[NoScript34]

Hey everyone,

I'm a 28 year old guy that's an entrepreneur w/ an internet marketing business looking to move down to FL to escape the miserable Minnesota autumn, winter & early spring. Since 7-8 out of 12 months of the year I'm stuck inside (strongly dislike the cold, and love heat & humidity).

The awful weather is great for being productive & working on my business in my home office because there are really no distractions, but after working nearly every single day for the past 8 years I'm finally going to be in a position to move down to somewhere nice in FL so I can be outside all year round, and overall be in a better mood & actually be able to live life year round.

I have visited:

-Boca Raton - multiple times (1 extended family member lives there & I visited with my family a few times as a kid) and love it. Close proximity to the beach, great car culture (exotic cars is a passion of mine, will be ideally acquire my first one later this year if things go as planned). But it's been over 10 years since I've been there so I know nothing about the city - things to do, nightlife etc

-Naples & Ft Myers Beach - drove down from MN with friends about 8 years ago for a spring break trip, a friend's parents had a place in Naples and our group of 5 of us had a blast. Though we learned the entire city closes down by 9pm so at night it was mostly hanging out by the pool at the house for a lot of the trip.


My interests include:

Racing motocross, fitness (those 2 go hand in hand), yoga, I'm extremely active - playing sports w/ pick up games, etc., golf, there are more I'm probably forgetting.

Geographically it seems the majority of the organized motocross tracks are in the northern half of the state - big concentration around Orlando, towards Gainesville/Ocala, up towards Jax, with the exception of one track in Tampa, one near Okechobee, and a couple near Punta Gorda. So going into this I know that living anywhere on the far SE side will require much longer drives to and from the tracks on race weekends.

As far as nightlife goes - going out and drinking is a ton of fun, but after 1-2 nights I'm over it and ready to get back to being productive because I enjoy working on my business, so I don't drink often unless it's a special event, holiday, birthday, etc.


I'd like to live in a house with my own pool, ideally screened in. One factor with a house is that with racing motocross, since I will be purchasing a large 5th wheel toy hauler (40'+ in length - would probably need to be stored outside) as well as a newer 1-ton diesel truck, which will probably not fit height/lengthwise in the garage, I'd imagine an HOA would have problems with both.

I've looked at a few different areas online for homes available for rent: Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, Boca Raton, Ft Lauderdale, WPB, Wellington, Jupiter and more but am having a tough time deciding. How about the suburbs of Tampa like Trinity, Clearwater, Lutz, Tarpon Springs, etc.? On zillow there looked to be a lot of great places for rent that were in my price range and checked a lot of the boxes on my list.

I despise traffic and have been reading on here that it's horrible in Tampa?

I'll likely fly down this summer to check the areas out. I like the idea of living closer to the mx tracks by living in Tampa, especially since it seems things are more spread out and you actually are likely to have a decently long driveway for a camper to fit. And if there's the desire to spend a weekend enjoying the crazy nightlife, South Beach Miami isn't too far away.

Based on this, what are some recommendations for areas to check out?

[NoScript34]

Regarding wildlife:

How bad are are the snakes/spiders/insects/mosquitoes on the west side and inland into the rural areas? If I camp for a weekend at an mx track am I going to have to lay down repellent around my campsite?

When visiting Naples, we were told of pygmy rattlers being extremely venomous and they're often found in the lawn. How much of a problem are those? Have also heard stories of certain snake varieties meandering their way out onto the Gulf when seas are calm?

I generally don't have a problem with gators since you can usually see them

[Veniceman]

I've lived in Florida since 2013 and have never seen a pygmy rattler. The only poisonous snake I've seen was an eastern diamondback rattler and that was on a bike path in a rural area. You are very unlikely to encounter a poisonous snake in florida unless you are traipsing around in the brush, wading through swamps, or have brush piles in your yard. You are most likely going to encounter black racers and perhaps a corn snake. Both are harmless. I've not heard of any poisonous snakes in the Gulf but we do get jellyfish now and then. Not often though.

