I regret moving to Florida

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I found Florida very shallow also - shallow and ignorant. "So you're jewish - so you don't do a tree or anything?" "Wait, but do you celebrate Thanksgiving?" And I thought there were so many NY transplants - yet I seemed to meet every Floridian who'd somehow never met a jewish person. On my lunch breaks, women would show other women before and after pictures of their breast implant surgeries and nose surgeries.

This is not my experience at all (and I am Jewish!) Maybe you and many posters here are extremely wealthy. I can see how the wealthy crowd down here might be more superficial than in other places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You summed it up very well in your OP. Florida is all about appearances, the house, the car, the looks. The dichotomy of the wealthy and their servants (which include well paid servants like doctors and lawyers). People moving from DC to Florida shouldn’t delude themselves that anyone will care about their degrees, pedigree, cultured-ness, creativity or kindness. Relationship are transactional.

We moved to St Pete from DC and this has not been my experience at all. Maybe we just got lucky, where we picked to live.

Maybe you're younger and you have more time to work and save for retirement.

I personally would not raise a family in Florida.

I'm 50 and moved here ten years ago. We have remote jobs we brought with us from DC, and both of us have changed jobs a couple of times since we got here - staying remote. That certainly makes it easier. But I just haven't found it to be about appearances or there to be any kind of upstairs/downstairs sort of life here. We aren't part of the country club crowd, and we live in a very family oriented neighborhood in the city, so maybe we just live in a different Florida than the people who are unhappy.

Look there's plenty not to like about Florida - but it sounds like folks here have been trying to join the Mar A Lago plastic surgery society, and honestly that's on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You summed it up very well in your OP. Florida is all about appearances, the house, the car, the looks. The dichotomy of the wealthy and their servants (which include well paid servants like doctors and lawyers). People moving from DC to Florida shouldn’t delude themselves that anyone will care about their degrees, pedigree, cultured-ness, creativity or kindness. Relationship are transactional.

We moved to St Pete from DC and this has not been my experience at all. Maybe we just got lucky, where we picked to live.

Maybe you're younger and you have more time to work and save for retirement.

I personally would not raise a family in Florida.

I'm 50 and moved here ten years ago. We have remote jobs we brought with us from DC, and both of us have changed jobs a couple of times since we got here - staying remote. That certainly makes it easier. But I just haven't found it to be about appearances or there to be any kind of upstairs/downstairs sort of life here. We aren't part of the country club crowd, and we live in a very family oriented neighborhood in the city, so maybe we just live in a different Florida than the people who are unhappy.

Look there's plenty not to like about Florida - but it sounds like folks here have been trying to join the Mar A Lago plastic surgery society, and honestly that's on them.

Same.

Vibrant MC-UMC family-friendly community in our FL community.

Is it different than DC? Less intellectual?

Yes.

Is it bad? No.

[Anonymous]

I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

I'm the St Pete person - it would be fun to have a Gulf Coast DCUM meetup sometime. Or terrible! But maybe fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I found Florida very shallow also - shallow and ignorant. "So you're jewish - so you don't do a tree or anything?" "Wait, but do you celebrate Thanksgiving?" And I thought there were so many NY transplants - yet I seemed to meet every Floridian who'd somehow never met a jewish person. On my lunch breaks, women would show other women before and after pictures of their breast implant surgeries and nose surgeries.

Jews are only 2.4% of the U.S. population. It's not "ignorant" for someone to lack familiarity... sorry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

Hurricane Ian just missed you by 100 miles. Next year, there will be another hurricane. I wouldn't be so smug that it didn't affect you.

When I lived in Sarasota, I loved driving to Ft. Myers. I loved going to Englewood to Manasota Keys.

Traffic on I4 isn't horrendous except around WDW. I never drove when I lived in the DMV so I didn't spend that much time in traffic there by comparison. I'm sure it's worse in the DMV. That's not the point. When people from the DMV and NYC and Philly move to Florida, they bring they're driving and honking habits with them.

Sarasota used to be a place where mostly Midwesterners lived. It's changed in the last few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

Hurricane Ian just missed you by 100 miles. Next year, there will be another hurricane. I wouldn't be so smug that it didn't affect you.

When I lived in Sarasota, I loved driving to Ft. Myers. I loved going to Englewood to Manasota Keys.

Traffic on I4 isn't horrendous except around WDW. I never drove when I lived in the DMV so I didn't spend that much time in traffic there by comparison. I'm sure it's worse in the DMV. That's not the point. When people from the DMV and NYC and Philly move to Florida, they bring they're driving and honking habits with them.

Sarasota used to be a place where mostly Midwesterners lived. It's changed in the last few years.

I'm not being smug, I'm being grateful. Also, people on DCUM seem to think hurricanes smash into every community in FL yearly while that is obviously not the case. I lived on the east coast of FL for 6 years and now the SW coast for 3 and the worst hurricane I have ever experienced myself was when I lived in NoVa, a tree fell on my house and the streets were flooded.
Sarasota has not suffered a direct hit from a hurricane in 63 years and has never even experienced sustained hurricane force winds according to The Weather Channel.

I go between Sarasota and Orlando regularly and traffic on I4 is horrendous most of the time, sometimes near Lakeland, sometimes near downtown Orlando, always near the parks, unless you drive late at night which I often do.

In my Sarasota community there are people from many areas of the country including the midwest but also north east and and other parts of the country. I find most people I meet here are delightful whether they are transplants, locals or snowbirds.

