[lyss.11246]

I am 25 and currently live in Missouri. My family is in Tulsa. I am finally ready to move some place much more exciting, and near the ocean. I will be moving in August with my sister (21 in November) and her boyfriend (23), as well as another friend of ours probably (21). I am hoping for suggestions on what cities/neighborhoods to look into.

I am looking for a MUCH warmer climate, somewhere with young single people close to my age, I want to be somewhere pretty safe, hopefully not too expensive although anywhere that has all my criteria will be - but since i will be renting a 2-3 bedroom apt/condo/house split by 3 or 4 people i am hoping that will help, somewhere with a good night life and lots of things to do, would like a beach as close as possible, I don't speak spanish so preferably not somewhere like Miami, but the bigger the city the better (i like meeting new and different kinds of people - bigger the city the better) and we will all be needing to find jobs (my sister currently is a waitress and her bf works at a furniture store, i am a legal assistant at a law office, and the friend is a supervisor at a restaurant in a retirement home, so i know it may be challenging). also, I would like to consider going back to school so maybe a decent college not too far, I'd love decent public transportation or cities where you can walk most places but we all have cars as well and would be willing to drive.

I have narrowed my search through talking to people who have lived in both Florida and California and decided I am pretty sure I would like to go to one of those states. In California I am looking in the San Diego area, possibly Temecula, Pacific Beach, La Jolla etc - i like San Fran and Santa Cruz I hear is amazing but they're too cold for me. LA area isnt much warmer and a lot more crime from what i hear. in Florida I have heard Clearwater, Tampa, Pensacola are all nice. Any pros/cons of those places or suggestions of anywhere else state/city/neighborhood wise for young people moving on a whim would be greatly appreciated!

[Hawaii4evr]

LA is indeed MUCH warmer than SanFran, as is San Diego. However, I do agree you shouldn't move to LA. Too dirty, too much crime and traffic, materialistic people, criminals, and very expensive. San Diego is also expensive, but has the best weather in the state (and some say best in the country). California has some beautiful beaches as well, and great scenery. San Diego is also I believe the 8th biggest city in the nation (2nd biggest in CA and the West Coast, too, after LA), and there's lots to do. I live here, and like it, but the sprawl is an issue, it's expensive, and kind of conservative too (don't know if that's an issue for you). It's also not that diverse here. It's true that you won't have to speak Spanish in SoCal, but it might be for your benefit if you learn it (still, not as "bad" as Miami). Another thing to consider is how dry SoCal is. Wildfires happen a lot, and rain is so scarce that there are water shortages and also when it DOES rain, there's mudslides everywhere because the soil is very dry. Earthquakes are overblown. In San Diego, they aren't serious because it doesn't rest on the fault line. Nobody in SD has died or been hurt from an earthquake. LA, on the other hand, is a different story. The ocean water isn't that warm either, and because of this, it can often be foggy along the coast. San Diego's job market sucks, though, and LA's isn't much better. Pay is not high in SoCal.

As for FL, it's much warmer and cheaper than SoCal, that's for sure, but also more prone to storms and is more humid and has more bugs. You're looking in Tampa and Clearwater, which are close to each other. My dad really enjoyed Tampa. However, the job market in FL is not great either, and the pay sucks from what I've heard. But there are beautiful beaches in Clearwater and other places nearby (Sarasota's Siesta Key, which was rated the best American beach a few years ago). Pensacola also has a nice beach, but I don't know if you're into the Southern vibe, which is present there. Plus, Pensacola winters are pretty chilly (colder than SoCal winters), so I don't know if that's the place for you. Clearwater and Tampa rarely get cold.

I would recommend Fort Lauderdale or Orlando for you. Orlando is about an hour from the excitement of Daytona Beach, and 1.5 hours from Clearwater, and it has a lot going on. The weather is good there, and it's rarely cold. As for Ft. Lauderdale, also, cold weather is very rare. It has beautiful beaches (SE FL has the best beaches in Florida if you ask me) and semi-tropical weather. It has a Latin-Caribbean vibe, and was so relaxing when I was there. The people were nice too. Ft. Lauderdale, as a spring break destination, has quite a bit of nightlife, and is a great place for young people. However, a lot of Europeans and Jews from the Northeast go to retire there, so don't be surprised if you see a bunch of old folks. Another thing about Ft. Lauderdale is that it's only 30 minutes from Miami, and yet you don't have to worry about the rush, rude people, or needing to speak Spanish. It's sort of a getaway from all that, more "American", if you will.

