Tampa Bay area. Bicycling? Tampa Bay has the highest pedestrian/bike fatality rate in the U.S. The little towns inland from Tampa are kind of scary central-Florida-heat-addled-swamp-people towns. Anywhere in the Tampa Bay metro area, you need a car. And traffic is horrible.

Now, there's "The Villages" north of here. (lol)

[Irishiis49]

Pinellas county has a trail aptly named Pinellas Trail...that is the only place I allowed my kids to bike on...luckily it runs from one end of Pinellas to the other. If you lived near downtown Dunedin by old Main Street you could bike on quiet side streets but I would stay off Alt 19 and any other major roads...