Please help with your thoughts on a couple cities/counties (Tampa: home, best schools)

[LAS4]

Here is a little about us:

We have a son who be entering his last year of middle school who is gifted but does have low executive functioning. He loves technology. We also have a 4 year old daughter who will be entering PK. I would like to enroll her in a school that is bilingual (if possible) as she is leaning Spanish now and grasping it fast.

We love spending time at the beach and doing things as a family. My husband and I love hockey and football. My son likes to watch soccer. My daughter loves to dance, sing, and act. She also appears to love any sport thrown her way.

We are looking for a safe, family friendly community and housing for under $500,000. I know that finding the "right school" for each family can be challenging and unique to that family, but if anyone has any recommendations based on the above - I am happy to hear from you.

I was in law enforcement for 15 years prior to being posted overseas 2 years ago and I currently have a federal job. I would like to stay in investigations or with the federal system when we rotate back.

I have never been anywhere in Florida with exception to Orlando, so I have no point of reference on our three options.

Here is why I ask:

My family is rotating back home to the United States (husband was posted over seas) and possibly relocating to Florida in July. I need some perspectives regarding the above on the three areas that we can choose from:

Saint John's County
Tampa area
West Palm Beach area

I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you very much.

[Brover]

I lived in Sarasota for a short while and traveled back and forth to Tampa quite often. Not to my liking. Too scary for my tastes.
I don't know anything about SJ's county

So obviously my vote is for West Palm Beach.

Where are you from originally? That may help.

[LAS4]

Thanks for your reply!

We are from Wilmington NC but have been stationed in Guayaquil, Ecuador for just over two years.

[Fl1150]

St. Johns County has some of the best schools in Florida so take that into consideration but depending on a number of factors you might be more comfortable in Palm Beach County. Like for instance not to make this political but St. Johns is a lot more conservative than PBC which IMO is more liberal.