[gdal625]

To all you Floridians, which coast of the state do you prefer and why? What are some advantages/disadvantages of each coast? I've been looking into Florida, but there is just so much in the state I don't even know where to start. Thanks.

[Miles Vineyards]

The biggest differance I found was one side is Midwest oriented and the East Coast is a trickle down from the Northern East Coast. One side has the Bays and Gulf and one side the Atlantic Ocean. I enjoyed the east coast and Ocean breezes and the Intercoastal waterway. I guess it is more of which style you feel most at home with. Speaking only in the regard to the Indian River and Ocean coastline from Vero Beach south it is a little more upscale. Larger Yachts, Trawlers, Ocean Vessels etc. If you have never been a city dweller the New Yorkers may unnerve you a little at first but their bark is worse than their bite, they just are not as mellow as a Midwest person. Each to his own but I enjoyed the east coast more.

[flyers29]

I personally don't think there's a big difference between the Atlantic and Gulf coasts on the whole....more the individual towns/beaches that make the difference. That said I think the Gulf Coast on the whole is a bit more laid back since there isn't development up the whole coast like on the Atlantic.

[doggiebus]

I like the Southeast part of Florida for its metropolitan, faster paced, many more northeasteners and mixed cultures feel, it also feels a little more liberal feeling. The Panhandle over to Jacksonville will give you more of a southern, conservative, country feel. Southwest Florida you will find an older, slower lifestyle, more midwestern feel. Naples is mixed, it has a midwest feel with wealthy people. Tampa is more midwestern, conservative, yet metropolitan at the same time. Then you have the East Coast from St. Augustine down through Jupiter, smaller towns, slower beach lifestyles, sort of speak. Hope this helps.

[marcopolo]

Most of the east coast beaches have nothing that compares to the fine sugar sand of most of the west coast beaches--the sand is coarser. None of the west coast beaches have the kind of ocean waves you get on the east coast beaches.

[EndersDrift]

Marcopolo are you referring to East Coast / West Coast USA or East Coast / West Coast Florida?

I consider Florida to be Gulf. We have the largest share of Gulf Coast Shoreline of any states on the Gulf. Also a much larger percentage of Florida's coast is on the Gulf than the Atlantic.

The beaches are much nicer on the Gulf side too. Of course I'm not a surfer.

[rogercobb]

Excluding Miami Beach + South Beach, the Gulf Coast is much nicer. Just compare the sugary white sand beaches of St. Pete, Clearwater, or even Destin with the blandness of Daytona (ugh) , Cocoa Beach, etc. There's much better restaurants on the gulf side with beach bars and everything just seems to be more concentrated and not nearly as sprawly and spread out as the east coast.

[MorphioMacabre]

I think marcopolo is referring to East vs West Coasts of Florida.

Having grown up in Sarasota, and in fact living there my entire life until 2 years ago...I can attest that Siesta Key Beach still has the most beautiful sand I've ever seen/felt. I haven't had a huge amount of beach experiences elsewhere, but the sand on Siesta won "International Sand Contest" in 1987 for having the "whitest, finest sand in the world."

Sitting on that beach at night, the moonlight reflecting off the glowing white sand like fresh snow...is one of the few things I miss about Sarasota. Of course now I get to see lots of real snow, here in Pittsburgh, hehe.

The beaches in Venice are not nearly as nice IMO. Miami's beaches are more polluted by far than Sarasota's, and of course the sand is not nearly as nice. Though they do look rather pretty, and I do like the big, deep blue waves of the Atlantic. The gulf is blue-green with very soft waves. Beautiful in it's own right.

I think the Keys have the most beautiful water in all of Florida. It's crystal blue with amazing clarity. I remember being in awe of how I could just stare straight into the water and see fish swimming in the depths.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by gdal625

To all you Floridians, which coast of the state do you prefer and why? What are some advantages/disadvantages of each coast? I've been looking into Florida, but there is just so much in the state I don't even know where to start. Thanks.

There are definite advantages and disadvantages to each area, though I agree with Flyers that each individual community has its own personality.

I spent 20 months up on the northwest Gulf coast.
I am now entering my third year here on the upper northeast Atlantic side of Florida.
I've been all over Florida, and the northwest side without a doubt has the most beautiful, untouched, unspoiled beaches, period.

I love *visiting* the southern peninsula (esp South Beach!), but prefer to live up north.
The north is more conservative, though that's changing here and there--the trade-off for me is the slower pace and small town atmosphere, which I happen to prefer.

It's nice having waves where I am on the Atlantic side, but that would not be a dealbreaker for me. The Gulf was great swimming.
There are hurricane statistics to consider, as well, but the truth is a hurricane could end up anywhere.

Originally Posted by doggiebus

I like the Southeast part of Florida for its metropolitan, faster paced, many more northeasteners and mixed cultures feel, it also feels a little more liberal feeling. The Panhandle over to Jacksonville will give you more of a southern, conservative, country feel. Southwest Florida you will find an older, slower lifestyle, more midwestern feel. Naples is mixed, it has a midwest feel with wealthy people. Tampa is more midwestern, conservative, yet metropolitan at the same time. Then you have the East Coast from St. Augustine down through Jupiter, smaller towns, slower beach lifestyles... Hope this helps.

In general I agree with this assessment.

[marcopolo]

Originally Posted by EndersDrift

Marcopolo are you referring to East Coast / West Coast USA or East Coast / West Coast Florida?

I consider Florida to be Gulf. We have the largest share of Gulf Coast Shoreline of any states on the Gulf. Also a much larger percentage of Florida's coast is on the Gulf than the Atlantic.

The beaches are much nicer on the Gulf side too. Of course I'm not a surfer.

I was referring to FLorida East Coast vs Florida West Coast. Daytona/Cocoa Beach sand is like pebbles compared to the fine white sand of the Gulf beaches on the west coast of Florida. South Beach Miami has finer sand than Atlantic beaches further north, but I think the Gulf Beaches (Honeymoon Island, Clearwater, St Pete's etc.) are fabulous. If you like big waves however, you gotta be on the East Coast.