Where to move in Florida? (St. Pete, Ft. Myers, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Daytona) (Tampa: transplants)

[At_DuskX]

I am considering moving to Florida from Massachusetts. I am 21 and my boyfriend is 24 we want to move to a warmer state. I am huge on swimming and must be near the water if I move. I am looking into these cities..St Peterburg because I have family there and because it is also near other cities Tampa and Sarasota with beaches surrounding it. Ft Myers ( I used to visit my grandma there every year when I was younger) I love the tropical feel. Miami I dont know much about but it looks like a beautiful city with a lot of music. Daytona my boyfriend might like since he is going to into the automotive field. Jacksonville seems to have a lot to offer. Ft Lauderdale I dont know much about but that is like a smaller Miami. I am dead set on Florida to move to so dont tell me I should move else where because Florida is full of old people. I know theres got to be some younger people there in cities too. MUST haves; be on the ocean, huge music scene,many activities, many oppertunities for young adults and a very tropical feel. Please tell me about these cities I listed. Thank you =]

[mawipafl]

Each one of the areas you are considering has a different flavor. Naturally, since I'm from the Jacksonville are, I am partial to it. Jacksonville Beach would give you the swimming and the social life.

I am not going to dissuade you from moving to Florida, but I will say that unless you have a ton of money saved up and/or can rely on family financial assistance, getting jobs will not necessarily be easy. You'll hear a lot of advice to get a job first before making the move.

If I was in your shoes, I might initially move to the St. Pete area first because it is a place you know. With that as your base, you can take your time scoping out the area and the other cities that you mentioned to see which is the best fit.

[madcapmagishion]

Of all the cities you mentioned above Miami, Jacksonville, Daytona, St Pete, Tampa, Sarasota and Ft Myers... only the first three (Miami, Jacksonville and Daytona) are actually on an ocean. The rest are on the Gulf of Mexico.
Like mawipaw stated above St Pete, is probably your best bet as a base of operation, until you can get out and explore Florida.

[jwolfer]

Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami probably have the best job markets. They are not as seasonal as some other cities.

Sarasota and Ft Myers are very retiree focused ( lots of wealthy ones too) But there are not as many jobs unless you are in healthcare. Winter months can be very crowded. There is traffic all day because the retirees dont work

In Miami it would be helpful to know Spanish... I think it is 60% Hispanic and you can live without using English.

Daytona is seasonal, but a bit different than winter-only. You have Bike Week, Spring Break etc. There are a few places to go out but not much variety. ( I went to Grad School near Daytona.) But Orlando is not that far away... 45 minutes to North Orlando and 1 hour to Disney World.

Jacksonville is on the Ocean, so you have lots of boating, beaches, fishing, kayaking etc but it is culturally Southern, so if you think that anyone with a Southern accent is a simpleton it might be a problem. Jax is a relatively young city, I think the average age is 33 or so. Jax Beach has lots of bars etc, the beach life, and you can ride bikes everywhere, even on the hard packed sand. And if you surf or think you might want to there are more waves on the Atlantic side of the state.There is a big military presence as well along with lots of military retirees. The Navy is the reason for many transplants. Jacksonville is a large city and afforadable compared to the Northeast US... Also not as prone to Hurricanes as South Florida.

I would stick with some of the larger cities because some of the smaller cities are nice but they are really geared toward retirees and tourists. There used to be a bumper sticker in South Florida " Working in Florida is a Tropical Depression" Some of the costs are lower( ie property taxes) but the wages are lower as well

Good luck

[abvavgjoe]

Originally Posted by At_DuskX

St Peterburg because I have family there and because it is also near other cities Tampa and Sarasota with beaches surrounding it.

Bingo. Also, I assume you both will be looking for jobs and the Tampa Bay area is a very large metro with a population over 4 million. That's more than double JAX's. There's also lot's of things to do and healthy nightlife for young people. Jacksonville, not so much. Good luck.

[ssclulow]

I agree. Tampa / St. Pete.

[Robyn55]

Mock interview of someone who wants to move to Florida. - YouTube

Robyn

[vegasbaby68]

"Florida is warm and sunny all the time."...........LOL Robyn!!! Thanks for this youtube vid!! Had me seriously cracking up!!!

[JJmma]

That's a funny video : ) !!!!

[trola2]

Hilarious! Florida is warm and sunny all the time!!!