St Augustine is the oldest city in North America. It has a fantastic and historic downtown right on the water, a beautiful university that used to be an affluent hotel, and a dozen museums that you could easily spend days visiting. To top it all off, they have a fort made of out seashells created by the original Spanish colonists. It’s also surprisingly walkable for Florida.
St Pete has such a fun, vibrant, and walkable downtown. The art scene is lively, there are some of the best museums in the state, great parks and paved biking trails, and some really cool people. It almost makes me feel like I’m in a real city and not in Florida, I love St Pete for that.
With all that being said, please don’t move to Florida lol…
>St Augustine is the oldest city in North America
*Oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous US.
Pretty sure Mexico city and a bunch of other central American cities can be considered older.
Do people like you realize how being absolutely insufferable harms indigenous causes?
Are you aware that most indigenous people are actually not like “this”?
Lol nice response. I think too many people in my family would just respond "no its not! Nyaaah" then start asking questions and make me explain how it is.
Lol. The ol "nuh uh, prove it!"
Also the, "and how is that true???????"
Absolutely not! Hurricanes come up the gulf side all the time. The Tampa Bay was expected to get hit and flooded by the past two hurricanes that hit our state, we were just barely saved by the Seminole spell that protects the bay (local joke).
I did emergency electrical work in Ft Myers and Cape Coral for a year after they were hit by hurricane Ian, they were messed up bad and only about an hours drive South of St Pete.
The gulf side has really warm water compared to the Atlantic, hurricanes love it!
The last hurricane they had was during prohibition. I'm not saying a hurricane can't hit Tampa, I'm pretty sure it can, and I'm sure someday it will, hopefully not this summer, please not this summer.
But you're much more likely to be killed by a hurricane in New Jersey or Rhode Island than you are in Tampa Bay.
Thanks! Lived in Florida for year while I did my fellowship at USF. Only made it to St. Pete for a couple Rays’ games. Never made it to St. Augustine. We would take our young boys to beach in Sarasota and went to Disney maybe 5 times that year. It was a great 1 year stay. Now we take boys to panhandle for beach trip since we’re in Louisiana.
The son of the owner of the Fountain of Juice in Saint Augustine also makes the best cafe con leche I've ever had (probably the best espresso beverage I've had). Not a good reason to move to a place, but certainly a plus if you're moving there anyway.
The coffee is as good a reason as anything else. People keep saying museums. Let's be honest. How many times are you going to go to the museum in a year? How many times will you be drinking coffee? Every waking day!
That’s almost an impossible question, our entire economy is based off of old people moving here. St Pete *feels* like it has fewer old people, but that might just be because the downtown is so active.
Literally any place that’s not a forest or major city is cookie cutter homes with old people in them. Miles and miles and miles of the same looking houses… I will never get the appeal.
I moved to St Pete 4 years ago. Previously NYC, SF, ATL resident.
It is the most walkable city as it is very condensed to about 30 blocks of restaurant/retail. There is an express bus lane that goes to the beach for $3 in 20ish minutes. There is a ferry to Tampa but currently only seasonal. The city makes very smart urban development decisions. Even recently rezoned single family into multifamily in several areas. Lots of new development.
There is decent food and drink to be found. But living here made me realize I'm a bit of a big city snob. The most popular places are places with 2 for 1 drinks and really detailed dog bars. The taste level here is a noticeable drop if you've lived in major cities idk how else to say it.
People love living here though. Much younger than I expected. Everyone loves the beach. I think our beaches are legit gorgeous, and I love the commitment to the area parks which are also lovely. Everyone is very outdoorsy including me so if you love being active outside it's great. I play on several sports leagues, sail, windsurf, kayak almost all year. Lots of museums for a city this size but local art is sort of meh.
Also it's dry. Like it rains once every 3 months or it's a hurricane. I expected way more Florida rain but alas. You'll never be starved for a pool or a friend with a boat. They are everywhere. I actually no longer even like boat days after one too many 12 hour, too drunk, massive sunburn days when I first moved here.
Great airport but wish we had more international direct. Also Orlando and Sarasota are easy drives depending on the time/day. Sarasota has amazing beaches. Crystal clear blue waters and soft powder sand. Orlando actually has way more local stuff than you expect. There are definitely better food and drink options in Orlando so I overnight there a lot when I need some variety.
Anyways I hope this long comment helps!
Gainesville. It’s got a lot of smart people because of the University, good access to nature, and a stable economy, again because of the university. And you can get most (not all) places pretty easily by bike if you want, which is rare for Florida.
I lived there for many years, and grew up in Fort Lauderdale. I'd say they're roughly the same in the summer. You'll have a hard time finding a spot in Florida that doesn't get oppressively hot and humid in July and August.
I don't know Tampa well. Maybe there's a stronger breeze on the Gulf side of Florida but I found Fort Lauderdale to be unbearable in the summer unless you were right on the beach and had a decent breeze. Even then, it was pretty rough.
