Orlando or Tampa compared to Atlanta (Clearwater, Kissimmee: neighborhood, live in, malls)

[firmbizzle]

I agree with Arcenal and BMW. I've lived in all 3 cities. If you want all the things that ATL has to offer but warmer, go to Miami. I like Orlando because it has more to do than Atlanta minus the sports, there is a great airport to fly directly to major cities like Atlanta, it's cheaper and you share the city with 1/3 of the people. As long as your job isn't influenced by tourism, you'll be fine in Orlando. Tampa is a poor man's Miami, it's more of a region than a city, not a fan. Also keep in mind that there is a bullet train being built from Orlando to Miami, so you can have the best of both worlds.

[boy3365]

If you want a lateral transfer, then Fort Lauderdale/Miami is your best bet.

If you choose Tampa or Orlando, one good thing in that if something big is happening in the other area, it's a relatively easy commute depending on what area of the respective metro you live. I've driven to Tampa on a Friday after work for a couple of events before and come back the same night. I've gone to the Tampa Bay beaches and back in the same day, though my attitude toward doing that is changing as I get older. :-)

I think it could be getting better as both populations grow, but it seemed like for a while, some traveling events treated Orlando and Tampa as the same area. They wouldn't visit both places on the same tour. I don't know if that is fact for everything, but it seemed like the case for some things of interest to me. Of course, someone like Beyonce can pull off visiting both cities on consecutive days, but everyone can't do that.

If you're big into sports, you'd have to do the NBA and MLS in Orlando and then MLB, NFL, and NHL in Tampa. So if your favorite sports are basketball and football and you like to support the home town team in person, you'd be split. But if people can drive to Gainesville (2hrs from each) and Tallahassee (3-4 hours from each) for football games, then Orlando to Tampa (1.5 hours) is not that bad.

As far as the tourism comment is concerned, yes, I am worried about how that industry will recover. However, job wise and amenity wise, there's a whole metro area of 2.5 million people outside of the southwestern cluster of the metro that most outsiders consider to be Orlando. If you're an engineer or in some level of medicine, you'll be fine.

[MeTwoThree]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Instead of targeting Tampa I would focus on St Petersburg, which accounts for nearly half of the Tampa Bay metro area. It is on the coast and in most areas 15-20 minutes from the beach. Downtown St Pete is thriving and is full of cultural activities (great museums and galleries), an excellent food scene (restaurants and markets) as well as plenty of bars/breweries at night and lots of outdoor recreational options that include water sports (the downtown fronts on Tampa Bay) as well as bike paths (the Pinellas Trail starts/ends in downtown St Pete). It's downtown is a good bit more active and diverse than Orlando's which relies on bar traffic that's primarily dependent upon college students. Given this is the Orlando forum you're going to get the homers who think it's the best no matter what, and would urge you to seek at least some more balanced feedback from the Tampa Bay forum or Florida forum.

I’m a very long time lurker that moved from San Jose to Orlando a few years ago. I actually think the opposite is true. The Orlando forum doesn’t have many homers from what I’ve seen. I think most people are pretty accurate in their assessment. On the other hand, I’ve seen that you routinely say negative things about the Orlando area almost by default, so I think I would tell the OP to ignore your comments entirely in favor of more balanced feedback.

As far as the original question, Atlanta is not very similar to Orlando or Tampa. Miami is probably the closest similarity, but beware, the heat can be grueling and lasts almost the entire year. Miami has most of the megacity amenities with all of the drawbacks. I would prefer to stay in Atlanta. Of Orlando and Tampa though, I’d choose Orlando if you’re looking for something close to Atlanta. Again, Orlando isn’t close, but it’s closer than Tampa. St. Pete has an incredible downtown and is close to beaches, but the cost of living is very high and most of the neighborhoods are unkempt.

This is all to say, stay in Atlanta.

[mosborne39]

Thanks for the replies. And it makes sense that the Miami area was most similar to Atlanta due to population, etc.

[kingsdl76]

Neither Orlando or Tampa... If you must choose one of those 2 regions, then choose St. Petersburg... Probably the best downtown in all of Florida (of course things have slowed a bit due to Covid)... Great beaches nearby - Clearwater, St Pete Beach, Pass-a-Grill.. St. Petersburg is like a smaller San Diego... I would seriously visit the city before making a decision...

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MeTwoThree

I’m a very long time lurker that moved from San Jose to Orlando a few years ago. I actually think the opposite is true. The Orlando forum doesn’t have many homers from what I’ve seen. I think most people are pretty accurate in their assessment. On the other hand, I’ve seen that you routinely say negative things about the Orlando area almost by default, so I think I would tell the OP to ignore your comments entirely in favor of more balanced feedback.

Apparently you missed out on the definition of balanced feedback, which unfortunately Suzy Sunshine includes negative aspects as well which by the way....are not inaccurate.

[Ichetucknee]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

When I'm thinking of Downtown Orlando, this is more what I'm thinking about, as Orange Ave and its trashy rowdiness is not for me.

I really despise downtown Orlando on weekends and at nights -- especially when they block the streets to traffic so a mix of drunk and ghetto/homeless people can wander around. It's gross.

Outside of our ghetto downtown, I like Orlando better than Tampa. Most Orlando natives I know agree. But Tampa is bigger and has better beaches (although not really that much closer in terms of time than Orlando). Orlando has far more lakes and is better for freshwater activities if you're into that sort of thing.

[cjairo191]

Originally Posted by Ichetucknee

I really despise downtown Orlando on weekends and at nights -- especially when they block the streets to traffic so a mix of drunk and ghetto/homeless people can wander around. It's gross.

Outside of our ghetto downtown, I like Orlando better than Tampa. Most Orlando natives I know agree. But Tampa is bigger and has better beaches (although not really that much closer in terms of time than Orlando). Orlando has far more lakes and is better for freshwater activities if you're into that sort of thing.

Orlando has a better downtown right now. Tampa is catching up but has a long way to go. Still that work only vide, but improving.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Ichetucknee

I really despise downtown Orlando on weekends and at nights -- especially when they block the streets to traffic so a mix of drunk and ghetto/homeless people can wander around. It's gross.

Outside of our ghetto downtown, I like Orlando better than Tampa. Most Orlando natives I know agree. But Tampa is bigger and has better beaches (although not really that much closer in terms of time than Orlando). Orlando has far more lakes and is better for freshwater activities if you're into that sort of thing.

If ever you're out there again, stay clear of Orange Ave (and immediate adjacent blocks.) Yes, that can become disgusting. Unfortunately, one of my go-to's happens to be in the middle of that (Corona's) but otherwise, I avoid it at all costs.

Go East along Central and Pine, East of Rosalind. MUCH nicer, cleaner, not as rowdy, still active, less homeless, much less ghetto, etc. It's really not that bad. Probably as close to a Midtown vibe as we have in Florida.

[tricon7]

Just so you know, Tampa Bay is twice the population of metro Orlando. I've lived in both, and Orlando, though large, isn't nearly as busy and congested as Tampa Bay. FYI, Pinellas County (where Clearwater and St. Pete are) is the most densely populated county in all of Florida. However, I live in Clearwater and am in a nice, quiet neighborhood, and anything I need or want is only a five or ten minute drive from me. The bay is one mile east from my house and six miles to the beach. I do miss the open spaces that Orlando offers, so it's a give and take. Winters in both places are very mild. The coldest I ever experienced in either was 33 degrees once, then the temp rocketed back up.