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Hello, I am planning on a move to a warmer climate within the next 6 months and seem to have my mind set on Florida. I have spent some time in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and South Florida. I seem to have narrowed it down to Tampa Bay or Miami/Ft. Lauderdale but I am open to hearing opinions.
I am a early 40s male, recently single, and I enjoy sports and nightlife. I work remote for a company in the UK so work will not be an issue. I like an urban lifestyle, but it does not have to be Chicago sized. I do like the water and the beach being available, but it is not make or break.
My impression of Miami/Ft. Lauderdale was overall pretty good. Money/status seems to be a big thing down there though which didn't rub me the right way. The dining was amazing and so was the nightlife. During the day walking the beach on Las Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale is exactly what I imagine when I imagine Florida. Are there affordable, nice neighborhoods/apartments to rent in Miami or Ft. L. around 1,500 monthly? I know not having a state income tax also gives me some relief. Is there any culture beyond the obvious Latin influences? Those are my only concerns.
I really enjoyed my 2 weeks in Tampa Bay. The people seem very northern in attitude. The gulf beaches are incredible but everything close to the beach seemed extremely pricey. The nightlife in Tampa was mixed, I was not a fan of Yebor City, but I did enjoy south Tampa and St. Petersburg. The urban centers were cool, I felt that Tampa was very rushed and professional while St. Petersburg was laid back and had a lot to offer, which in my mind is a good balance of options. The rent there seems more logical than South Florida, but the crime may be an issue? Another concern I had was lack of public transportation outside of the downtown areas. I like having a lot of sports options there, similar to Miami.
Orlando was okay. I had a good time on Church Street, though everywhere I went it seemed to be packed with college kids. The Magic area was amazing! The rent seems high for a city that isn't coastal. The plus side compared to Tampa and Miami is that everything in Orlando seemed newer and cleaner, but the minus would be that the city just felt like one giant spread out suburb. I never really felt that there was a "culture" to Orlando, more just tourist spots and cookie cutter shopping outlets. Even though it is centralized, I realize it is a short drive to Tampa and to the east coast beaches, so I am open to the idea.
Jacksonville was a no for me. The downtown area was okay, the landings were dead when I went but I was told they are normally a party. Rent was actually pretty decent, but the people seemed very southern. Which I have no issue with southerners, but it would take some adjusting to Florida before I'd jump right into all the pick up trucks with hunting logos and camo I saw there. The Jacksonville beaches were very cool. Laid back beach types, a lot of Florida natives, but the nightlife left something to desire. The Jaguars is a cool stadium and sports option, but it doesn't mean much considering Miami and Tampa have football too.
Tallahassee is perplexing. I was expecting a much bigger metro considering its the capital and has somewhat of a name for itself nationally. Given it has a nice downtown area with some cool local shops and a few tall buildings, it can't help but just feel like a college town to me. I felt like within the downtown area and directly surrounding it was a culture that would fit me, but gets very southern quickly. The rent here is by far the most fair. I think I was told its about 45 minutes to a beach? The sports options are limited to the Seminoles but it intrigues me to have major College football, baseball, and basketball. The nightlife was not good, because I am too old to be hanging around with the college kids. I am considering Tallahassee a distant 4th. +1 for the women
If there are any residents of these areas that think I may have gotten the wrong impression of the area, please let me know, and I'll take advice on areas to visit of your cities. I have a while to decide and the ability to travel and research more before I make the move. Or if I got it spot on a confirmation would help too.
Also, if there are any other cities I may want to check out? Sarasota? Pensacola? I feel like this forum can be very helpful and I appreciate any help.
You might give Orlando another shake. This time party on Church for a bit then head up Orange. Catch an improv comedy show, smoke a cigar, then head east and check out neighborhoods like Thornton Park and the Milk District to get a better sense of Orlando culture. Our downtown is better than Miami or Tampa. But all of the cities have some great outlying neighborhoods to check out.
Searching for Fort Lauderdale on Zillow shows me that you might be able to get something around your budget, but you'll have to do some serious research yourself and determine if the properties are close to any desired amenities, is the neighborhood safe, transportation, etc. etc. Same thing applies to Miami. I would say that SEFL, specifically Miami, is the highlight of culture and liveliness for Florida. But keep in mind, SEFL is also more expensive.
