Should We Move to Florida or Southern California ?

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by majnun

I've lived in California for the past 30 years, first in the SF Bay area, currently in the LA area. I preferred the former for its beauty and air quality (I lived in Marin county, the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge and on a boat in Sausalito). Where ever you go, there you are. It's the people and yourself which make a home and a community. Humans have the knack of turning Paradise into Hell. Just choose. You can always move in another 10 years.

Reviving a 6 year old thread. Not the longest I've see though, that's about 8 years. So you'll have to search around some more if you really want to create the oldest zombie thread.


A house is but a boat so poorly built and so firmly run aground you would never try to refloat it.

[bvisailing32]

Very interesting forum topic. We believe everyplace has its own special treasures. We just need to match those up to our personal adventure and fun meter'

Lived at the beaches of southern calif since 1955 with the last nine years across the pond as residents of Kauai Island. Recently we moved back to cali, a wonderful small beach community between LA and san diego called Dana Point.

For 36 tears we sailed those southern cali waters, owned our own boats and made a sort of living , instructing, doing charters, deliveries, and bare boat chartering , and leading flotills in the south pacific and the caribbean, So, we have that passion to be around water and sailing,

We love our new home, at the beach, and are back into sailing, but, where do we go on vacation ?

Yep, to the BVI, Australia, Tahiti, Ireland and Greece, And when hoisting a rum, and the talk story veers to if we had to move, where would we go ?

Well. we have discussed florida, both the gulf coast and southern florida, and being close to sailing the caribbean. , And this topic pops up.

But for now, we will stay put, and take the big bird to the BVI for the great sailing , oh and just a few months ago, we discovered costa rica ( land trips),

I guess , for now, life will be a compromise, and a fine life it is,

[salty_dog_68]

It is official! Floriduh is full. You will have to move to California. Sorry for the inconvienience.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by salty_dog_68

It is official! Floriduh is full. You will have to move to California. Sorry for the inconvienience.

+1
.......

[vegasandre]

As the OP of this old thread I would like to update it..
Kids are in College/out now and I am in San Diego.
I opened a small RE office to flip homes in Jupiter FLa 4 years ago and have a couple rentals there.
SO I am back in forth to Fla.. but mostly here...

Kids are older and could care less about sailing and boats right now and pretty much are happy and established in San Diego ..and I will not leave them

hindsight is 20/20..

but my original Idea to move to FLa in 2009 was very correct.
your first intuition is usually the right one.

CA- despite the fine weather - is not the place I would be raising my kids if they were young.
I would move to Jupiter this afternoon ..
wife won't still and family is > my desires ..
Cheers..

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by vegasandre

As the OP of this old thread I would like to update it..
Kids are in College/out now and I am in San Diego.
I opened a small RE office to flip homes in Jupiter FLa 4 years ago and have a couple rentals there.
SO I am back in forth to Fla.. but mostly here...

Kids are older and could care less about sailing and boats right now and pretty much are happy and established in San Diego ..and I will not leave them

hindsight is 20/20..

but my original Idea to move to FLa in 2009 was very correct.
your first intuition is usually the right one.




CA- despite the fine weather - is not the place I would be raising my kids if they were young.
I would move to Jupiter this afternoon ..
wife won't still and family is > my desires ..
Cheers..

We are welcoming a whole lot of Californians and New Yorkers in the past year and a half down here in Florida. Well,.....maybe not quite all of them.

[MicHughV]

Florida is pretty large State. Moving to " Florida" is a moving target. North Florida is entirely different from South Florida. The interior of Florida is completely different from coastal Florida. The Key are completely different from the Panhandle, etc, etc.

I live in the North Florida area and like it. This part of Florida is indented, meaning most hurricanes zip along the coast. Unless it were to be a direct hit, you've got a pretty good chance that a hurricane will zip by. There have been some close calls....80-100 miles offshore, but far enough to not be a major problem.

North Florida has attracted a lot of people recently (a lot of Californians), and real estate prices are thru' the roof. High as they are, they are relatively inexpensive compared to CA. There are many marina's in the area, too many to list here, but you'll likely find something to suit you.