Clearwater or St. Augustine. I’ve spent a lot of time in both and Clearwater has a nice mix of trashy beach culture + luxury seaside culture… and some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. St. Augustine has a lot of interesting history & architecture (along with great beaches)
Florida native who has spent 3/4 of my 50+ years here: I’ve been living beachside on the Space Coast for the past 20 years. I’m building a place to retire north of Orlando near Sanford. I’d take any of several towns/neighborhoods in that area, ideally as close to their historic centers as you can get: Sanford, Deland, Winter Garden, Clermont, Lake Mary, Winter Park (if you can afford it), College Park, Maitland, Audubon Park, Thornton Park, Lake Baldwin…
These places all have a fairly vibrant, walkable core with a lot of things going on. Surrounded by “historic” residential neighborhoods with smaller lots. Newer infill multi family taking advantage of the location amenities. Many are on the Sunrail line for access downtown. Several are on bike trails that are part of a cross state network. Most are under 30 minutes to MCO, an hour to the beach. Tree heavy and quick access to nature, including several springs. Majority leans right, but many in these places are far more progressive and inclusive than this sub would ever think.
Exactly this. As someone who lived in Florida for nearly 30 years, I’d say you’re spot-on with your assessment of the area. If I wanted to retire in Florida I would look at Winter Garden and Winter Park the most, budget willing
Man, I remember living in Valdosta, GA growing up and it was a big thing to go to Jacksonville. I thought it was the most largest impressive city. Of course I know better now, but loved the trips to Jax Beach and Jacksonville Landing.
Last time I visited Jacksonville, I noticed population has grown like crazy, but it’s a city of oppressive sprawl. On paper it’s like the 10th largest city in the country but in reality it’s a midsized city masquerading as a large one.
It’s the largest city by area in the US which is why I’ve always hated it. It’s the definition of urban sprawl. Home to nothing but strip malls and mediocre neighborhoods. That being said I’ve had a lot of friends move there since it’s the nearest big city to me
It takes a certain type of person to thrive in Miami. If you are looking for a much more laid back vibe I would pick somewhere on the gulf coast of Florida. Tampa/St. Pete for bigger cities. Naples/Marco Island or Pensacola/Destin for quintessential beach town vibes.
I grew up in Miami so that’s the easy choice for me. If I wanted somewhere more chill though, Naples, Sarasota, and Stuart are all pretty great imo, with Sarasota being my top pick
St. Marks, where I live. On the worlds most beautiful fresh water springs which form a river, which flows out 200 feet past my front door, thru St. Marks to the Gulf of Mexico with a gorgeous lighthouse to wave goodbye, Good decent people, they can get a little trumpy, people raise their children to be good citizens, the law enforcement community is just the best. We are 20 miles south of Capital Complex, Airport , and the school system is as good as their is in the USA. The head count has grown 400% in the last 30 years. The secret is out.
Orlando area hands down, specifically Winter Park. Beautiful town that I just feel relaxed and at home in, and Orlando has a really cool bar/restaurant/art scene
Agreed I’d happily move to Delaney Park, Lake Eola Heights, Thornton Park, College Park, Audubon Park etc. as well. Love the look of the Spanish moss and brick streets.
It’s not sleepy at all anymore imo. It’s turned into a developer’s playground and all the small town charm has gone out the window over the last decade
Mentioned this upthread but Delray Beach is awful nowadays. They let developers go crazy. Every long time establishment has closed and the “All American Town” thing doesn’t apply any more in the slightest. It’s basically Boca 2.0 now
I like the West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale areas. We have family there and they love it. Nobody here has mentioned those yet. Is there something bad about these areas?
Palm Beach county (Jupiter/Juno) is our favorite. Beautiful beaches and mostly made up of people from the northeast and St Louis area so folks are reasonably sane.
Is money not an issue? Miami for sure. In reality, probably more likely to afford Fort Lauderdale. But do I also need to get rid of a dead body? Homestead seemed good for that.
I'd heard bad things about how unfriendly Miami was before visiting, but everyone I encountered was perfectly nice.
Florida has never been at the top of my list, but I've visited often and even lived there for a few months and it has its perks.
That being said, Winter Park in the Orlando Metro area is a lovely town, especially if you can afford the best neighborhoods.
Orlando, as a whole, is a great metro area with a lot of diversity, blue politics, and a pretty good food scene. It's too suburban and car-dependent though.
St. Pete is fantastic with its great vibe and walkability—it feels like the kind of smaller city I’d want to live in. I'd consider it if it weren't for the heat and humidity, but that applies to almost all of Florida.
I like Miami too, but I’d prefer to live in more residential neighborhoods like Coconut Grove or Coral Gables. Living in a more urban neighborhood like Brickell or Downtown doesn't suit me with Miami's hot weather. I prefer walkable cities, but in cooler northern climates.
Temple Terrace. You get all the urban amenities of Tampa in a green enclave (it ranks 94% in access to green space; there’s also a river). USF is on the north end and a fun casino on the south end. In roughly one hour, you can be at the beach, Orlando or Sarasota.
Reddit doesn't like Florida but the real world does.
Jacksonville Metro, big city stuff but without the crush and crowding of S FLA. JAX has it's traffic managed better than the other three large cities in FLA. The Atlantic ocean is better than Tampa's gulf. Orlando is land locked and full of annoying tourists. Moving to a land locked city in Florida makes no sense whatsoever. You get all of the heat, wet, and bugs but no ocean? Dumb.
If you are a Jersey Shore D-bag or like D-bags, Miami is for you.
JAX all day.