At your age I would think you would be happier living in a larger city such as Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando or perhaps Miami. Those cities would have more nightlife. Boca Raton was a nice city but I have not been there in a long time. I visited nearby DelRay Beach last December and I thought it was very nice. I don't think there is much night life there, though. Gainesville might be suitable to you given that it is a college town. Most college towns have some bars where young people hang out. I'm an old guy, though, so what the heck do I know. As for Naples, I'm not sure if that would be a good fit for a younger person. From what I can see of it I think it is a city made for old folks. I think it's on the expensive side too.

If you do a search on this site you will find lots of threads on relocating to Florida. Your questions will get answered if you read those threads. There isn't a week that goes by that someone from up north posts asking about relocating to Florida. Usually the posters are older than you. You sound as if you have decent resources and a job that provides income so that's a big factor. Many people come here with neither and don't fare too well.

As for traffic, it is bad along the I95 and I75 corridors that run up and down the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. I4 going from Tampa to Orlando is bad too. Florida has more than 20 million people plus we get snowbirds and tourists to boot. At times it seems like all of them are trying to access the highways here at once. If you live around any major city you will encounter a lot of traffic. The farther you get away from the coasts the traffic will subside.

[kidyankee764]

I’d suggest you look at Fort Lauderdale. It’s young, a ton going on, and a bit cheaper than Miami. Tampa is a good suggestion too.

Re the previous poster comparing 95 to 75 traffic - you can’t compare. 95 from about Miami to Boca is horrendously congested, whereas 75 away from Tampa is a breeze.

WPB, Wellington, Jupiter, Sarasota aren’t really the ideal places for someone like you, IMO.

[markjames68]

Fort Lauderdale or Tampa would be my suggestion far above Naples.

Naples is clean, safe and extremely popular with Midwest snowbirds. Great golf and beaches. But yes, nightlife is lacking as are single young people.

Also, coming down in the heat of summer is an excellent idea. You might find that a place a bit further north works better than Miami or Naples due to the heat and humidity.

[Veniceman]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I’d suggest you look at Fort Lauderdale. It’s young, a ton going on, and a bit cheaper than Miami. Tampa is a good suggestion too.

Re the previous poster comparing 95 to 75 traffic - you can’t compare. 95 from about Miami to Boca is horrendously congested, whereas 75 away from Tampa is a breeze.

WPB, Wellington, Jupiter, Sarasota aren’t really the ideal places for someone like you, IMO.

Even though I95 is worse than I75 it is still congested from Tampa heading south. I agree that as you travel north out of Tampa on I75 the traffic lessens. Traffic in our area (Sarasota)county is not good in season. Not too bad in summer. People from the Atlantic side have been steadily moving into the Gulf Coast region to escape the east coast congestion. Eventually this side will be bad year around. The Venice area population has exploded in the past 5 years.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by Veniceman

If you do a search on this site you will find lots of threads on relocating to Florida. Your questions will get answered if you read those threads. There isn't a week that goes by that someone from up north posts asking about relocating to Florida. Usually the posters are older than you. You sound as if you have decent resources and a job that provides income so that's a big factor. Many people come here with neither and don't fare too well.

Great post
OP - consider coming down and checking out the more populated areas at the peak of season as well as the summer so that you get a perspective not based on coming down for vacation (as I'm sure you're aware being on vacation and living here are very different experiences.

As someone who moved down here from Wisconsin years ago.. I'd suggest you focus on the west coast of the state. That being said, spend time in Ft Lauderdale as well.

[beach43ofus]

Northern suburbs of Tampa is the place for you. I lived there, and so long as you stay in the Northern burbs Tampa's nice. Look from Carrolwood North. Some 'burbs East of Tampa are nice too (Fishhawk Ranch), but then you are getting too far from downtown nightlife and will find yourself paying tolls to use the Selmon Pkwy a lot to travel East-West.

SE Florida is very densely populated and that means bad traffic. I lived in Boca 30+ years ago and it was A+ back then, but when I return now, its unrecognizable, crowded, with bad traffic. I couldn't live there now. Spanish speakers are beginning to move in to Boca too, and if that proliferates... Walking through Town Center Mall, you'll commonly hear Spanish being spoken my best pal tells me. He's been there for ~40 years...since college at FAU. He still loves it, but constantly complains to me about I-95 traffic. Downtown Delray is A+ for nightlife, Delray's just North of Boca. If you want to look there, maybe search just North of Delray, or Eastern Delray <20 minutes from Atlantic Ave @ US1. I think Boynton Beach is the next town North of Delray. Dont go too fr East because getting to I-95 can be horrendous.

