Where in Florida?

[rufio]

Hi, all! So my husband and I are looking to move to Florida in a couple of years when I'm finished with school. I know I'm getting started on the research early, but that's just how I roll. I was hoping some Florida locals could help me out! Here are our criteria:

1) Mid-sized city - there must be at least a mall or two. And a Target.
2) One to three hours away from Disney World.
3) I've grown up with hurricanes living in NC and I don't want to be right on the ocean.
4) We want to get away from the Bible Belt, so we're looking for a more liberal town.
5) Houses that aren't millions of dollars - we're not rich.

That's all I can really think of for now. We don't want to be right outside of Disney World since we're DVC members - it just seems silly to live that close. I want to be able to make a quick weekend trip without driving 9 hours, but still be able to justify taking a week-long vacation. Thanks!

 

[luv]

I guess your choices are Orlando and Orlando.

Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami are coastal.

You know you're moving to central Florida, lol. If you two both want to do this SERIOUSLY, start looking at areas now. Drive around the areas that interest you when you vacation. Decide if you want a pool.

Check out the job market.

Be sure to spend some time in Orlando in the summer. The summers are hot, HUMID and rainy. It isn't the 20 minutes of rain the uninformed tourists talk about, either. It rains a lot...enough to irk some people. (Not me. "Beats snow" is my philosophy. )

The better prepared you are, the better you'll be later.

 

[Nemo14]

My sister lives in Bradenton and really loves it there.

 

[rufio]

I guess your choices are Orlando and Orlando.

Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami are coastal.

You know you're moving to central Florida, lol. If you two both want to do this SERIOUSLY, start looking at areas now. Drive around the areas that interest you when you vacation. Decide if you want a pool.

Check out the job market.

Be sure to spend some time in Orlando in the summer. The summers are hot, HUMID and rainy. It isn't the 20 minutes of rain the uninformed tourists talk about, either. It rains a lot...enough to irk some people. (Not me. "Beats snow" is my philosophy. )

The better prepared you are, the better you'll be later.

I want to be 1-3 ours away from Orlando! Haha!

Yes, we do want to do this - seriously. My husband is gone for months at a time and he wants me to be somewhere I'll enjoy. While I like living close to my family, I've always wanted to avoid becoming the woman who never moves because of her parents and/or siblings.

Great idea! We'll start looking next year when we're there. My husband requires that we have a pool if we live in Florida - he's from Alaska!

I'll actually be going to grad school once I move, though I'm planning to take a year off to get in-state tuition and just because I'm going to need a year off after four solid years of school without even a summer off.

The weather is not a problem. We live in North Carolina, so it's pretty similar. In fact, I've been paying attention to the weather and our heat index and humidity seems pretty similar. I have been to WDW in July and yes, it was miserable. But in real life I'm outside about as long as it takes me to get from the car to wherever I'm going.

Thanks!

 

[rufio]

My sister lives in Bradenton and really loves it there.

I'll check that out! Never heard of it!

 

[PUSH]

Be sure to spend some time in Orlando in the summer. The summers are hot, HUMID and rainy. It isn't the 20 minutes of rain the uninformed tourists talk about, either. It rains a lot...enough to irk some people. (Not me. "Beats snow" is my philosophy. )

Rain > Snow

Hands down.

 

[luv]

Okay, to me, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville are medium-sized cities. I guess that's a relative thing. Me, personally, I wouldn't want to be more than hour from a city like those. So, I thought we were thinking the same way, which we aren't. Me, making assumptions. Sorry!!

Good luck in your search! Let us know if we can help.

 

[rufio]

Okay, to me, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville are medium-sized cities. I guess that's a relative thing. Me, personally, I wouldn't want to be more than hour from a city like those. So, I thought we were thinking the same way, which we aren't. Me, making assumptions. Sorry!!

Good luck in your search! Let us know if we can help.

I live in a mid-sized (in my opinion) college town right now. We have one mall, one Target, one Wal-Mart, and one Best Buy. I would prefer something a little bigger, but this is comfortable. Large cities like Chicago scare the hell out of me.

 

[Pooh Lover]

Here is an article to add to your research. http://voices.yahoo.com/best-places-live-florida-2012-7431880.html

 

[rufio]

Here is an article to add to your research. http://voices.yahoo.com/best-places-live-florida-2012-7431880.html

Great link! Thanks

 

[trr1]

what about winter haven

 

[rufio]

what about winter haven

Off to Google I go!

 

[MattC]

Well, you have a lot of choices. Also, if you live in central Florida you may not be "on the coast," but this is a peninsula and hurricanes can come from both sides. The coast are worse for sure, but the storms can make life hard "inland" too.

Now, we live in the south Jacksonville area. We aren't in the middle of the city, but still have a mall, target, Walmart, and two Publix all within 10 minutes from our place. Not sure what you will be in grad school for, but we have several colleges and universities in the area. Disney is about 2-2.5 hours away.

If you are looking to do grad school at a big school you have the University of Florida in Gainesville. The city is smaller than Jax, but still has all your requirements, I think. Also about 2 hours from Disney.