[Dave_n_Tenn]

Originally Posted by manny118

This isn't true with respect to restaurants. The Stuart/Palm City/Jensen Beach area have a good variety of upscale restaurants. However, the closest upscale shopping mall would be in Palm Beach Gardens, about 40 minutes away.

Good restaurants, or anything for that matter, doesn't necessarily mean "upscale" it means good. The price of an entree or a product doesn't ensure it's goodness... for goodness sake.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by manny118

This isn't true with respect to restaurants. The Stuart/Palm City/Jensen Beach area have a good variety of upscale restaurants. However, the closest upscale shopping mall would be in Palm Beach Gardens, about 40 minutes away.

I disagree, the OP is moving from San Diego. The quality and variety found in Stuart/Palm/Jensen will be far more limited and inferior. Night and day difference. If the OP was moving from like Eureka, then yeah I can see an argument being made, but he is moving from San Diego. Also, just because a restaurant is expensive, doesn't make it good, in fact it's one of the reasons why food scenes suck in many small towns. They have expensive prices for crap food. Some of the best restaurants are little hole in the walls.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

Doing some long range planning.

Wife and I will be empty-nesters in 5 years. We currently live in the San Diego area, and of course, like many things about it, but I don't like the direction CA is going, and I doubt our kids will be able to afford to live here after college, so we're thinking about moving to another state.

We would be in our late 40's, so def not looking for any type of "senior living" development.

Must haves:

coastal city
waterfront home w/boat dock
upscale area
good restaurants/entertainment/shopping
proximity to decent airport
prefer a non-liberal/progressive area


I'll be selling my company when we move, so no need to factor in employment options or commute times.

I think the humidity would be the biggest change for us, but we'd probably spend most of the summer somewhere else anyway.


What city/area would you recommend for us? The only cities I've been to in FL are Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. Enjoyed Ft. Lauderdale.

Thanks.

Coastal City = Stuart, FL https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/stuart.html
Water front home with dock= many choices depending on budget in Martin county
Upscale area = Sewalls Point https://sewallspoint.org/
Restaurants are an easy search Stuart-Jensen Beach-Palm City-Hutchinson Island
Decent airport = Palm Beach International Airport | West Palm Beach, FL or regional https://www.martin.fl.us/Airport
Non liberal = Martin County is a conservative/republican county

[manny118]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

I disagree, the OP is moving from San Diego. The quality and variety found in Stuart/Palm/Jensen will be far more limited and inferior. Night and day difference. If the OP was moving from like Eureka, then yeah I can see an argument being made, but he is moving from San Diego. Also, just because a restaurant is expensive, doesn't make it good, in fact it's one of the reasons why food scenes suck in many small towns. They have expensive prices for crap food. Some of the best restaurants are little hole in the walls.

I guess the main point of my comment is that the Stuart area will punch above its weight when it comes to the quality of the restaurant scene. However, you are correct that Martin County is not nearly as large as Palm Beach County or San Diego and will not be able to match the number of restaurants. Stuart is only about 30 miles from the Palm Beach County line, so many of the dining options in Northern Palm Beach County are within a reasonable distance.

The reason I specifically mentioned upscale restaurants is because I think that is typically where you see a real difference between the larger urban areas and the smaller towns. Small towns typically lack amenities at the high end, but as I mentioned I believe Stuart punches above its weight in this regard.

At the end of the day it comes down to your personal preferences. Stuart/Martin County will offer some big city amenities in a smaller less congested community but will not have as many options as the larger towns. The further south you go towards Miami the more options you will have but the trade off will be the issues of living in a more congested area.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by manny118

I guess the main point of my comment is that the Stuart area will punch above its weight when it comes to the quality of the restaurant scene. However, you are correct that Martin County is not nearly as large as Palm Beach County or San Diego and will not be able to match the number of restaurants. Stuart is only about 30 miles from the Palm Beach County line, so many of the dining options in Northern Palm Beach County are within a reasonable distance.

The reason I specifically mentioned upscale restaurants is because I think that is typically where you see a real difference between the larger urban areas and the smaller towns. Small towns typically lack amenities at the high end, but as I mentioned I believe Stuart punches above its weight in this regard.