Aside from Delray & Boynton in SE Florida, I wouldn't live South of Jupiter. Too crowded. My SIL lives in Jupiter, and she loves it, but she's inside a high end gated golf community, with all the retail she needs just outside the gate. Her 2,200 sq ft home costs $1.2M. Its crowded in season.

Anything South of Tampa in SW Florida is a 50+ snoozefest...I live there now. Not for younger single people at all. Families are starting to move into Eastern Venice, but its not for singles.

[NoScript34]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

I forgot to mention that I will be a snowbird to an extent. Spending most of my time in in FL (from mid/late Sept through April/early-mid May). And if things go as planned, I would get a 2nd place in MN and enjoying the 2.5 months of summer we get because the motocross racing in MN is some of the best in the nation, great tracks, great sanctioning body/organization, etc. There is also not much mx racing during the summer months in FL w/ the exception of the pro national race at WW Ranch in June. I thoroughly love the heat & humidity though and if there is ever the occasional cold front (have had periods in July with highs in the 50s) I'd be on a plane back to FL as fast as possible.

Originally Posted by Veniceman

I've lived in Florida since 2013 and have never seen a pygmy rattler. The only poisonous snake I've seen was an eastern diamondback rattler and that was on a bike path in a rural area. You are very unlikely to encounter a poisonous snake in florida unless you are traipsing around in the brush, wading through swamps, or have brush piles in your yard. You are most likely going to encounter black racers and perhaps a corn snake. Both are harmless. I've not heard of any poisonous snakes in the Gulf but we do get jellyfish now and then. Not often though.

At your age I would think you would be happier living in a larger city such as Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando or perhaps Miami. Those cities would have more nightlife. Boca Raton was a nice city but I have not been there in a long time. I visited nearby DelRay Beach last December and I thought it was very nice. I don't think there is much night life there, though. Gainesville might be suitable to you given that it is a college town. Most college towns have some bars where young people hang out. I'm an old guy, though, so what the heck do I know. As for Naples, I'm not sure if that would be a good fit for a younger person. From what I can see of it I think it is a city made for old folks. I think it's on the expensive side too.

If you do a search on this site you will find lots of threads on relocating to Florida. Your questions will get answered if you read those threads. There isn't a week that goes by that someone from up north posts asking about relocating to Florida. Usually the posters are older than you. You sound as if you have decent resources and a job that provides income so that's a big factor. Many people come here with neither and don't fare too well.

As for traffic, it is bad along the I95 and I75 corridors that run up and down the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. I4 going from Tampa to Orlando is bad too. Florida has more than 20 million people plus we get snowbirds and tourists to boot. At times it seems like all of them are trying to access the highways here at once. If you live around any major city you will encounter a lot of traffic. The farther you get away from the coasts the traffic will subside.

I'll have to do more research on snakes (yikes) to see what the harmless ones look like. They control rats/mice though which is a plus

How about spiders in/around houses? Is there a high likelihood that if I open up the door to a closet I'll find a giant black widow? Or if my camper's parked in my driveway they'll be infiltrating the interior?

Gainesville is in great proximity to the mx tracks - one of the largest amateur national mx races is held during Thanksgiving week at Gatorback Cycle Park just outside Alachua/Newberry. However, it's a bit further from the coast than I prefer.

Naples is out. It wasn't on my radar for somewhere to live, but I had visited there.

I've read through a bunch of the posts regarding northerns moving to FL, no one had mentioned motocross racing as an interest and the location of the race tracks being a deciding factor of moving, so that's why I posted but I will continue to dig through the forum and read more.

As much as I hate traffic, I can deal with it if it means I'm somewhere warm and have options on doing something outside vs. sitting in traffic -20 temps or a snowstorm & there's nothing to do outside.

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I’d suggest you look at Fort Lauderdale. It’s young, a ton going on, and a bit cheaper than Miami. Tampa is a good suggestion too.

Re the previous poster comparing 95 to 75 traffic - you can’t compare. 95 from about Miami to Boca is horrendously congested, whereas 75 away from Tampa is a breeze.

WPB, Wellington, Jupiter, Sarasota aren’t really the ideal places for someone like you, IMO.

