Do you like the Atlantic or gulf side of Florida better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

[Anonymous]

Gulf for sure. I grew up on the Atlantic but after seeing the Gulf never again. It’s a different vibe. Atlantic is flashy and pricey. Gulf is laidback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

I’m 40, middle class, a lifelong Virginian, and I’ve always known about Sanibel and Naples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

I'm in my 60s and I agree. I used to go to Florida a lot as a kid to visit relatives. Also went as an adult. Only learned how great the gulf side is in the last ten years. Now I live there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

I’m 40, middle class, a lifelong Virginian, and I’ve always known about Sanibel and Naples.

+1 49, umc, Pennsylvanian and have been going to Sanibel for years. Naples has always been known as a wealthy enclave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

Same with 30A. I grew up going to Seaside (I see that another PP also did!). The beaches were somewhat desolate. Seaside started getting too crowded, so we started going to Rosemary. Now, in the summer there are 3-4 rows of beach chairs packed in. The crowds have ruined it for us. There has been a noticeable difference since Covid.

[Anonymous]

Gulf side 100% for me. Have only been from Clearwater down to Marco Island, but love it all. Marco Island was last and would love to go back any time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

Agree. People in the South went there, but to the extent Northerners were aware, it was to roll their eyes. TBH, the construction of Seaside was the beginning of the end for the Panhandle. However, even up to ten years ago, there were still a few spots that weren’t overrun, but now even in those areas the cute cottages have been torn down and replaced by massive 10-bedroom rentals houses. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

The Keys have both!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

Agree. People in the South went there, but to the extent Northerners were aware, it was to roll their eyes. TBH, the construction of Seaside was the beginning of the end for the Panhandle. However, even up to ten years ago, there were still a few spots that weren’t overrun, but now even in those areas the cute cottages have been torn down and replaced by massive 10-bedroom rentals houses. It is what it is.

I went to Destin for the first time in 2002, and then back again in 2019. Couldn't believe how much it had changed. I think COVID may have sped things up a bit, but the boom was definitely happening before the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

[/b]The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)[b]

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

and the panhandle was for Southerners. We went to Seaside every summer starting in 1989 I think right when it was first being developed. It was almost exclusively families from the South (Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee primarily but some from SC and NC too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The Gulf side used to be the best kept secret of Florida.

No more. Since the pandemic, it's been discovered and the entire atmosphere has changed.

There are A LOT more people visiting and A LOT of those people were former East Coast of Florida regulars.

The old rule of thumb was the East Coast of FL was for East Coast people (NY, NJ) and the West Coast was for Midwesterners (IL, OH, MI)

You could go to Gulf beaches even during high season and still find a space where there was 50 feet between you and anyone else. Not anymore. Many beaches are packed like Coney Island and if you don't get there by 8 a.m. you will not get parking - the lots simply are not big enough to handle the new influx of visitors.

Just going to say this. One of the unexpected impacts of Covid is that so many people have discovered how nice the Gulf beaches are. The crowds have gotten nuts. People would scoff at “The Redneck Riviera” and we’d just smile. I was hoping it was going to thin out when international travel opened up, but no luck so far.

so self congratulatory. I've been vacationing on the gulf side since I was a kid. they've always been popular. maybe they've gotten more crowded since covid, but I promise you that they were not a "secret" before. lmao.

That's probably because you are a teenager, or at least communicate like one. The Gulf side of Florida (especially the southwestern part) was NOT hugely popular. And my family has been LIVING in the state for more than 50 years.

People rave about Sanibel and Naples now but if you mentioned it just 10 years ago a lot of people had no idea where they were.

I worked at South Seas Resort twenty years ago. I had access to everyone's address so I can say for sure that the majority of guests were from the mid Atlantic. It's been known around here for decades, especially NY and NJ.