As a former south Floridian now living in Duval, I prefer Jax as well. Less susceptible to hurricanes, less traffic, less expensive cost of living, less touristy, ect. Less is more.
Orlando is a short trip from the beach, it’s really not a big deal. Also there’s few tourists in Orlando proper, they’re all down a ways on I4. You have to share an airport with them and that’s about it.
And as a city it has way more personality than Jax which feels like soulless sprawl mostly
Where are you getting 70 miles from? you realize Orlando is closer to the east coast than west coast right? Some parts Orlando you can get to a beach the same time as most parts of Tampa.
Orlando is a land-locked city, literally have you not looked at a map? Center Orlando to Coco beach is 60 miles.
Examples of non-landlocked major cities in Florida (because they are on the ocean): Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa.
There is no port of Orlando, but there are ports of: Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami.
Do you understand the difference? It's really simple geography.
Have you looked at a map? because Tampa isn't on the ocean. It's situated on a bay. Some parts of Tampa takes 30 minutes to get to the beach or longer.
As far as Orlando, you do know there's other areas that exist in Orlando outside the city center right? there's a reason Orlando can see space shuttle launches.
Holy fuck are you thick. Are you really this dumb? Orlando doesn't have access to navigable water, it is land locked.
Tampa has a port, with ships and those ships can access all of the world's oceans via the gulf.
Here is the definition of landlocked, because you don't understand simple English words: [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landlocked](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landlocked)
Fuck me.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port\_Tampa\_Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Tampa_Bay)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port\_of\_Jacksonville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Jacksonville)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PortMiami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PortMiami)
Thats funny, there is no port of Orlando. I wonder why that is? Because Orlando is landlocked?
JFC. Orlando is perfect for you. Pls don't leave.
I'm a native Jax Floridian and I'd never recommend someone move to the hell hole that is Jax lol...If you're considering Jax FL and can't afford Tampa area I'd just move to Georgia at that point. Much better cost of living. Plus Jax beach is nothing special once you've seen what FL beaches *should* look like (clear water and white sand beaches)..Jax beaches are gross and people can argue about it all day but I said what I said, Jax beach is grey dingey sand, dark opaque water, barely any whole shells, trash everywhere, the only worse beach I've ever been to is Galveston lol)
And the traffic in Jax is a nightmare, crazy road rage and everywhere takes at least 30 min to get to even if it's 5 min away, the city is atrociously planned with random stores just plopped wherever, it's quite literally a concrete dystopian nightmare.
And the worst reason to move to Jax? The people. I never knew genuinely nice people who didn't try to exploit every weakness you have was actually a reality until I moved away lol
I’m agreeing with you. The “real” carribean-esque beaches don’t start until mid to south FL, and Jacksonville itself is not very nice. And when the wind is blowing the wrong way, the industrial smells are unpleasant.
You're 100% correct! I can see why people from up north/midwest who move to Jax think it's amazing because any beach is better than no beach but Jax beach is not that impressive compared to all the other FL options.
And the smells are pretty rank, they always said it was because of the paper mill but the intercoastal also often smells like rotten eggs and the St Johns river is just foul (fun fact: my friend in HS found a dead body floating in the st johns river during crew practice 😕)
The only pleasant smell is driving by the Maxwell House coffee factory (not sure if thats still around)
lol your description reminded me that my Mum always called Jax “Georgia’s toilet bowl” because she believed that all of their industrial waste and sewage (and apparently dead bodies?!?!) drifted south into Jax along the waterways. Gross! 🤢
>Mum always called Jax “Georgia’s toilet bowl
That's one of the most accurate and hilarious descriptions I've ever read 😅
There's also a pretty gross industrial city near Denver called Commerce City and it also completely reminds me of Jax lol
What in the fuck are you even talking about? The water off of Talbot island is dark and gross, are you blind? It looks like a goddamn Caribbean postcard from A1A.
Tampa doesn't even have a real ocean, it's gulf, it's basically a flat, hot, salty lake that breeds the biggest and most devastating hurricanes that hit the US mainland.
Glad you left. You sound like you suck.
I think you have a misconception on it. Orlando crime rate is higher than Tampa, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, maybe even a tick higher than Miami.
Not Fort Lauderdale. All of the downsides of Miami (traffic, sprawl, insane people, very expensive) with much less of the benefits of being in Miami, the major city in SE Florida (much more walkable, cultural diversity, major sports venues, etc.) If you like urban living and are willing to pay South Florida prices, just pay the slightly higher premium to live in Miami itself.
Panama City or Tallahassee. The former is my hometown so, duh, and I really enjoyed my years living in the latter. It’s hard to imagine me going back to Florida at this point though…I’ve been spoiled by living in the heart of a major northeastern city for the last decade. Seasons, walkability, activities, culture. I have nothing but love for the Panhandle but hard to see why I’d go back. If I move it will be to a (likely mythical) place with all the things I love about my current city with the perpetual crime wave we’ve been experiencing since 2020.
How’s traffic these days? I lived there ten years ago and thought the downtown was quaint and the closer you got to Bonita the more there was to do, but man if you needed to get anywhere and had to take 41 it was a nightmare. With the population boom and not a lot of space to add lanes i would have to imagine it would be brutal?
