Considering Moving to Tampa from South Carolina… (Miami, Sarasota: theater, school)

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I disagree from the OP's perspective. Look at where she's lived...Tampa is plenty big.

I was in Tampa last night, & we had 75,000 fans in the Raymond James Foootball stadium for Ed Keeran & Khalid...the place was electric.

Tampa Bay has NFL, MLB, & NHL...that is big city stuff.

The Tampa Bay DMA is ranked higher than Miami:

https://ustvdb.com/seasons/2022-23/markets/

Tampa's airport is excellent to for flights back home. While in the Tampa Bay area, the OP should go to the waterfront in Downtown St. Pete. It's further from the TPA airport, but I think it has a more personal friendlier vibe than Tampa myself.

I've lived in both...Tampa, & St. Pete, & I attended college in SE Florida in Boca Raton, which isn't Miami, but has still become Spanish speaking , so if she doesn't speak Spanish, she may feel out of place at times.

My guess is she'll wind up near downtown St. Pete, or the Carolina's.

The Miami metro population is twice the size of Tampa.

The OP said: "I used to live in Miami from 2016-2020 and loved how much there is to do there."

There will be less to do in a smaller city like Tampa than in a bigger city like Miami. But let's wait to see how OP's visit goes to the GREAT METROPOLIS of Tampa. Perhaps Tampa is all she needs! Although personally I think she/he/they will regret living so far from family.

Tampa's airport being "excellent for flights home" all depends on the whims/schedules/pricing scams of the airlines.

[fernweh]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Tampa Bay has NFL, MLB, & NHL...that is big city stuff. .

THIS!!! I LOVE watching sporting events live. This is actually one of the main reasons I’d like to live in the Tampa area.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by fernweh

THIS!!! I LOVE watching sporting events live. This is actually one of the main reasons I’d like to live in the Tampa area.

Woo-hoo!

NFL/NHL are located in Tampa. MLB is located 30+ minutes from Tampa in downtown St. Pete which will require a nasty commute across bridges and various construction zones.

[fernweh]

Originally Posted by sinatras

The Miami metro population is twice the size of Tampa.

The OP said: "I used to live in Miami from 2016-2020 and loved how much there is to do there."

There will be less to do in a smaller city like Tampa than in a bigger city like Miami. But let's wait to see how OP's visit goes to the GREAT METROPOLIS of Tampa. Perhaps Tampa is all she needs! Although personally I think she/he/they will regret living so far from family.

I lived in SC from 2006-2016, then went to Miami from 2016-2020. Once covid destroyed my job, I moved back to SC. I mean, I don’t need to live in a huge city. Maybe I should have worded it better. There’s something always going on in the Miami area, whereas SC, not so much.

As for my family, they live in the country in the Upstate of South Carolina. They love being away from the crowds, which I want the exact opposite. I’m very close with my mom, but one positive note is that the local airport has direct flights to PIE. That’s the only reason why I’m contemplating moving to Tampa, as I’ll have a quick and easy way to visit family.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by fernweh

I lived in SC from 2006-2016, then went to Miami from 2016-2020. Once covid destroyed my job, I moved back to SC. I mean, I don’t need to live in a huge city. Maybe I should have worded it better. There’s something always going on in the Miami area, whereas SC, not so much.

As for my family, they live in the country in the Upstate of South Carolina. They love being away from the crowds, which I want the exact opposite. I’m very close with my mom, but one positive note is that the local airport has direct flights to PIE. That’s the only reason why I’m contemplating moving to Tampa, as I’ll have a quick and easy way to visit family.

Yep, then perhaps Tampa is perfect for you! As long as those flights keeping flying out of PIE of course.........at an affordable price.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by sinatras

The Miami metro population is twice the size of Tampa.

The OP said: "I used to live in Miami from 2016-2020 and loved how much there is to do there."

There will be less to do in a smaller city like Tampa than in a bigger city like Miami. But let's wait to see how OP's visit goes to the GREAT METROPOLIS of Tampa. Perhaps Tampa is all she needs! Although personally I think she/he/they will regret living so far from family.

Tampa's airport being "excellent for flights home" all depends on the whims/schedules/pricing scams of the airlines.

Bigger isnt better, and the DMA splits SE FLA up for a reason....Miami is separate from points North.

You said nothing about the Spanish speaking in SE Florida Why not? Are you unaware?

It's hard to be friendly w/ people who wpnt speak your language.

I feel strongly that Miami is NOT the optimal long term solutions to the Op's desires. She might try WPB though...the Spanish speakers have not overtaken that area...yet.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by fernweh

THIS!!! I LOVE watching sporting events live. This is actually one of the main reasons I’d like to live in the Tampa area.

You should have seen the Ed Sheeran & Khalid concert last night in Tampa...it was awesome.

The hockey experience in Tampa is unmatched....but expensive.

I've been to baseball games in St. Pete, but it lacks the crowds of most MLB parks...love the a/c though. I'm doing a 3 day Rays weekend in July to see the Braves series...can't wait. St. Pete is so cool.

I have not been to a Bucs football game in ~30 years, so cannot speak to that. The stadium is nice, and the city does a nice job of moving people in/out of that venue.

Tampa is a big sports town for football, and hockey, but not so much baseball, or basketball.

I lived in Downtown Tampa on Harbour Island in apartments that looked out over downtown, and the cruise ships going by, & its was the coolest place I've ever lived. They are now condo's. The view at night is amazing.

[sinatras]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Bigger isnt better, and the DMA splits SE FLA up for a reason....Miami is separate from points North.

You said nothing about the Spanish speaking in SE Florida Why not? Are you unaware?

It's hard to be friendly w/ people who wpnt speak your language.

I feel strongly that Miami is NOT the optimal long term solutions to the Op's desires. She might try WPB though...the Spanish speakers have not overtaken that area...yet.

Spanish? That's everywhere, not just Miami obviously.
Where do you live? Because when I'm in Tampa, I hear Spanish in every restaurant, store, doctors office and other place. I was in Sarasota for Mother's Day and half the restaurant at St. Armands Circle we were at (Shore Grill) was customers speaking Spanish. And of course all the employees all they do is speak Spanish as well.....as in most restaurants anywhere in this country; not sure you are aware of the labor shortages in this country???? And it seems like the only people who wanna work are Spanish speaking. Lucky for you that Desantis is trying to scare away all those workers!

I speak spanish, italian, french, english and a bit of swedish, so no sweat off my back to speak spanish in a doctors office

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by FL_Expert

Interesting, Countryside isn’t that bad like University or Tyrone but it’s definitely not good. Honestly, even international plaza isn’t good compared to some of the amazing malls I’ve visited abroad.

I agree 100% on Pinellas. It’s still my favorite county in Florida as a whole. Between the quasi-big city of St. Pete in the south, the charming small towns in the north, and all the beaches it’s hard to think of anywhere else that has so much to offer.

Mine too.

[Arcenal813]

Let’s cut the crap out here: No one in their right mind is going to go to Tampa and say it’s a “small city” lol.
My main gripe about the area is lack of dependable, GOOD transit.

Oh, also, the Tampa airport is by far my favorite in the state, and is the one I gravitate to most often.