I've been in/around Ft Lauderdale when visiting Boca Raton (an aunt has lived there for 20+ years & I've visited 3 or 4 times when I was younger), I love the area. If I could find a place around there with ample space to park a camper or a reputable storage facility similar to one we have here in MN (https://www.parkplacestorage.net) that'd be on the top of my list. A further drive north to the MX tracks isn't a deal breaker as I thoroughly enjoy driving.

What about WPB, Wellington, Jupiter & Sarasota aren't ideal?

Originally Posted by markjames68

Fort Lauderdale or Tampa would be my suggestion far above Naples.

Naples is clean, safe and extremely popular with Midwest snowbirds. Great golf and beaches. But yes, nightlife is lacking as are single young people.

Also, coming down in the heat of summer is an excellent idea. You might find that a place a bit further north works better than Miami or Naples due to the heat and humidity.

Naples is out. Was fun to visit but I'm a bit underaged to live there.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't northern regions & the Gulf side and inland area, hotter & more humid during the summer but since they don't have the Atlantic coastal breezes?

Originally Posted by Veniceman

Even though I95 is worse than I75 it is still congested from Tampa heading south. I agree that as you travel north out of Tampa on I75 the traffic lessens. Traffic in our area (Sarasota)county is not good in season. Not too bad in summer. People from the Atlantic side have been steadily moving into the Gulf Coast region to escape the east coast congestion. Eventually this side will be bad year around. The Venice area population has exploded in the past 5 years.

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

Great post
OP - consider coming down and checking out the more populated areas at the peak of season as well as the summer so that you get a perspective not based on coming down for vacation (as I'm sure you're aware being on vacation and living here are very different experiences.

As someone who moved down here from Wisconsin years ago.. I'd suggest you focus on the west coast of the state. That being said, spend time in Ft Lauderdale as well.

Will likely visit during this summer to scope things out. Whereabouts do you reside on the west coast side?

Anything in particular about Ft Lauderdale you like vs. the west coast?

I visited Boca Raton during Christmas in 08 with the family, long time ago but I remember traffic being crazy.

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Northern suburbs of Tampa is the place for you. I lived there, and so long as you stay in the Northern burbs Tampa's nice. Look from Carrolwood North. Some 'burbs East of Tampa are nice too (Fishhawk Ranch), but then you are getting too far from downtown nightlife and will find yourself paying tolls to use the Selmon Pkwy a lot to travel East-West.

I'll look into northern Tampa. The eastern suburbs seem pretty far from Tampa but about the same distance to beaches in Bradenton as they are to Clearwater Beach.

Is it safe to say the majority of the northern Tampa suburbs are all good as far as crime rates, good places to live, etc.?

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

SE Florida is very densely populated and that means bad traffic. I lived in Boca 30+ years ago and it was A+ back then, but when I return now, its unrecognizable, crowded, with bad traffic. I couldn't live there now. Spanish speakers are beginning to move in to Boca too, and if that proliferates... Walking through Town Center Mall, you'll commonly hear Spanish being spoken my best pal tells me. He's been there for ~40 years...since college at FAU. He still loves it, but constantly complains to me about I-95 traffic. Downtown Delray is A+ for nightlife, Delray's just North of Boca. If you want to look there, maybe search just North of Delray, or Eastern Delray <20 minutes from Atlantic Ave @ US1. I think Boynton Beach is the next town North of Delray. Dont go too fr East because getting to I-95 can be horrendous.

I'll have to look into Delray.

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Aside from Delray & Boynton in SE Florida, I wouldn't live South of Jupiter. Too crowded. My SIL lives in Jupiter, and she loves it, but she's inside a high end gated golf community, with all the retail she needs just outside the gate. Her 2,200 sq ft home costs $1.2M. Its crowded in season.

Anything South of Tampa in SW Florida is a 50+ snoozefest...I live there now. Not for younger single people at all. Families are starting to move into Eastern Venice, but its not for singles.

Most of SW FL is off my list for that reason.

I'd have no problem with a gated community, provided they have no issues w/ a 44' camper in my driveway. Not sure of many that would allow this though.

[markjames68]

FYI regarding heat and humidity - once you’re more than a couple of miles inland the Atlantic breeze doesn’t do much.