[suorkaterina]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days-in-Florida

LOL--- Too conservative.

I advise for you to stay away from the too liberal areas. Too many problems in those too liberal areas.

Take Winter Garden and Winter Park off your list also. Personally Mt Dora would be a better choice then those two but you have mention much better towns then those two certainly.

Geesh, I don't wanna get too hung up on the liberal thing. I live in Maine after all...in the country. It would just be nice to live in an area where I don't have to bite my tongue all the time for a change.

It's hard doing this all without seeing these areas. I've spent some time in St Pete and Clearwater but something a little more artsy beach town I think might be just the ticket. The Witches Brew coffee shop in Palm Harbor gives me hope for this area. I liked Mount Dora because of the small town feel(from pictures and google street view) and the closer proximity to WDW and my mother in The Villages.

Mostly I just wanted to see if I had left any area uncovered. I guess it's all going to depend on where I get hired but I think I will concentrate on the Tampa and surrounding areas. Any thoughts on Sarasota? It looks to be about a two hour drive to both Disney and The Villages and I've heard good things about the arts and culture in that area.

Thanks for the ideas.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days-in-Florida

Re read my post. I said it has nice dining etc. In my opinion I would not want to live in Mr Dora itself.

OP wont find museums, art and culture either in Mt Dora itself.

What is a real ocean?

An ocean such as the Atlantic. I grew up on the edge of the Atlantic therefore the Gulf just doesn't do it for me. I suggest the op should take everything with a grain of salt and visit the areas that she is interested in. No one here really knows your real preferences and they tend to assume theirs will suffice. As for the Liberal thing, it's blown out of proportion. Florida is a purple state and you can be within your comfort range almost anywhere.

[suorkaterina]

Any thoughts on Lake Mary, Sandford or Sarasota?

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by suorkaterina

Any thoughts on Lake Mary, Sandford or Sarasota?

Sarasota would tick all your boxes except your rental budget. Rentals are very tight here, almost 98% occupancy, and expensive. Otherwise, it is a fantastic place to live - it is the "culture coast", lots of art, museums and cultural activities, beautiful beaches, a nice airport, fantastic shopping and dining, etc.

I'm thinking somewhere in St. Pete might be best for you, it's closer to Tampa for job opportunities, has a beautiful downtown and more affordable real estate.

Good luck!