It doesn't really get cold here. we might have one or two days with 32 degree weather (at night), but for the rest, the ocean keeps temps relatively moderate. Sweater weather.

Fishing is good here, no matter what part of Florida you fetch up in.

I find that coastal Floridians are a completely different breed of people from Florida inland people.

Our beaches here unbeatable, at low tide, they are two football fields wide.

The B'mas are a two day coastal sail from here.

Summers are hot, for sure, but living on the coast, there is usually a seabreeze to moderate temps.

I prefer the east coast over the west coast, but there are proponents on both sides of the fence.

Jupiter is a nice area. South of Jupiter, things start to get a bit hectic. North of Jupiter it tends to be less hectic.

Kids grow up and usually find their own "happy place".
Keeping your wife happy is the secret to a good marriage.

CA vs FLA....tough call...both places are quite different from each other.

I gotta say one thing about FLA I don't like. There are no mountains here. Not even hills. Place is flat as a pancake, but FLA doesn't suffer from earthquakes either.

Pick your poison.....

[vegasandre]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Florida is pretty large State. Moving to " Florida" is a moving target. North Florida is entirely different from South Florida. The interior of Florida is completely different from coastal Florida. The Key are completely different from the Panhandle, etc, etc.

I live in the North Florida area and like it. This part of Florida is indented, meaning most hurricanes zip along the coast. Unless it were to be a direct hit, you've got a pretty good chance that a hurricane will zip by. There have been some close calls....80-100 miles offshore, but far enough to not be a major problem.

North Florida has attracted a lot of people recently (a lot of Californians), and real estate prices are thru' the roof. High as they are, they are relatively inexpensive compared to CA. There are many marina's in the area, too many to list here, but you'll likely find something to suit you.

It doesn't really get cold here. we might have one or two days with 32 degree weather (at night), but for the rest, the ocean keeps temps relatively moderate. Sweater weather.

Fishing is good here, no matter what part of Florida you fetch up in.

I find that coastal Floridians are a completely different breed of people from Florida inland people.

Our beaches here unbeatable, at low tide, they are two football fields wide.

The B'mas are a two day coastal sail from here.

Summers are hot, for sure, but living on the coast, there is usually a seabreeze to moderate temps.

I prefer the east coast over the west coast, but there are proponents on both sides of the fence.

Jupiter is a nice area. South of Jupiter, things start to get a bit hectic. North of Jupiter it tends to be less hectic.

Kids grow up and usually find their own "happy place".
Keeping your wife happy is the secret to a good marriage.

CA vs FLA....tough call...both places are quite different from each other.

I gotta say one thing about FLA I don't like. There are no mountains here. Not even hills. Place is flat as a pancake, but FLA doesn't suffer from earthquakes either.

Pick your poison.....

thank you for that. good sound advice. I do like the east coast of FLa more and it tends to be quiet nor th and central then gets crazy around FLL and MIA then chills out in the keys until you get to Margaritaville. I would never tell anyone that I am from Ca.. I am from NJ.. being from "Ca" has a movers stigma to it... amongst other things..
It is all about the family though -even when the kids are all adults(young ) now.
sold the Catalina 35 a few years back because no one ever wanted to go on it.
there is not a perfect place .

[MicHughV]

It's a tough call. I've travelled all over the world and have seen some astounding places.
Beautiful...yes...would I want to live there....no.

For instance, weather is a big part. While I enjoy snow, I don't want to live with it.

Additionally, personally, I require some social interaction. At the end of the day, people make a place attractive as much as anything.
I have fond memories of places that had fine people.

I still travel a lot and enjoy it, but coming "home", wherever that might be, is always a thrill.

To me, that is the best of both worlds. Live someplace you enjoy, but schedule " travel time" to other places.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Florida is pretty large State. Moving to " Florida" is a moving target. North Florida is entirely different from South Florida. The interior of Florida is completely different from coastal Florida. The Key are completely different from the Panhandle, etc, etc.



Fishing is good here, no matter what part of Florida you fetch up in.


.

Yea.

