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Old 04-22-2010, 10:25 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 82,659 times
Reputation: 17

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Hi everyone-
I just returned from an awesome visit to the area! Much thanks to everyone who chimed in with recommendations and directions, esp TampaGuy, Keeper, and NiceGuy. You all helped me greatly.

I really, really liked downtown and Old Northeast in St Pete.
I also liked Hyde Park/Soho and Bayshore in Tampa. And I thought Ybor was fun and charming. I'm also considering Channelside b/c it's kind of in the middle of those (altho quite pricey).

Here's my quandry..... St Pete or Tampa.

I think I liked St Pete a little more, but I think Tampa might have more in terms of nightlife and general 'things to do' options, which may make it easier for me to meet people/make friends. I won't know anyone when I move there this fall (and it's looking more and more likely that I'm going to make it happen ). So, for the locals - what do you recommend? Is it easier to meet single thirty-somethings in Tampa?

Thank you!
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Old 04-22-2010, 11:01 AM
 
16,904 posts, read 36,651,739 times
Reputation: 22614
This is just my opinion, but I think you will enjoy living in the Tampa area more, there is more to do, it has more of an "urban" feel and I think you will meet more people there. It is easy enough to travel to St. Pete on occasion, but for your situation, everyday living in the areas you are considering in Tampa can't be beat.

Good luck on whatever you decide, the area has a lot to offer!
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Old 04-22-2010, 08:11 PM
 
25 posts, read 163,802 times
Reputation: 35
i much prefer st pete, but i'm biased since i grew up here. tampa always seems more cliqueish to me, but i could be wrong. if it were me i'd decide based on where i'd be working. crossing that bridge 2x a day gets old, and is expensive now, and if gas goes back up again you'll be kicking yourself.
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Old 04-23-2010, 02:20 PM
 
Location: The 'burg
428 posts, read 1,422,597 times
Reputation: 279
St. Pete has much more nightlife and things to do within close distance of each other. Whereas Tampa has more 'total' nightlife things to do, but they are spread out.

St. Pete is far closer to the beaches if that's weight factor in your decision.
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Old 04-23-2010, 11:23 PM
 
Location: South Tampa - Bayside West Neighborhood
1,824 posts, read 8,077,295 times
Reputation: 1034
To me, Tampa is the big brother to St. Pete, the little sister. Tampa has the major concerts, sports, performing arts, and several nightlife districts. St. pete has the same but smaller scale. Tampa is big business, and industrial, where as St pete is smaller business and more laid back, bohemian. its nice to have both so close to each other...I enjoy both!!
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Old 04-24-2010, 06:52 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
2,637 posts, read 12,250,278 times
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I know some people who live in St. Pete within walking distance of the pier and restaurants and shops and such, and they just LOVE it. I personally love living in south Tampa and I'd probably place the SoHo/Hyde Park area as my top pick overall. Really I would say to go with your gut, and it sounds like you dig St. Pete. My only caveat is that you will not be as centrally located as you are in Tampa, but there is something to be said for a lovely ride across one of our beautiful bay bridges. So long as there isn't a carfire or something blocking traffic.

I would not recommend Ybor to anyone but serious party animals. Channelside would be a really fun place to live, but with all those failed condo projects I wouldn't move into that area right now. Maybe in a few years when business picks back up. One of the things to remember is that downtown living is a very new thing for Tampa and there just aren't that many services available yet for residents of downtown.
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Old 04-24-2010, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Sacramento CA
1,342 posts, read 1,958,763 times
Reputation: 295
Quote:
Originally Posted by martinigal97 View Post
Hi everyone-
I just returned from an awesome visit to the area! Much thanks to everyone who chimed in with recommendations and directions, esp TampaGuy, Keeper, and NiceGuy. You all helped me greatly.

I really, really liked downtown and Old Northeast in St Pete.
I also liked Hyde Park/Soho and Bayshore in Tampa. And I thought Ybor was fun and charming. I'm also considering Channelside b/c it's kind of in the middle of those (altho quite pricey).

Here's my quandry..... St Pete or Tampa.