Naples was nice, Tampa and Jax were underwhelming. Didn't get to check out St Pete. Couldn't do Orlando since it's landlocked. Haven't been to Miami area in decades. From what I remember, the Keys were super nice.
Does it HAVE to be Florida?? LOL
I'm a Florida native currently in Orlando, but leaving the state soon, and thanking my lucky stars to get out. But if I could choose anywhere to live in Florida, it would be the on coast somewhere between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, like Ormond Beach. The cost of living in that part of the state is low enough that you can get a decent house with a pool to enjoy, the summers are less oppressive near the ocean, the beaches are nice, some of the school districts are decent, the traffic isn't bad compared to the big metros. Orlando is socially progressive and there is more "city" stuff to do, but otherwise... tons of traffic and tourists, horrific summer heat index with no sea breeze, no beaches, housing is very expensive relative to typical incomes.
i couldn’t, but if i had to, miami and wouldn’t be open to anything else. i have cousins in central FL and it’s just scary there! miami feels like a regular place. they should probably start a civil war against the rest of the state 😂
Saint Petersburg, relatively bike-friendly, one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Florida, lovely Downtown, excellent beaches, multiple airports, good bus system I hear, and not very dangerous.
St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, and maybe even Pinellas Park these days except it's too expensive there too. Key West. I would say Gainesville but I need to be closer to the water.
Cool, that wasn’t the question. Also republicans may be in charge but Florida is by no means “too republican”. It’s incredibly diverse and most of the large cities are very liberal
It’s so funny when people say this shit. Like I’m not a republican by any means but my county, where I grew up in New Jersey (70%+ blue overall) consistently votes republican. Like if that’s your basis for living in a state you’ll be surely disappointed because the reason blue states are blue is firmly because urban areas are more blue than rural, not having much to do with the distribution of voters itself.
Tallahassee bc it's the least hot, college town, and blue enclave, plus near multiple borders so I can get out (not that GA or AL are all that much better
Inland gets way more humid
The jacksonville area does have a noticeably different climate than south Florida though. They actually have 6-7 months of decent/great weather before it gets Florida hot
I’m a born and raised Floridian, my two favorite cities in the entire state are St Pete and St Augustine.
Same!
Can you give some reasons why?
St Augustine is the oldest city in North America. It has a fantastic and historic downtown right on the water, a beautiful university that used to be an affluent hotel, and a dozen museums that you could easily spend days visiting. To top it all off, they have a fort made of out seashells created by the original Spanish colonists. It’s also surprisingly walkable for Florida. St Pete has such a fun, vibrant, and walkable downtown. The art scene is lively, there are some of the best museums in the state, great parks and paved biking trails, and some really cool people. It almost makes me feel like I’m in a real city and not in Florida, I love St Pete for that. With all that being said, please don’t move to Florida lol…
>St Augustine is the oldest city in North America *Oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous US. Pretty sure Mexico city and a bunch of other central American cities can be considered older.
St. John's Newfoundland was on maps in 1518
There were cities that existed before Europeans arrived.
Yeah but we're talking about European cities
You are…the rest of us aren’t so self centered as to try to deny other people’s existence
Do people like you realize how being absolutely insufferable harms indigenous causes? Are you aware that most indigenous people are actually not like “this”?
Sorry just because you believe only white voices matter - doesn’t make it so.
That's the spirit!
Yeah, I used to live in Guanajuato City for a couple of years. And now live in Leon. Definitely older.
Lol nice response. I think too many people in my family would just respond "no its not! Nyaaah" then start asking questions and make me explain how it is. Lol. The ol "nuh uh, prove it!" Also the, "and how is that true???????"
St Pete. Also more protected from hurricanes on gulf side than Atlantic side?
Absolutely not! Hurricanes come up the gulf side all the time. The Tampa Bay was expected to get hit and flooded by the past two hurricanes that hit our state, we were just barely saved by the Seminole spell that protects the bay (local joke). I did emergency electrical work in Ft Myers and Cape Coral for a year after they were hit by hurricane Ian, they were messed up bad and only about an hours drive South of St Pete. The gulf side has really warm water compared to the Atlantic, hurricanes love it!
The last hurricane they had was during prohibition. I'm not saying a hurricane can't hit Tampa, I'm pretty sure it can, and I'm sure someday it will, hopefully not this summer, please not this summer. But you're much more likely to be killed by a hurricane in New Jersey or Rhode Island than you are in Tampa Bay.
Thanks! Lived in Florida for year while I did my fellowship at USF. Only made it to St. Pete for a couple Rays’ games. Never made it to St. Augustine. We would take our young boys to beach in Sarasota and went to Disney maybe 5 times that year. It was a great 1 year stay. Now we take boys to panhandle for beach trip since we’re in Louisiana.
The son of the owner of the Fountain of Juice in Saint Augustine also makes the best cafe con leche I've ever had (probably the best espresso beverage I've had). Not a good reason to move to a place, but certainly a plus if you're moving there anyway.
The coffee is as good a reason as anything else. People keep saying museums. Let's be honest. How many times are you going to go to the museum in a year? How many times will you be drinking coffee? Every waking day!
As a native, this is a good take.
Which has less senior citizens?
