Move from San Diego to Florida? (2013, neighborhoods, places to live)

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

the bugs are pretty terrible.

I advise you visit the place, in summer, to see if you can handle the subtropical heat, laser-like FL sun and brutal humidity of the place.

I totally agree with this part above.

[tonyinsd]

Yep. You leave San Diego for a week or two in the summer and when you get back, you will be like, holy crap, why the hell did I leave?

I went to visit my father for his birthday in July. The temps, while ridiculous for DC, were not out of line for Florida. And getting off that plane was like getting hit in the gut.

I don't know why people talk so much about how wonderful the four seasons are. Yes, heat and humidity that's so bad you basically need a shower as soon as you walk out the door and freezing temps, snow, and sleet are such WONDERFUL things.

[sfosyd]

In my opinion, San Diego is a much better place to live and if you have kids there is absolutely no contest.

You have much easier access to many more places in San Diego including mountains, wine country, big cities, desert. It is an eight hour drive from Florida to North Georgia and that's about it. From San Diego, you could be in Napa, Tahoe, San Francisco or camping in a pristine and isolated Baja beach. Brazil is still far from Miami. Is there really that much of a difference between a 14 hour flight and a nine hour flight? It's not like you can head there for the weekend.

In terms of crime, San Diego is one of the safest cities in the country while Florida cities are some of the most dangerous. In my opinion, the drivers in Florida are the worst in the country by far. Lots and lots of road rage mixed with senior citizens, latin americans, and displaced north easterners are not a good combination.

The schools and kid activities are much better in San Diego.

The economy is also better and more diversified in San Diego with slightly higher wages but this is offset by the state income tax rate and much higher cost of living. If you move to LA/SF the wages are much higher than Florida.

Good luck!

[Hawaii4evr]

Well, it's a five-hour longer flight from SoCal to Brazil, than from SoFla to Brazil. That's a lot more time. Besides, there's a better-sized Brazillian population in South FL than here in SoCal, and the weather in Miami is certainly more like Brazil.

[Ymla77]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

Well, it's a five-hour longer flight from SoCal to Brazil, than from SoFla to Brazil. That's a lot more time. Besides, there's a better-sized Brazillian population in South FL than here in SoCal, and the weather in Miami is certainly more like Brazil.

I agree with Hawaii4evr that the Brazilian population/community in South FL is much larger and close-knit than the one in San Diego. From what I remember, there is a pretty sizable community in Deerfield Beach (right next to Boca Raton). This could make transitioning into and adapting to the new area much easier for Laibella and her husband.

My husband and I didn't find the weather to be as horrible as we expected or even a deal breaker. I mean, yes, it does get super hot and humid in the summer -- but that's why anywhere you go, the A/C is cranked up to the max You go from your car, to the store, or the restaurant, or your friend's house... and the A/C is always going. You get plenty notice if there's a hurricane lurking by and earthquakes/tremors are uncommon. Oh, and large wildfires do happen in FL (there were two while I lived in St Pete).

Again, though, for us it wasn't so much about cultural diversity, the weather or the landscape. It was about how we experienced everyday life.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

Well, it's a five-hour longer flight from SoCal to Brazil, than from SoFla to Brazil. That's a lot more time. Besides, there's a better-sized Brazillian population in South FL than here in SoCal, and the weather in Miami is certainly more like Brazil.

No doubt it's quicker from Florida to Brazil but that's why I asked how often you are going. If it's a few times a year not a big deal going from California. If it's every month or twice a month that's another thing. NOT worth moving to Florida just for a shorter flight unless you're going back and forth all the time very often, IMHO.

[Reice03]

Before i got stationed here in the Navy i always thought San Diego has a nice diverse Latin Population come to find out i was dead wrong or im just in the wrong places, whenever i visit my sister in Fort Lauderdale i see all kinds of Latin people everywhere. So i am gonna try my hardest to move there whenever i get out the Navy. And from what the other poster said about Florida having horrible drivers i 100000% disagree i feel like i never seen so many bad drivers until i moved here in San Diego. I feel like everytime i driver here i gotta be on the lookout for someone else messing up on the road i seem to almost get hit by someone else every other day maybe its just Chula Vista but its pretty bad. My wife been down here for 3 months and she already got rear ended because it was drizzling outside i know it doesnt rain here alot but jeez as soon as some rain starts falling all heel breaks loose lol

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

In my opinion, San Diego is a much better place to live and if you have kids there is absolutely no contest.

I'm not sure about that at all. The lowish wages and much higher taxes and rent/housing costs in SD can make life for families at the median income or lower very tough...Even many in the higher income brackets have to make sacrifices in terms of housing that would be unheard of at similar income levels in other metro areas.

[JakeDog]

THey are both so different- South Florida is more like South America in weather and culture. San Diego has almost a mid-west on the coast vibe, although that is diminishing as it grows. Depends on what you like- but it will be VERY different.

[moved]

I agree with Tony.

You leave San Diego for a week or two in the summer or anytime, and when you get back, you will be like, holy crap, why the hell did I leave?

I went to visit a friend in Ocean City, MD in April of the second year that I lived here. It rained most of the time that I was there, and it was humid.

The four seasons are wonderful if you like heat and humidity that's so bad you basically need a shower as soon as you walk out the door and freezing temps, snow, and sleet.

They can keep it!