BUT. Since I was young the fish are gone. Places I took my kids to for a bit of fishing and catching a variety of fish now have harldy anything. Schools of mullet that used to number in the thousands now have 50. Schools of greenbacks virtually non existent. Pin fish. Can't even catch a pin fish half the time. To say nothing of Reds, Snook, Sail Cat, Trout, Cobia, Grouper etc.
If you go with a professional guide maybe... But just taking the kids out on the flats no longer gives any catching pleasure. Fishing, sure. Catching, NOPE.

[MicHughV]

Well, I can't talk for the west coast of Florida, but around here, you can't put a bait in the water without a red snapper taking it. We had a three day window to catch 'em here. They are thick as flies, but the " no take" law is still in effect.
Kingfish fishing is usually quite good.
Cobia are seasonal, but hang out on the offshore wrecks.
Wahoo, dolphin, etc, can be caught further offshore.
Sailfish are being caught closer to shore.
In between are all the usual catches....grouper.....drum...tripletail....seabas s....reef donkeys...etc...and lotsa sharks
I don't fish the beaches, but fishermen are out there catching the usual....catfish....blues....etc....
Bait fish are always a hit and miss thing...and sometimes require hunting around for them.
I can't say whether it's better or worse....tends to be a seasonal thing...once water temps drop below 70 f.....things tend to quieten down...

the charter fishing boats fish year round here, but I don't....I know several charter captains, who will let me know what's going on.

The big charter party boats also tend to be quite busy year round.

All in all, if you want to catch fish, they are out there. Takes practice to know when, where and how.
One thing I do know about fishing is that you won't catch anything unless your bait is in the water.
But you are right...it's called fishing..not catching....I've had days where I've been skunked and days when the ice box was full by noon....

[Mare Nostrum]

Originally Posted by vegasandre

Okay , I posted this question on another forum. The many answers have helped us greatly - and have helped us potentially check out new areas while dropping others off the list.Because I like this forum more- I used the other as a test shot. Basically The overall trend seemed to lean heavily towards Florida -though which part seemed to be in dispute.

Here is our situation:
I would like all suggestions and opinions on plusses and minuses of both areas in regards to possible relocation.
I am married and have 3 kids ages 6-11

We own a successful buisness in Las Vegas but dont have to be here full time . We have been here 10 years (originally NJ) and need a change + dont want to raise kids here any more. I own a Catalina 350 which is in San Diego(fin keel 6' 8" draft would sell it if we went to Florida). I love sailing and fishing equally. Though I love San diego and the boat is there ,which would make it a logical move- there are some things which Kind of annoy me in Cali- the traffic,The showy mentality, water not warm enough(for me), limited sailing destinations,state income tax . Being that I love warm locations - we have pretty much narrowed it down to San Diego/Orange County or South Florida for our next move. (sorry no pac nw comments please)
We want to stay in the US . The boys are heavily into baseball.My wife is great at meeting people (me not so much).

From what I am seeing on S Fla so far:
plusses:
more tropical climate
better sailing destinations
no state tax
could possible have a sailboat and fishing boat docked in my backyard
great year round fishing

minuses-
bugs
humidity
more rain
hurricanes
higher property tax
higher insurance for boats and houses

As far as So Cal:
plusses-
great temperate weather
good surfing /fishing

minuses-
property values in good school areas still too high
general Keeping up with the Joneses mentality
water cold
lack of destinations
kelp everywhere
state income tax
state may be bankrupt.
traffic sux
may gray june gloom


We are looking for a place to raise the kids on or very close to the water.
we need great school area. I would like great sailing destinations and fishing destinations (mainly saltwater inshore and offshore). Somewhat affordable.
We will eventually have a mid 40's Catamaran and a 30 ft- ish sport fisherman. Extremely important is a good "atmosphere" for raising family with a sense of "Community"

Please submit you thoughts , opinions and experiances. Please feel free to point out areas that we may have overlooked or not considered.

I know there is not a perfect place. there are always drawbacks from any area.

thank you

Have you looked at Texas? Corpus Christi is a great city to raise kids, has super marinas & good breezes year-round, and is easy-going. It is also close to San Antonio/Austin, not too far from Houston.

