[pianogal]

I have personally LIVED in both places. Where I live in Orlando there are alot of families. I hardly ever see a tourist unless I'm enjoying the day at Disney World, Universal, etc. Of course, when I lived in Tampa I had season passes to Busch Gardens, it can't compare. In my old neighborhood in Winter Park (which has beautiful Old OAK trees)there were alot of retirees. They were wonderful and I enjoyed their company. I have no prejudice against them. However since we built our new home in the Lake Nona area we are surrounded by families.

And yes, when I lived in Tampa it was HOT. When we visited DH's mom and dad in Orlando, we would sit under the LARGE OAK trees that filled their yard - it would be at least 20 degrees cooler than Tampa...where we only had scrub. Now I live in an area in Orlando where my home is surrounded by Large Oaks, Wild Magnolia Trees and even some Maples...I have 3 miles of woods on the the north side and 3 acres of woods on the east side of my home. I have seen wild turkeys trotting across my backyard and we are frequented by large deer - not the key type deer. Oh yes, there are nice trees/woods in Orlando - Seminole County is even nicer because it is a little farther north still - they have the black bear. You DON'T have the black bear where there is no woods. In fact, the Wekiva area is the furthest south that you will find the black bear in Florida...WHY? Because of the woods...they need that environment.

I do love the history in Tampa. However this board is for sharing opinions. Someone came on and asked for an opinion on Tampa versus Orlando. I gave my opinion in a factual way. Thank you for your gracious responses.

Me and my girlfriend are laughing at PianoGal's post. Are you out of your freaking mind??!!


I am NOT a realtor nor have any interest at stake but I do make an attempt at literacy.

[Shores9]

I really can’t speak for Orlando except for the occasional times I go to Disney. Theme Parks aside from what I can see there is nothing appealing about the place. No offence to anyone it’s just one person’s limited experience.

However, I have lived in the Tampa Bay region for the last 6 or so years and love it. There is so much to do, see, and enjoy. Plenty of interesting and friendly people and lots of great places to live. I’ve got a ton of pictures from around Tampa Bay posted on the Florida Pics thread and I’ll bet anyone that they can’t be equaled with anything from Orlando – not even close!!! Aside from the cities and history of Tampa Bay there’s also the natural beauty of the region that can’t be duplicated not even by Disney

[Prichard]

Some of the above posts just make me laugh. I have lived in Tampa and Orlando. The climates are almost indistinguishable. Both are hot and humid. Orlando gets slightly colder in Winter, but unless you've lived in both cities for a long time, I doubt that you would notice the difference.

Tampa has been threatened by several strong hurricanes that I can recall, but it got lucky, that's all. It would get hit harder than Orlando simply because it sits on a huge warm body of water.

Parts of Orlando are more commercial than Tampa like the Disney area and I-Drive. But, parts of Tampa re sleazer than Orlando, like Bush blvd and Ybor City. Both cities have their "slums" and nice areas. Orlando has more exclusive and expensive areas than does Tampa. I tend to like the layout of Tampa's downtown better than Orlando's - it doesn't seem as cluttered and it's easier to navigete around. However, Orlando's downtown is poised to be a very vibrant place to live and work. Note, when I speak of Tampa and Orlando, I'm talking about the greator Tampa and Orlando areas, not just the city limits. Both cities have thriving economies, although each city does have a different flavor to its business sectors. I tend to think there are more professionals in Orlando than Tampa. Tampa has a large port, and always seemed a little more industrial to me than Orlando. We could go on and on about what schools are better, but the truth is that both Tampa and Orlando have some excelent schools and some pittiful schools. It all depends on where you live in the surrounding metropolitian areas. Personally, I'd challenge Tampa to find any schools in its area better than Oviedo High, Winter Springs High, Lake Mary High, Lake Brantly High, Winter Park High, and Dr. Philips High.

