Best places to live in Florida?

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for a great place in Florida. I've never been to Florida, but
I'm planning a trip in the summer, and if we like it we want to spend a
larger part of the year there in the future. I know, we'll have to get
first-hand views, but since we can only visit so many places during our
holiday stay, we have to make a pre-selection.

We're looking for:
- A nice low-rise neighborhood
- Close to a great beach not spoilt by high-rises
- Not too far away from a city in the area
- Warm weather year around

Some favorites: Sarasota area, Ft. Myers area, Sanibel & Captiva, Naples
area.

Naples sounds great to me, but I'm not sure if it's good for a young
couple/family?

Sarasota must be a bit "younger", but not sure if there are nice beaches
there?

I think the Miami area would have the advantage that the ocean temperature
is a bit higher in the winter and spring and of course that a large city
is not too far away. However, I don't know if there are nice neighborhoods
or if it's just one stretch of skyscrapers? :-)

Many questions...would be grateful for any comments!!

Best regards

Holger

"Homer321" wrote...
I'm looking for a great place in Florida. I've never been to Florida,
but I'm planning a trip in the summer, and if we like it we want to
spend a larger part of the year there in the future. I know, we'll have
to get first-hand views, but since we can only visit so many places
during our holiday stay, we have to make a pre-selection.

Have you considered the Florida panhandle coast between Ft.Walton
Beach and Apalachicola... unspoiled sugar white sand beaches, few
high rises other than the occasional resorts, plenty of state parks, and
more reasonably priced than the rest of Florida.

They are all gone :-(
"Homer321" wrote in message
lkabouttravelling.com...
Hello everyone,

I'm looking for a great place in Florida. I've never been to Florida, but
I'm planning a trip in the summer, and if we like it we want to spend a
larger part of the year there in the future. I know, we'll have to get
first-hand views, but since we can only visit so many places during our
holiday stay, we have to make a pre-selection.

We're looking for:
- A nice low-rise neighborhood
- Close to a great beach not spoilt by high-rises
- Not too far away from a city in the area
- Warm weather year around

Some favorites: Sarasota area, Ft. Myers area, Sanibel & Captiva, Naples
area.

Naples sounds great to me, but I'm not sure if it's good for a young
couple/family?

Sarasota must be a bit "younger", but not sure if there are nice beaches
there?

I think the Miami area would have the advantage that the ocean temperature
is a bit higher in the winter and spring and of course that a large city
is not too far away. However, I don't know if there are nice neighborhoods
or if it's just one stretch of skyscrapers? :-)

Many questions...would be grateful for any comments!!

Best regards

Holger

Some favorites: Sarasota area,

Sarasota had many more (relative) high-rises last year than it had when
I was there before, several years ago. And it looked like several more
were under construction.


Ft. Myers area, Sanibel & Captiva, Naples area.

Excellent choices all. So's the Panhandle, as someone else said.

"Nile" wrote in message
...
Some favorites: Sarasota area,

Sarasota had many more (relative) high-rises last year than it had when
I was there before, several years ago. And it looked like several more
were under construction.


Ft. Myers area, Sanibel & Captiva, Naples area.

Excellent

Just curious which places mentioned are less susceptible to hurricanes, or
are they all equally susceptible?

All of the coast of FL is equal when it comes to Hurricaines.
Traditionally the east coast gets hit more than the west, but, last
season played havoc on the gulf coast too.

Check out Venice. Nice little town between Port Charlotte and Sarasota.
Affordable housing (at the moment anyway) with nice beach. I live in
this area.

Shelly in FL

"Tim923" wrote in message
...
- Close to a great beach not spoilt by high-rises

I've visited the Gulf Coast several times. A beach just doesn't seem
like a complete beach to me without waves. That doesn't seem to
bother many though.

Many would probably agree with you. Just as an example, if you look at
Cancun, the hotels on the Gulf side are less desirable than the ones on the
Caribbean side. Though the Gulf waters are calmer, most people just prefer
the waves and the astonishing colors of the Caribbean waters.

Many would probably agree with you. Just as an example, if you look at
Cancun, the hotels on the Gulf side are less desirable than the ones on the
Caribbean side. Though the Gulf waters are calmer, most people just prefer
the waves and the astonishing colors of the Caribbean waters.

I'm in Brevard County, FL, and we have waves! They aren't huge
surfer's waves, but good enough.

punk-tilous wrote:



Just curious which places mentioned are less susceptible to hurricanes, or
are they all equally susceptible?

Well, uh, if you look at the path of ALL the hurricanes for last year that
went through or touched Florida, you will find that almost all of them went
through counties that voted Republican. Soooo - you might want to consider
a predominately Democratic county .

"Paul E. Lehmann" wrote in message
...
punk-tilous wrote:



Just curious which places mentioned are less susceptible to hurricanes,
or
are they all equally susceptible?

Well, uh, if you look at the path of ALL the hurricanes for last year that
went through or touched Florida, you will find that almost all of them
went
through counties that voted Republican. Soooo - you might want to
consider
a predominately Democratic county .


To say that hurricanes are democrats may not be that outlandish, considering
that the new chairman of the DNC can be quite a hurricane when he gets
excited, as evidenced by that speech during the Democratic Presidential
Campaign.