At the end of the day it comes down to your personal preferences. Stuart/Martin County will offer some big city amenities in a smaller less congested community but will not have as many options as the larger towns. The further south you go towards Miami the more options you will have but the trade off will be the issues of living in a more congested area.

I lived in San Diego County twice and yes they have a lot of restaurants. But where I live now, Volusia County, there are as many near me as there were in SDC and a 20 minute drive gets me lots more. My wife and haven't even eaten at all the restaurants in our town let alone all those within an easy drive.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by manny118

I guess the main point of my comment is that the Stuart area will punch above its weight when it comes to the quality of the restaurant scene. However, you are correct that Martin County is not nearly as large as Palm Beach County or San Diego and will not be able to match the number of restaurants. Stuart is only about 30 miles from the Palm Beach County line, so many of the dining options in Northern Palm Beach County are within a reasonable distance.

The reason I specifically mentioned upscale restaurants is because I think that is typically where you see a real difference between the larger urban areas and the smaller towns. Small towns typically lack amenities at the high end, but as I mentioned I believe Stuart punches above its weight in this regard.

At the end of the day it comes down to your personal preferences. Stuart/Martin County will offer some big city amenities in a smaller less congested community but will not have as many options as the larger towns. The further south you go towards Miami the more options you will have but the trade off will be the issues of living in a more congested area.

Oh ok, I understand what you meant now. Generally speaking, like you said the closer you get to Miami, the more congested, however if you don't have to commute to work as in the OP's case... that doesn't apply. My favorite areas in South Florida aren't congested. You'd only deal with it if you had to say commute to Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach for work. Lots of nice communities in South Florida that are very relaxed, small community feeling, but have the tax dollars to really make the community's aesthetics nice. Where as towns like Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach look like a run down trailer park or retirement centers in the form of outdated ugly condos built in the 80s or whatever.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

Something for everyone... including trailer parks.

Florida is an opportunity state. Put the time into your education or your craft, and your life will reflect your investment.

[beach43ofus]

Is this move still in play?

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

Doing some long range planning.

Wife and I will be empty-nesters in 5 years. We currently live in the San Diego area, and of course, like many things about it, but I don't like the direction CA is going, and I doubt our kids will be able to afford to live here after college, so we're thinking about moving to another state.

We would be in our late 40's, so def not looking for any type of "senior living" development.

Must haves:

coastal city
waterfront home w/boat dock
upscale area
good restaurants/entertainment/shopping
proximity to decent airport
prefer a non-liberal/progressive area


I'll be selling my company when we move, so no need to factor in employment options or commute times.

I think the humidity would be the biggest change for us, but we'd probably spend most of the summer somewhere else anyway.


What city/area would you recommend for us? The only cities I've been to in FL are Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. Enjoyed Ft. Lauderdale.

Thanks.

[LA33301]

California Natives should leave their socialist failed politics behind if you relocate to Florida. Florida is very different than California. I know because I lived out there for a period of time. Los Angeles, even back then was a horrible place to live. Nobody can pay me enough money to go back to that sh*tty state! Heads up: Native Floridians by and large are hard working decent accepting people so please for heaven sakes don't flaunt your Red Ferrari or Purple Lamborghini or build some 6 story McMansion in a pretty middle class neighborhood with steel bars on every window.

Welcome to Florida

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by LA33301

California Natives should leave their socialist failed politics behind if you relocate to Florida. Florida is very different than California. I know because I lived out there for a period of time. Los Angeles, even back then was a horrible place to live. Nobody can pay me enough money to go back to that sh*tty state! Heads up: Native Floridians by and large are hard working decent accepting people so please for heaven sakes don't flaunt your Red Ferrari or Purple Lamborghini or build some 6 story McMansion in a pretty middle class neighborhood with steel bars on every window.

Welcome to Florida

Warped reality, but okay. California has like the 5th largest economy in the world and though you couldn't hack living there is no reason to called it "failed". Florida is arguably now a poster child for the haves/have nots with very obvious income disparity and one of the worst cases of rent to income disparity. Furthermore in the wake of one of the worst economic times in history Florida has yet to provide unemployment benefits to over 90% of those who are qualified to receive them, has no credible plans for forwarding the stimulus plan benefits to the unemployed via the Cares Act, yet has managed somehow to get out corporate tax refunds this past week to big business.