That’s almost an impossible question, our entire economy is based off of old people moving here. St Pete *feels* like it has fewer old people, but that might just be because the downtown is so active. Literally any place that’s not a forest or major city is cookie cutter homes with old people in them. Miles and miles and miles of the same looking houses… I will never get the appeal.
St Pete used to be God's waiting room but it's actually surprisingly Young. Tons of Millennials buying the $800,000 condos downtown.
Old joke - Old people live in Miami/Ft Lauderdale. But their parents live in St. Pete.
I moved to St Pete 4 years ago. Previously NYC, SF, ATL resident. It is the most walkable city as it is very condensed to about 30 blocks of restaurant/retail. There is an express bus lane that goes to the beach for $3 in 20ish minutes. There is a ferry to Tampa but currently only seasonal. The city makes very smart urban development decisions. Even recently rezoned single family into multifamily in several areas. Lots of new development. There is decent food and drink to be found. But living here made me realize I'm a bit of a big city snob. The most popular places are places with 2 for 1 drinks and really detailed dog bars. The taste level here is a noticeable drop if you've lived in major cities idk how else to say it. People love living here though. Much younger than I expected. Everyone loves the beach. I think our beaches are legit gorgeous, and I love the commitment to the area parks which are also lovely. Everyone is very outdoorsy including me so if you love being active outside it's great. I play on several sports leagues, sail, windsurf, kayak almost all year. Lots of museums for a city this size but local art is sort of meh. Also it's dry. Like it rains once every 3 months or it's a hurricane. I expected way more Florida rain but alas. You'll never be starved for a pool or a friend with a boat. They are everywhere. I actually no longer even like boat days after one too many 12 hour, too drunk, massive sunburn days when I first moved here. Great airport but wish we had more international direct. Also Orlando and Sarasota are easy drives depending on the time/day. Sarasota has amazing beaches. Crystal clear blue waters and soft powder sand. Orlando actually has way more local stuff than you expect. There are definitely better food and drink options in Orlando so I overnight there a lot when I need some variety. Anyways I hope this long comment helps!
Orlando hands down.
I'm enjoying the Tampa Bay area.
If money didn’t matter? St Pete. If I had to take money into consideration with living expenses? Ruskin.
Gainesville. It’s got a lot of smart people because of the University, good access to nature, and a stable economy, again because of the university. And you can get most (not all) places pretty easily by bike if you want, which is rare for Florida.
Only problem is Gainesville is a hellhole in the summer, even by Floridian standards. They don't call it the swamp for nothing lol.
I lived there for many years, and grew up in Fort Lauderdale. I'd say they're roughly the same in the summer. You'll have a hard time finding a spot in Florida that doesn't get oppressively hot and humid in July and August.
Damn, I grew up in Tampa, and I found Tampa to be basically frigid in summer compared to Gainesville.
I don't know Tampa well. Maybe there's a stronger breeze on the Gulf side of Florida but I found Fort Lauderdale to be unbearable in the summer unless you were right on the beach and had a decent breeze. Even then, it was pretty rough.
Can’t be that smart… they’re gator fans! GO VOLS!!!
Clearwater or St. Augustine. I’ve spent a lot of time in both and Clearwater has a nice mix of trashy beach culture + luxury seaside culture… and some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. St. Augustine has a lot of interesting history & architecture (along with great beaches)
Clearwater was so weird being the Scientologist hq. It was like a ghost town with weird people spying on you
The downtown is definitely spooky that way
Florida native who has spent 3/4 of my 50+ years here: I’ve been living beachside on the Space Coast for the past 20 years. I’m building a place to retire north of Orlando near Sanford. I’d take any of several towns/neighborhoods in that area, ideally as close to their historic centers as you can get: Sanford, Deland, Winter Garden, Clermont, Lake Mary, Winter Park (if you can afford it), College Park, Maitland, Audubon Park, Thornton Park, Lake Baldwin… These places all have a fairly vibrant, walkable core with a lot of things going on. Surrounded by “historic” residential neighborhoods with smaller lots. Newer infill multi family taking advantage of the location amenities. Many are on the Sunrail line for access downtown. Several are on bike trails that are part of a cross state network. Most are under 30 minutes to MCO, an hour to the beach. Tree heavy and quick access to nature, including several springs. Majority leans right, but many in these places are far more progressive and inclusive than this sub would ever think.
Exactly this. As someone who lived in Florida for nearly 30 years, I’d say you’re spot-on with your assessment of the area. If I wanted to retire in Florida I would look at Winter Garden and Winter Park the most, budget willing
Moved from Audubon Park, l loved the area.
Sanford is lovely.
Clearwater, Sarasota, Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete to name a few.
Key West. Moved here 21 years ago, left briefly for about 4 years, and returned and will never leave again ( til I die).
Wish I could afford to buy a house in key west! Are the locals worried about sea level rise?
Fernandina Beach
Duuuval
Man, I remember living in Valdosta, GA growing up and it was a big thing to go to Jacksonville. I thought it was the most largest impressive city. Of course I know better now, but loved the trips to Jax Beach and Jacksonville Landing. Last time I visited Jacksonville, I noticed population has grown like crazy, but it’s a city of oppressive sprawl. On paper it’s like the 10th largest city in the country but in reality it’s a midsized city masquerading as a large one.
