Anyone in St. Pete/Tampa Bay who has also lived in (or spent time in) New Orleans? (houses)

[Tiger Beer]

Anyone in Tampa Bay who has also lived in New Orleans?

The reason I ask this is I've always been attracted to New Orleans because of the architecture and walkability among other reasons. St. Pete seems to be the one city in Florida that people mention as being a walkable Florida city. Walkable and basically having walkable neighborhoods would be a major criteria for me, so it has that, it's already good.

If someone else has lived in New Orleans, could you tell me some of the positives and things you much prefer about St. Pete/Tampa Bay area...maybe based on people, or any other factors you might think of, that makes you prefer one or the other more?

I'd put this on city vs city, but I'm quite interested to hear locals perspectives in the Tampa Bay area who are familiar with New Orleans specifically comparing the two.

I'm also curious on a Tampa Bay perspective of New Orleans as a complete and total city and not just the tourist area only of the French Quarter there. But people who'd be familiar with all aspects of the city, beyond just the experience of being a tourist in the French Quarter.

[rd711]

Ive lived on the coast of Mississippi and worked in NO..theres only one New Orleans. It's walkable, its atsy, it's full of culture and life, its business, its ghetto, its high end, its classy, its trashy, its beer and its wine..it's everything in one place. Ive found you either love New Orleans with all your heart or you hate it. I love it! It wasnt in the cards for me to live there but I have friends who do and I visit every chance I get

[SeaSpur]

While downtown St. Pete is pretty walkable...it doesn't compare to New Orleans where there is so much density in a downtown area. The living areas just aren't mixed into the "walkable" areas like in New Orleans. It's more walkable once you are in downtown St. Pete, if that makes sense.

[MAniacTHW]

Never lived in New Orleans, but I could tell from a three day visit that you will never get that experience anywhere in Florida. The closest you'll get would probably be Ybor and even that is a distant stretch.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

While downtown St. Pete is pretty walkable...it doesn't compare to New Orleans where there is so much density in a downtown area. The living areas just aren't mixed into the "walkable" areas like in New Orleans. It's more walkable once you are in downtown St. Pete, if that makes sense.

Yes, it does make sense! Thats the kind of info I was looking for!

I've been google mapping St. Pete, and much of it looks like large lots on wide streets! It does seem more walkable downtown and in the Old Northeast, but they seem like the exceptions. I am seeing stores on the major wide streets, but more the kind that you'd drive to, as opposed to walk to.

DOn't get me wrong, I quite like St. Pete, and am finding a lot of appealing things about it. But, it does seem that the 'walkability' that people attach to it, seems very relative to FLORIDA, and not necessary a reflection of being thought of as walkable when you compare it to real walkable cities.

Or so it seems. Still trying to figure it out, but your post was helpful.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Never lived in New Orleans, but I could tell from a three day visit that you will never get that experience anywhere in Florida. The closest you'll get would probably be Ybor and even that is a distant stretch.

More good info! I did visit Ybor, and it seemed VERY SMALL, and not very extensive. I mean, its a cool LITTLE neighborhood though, but would barely account for a 1% of New Orleans urbanity.

From the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like St. Pete would fare much better.

It's not my only criteria by any means, but good to know nonetheless.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

More good info! I did visit Ybor, and it seemed VERY SMALL, and not very extensive. I mean, its a cool LITTLE neighborhood though, but would barely account for a 1% of New Orleans urbanity.

From the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like St. Pete would fare much better.

It's not my only criteria by any means, but good to know nonetheless.

Like I said, VERY DISTANT. Ybor was built to be nothing more than a cigar shop. When Ybor realized that the Cubans he brought with him would work for a month and then go back home to their families, he built the shotgun style houses you see surrounding Ybor and sold them at cost. Now the Cuban workers could bring their families and continue working. Now that the city had a population, things like stores and clubs were needed. I imagine Ybor was a lot more extensive when the streetcars went further. Not so anymore.