[kyle19125]

I would recommend the Tampa Bay area (mostly St Pete and Clearwater), Ft Lauderdale/Hollywood and West Palm Beach. Avoid Daytona Beach which is pretty trashy (bikers/trailer park types etc.) and definitely not safe overall.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by lyss.11246

I am 25 and currently live in Missouri. My family is in Tulsa. I am finally ready to move some place much more exciting, and near the ocean. I will be moving in August with my sister (21 in November) and her boyfriend (23), as well as another friend of ours probably (21). I am hoping for suggestions on what cities/neighborhoods to look into.

I am looking for a MUCH warmer climate, somewhere with young single people close to my age, I want to be somewhere pretty safe, hopefully not too expensive although anywhere that has all my criteria will be - but since i will be renting a 2-3 bedroom apt/condo/house split by 3 or 4 people i am hoping that will help, somewhere with a good night life and lots of things to do, would like a beach as close as possible, I don't speak spanish so preferably not somewhere like Miami, but the bigger the city the better (i like meeting new and different kinds of people - bigger the city the better) and we will all be needing to find jobs (my sister currently is a waitress and her bf works at a furniture store, i am a legal assistant at a law office, and the friend is a supervisor at a restaurant in a retirement home, so i know it may be challenging). also, I would like to consider going back to school so maybe a decent college not too far, I'd love decent public transportation or cities where you can walk most places but we all have cars as well and would be willing to drive.

I have narrowed my search through talking to people who have lived in both Florida and California and decided I am pretty sure I would like to go to one of those states. In California I am looking in the San Diego area, possibly Temecula, Pacific Beach, La Jolla etc - i like San Fran and Santa Cruz I hear is amazing but they're too cold for me. LA area isnt much warmer and a lot more crime from what i hear. in Florida I have heard Clearwater, Tampa, Pensacola are all nice. Any pros/cons of those places or suggestions of anywhere else state/city/neighborhood wise for young people moving on a whim would be greatly appreciated!

I have lived in 3 cities in Florida and 1.5 cities in California. I still own a home in Florida and currently live in California.

1) California is A LOT more expensive than practically anywhere in Florida. Temecula is between a 40-60 minute drive to the beach. Pacific Beach and especially La Jolla are very expensive. La Jolla is one of the most expensive communities in Southern California. It's very nice though, but definitely not affordable for most people in California yet alone outside of California. The ocean temperature in California, even San Diego is COLD. I can't stomach it more than 5 minutes without a wet suit, even in August. Los Angeles is a HUGE city and it has actually become one of the safest mega cities in the US. There are many parts that are very safe and also many parts that are crime ridden. The weather in California is a semi-dry heat, which is absolutely lovely. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the US and you can be completely car less, but the weather is cool most of the year (60s). Santa Cruz is a interesting little city on the coast, but the weather is also cool most of the year and the job prospects are limited.

2) Florida is A LOT more cheaper than practically anywhere in California. Pensacola is a tiny military city, definitely not what you are looking for based on your information. Clearwater/St. Pete are pretty nice areas and are much more affordable than anywhere on the coast in California. St. Pete has a decent downtown area that is walkable, but in general, you will need a car in Florida no matter where you live. Some cities allow you to park in an area and walk around, but still you'll need a car. I really do not like Tampa. I call it the arm pit of Florida. There is just nothing that stands out to me there. I would recommend choosing a city in South Florida such as Fort Lauderdale. There are a lot of cities from West Palm Beach down to Miami Beach. It's almost like one giant connected city (there is a difference between cities though). You will have many more job opportunities because you are not tied down to one city. The beaches there are more beautiful than Central or North Florida because the ocean is Caribbean blue and clear. Many areas are newer and you have more options to explore. Some of the safest cities in this area are Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Boca Raton, and Weston. However, there are many other cities in between that are still safe. Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale have the most central location in South Florida though. The weather in Florida is humid, so definitely be okay with that.


Summary: I would look into South Florida around cities such as West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale Good luck =)