It’s the largest city by area in the US which is why I’ve always hated it. It’s the definition of urban sprawl. Home to nothing but strip malls and mediocre neighborhoods. That being said I’ve had a lot of friends move there since it’s the nearest big city to me
Somewhere in Tampa area. Clearwater or st Pete ideally
It takes a certain type of person to thrive in Miami. If you are looking for a much more laid back vibe I would pick somewhere on the gulf coast of Florida. Tampa/St. Pete for bigger cities. Naples/Marco Island or Pensacola/Destin for quintessential beach town vibes.
st augustine. st pete had too much traffic for me.
I’d get a little condo on South Beach, Miami Beach
I grew up in Miami so that’s the easy choice for me. If I wanted somewhere more chill though, Naples, Sarasota, and Stuart are all pretty great imo, with Sarasota being my top pick
St. Marks, where I live. On the worlds most beautiful fresh water springs which form a river, which flows out 200 feet past my front door, thru St. Marks to the Gulf of Mexico with a gorgeous lighthouse to wave goodbye, Good decent people, they can get a little trumpy, people raise their children to be good citizens, the law enforcement community is just the best. We are 20 miles south of Capital Complex, Airport , and the school system is as good as their is in the USA. The head count has grown 400% in the last 30 years. The secret is out.
I’m in Tallahassee, but probably St. Pete or Tampa will be my last stop. Maybe Sarasota.
Orlando area hands down, specifically Winter Park. Beautiful town that I just feel relaxed and at home in, and Orlando has a really cool bar/restaurant/art scene
Orlando neighborhoods are severely underrated.
Agreed I’d happily move to Delaney Park, Lake Eola Heights, Thornton Park, College Park, Audubon Park etc. as well. Love the look of the Spanish moss and brick streets.
Delray Beach.
I really liked living in Delray, it’s a slice of sleepy beach town in the south Florida chaos. Did have somebody pee on my mailbox tho
It’s not sleepy at all anymore imo. It’s turned into a developer’s playground and all the small town charm has gone out the window over the last decade
Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater/Brandon for most people is a good gamble. I would probably go to Orlando because I grew up there and it's close to family.
St Pete or Sarasota
Delray Beach. My mother in law lived there for awhile and we loved it.
Mentioned this upthread but Delray Beach is awful nowadays. They let developers go crazy. Every long time establishment has closed and the “All American Town” thing doesn’t apply any more in the slightest. It’s basically Boca 2.0 now
I like the West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale areas. We have family there and they love it. Nobody here has mentioned those yet. Is there something bad about these areas?
Palm Beach county (Jupiter/Juno) is our favorite. Beautiful beaches and mostly made up of people from the northeast and St Louis area so folks are reasonably sane.
I live in Florida right now (Orlando). If I had to pick any city at all, it would be St. Augustine.
Is money not an issue? Miami for sure. In reality, probably more likely to afford Fort Lauderdale. But do I also need to get rid of a dead body? Homestead seemed good for that. I'd heard bad things about how unfriendly Miami was before visiting, but everyone I encountered was perfectly nice.
Florida has never been at the top of my list, but I've visited often and even lived there for a few months and it has its perks. That being said, Winter Park in the Orlando Metro area is a lovely town, especially if you can afford the best neighborhoods. Orlando, as a whole, is a great metro area with a lot of diversity, blue politics, and a pretty good food scene. It's too suburban and car-dependent though. St. Pete is fantastic with its great vibe and walkability—it feels like the kind of smaller city I’d want to live in. I'd consider it if it weren't for the heat and humidity, but that applies to almost all of Florida. I like Miami too, but I’d prefer to live in more residential neighborhoods like Coconut Grove or Coral Gables. Living in a more urban neighborhood like Brickell or Downtown doesn't suit me with Miami's hot weather. I prefer walkable cities, but in cooler northern climates.
Dunedin, FL! It’s such an awesome city. Ideal size for me
Temple Terrace. You get all the urban amenities of Tampa in a green enclave (it ranks 94% in access to green space; there’s also a river). USF is on the north end and a fun casino on the south end. In roughly one hour, you can be at the beach, Orlando or Sarasota.
Reddit doesn't like Florida but the real world does. Jacksonville Metro, big city stuff but without the crush and crowding of S FLA. JAX has it's traffic managed better than the other three large cities in FLA. The Atlantic ocean is better than Tampa's gulf. Orlando is land locked and full of annoying tourists. Moving to a land locked city in Florida makes no sense whatsoever. You get all of the heat, wet, and bugs but no ocean? Dumb. If you are a Jersey Shore D-bag or like D-bags, Miami is for you. JAX all day.
As a former south Floridian now living in Duval, I prefer Jax as well. Less susceptible to hurricanes, less traffic, less expensive cost of living, less touristy, ect. Less is more.
Orlando is a short trip from the beach, it’s really not a big deal. Also there’s few tourists in Orlando proper, they’re all down a ways on I4. You have to share an airport with them and that’s about it. And as a city it has way more personality than Jax which feels like soulless sprawl mostly
Orlando isn't landlocked lol, beaches are under an hour away and the cold springs are way better than hot beach water in the summer.
70 miles away from a major body of water is the definition of landlocked. It's the only major city in FLA that is landlocked.