Tampa and Orlando are different cities, but they are not that different. There is no way that I could generally tell anyone that they would be better off in Tampa or Orlando, without knowing excactly what someone is looking for. For those who don't know exactly what they are looking for, my suggestion is go where you get work, rent for a year, then move if you don't like it there.

[pianogal]

Prichard...you are the voice of reason....But...I still thought I was going to die from the heat when I lived in Tampa...maybe it was because I lived in one of those old concrete block houses that sweated and had jalousie windows. No central air...just window units. I can remember when the interior walls were wet at times. Horrid! We were grad students at USF and poor in those days - that was the best we could afford. LOL

BUT I did love spending the weekends in Clearwater Beach, St. Petersburg Beach, Pass A Grille, and Fort De Soto - absolutely beautiful places!

[Prichard]

I too have spent much time on Pasa Grille (sp?), and Ft. De Soto, as well as on Tiera Verde. Although I don't much care much for Clearwater, the above mentioned beaches are some of my favorite places.

[Nirvana-Guy]

Originally Posted by gpg

Would like to relocate to Florida from the Northeast in June and can't decide between Tampa and Orlando. Orlando would put me closer to family in Ft. Lauderdale, but not sure it is the best area for housing and schools. I have a 5yr old. Also would like to know which area get's hit the least by hurricanes.

HELP!

If you HAVE TO move down here and have to pick one of the two, pick Orlando.

Tampa is a drag. There are chieckns running on the street, the city is very old and very rundown, specially around the Busch Gardens area.

Plus in Tampa, insurance will be much higher due to the proximity to the water. Tampa has had some very-close to direct hits and they had plenty of damage. A lot more than Orlando.

But again, if family lives in Ft. Lauderdale, then maybe Tampa is the way to go, as it is closer.

Originally Posted by wdwtrizz

Well Orlando SUCKS... lets get that out of the way up front. The people, the traffic, the weather.. EVERYTHING. I promise you, not ONE day will go by that you don't get almost run off the road by a tiny 84 Honday Civic with a HUGE muffler.. the people here are the rudest people in the world. The crime rate is also soaring.. if you do move here buy a gun. The tourists and snow birds are probably the least of your problems. I don't know much about Tampa besides the fact that is has worlds famous strip clubs.. but I don't think its somewhere anyone would ENJOY living..

Oh, there is a website dedicated to Orlando.. www.orlandofloridasucks.com

I agree man, Orlando SUCKS, but Tampa sucks too, so you are going to live in a sucky place no matter what. I was going suggest that the person forgets Ft. Lauderdale and moves to Northern FL, because South/Central Florida are hoprrible.

[wdwtrizz]

Originally Posted by Nirvana-Guy

I agree man, Orlando SUCKS, but Tampa sucks too, so you are going to live in a sucky place no matter what. I was going suggest that the person forgets Ft. Lauderdale and moves to Northern FL, because South/Central Florida are hoprrible.

Your right, maybe not even in Florida.. maybe he should move to southern Alabama. I went to Tampa a couple of weeks ago with a group of guys for a bachelor party. The girls in Club 2001 were the ONLY nice thing we saw in the city.. then the next day we went to that Hard Rock Casino... or what THEY call a Casino, I call it a room full old people smoking and slot machines. It sucked too. Orlando is just depressing, when I moved here I thought it was great, but that wears off QUICK. I tell people constantly NOT to move here an no one ever listens... but thinking back people warned me not to move here I didn't listen either


www.orlandofloridasucks.com

[jck74]

I've lived in both places. Tampa/St. Pete has the beautiful beaches and that's about it. Both places are humid and hot during summer months, 5 degrees hotter is not that much worse. I would move to Orlando unless you like the quick access to the beaches. Orlando is cleaner and more green, with nicer neighborhoods. Tampa/St. Pete/Bradenton and surrounding areas have a very "dirty" feel to them. Both places have horrible traffic at certain times of the day so that's a wash.