I think I liked St Pete a little more, but I think Tampa might have more in terms of nightlife and general 'things to do' options, which may make it easier for me to meet people/make friends. I won't know anyone when I move there this fall (and it's looking more and more likely that I'm going to make it happen ). So, for the locals - what do you recommend? Is it easier to meet single thirty-somethings in Tampa?

Thank you!

Although both are real good, I made my decision on which one I'll be moving to. TAMPA.

One reason why, not a huge concern at all but less homeless in Tampa.

Another.. St Pete has a great downtown, but it has noise ordinances I believe and some of St Pete downtowns outskirts off 34th st N seem not as desirable. Downtown area is the place to be if in St Pete and Pinellas Id live in, albeit farther from downtown. VERY TOUGH CALL THOUGH.

I actually like both places equally, but to live, Id pick Tampa. Its old, gritty although both cities are.. see its even a hard decision for me, but I am still going with Tampa as the place to live. St pete is never far to visit. maybe 30 minutes +. I like the fact Tampa has historic Ybor and how its Cigar City. I also like the fact the Ritz and Crowbar and all the Ybor venues arent the only ones.. theres also Skippers Smokehouse to hear nice blues and good concerts. I really like Ringside in St Pete too though. both cities should be in one imo since it can be a hard call.

As far as coffee shops go, I like St Petes selection better and I do like their beer bars more including Uptown or what was Uptown. although I do like New World Brewery. Like for instance Downtown Tampa has this wicked cookie cutter coffee shop that I didnt like. I forget what it was called but it had a blue sign and it was clearly newer looking. Ybor has King Corona which I really like. Ybor has Tre Amici which I like a bit too. I do like Bohemia in St Pete just as much or maybe better and I surely like the Globe, but then I hear they had a sanitation problem.. again. things even out ALMOST in this category.

I also dont know which is better as far as walkability either.. Tampa or St Pete.. tough one again. Id say its a tie. The downtowns are very walkable and Tampa Downtown to Ybor is very closeby. St Petes downtown is walkable for sure and you can walk and get to some places too. I still pick Tampa though because down the road, Tampa will be the big transit player if they ever improve anything in the area so.. Tampa gets my vote as the place to live.
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Old 04-25-2010, 04:02 AM
 
5,366 posts, read 6,019,154 times
Reputation: 3345
Tampa has significantly more young adults that St. Pete, so the night life is a bit better, but St. Pete has the beaches close by. I live in Tampa, but I might vote St. Pete on this one. I just went to an awesome night club over in St. Pete tonight. The crowd is much more laid back. If you go out to a social scene in Tampa, everyone is wearing their nicest cloths. Tonight, I'd say half the bar was in shorts and sandals. I thought it was fun! The two cities are so similar to each other. You can't go wrong with either one.
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Old 04-25-2010, 09:55 PM
 
Location: North Pinellas
627 posts, read 1,294,875 times
Reputation: 638
To me...
Tampa is more fast paced where as St Pete is more slow paced.
You will find many more professional, corporate ladder climber people in Tampa and more laid back hippie minded people in St Pete.
If the beach is a selling point then St Pete is definitely closer
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Old 04-26-2010, 12:41 AM
 
Location: Sacramento CA
1,342 posts, read 1,958,763 times
Reputation: 295
Quote:
Originally Posted by kdubose View Post
To me...
Tampa is more fast paced where as St Pete is more slow paced.
You will find many more professional, corporate ladder climber people in Tampa and more laid back hippie minded people in St Pete.
If the beach is a selling point then St Pete is definitely closer

Myself, I am a cross between these 2. I want to move up in the world and make my way yet my dream vehicle is a Volkswagen bus and I do like long hair on guys and am growing mine now. I dont smoke pot though much like someone who wants to get ahead. I dont agree with the whole wake and bake every day lifestyle that some in St Pete might. I like St Pete, but Tampa is the city for me. I like it more career minded but also free thinking at the same time much like me. I dont like conservative places by any stretch but not tons and tons of homeless everywhere either.
I also found I could take the beach or leave it and dont go enough to where I can say I need to live near a beach. For the amount I go, Id live in Tampa and just travel to St Pete or Clearwater to go every once a yr or 2 times a yr. I think people in Tampa go to St Pete or Clearwater for beaches, not sure. Maybe Apollo if thats even really a beach.. I don't know.
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