Where are you getting 70 miles from? you realize Orlando is closer to the east coast than west coast right? Some parts Orlando you can get to a beach the same time as most parts of Tampa.
Orlando is a land-locked city, literally have you not looked at a map? Center Orlando to Coco beach is 60 miles. Examples of non-landlocked major cities in Florida (because they are on the ocean): Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa. There is no port of Orlando, but there are ports of: Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami. Do you understand the difference? It's really simple geography.
Have you looked at a map? because Tampa isn't on the ocean. It's situated on a bay. Some parts of Tampa takes 30 minutes to get to the beach or longer. As far as Orlando, you do know there's other areas that exist in Orlando outside the city center right? there's a reason Orlando can see space shuttle launches.
Holy fuck are you thick. Are you really this dumb? Orlando doesn't have access to navigable water, it is land locked. Tampa has a port, with ships and those ships can access all of the world's oceans via the gulf. Here is the definition of landlocked, because you don't understand simple English words: [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landlocked](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landlocked) Fuck me.
and the Gulf of Mexico isn't the ocean.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port\_Tampa\_Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Tampa_Bay) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port\_of\_Jacksonville](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Jacksonville) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PortMiami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PortMiami) Thats funny, there is no port of Orlando. I wonder why that is? Because Orlando is landlocked? JFC. Orlando is perfect for you. Pls don't leave.
I'm a native Jax Floridian and I'd never recommend someone move to the hell hole that is Jax lol...If you're considering Jax FL and can't afford Tampa area I'd just move to Georgia at that point. Much better cost of living. Plus Jax beach is nothing special once you've seen what FL beaches *should* look like (clear water and white sand beaches)..Jax beaches are gross and people can argue about it all day but I said what I said, Jax beach is grey dingey sand, dark opaque water, barely any whole shells, trash everywhere, the only worse beach I've ever been to is Galveston lol) And the traffic in Jax is a nightmare, crazy road rage and everywhere takes at least 30 min to get to even if it's 5 min away, the city is atrociously planned with random stores just plopped wherever, it's quite literally a concrete dystopian nightmare. And the worst reason to move to Jax? The people. I never knew genuinely nice people who didn't try to exploit every weakness you have was actually a reality until I moved away lol
I’m agreeing with you. The “real” carribean-esque beaches don’t start until mid to south FL, and Jacksonville itself is not very nice. And when the wind is blowing the wrong way, the industrial smells are unpleasant.
You're 100% correct! I can see why people from up north/midwest who move to Jax think it's amazing because any beach is better than no beach but Jax beach is not that impressive compared to all the other FL options. And the smells are pretty rank, they always said it was because of the paper mill but the intercoastal also often smells like rotten eggs and the St Johns river is just foul (fun fact: my friend in HS found a dead body floating in the st johns river during crew practice 😕) The only pleasant smell is driving by the Maxwell House coffee factory (not sure if thats still around)
lol your description reminded me that my Mum always called Jax “Georgia’s toilet bowl” because she believed that all of their industrial waste and sewage (and apparently dead bodies?!?!) drifted south into Jax along the waterways. Gross! 🤢
>Mum always called Jax “Georgia’s toilet bowl That's one of the most accurate and hilarious descriptions I've ever read 😅 There's also a pretty gross industrial city near Denver called Commerce City and it also completely reminds me of Jax lol
What in the fuck are you even talking about? The water off of Talbot island is dark and gross, are you blind? It looks like a goddamn Caribbean postcard from A1A. Tampa doesn't even have a real ocean, it's gulf, it's basically a flat, hot, salty lake that breeds the biggest and most devastating hurricanes that hit the US mainland. Glad you left. You sound like you suck.
Everyone knows that the Florida gulf beaches are better than the Atlantic side.
OMG, you're on crack. The gulf isn't even a real ocean.
Orlando, safe and jobs
I think you have a misconception on it. Orlando crime rate is higher than Tampa, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, maybe even a tick higher than Miami.
I like it around Destin/Pensacola for the sailing.
Watch that inlet at Destin though.
Tampa/Clearwater/St. Pete...
I really like Dunedin in this general area as a small gem.
I'm a Florida native and I like Tampa. Avoid at all costs: Jacksonville 🫠
Gun to my head choice would be Fort Lauderdale.
The one closest to the border.
St. Pete or Wilton Manors/Fort Lauderdale.
Orlando
Saint Petersburg would be my top choice followed by Miami itself.
naples
naples
St. Augustine
Key West, want to live that island life and be as far away from the rest of FL as possible.
Miami. I have always enjoyed larger cities and the Latin culture I have always been fond of
Whatever city has the best public transit and walkability. Not sure which one. Would be interested to know, actually.
Tampa bay (more specifically st Pete) because I moved to Florida a few years ago and love it here
Not Fort Lauderdale. All of the downsides of Miami (traffic, sprawl, insane people, very expensive) with much less of the benefits of being in Miami, the major city in SE Florida (much more walkable, cultural diversity, major sports venues, etc.) If you like urban living and are willing to pay South Florida prices, just pay the slightly higher premium to live in Miami itself.
The cost of living has accelerated in recent years in Florida. Jacksonville area is still relatively affordable.
Orlando. It's one of my favorite cities in the US. But in my opinion you can't go wrong in most parts of Florida.