[MicHughV]

Florida. Might I suggest the St. Augustine area....or the newly developed Nocatee area between St. A and J'ville. J'ville Beach, not to be confused with J'ville, is seemingly the new hotspot for people wanting to relocate to Florida.
Don't forget Fernandina Beach.

St. Johns County has a reputation for having an excellent school system.
St.A is on the water and Nocatee is close by. J'ville Beach is also a beach town, with the St. Johns River inlet only a few miles to the north. Fernandina Beach is also near an inlet.
The ICW cuts thru' all these areas, for inland fishing, and offshore fishing is great. There is an abundance of man-made fishing reefs, both near shore and further offshore. The Gulf Stream runs about 50 miles offshore St. A and offers the best deep water fishing you can ask for. There are several marina's in the area, plus mooring fields.
The Keys and B'mas is a two day offshore trip. Brunswick, GA is a one day trip. Savannah and Charleston just a tad further to the north.
Daytona is a short hop to the south. Day sails in the ocean are easily done.

My 2c for now.

[Cheechako]

I have lived in both, albeit Florida was temporary living, twice.

If money were not a driver, California leaps and bounds above Florida.
But I love a little North of "Southern California" so there's that. Not a fan of LA area.

Most things have already been mentioned but I'll just say.
+Florida is cheap. It surprised me a lot. Rental cars $30 a day. Good seafood restaurants are cheap compared with S. Cal. Right after the big recession you could buy a 3 br house on a water way finger for $200k and up.
-Florida is unbearable hot outdoors June through September. For me, I would have to be indoors with AC 24/7 all those months. It can pour rain at 3:30 in the afternoon after a clear blue sky earlier. Sometimes it got dark like it was nightime and poured buckets with lightening for 2 hours straight, black sky and sheet lightening, little thunder at all. Dark out. I tried to go to the boat to do a little work, couldn't stay more than a half hour , sweat running off me like a shower.
-FL: Snakes, bugs, alligators. I was walking the pups in a grassy area near a restaurant which had a big pond. The pups were want to go near the water edge. That's when I realized there was a gator laying silently about 10 ft from the edge watching us.
-Inland both Fl and CA have dusty, low rent, old school towns. I wouldn't want to live there.
-CA taxes are high for sure.
-Florida beaches are cool, they seem a bit "overworked" to me, and Fl seems very anti dog anywhere near the beach. Heck even in the North, Fl beaches along the E. Coast which are deserted have signs for no dogs. Florida in general feels a lot like I'm in Disneyland or a continual beach party. Not sure why.
+Fl has easy access to the Bahamas/Caribe, as a boater that's a plus.
+West coast is fairly wild and beautiful and doesn't feel so over run with the "beach party crowd".
-There are few nearby sailing destinations in S. California.
+To me, once north of LA, California is so nice. Fresh air, sun, not overly hot. I love those mountain towns etc.

[MicHughV]

The dog thing is an issue for some people, that's for sure, but not all beaches have no dog ordinances. Most beaches around where I live allow dogs on the beaches during winter months, and during the summer, before 9am and after 5pm. I don't think dogs are the issue, it's the dog poop that is the issue, and there are several " dog parks" around..

Housing used to be cheap here, but these days it takes $600K to buy an old beach house, several blocks from the beach. Most old beach houses are being bought out, knocked down and a two story edifice built in it's stead, costing $1M plus to move in.

Upscale ocean front hotels will set you back $450-550/night in season.Your Holiday Inn will come in about half that.

For the rest, yeah, it can get hot here, but there is usually a sea breeze to cool things down.

We rarely eat out, but my wife and I thought to try a local beach restaurant. $100 (incl. tip) for two people, one drink each, several appetizers. I don't know if that is considered expensive or not....I thought so. Glass of wine, $8....Heineken beer, $6.50...

Sad to say, marina prices are also on the upswing. $28/ft annual rate....plus electric, dock box, etc....

The " good 'ole days" are long gone now. For reasons beyond my ability to explain, north Florida has become a happening place.