Nature Coast? (Tampa, Orlando, Hernando: house, live in, prices)

[tresjolie3]

Good morning from the Big Apple.
Is anyone familiar with the "Nature Coast?" I am assuming that this is the right forum. If not, please correct me and move this post.
This area is north of Tampa Bay, and if I'm not mistaken includes Citrus County.
We are being lured by romantic claims that this is the real Florida; it is clean and unspoiled; and lush with manatees, birds and other wildlife.
Is this just another name for SWAMP or is it for real?
Has anyone relocated/retired there?
Thank you.
TJ3

[Mike1306]

The Nature Coast starts in Pasco and heads north. Pasco is pretty built up but still has some nice nature areas but once you get past SR 50 in Hernando Cty it gets very nice.

Yes there is some swamp but that is the real Florida. You have many inland forest areas, coastal salt marsh, natural springs, rivers for canoeing, manatee areas and more.
If I walk about 1/4 mile from my house I am in the beginning of about 6000 acres of preserve.

If you are looking for nature you can find it in Hernando, Cirtus, Levy etc.
There will be some built out areas but you just need to look around and see where you like.

Edit: I am also originally from The Bronx, where are you in The Big Apple?

[daniellefort]

I live in Inverness and just yesterday, a wild turkey was running across my yard. We have seen lots of birds, turtles, rabbits, fox in our own yard and we are just 1 mile out of downtown inverness. This used to be the secret town in FL nobody knew about but it was discovered a couple years ago and has grown a little bit but there is a lot of protected forestry in Citrus County still so not much more can be developed.

[Sunnydee]

Yes, I went down to Citrus County in February for an exploratory trip because I, too, heard all of the claims and wanted to see it for myself. I have to say it was beautiful, treed, and hilly. It's the only place in Florida that I've been to that was hilly. I did see the manatees in the Crystal River and enjoyed the natural beauty of the area. The home and lot prices are good there, but remember that if you move there you will be about an hour and a half from a major airport. This may not matter to you, but for me it is an issue. Go down, check it out, and have a great time doing it!

[daniellefort]

yeah it takes me 1 hour 15 minutes from Inverness to the Tampa airport using the Suncoast Parkway. But then again it's a good central location too because
I-75 and the FL turnpike are 15 minutes away too making getting to Orlando possible in 45 minutes.

[mikenbacismama]

Hi! I live in Weeki Wachee/Brooksville, which is part of the Nature Coast. We moved here from Las Vegas, but are originally from Ozone Park, NY. I think this general area is quite nice, our house is in a quiet area with only 1 other on our block.

It's not for everybody, and jobs/business are tough to come by or establish. Sorry to say, but there's a lot of really cheap people here that don't appreciate quality. But, if we can finally get the ball rolling, we plan to make this our home for a long time.

Good luck!

[McMar]

The Nature Coast is stunningly beautiful, so you should definitely plan a visit. I only make it to the area about once a year, but I cram as much activity into that week as possible - hiking, biking, visiting history-based museums, eating fresh local seafood, visiting festivals, swimming in the springs. I love the laid back lifestyle of the more rural areas and small towns, and the mix of dilapidated old Florida homes with the fancy new ones on stilts and restored cottages. The tidal marshes and rivers are havens for shore birds. Don't miss visiting as many natural springs as you can (many are in state parks), and tubing down the Itchetucknee River is one of things you must do at least once in your life. It is so serene. You'll witness numerous bird species and turtles perched on logs as you lazily float down the river. I could spend my lifetime exploring the area and still not see everything I want to. Some of my favorite spots: Micanopy, Cedar Key, Yankeetown, Paine's Prairie State Park, Manatee Springs State Park, O'Leno State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park. If you are looking into relocating to the area, a couple of areas that still seem very affordable are Old Town (awesome vintage homes) and Crystal River. I have only driven through a corner of Inverness, but it has a lot of charm and a lot to offer.

[mg83]

Aw, I was just in Cedar Key on Saturday. There was an art festival going on. Beautiful weather... beautiful day. Then I had to come back to Atlanta aka hell on earth.

I love "old" natural Florida. I hope in the years down the road it remains protected... everyone keep telling the Northerners that South and SW Florida are THE places to go in FL.


Oh, I LOVE Manatee Springs... do a quick Google image search on it.

[tresjolie3]

Sounds wonderful. I won't tell any of the other Northerners.

[NatureCoastFL]

Originally Posted by tresjolie3

Sounds wonderful. I won't tell any of the other Northerners.

Yes it is. But make sure you visit first to see if you can stand the heat. It does get quite oppresive in the summer.