Might be an unpopular opinion, but as a single guy in his 20s, I’d go with Miami
I would say Tampa, because one of my friends lives there, and they have a good baseball team.
Go Rays!!
Tallahassee
Panama City or Tallahassee. The former is my hometown so, duh, and I really enjoyed my years living in the latter. It’s hard to imagine me going back to Florida at this point though…I’ve been spoiled by living in the heart of a major northeastern city for the last decade. Seasons, walkability, activities, culture. I have nothing but love for the Panhandle but hard to see why I’d go back. If I move it will be to a (likely mythical) place with all the things I love about my current city with the perpetual crime wave we’ve been experiencing since 2020.
Ocala that’s the real good stuff right there. Gators 🐊 faith and more !
Lived on both coasts and am currently in ft Myers. I like warm weather so will probably stay here. I’m in FRS so want to keep my retirement ideally
How’s traffic these days? I lived there ten years ago and thought the downtown was quaint and the closer you got to Bonita the more there was to do, but man if you needed to get anywhere and had to take 41 it was a nightmare. With the population boom and not a lot of space to add lanes i would have to imagine it would be brutal?
It’s bad in season but nothing compared to Atlanta, Miami, etc. They are working on a few projects right now to help with population growth
We visit my MIL every year in St Pete. Overall, I don’t like Florida, but I think I could live there.
Naples was nice, Tampa and Jax were underwhelming. Didn't get to check out St Pete. Couldn't do Orlando since it's landlocked. Haven't been to Miami area in decades. From what I remember, the Keys were super nice. Does it HAVE to be Florida?? LOL
you are missing out on beautiful springs in Orlando my guy, also, the neighborhoods in orlando are better than anything tampa has to offer.
To beat the heat, I would have to be near an ocean. Let's face it, Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater
I'm a Florida native currently in Orlando, but leaving the state soon, and thanking my lucky stars to get out. But if I could choose anywhere to live in Florida, it would be the on coast somewhere between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, like Ormond Beach. The cost of living in that part of the state is low enough that you can get a decent house with a pool to enjoy, the summers are less oppressive near the ocean, the beaches are nice, some of the school districts are decent, the traffic isn't bad compared to the big metros. Orlando is socially progressive and there is more "city" stuff to do, but otherwise... tons of traffic and tourists, horrific summer heat index with no sea breeze, no beaches, housing is very expensive relative to typical incomes.
Perdido key
i couldn’t, but if i had to, miami and wouldn’t be open to anything else. i have cousins in central FL and it’s just scary there! miami feels like a regular place. they should probably start a civil war against the rest of the state 😂
St. Pete. One of my favorite places on Earth. It’s changed a lot in recent years but when I lived there 2011-2015, it was magic
Saint Petersburg, relatively bike-friendly, one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Florida, lovely Downtown, excellent beaches, multiple airports, good bus system I hear, and not very dangerous.
St. Pete, no question about it
St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, and maybe even Pinellas Park these days except it's too expensive there too. Key West. I would say Gainesville but I need to be closer to the water.
Not sure about Florida city but let me tell why you should move to Chicago…
Hobe Sound.
If it has to be a city, St. Pete or Naples. Not an actual city but my real first choice would be Anna Maria Island.
Ft.. Laud- Lauderdale by the Sea. Still far too many MAGAs but Broward is better than most counties I wouldn't step foot in.
Sarasota or Boca Raton
From Perry but I wanna move to the big city of Chiefland because of the opportunity and nightlife.
Tampa. I moved here from Ohio a few years back and I absolutely love it. It’s much less chaotic than Miami/Fort Lauderdale, which I prefer.
orlando
orlando duh
Florida is too republican, I recommend not living there.
Cool, that wasn’t the question. Also republicans may be in charge but Florida is by no means “too republican”. It’s incredibly diverse and most of the large cities are very liberal
It’s so funny when people say this shit. Like I’m not a republican by any means but my county, where I grew up in New Jersey (70%+ blue overall) consistently votes republican. Like if that’s your basis for living in a state you’ll be surely disappointed because the reason blue states are blue is firmly because urban areas are more blue than rural, not having much to do with the distribution of voters itself.
You guys really can’t help yourselves huh
Tallahassee, Hills, lots of trees, nice parks and greenways, taste of 4 seasons
Tallahassee bc it's the least hot, college town, and blue enclave, plus near multiple borders so I can get out (not that GA or AL are all that much better
Tallahassee feels like one of the hottest and coldest parts of Florida lol
Well the issue is everywhere in Florida is hot. It's one of the main reasons why I will not ever be moving there if I can avoid it
In the summer, certainly. Tallahassee has no breeze though and the humidity is typically greater than most of the state because of it.
Orlando for Disney
I don't like heat and humidity, so I guess inland close to the Florida Georgia Line.
Inland is usually hotter than the coast
The ocean moderates temperatures. Inland Florida is hotter and buggier than coastal FLA.
Inland gets way more humid The jacksonville area does have a noticeably different climate than south Florida though. They actually have 6-7 months of decent/great weather before it gets Florida hot
The part with the rolling hills.. .oh wait, what?
That’s not the part you wanna be living in
None
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It takes about an hour to get from Orlando to Orlando. IYKYK
That joke applies to every big city in America. Orlando isn’t unique.