Tampa Bay areas by the beach are no more expensive compared to Miami and like SEFL, you need to do extensive research because you can find some properties along the Tampa Bay beaches for around your budget. I would say that St. Petersburg definitely has more going on than Tampa, but both of those cities are actually not that close. The Rays play in St. Pete while the Buccaneers and Lightning play in Tampa. Also, I think most of the USF college sports are played in the Tampa campus (if you're into the college stuff). Also, even though St. Pete crime is statistically high, the crime in Fort Lauderdale is slightly higher. Actually, the TB metro is one of the safest metros in Florida, so that's actually an added benefit compared to SEFL, CFL, or J-Ville.
For Orlando, I also found places within your budget, but you still need to do more research. Orlando is less expensive than Miami, but it also has less of what makes Miami attractive for many people looking for culture, nightlife, and just different things to do. Downtown Orlando does have a good amount of bars and clubs, but nothing too exclusive. But Downtown Orlando might be more active compared to Downtown Tampa. I think the best spot in Orange County (or maybe CFL) is Park Avenue in Winter Park. It mostly caters to the wealthy folks in WP, but it has more charm and a better vibe than anything in Orlando imo. Actually, I would say that Winter Park is THE best town/area in CFL. You do have Orlando Magic, a new MLS team and UCF sports near-by, which is a plus.
Jacksonville is meh
Tallahassee is meh (though it might alright for college students)
Pensacola is meh
Sarasota should be considered.
Thanks guys, I will give Orlando another shake... I agree it had more happening than downtown Tampa, but I thought downtown St. Petersburg had more happening than both.
Thanks guys, I will give Orlando another shake... I agree it had more happening than downtown Tampa, but I thought downtown St. Petersburg had more happening than both.
Glad to hear. I love DT St. Pete but I would never think it has a more happening downtown than Orlando. First off there are no pro sports in DT St. Pete, in Orlando you now have 2, which is a big deal if I'm going to live in a city's core. Plus there is commuter rail about to open linking downtown to awesome places like Park Ave in Winter Park. While DT St. Pete is very nice and has historically always been a great place to be, the prognosis for downtown Orlando's future looks brighter. The only plus that we will never have is that once you're anywhere on the Pinellas side of the Tampa Bay metro, you start to feel that coastal beach vibe which is not replicated anywhere in Orlando. However, that beach vibe also means a lot of older snowbirds, and those beach towns are a little laid back for me vs the east coast beaches we have.
First, I applaud you for visiting the cities on your list. Too many people move to Florida (especially South Florida) without doing due diligence and wind up unhappy.
Your impressions of Fort Lauderdale are pretty much spot-on. It's a bit unique because it's a medium-sized city (less than 200,000 population in the city proper) surrounded by a metro area of about 5.5 million, but less frenzied and congested than Miami. Easy access to beaches, as you've observed, and Las Olas Boulevard is walkable and vibrant. Nightlife is first-rate. The Latin culture is there in Fort Lauderdale, but nowhere near as much as in Miami-Dade.
You can find something nice for $1,500 a month in Fort Lauderdale if you don't require something big. Several upscale apartment complexes featuring high-end amenities are within walking distance of where I live in northern Fort Lauderdale (about a 15-minute drive from downtown and 10 minutes from the beach in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea) and offer good-sized one-bedroom units in that price range (two-bedrooms in those complexes are roughly $1,600 and up). It's worth searching the Las Olas area and seeing what turns up, as well. Suffice it to say that South Florida is the most expensive housing market in the state.
Very accurate about money/status being a negative of living here. The "keeping up with the Jones" syndrome is very prevalent -- too many people have to have fancy cars, boats, etc., and are running up debt to pay for them. It can take some time/effort to cultivate friendships with down-to-earth people, but you will find them here.
South Florida is one of 12 U.S. metro areas with teams in all four major pro sports (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL), so you can't go wrong there. Unfortunately, the landscape is bleak once you get past the Heat -- the Dolphins are caught in what looks to be a never-ending cycle of mediocrity and the Marlins and Panthers stink. The good news is that, other than the Heat, tickets are readily available (often at deep discounts in the secondary market). Just don't expect a Wrigley-like atmosphere at a Marlins game or the "madhouse on Madison" for the Panthers. And don't forget the University of Miami, which is on the rise in football and plays ACC basketball.
Have you checked out Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton)? It might be worth a look before you make a final decision.
Good luck in your search and keep us posted ... I grew up in the Chicago area (northwest suburbs).
Last edited by Papillons2; 02-14-2014 at 11:46 AM..
Yeah I forgot about them being so close but based on their numbers so did their fans. Plus that stadium is a poor example of how to integrate street level vibrancy with pro sports.