[Anonymous]

I hardly ever drive on I4. I use 417, 408, 528. I use toll roads, but I have an EZPass.

There is way too much traffic on the streets used just to get to the store and home.

[Anonymous]

Never. Ever. Wish I moved sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

Hello Sarasota poster. We are moving there for my husbands job this summer from the east coast of Florida. He’ll be working in long boat. We have a rising 9th grader and rising 8th grader. I’ve been put several times - spent some time on the coastal side and in Lakewood ranch. What insight might you have. Traffic is busy but seems less so than our Miami/Lauderdale traffic. Budget is relatively healthy so we can swing a lot of places. Any other insight you have is appreciated!

[Anonymous]

I grew up in central FL and lived in Sarasota for awhile before moving to NOVA. Sarasota’s actually the only place in Florida I would ever consider moving back to, especially now that I have kids. I loved the Ringling, plays at the Asolo and Venice Thestre, Simon’s Coffeehouse on Saturday mornings. Traffic is pretty bad, so that was good preparation for moving here. The schools in Sarasota County are (were) decent, although we left in 2012 and my teacher friends there tell me we got out at a good time.

I wouldn’t raise my kids in Polk/Orange/Osceola counties for anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in central FL and lived in Sarasota for awhile before moving to NOVA. Sarasota’s actually the only place in Florida I would ever consider moving back to, especially now that I have kids. I loved the Ringling, plays at the Asolo and Venice Thestre, Simon’s Coffeehouse on Saturday mornings. Traffic is pretty bad, so that was good preparation for moving here. The schools in Sarasota County are (were) decent, although we left in 2012 and my teacher friends there tell me we got out at a good time.

I wouldn’t raise my kids in Polk/Orange/Osceola counties for anything.

I recently went to a musical at the Asolo with my son who was visiting, we both loved it and he said it was a Broadway caliber production and he ought to know because he goes to NY several times a year mainly to go to as many Broadway shows as he and his GF can fit into a few days. I also have been to shows at Florida Studio Theater and it also was great. The arts opportunities here are amazing and there are more great options in St. Pete 46 minutes away.

Yes traffic is tough and I have heard the same thing you heard about the schools. It's a real shame because Sarasota County schools have historically been among the best. I think there's a chance that if we get a decent governor after DeSantis' reign of terror is over the schools might improve. Don't know if you are following the Ziegler scandal but that is the kind of thing we are dealing with here now. Regardless I still love it and wouldn't live anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

Hello Sarasota poster. We are moving there for my husbands job this summer from the east coast of Florida. He’ll be working in long boat. We have a rising 9th grader and rising 8th grader. I’ve been put several times - spent some time on the coastal side and in Lakewood ranch. What insight might you have. Traffic is busy but seems less so than our Miami/Lauderdale traffic. Budget is relatively healthy so we can swing a lot of places. Any other insight you have is appreciated!

I think you will love Sarasota. There is some sketchy business going on with the schools so investigate carefully. The best public HS are Pine View, Riverview and Suncoast Polytech, check those out, plus there are some good privates.

Traffic getting on and off Longboat Key is a mess since they built a traffic circle at the city side base of the Ringling Bridge so be prepared for that in addition to in-season crazy traffic. You won't experience that when you first move here in the summer but you will eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Sarasota since 2020 and absolutely love it. I do not find any of these anecdotal comments to be true for me. I cannot even imagine why anyone would prefer living in central Florida vs the gulf coast. I left during Ian for a few days because it was supposedly heading right for us. When I came back I found out the power never even when out in my community. There was some tree damage and landscaping debris to clean up. It was nothing especially compared to Ft. Myers 100 miles south.

Like the OP I came from NoVa and I do not miss that scene at all. It's a nice place to visit, that's all. The people I've met here are great, my life here is great, there is a lot of traffic during snowbird season but it's a lot better than DC area traffic. Traffic in central Florida, especially I-4, is pretty much awful all year round.

Hurricane Ian just missed you by 100 miles. Next year, there will be another hurricane. I wouldn't be so smug that it didn't affect you.

When I lived in Sarasota, I loved driving to Ft. Myers. I loved going to Englewood to Manasota Keys.

Traffic on I4 isn't horrendous except around WDW. I never drove when I lived in the DMV so I didn't spend that much time in traffic there by comparison. I'm sure it's worse in the DMV. That's not the point. When people from the DMV and NYC and Philly move to Florida, they bring they're driving and honking habits with them.

Sarasota used to be a place where mostly Midwesterners lived. It's changed in the last few years.

I'm not being smug, I'm being grateful. Also, people on DCUM seem to think hurricanes smash into every community in FL yearly while that is obviously not the case. I lived on the east coast of FL for 6 years and now the SW coast for 3 and the worst hurricane I have ever experienced myself was when I lived in NoVa, a tree fell on my house and the streets were flooded.
Sarasota has not suffered a direct hit from a hurricane in 63 years and has never even experienced sustained hurricane force winds according to The Weather Channel.

I go between Sarasota and Orlando regularly and traffic on I4 is horrendous most of the time, sometimes near Lakeland, sometimes near downtown Orlando, always near the parks, unless you drive late at night which I often do.

In my Sarasota community there are people from many areas of the country including the midwest but also north east and and other parts of the country. I find most people I meet here are delightful whether they are transplants, locals or snowbirds.

Yeah the I4 is horrible - I don't know who, who's ever spent any time in Florida, would say otherwise with a straight face

Also totally agree with your hurricane observations