Biggest adjustment when relocating to JAX (Jacksonville, Orlando: apartments, to rent, house)

[osgoor]

Hi all,

My wife and I are relocating to Jacksonville for a contract job for me. We are hoping that we will like the area and want to stay. We currently live in Minneapolis, MN and love many things about this city except winter and politics. Winter is too cold and the politics are too blue for my liking.

What did you find was your biggest adjustment when you moved to Jacksonville and how did you overcome it.

Thanks!

[hlauburn]

I've lived all over the South, so Jax wasn't a huge adjustment for me, but coming from MN, the weather is going to be a definite change! A good portion of the year is HOT...and not just hot, but humid hot! There are several months that you just don't want to be outside unless you're at the pool or the beach. Fortunately, both are close by, so that's a plus!

Although I doubt you'll feel the same way, I was shocked at how cold it could get in the winter. Of course, nothing compared to MN, I'm sure, but there were days last year that I had to keep reminding myself I was in Florida...pretty chilly!

Anyway, good luck with the move and I hope you enjoy Jax

[MiamiRob]

Well you can rest assure that there is nothing "blue" about JAX. It has to be the most conservative major city in Florida Moderator cut: snip

[bmfphaedrus]

The heat is absolutely going to kill you for awhile. I came here from northern Ohio and it took me several years to truly adjust to how hot it gets here during the summer. Don't get me wrong, it's worth it though. At this point you couldn't pay me to be subjected to a real winter.

[mallen14298]

Coming from MN, you are going to love it. Some of my co-workers are from there and they said they will NEVER go back to MN. For the most part, the weather is great, mostly sunny every now and then showers come through, but nothing serious and hurricanes almost always avoid Jax, so those are nothing to worry about. As far as the apartments, I lived in Yulee, which is North of the city and rural, yet growing so if you want to get away from the "big city" then that's a good place to look. As far as the city, there is almost always something to do, from the football games, to events happening in the parks. I'm sure you will enjoy it!

[osgoor]

Thanks for the feedback. I am worried about the summer heat & humidity as well. We did find a house to rent off of Orange Picker Road in Mandarin. It has a pool and jucuzzi so my summers are set. If all goes well job wise we will be looking to buy a place somewhere around this time next year.

So far, I am diggn the blue skys and that thing you call the sun.

[Keeper]

This is not the place to discuss politics other than stating the general trend of a city or state

[islandtimect]

Coming from a northern climate, I found the heat and humidity to be brutal from about May through Sep. We live near the beach, have a screened pool, and joined a beach club. But most days were just too hot/humid to enjoy being outdoors or running errands until the evening. I also found that certain time saving shopping conveniences aren't available here - grocery delivery from peapod, pre-ordering deli items, self checkouts, scanning your own groceries. So errands take longer than I was used to. And there is no Land's End! But you'll be only 2 1/2 hours from Orlando and all the major theme parks.

[fsquid]

My paycheck being bigger.

[grayrunner]

I came down here in 2001, wished I had gone straight to the Keys, but have a house near the ocean. I never get off the Intercoastal but I'm semi retired.

I lived in south mpls for 25 years. love the summers there.