Hello, I am planning on a move to a warmer climate within the next 6 months and seem to have my mind set on Florida. I have spent some time in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and South Florida. I seem to have narrowed it down to Tampa Bay or Miami/Ft. Lauderdale but I am open to hearing opinions.
I am a early 40s male, recently single, and I enjoy sports and nightlife. I work remote for a company in the UK so work will not be an issue. I like an urban lifestyle, but it does not have to be Chicago sized. I do like the water and the beach being available, but it is not make or break.
My impression of Miami/Ft. Lauderdale was overall pretty good. Money/status seems to be a big thing down there though which didn't rub me the right way. The dining was amazing and so was the nightlife. During the day walking the beach on Las Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale is exactly what I imagine when I imagine Florida. Are there affordable, nice neighborhoods/apartments to rent in Miami or Ft. L. around 1,500 monthly? I know not having a state income tax also gives me some relief. Is there any culture beyond the obvious Latin influences? Those are my only concerns.
I really enjoyed my 2 weeks in Tampa Bay. The people seem very northern in attitude. The gulf beaches are incredible but everything close to the beach seemed extremely pricey. The nightlife in Tampa was mixed, I was not a fan of Yebor City, but I did enjoy south Tampa and St. Petersburg. The urban centers were cool, I felt that Tampa was very rushed and professional while St. Petersburg was laid back and had a lot to offer, which in my mind is a good balance of options. The rent there seems more logical than South Florida, but the crime may be an issue? Another concern I had was lack of public transportation outside of the downtown areas. I like having a lot of sports options there, similar to Miami.
Orlando was okay. I had a good time on Church Street, though everywhere I went it seemed to be packed with college kids. The Magic area was amazing! The rent seems high for a city that isn't coastal. The plus side compared to Tampa and Miami is that everything in Orlando seemed newer and cleaner, but the minus would be that the city just felt like one giant spread out suburb. I never really felt that there was a "culture" to Orlando, more just tourist spots and cookie cutter shopping outlets. Even though it is centralized, I realize it is a short drive to Tampa and to the east coast beaches, so I am open to the idea.
Jacksonville was a no for me. The downtown area was okay, the landings were dead when I went but I was told they are normally a party. Rent was actually pretty decent, but the people seemed very southern. Which I have no issue with southerners, but it would take some adjusting to Florida before I'd jump right into all the pick up trucks with hunting logos and camo I saw there. The Jacksonville beaches were very cool. Laid back beach types, a lot of Florida natives, but the nightlife left something to desire. The Jaguars is a cool stadium and sports option, but it doesn't mean much considering Miami and Tampa have football too.
Tallahassee is perplexing. I was expecting a much bigger metro considering its the capital and has somewhat of a name for itself nationally. Given it has a nice downtown area with some cool local shops and a few tall buildings, it can't help but just feel like a college town to me. I felt like within the downtown area and directly surrounding it was a culture that would fit me, but gets very southern quickly. The rent here is by far the most fair. I think I was told its about 45 minutes to a beach? The sports options are limited to the Seminoles but it intrigues me to have major College football, baseball, and basketball. The nightlife was not good, because I am too old to be hanging around with the college kids. I am considering Tallahassee a distant 4th. +1 for the women
If there are any residents of these areas that think I may have gotten the wrong impression of the area, please let me know, and I'll take advice on areas to visit of your cities. I have a while to decide and the ability to travel and research more before I make the move. Or if I got it spot on a confirmation would help too.
Also, if there are any other cities I may want to check out? Sarasota? Pensacola? I feel like this forum can be very helpful and I appreciate any help.
-David
You're pretty spot on with your assessments in my opinion and think you're pretty much on track with St Petersburg as your apparent lead choice. The Tampa Bay area has a lot to offer in terms of things to do and St Pete feels like a city with a vibrant downtown, and isn't full of college bars. Many Midwesterners tend to gravitate toward the area as it is more laidback and less pretentious than South Florida, or even Orlando. The cost of living in St Pete is much more approachable than South Florida and a good bit better than Orlando given the return on investment in terms of lifestyle quality. Lastly the beaches are beautiful in the area and don't require advance commitment to going since they're in most instances 15-20 minutes away.
Yeah I forgot about them being so close but based on their numbers so did their fans. Plus that stadium is a poor example of how to integrate street level vibrancy with pro sports.
I also went to a pro soccer game in downtown St. Petersburg while I was there. What is the 2nd sport in downtown Orlando other than Magic?
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