If you could retire anywhere in Florida

[Bushmaster]

where would it be?

Priorities:

Close to beach, or even on the beach, or waterfront.

Great hospitals

Not a big town (100k +) or tons of traffic

Close airport access

No liberals (probably rules out So FL, but that is OK, see other thread)

Close enough to attend Gator football after Mullen gets fired, so 3 hours of G'vill.

 

[LagoonGator68]

where would it be?

Priorities:

Close to beach, or even on the beach, or waterfront.

Great hospitals

Not a big town (100k +) or tons of traffic

Close airport access

No liberals (probably rules out So FL, but that is OK, see other thread)

Close enough to attend Gator football after Mullen gets fired, so 3 hours of G'vill.

Rosemary Beach area

 

[soflagator]

Jupiter Island across from Tequesta. You’re not escaping people with differing views, but PBG and north seem to be a little more reasonable. Small reef off the coast within swimming distance, beautiful water, very quiet but with access to any chaos you could want within an hour. Also, I can make the trip from Jupiter to Gville in 3.5 hours. So if I’m affording a beach house in JI, I’m sure whatever car I’d have would do that or better.

 

[AlexDaGator]

where would it be?

Priorities:

Close to beach, or even on the beach, or waterfront.

Great hospitals

Not a big town (100k +) or tons of traffic

Close airport access

No liberals (probably rules out So FL, but that is OK, see other thread)

Close enough to attend Gator football after Mullen gets fired, so 3 hours of G'vill.

Sounds like the Space Coast to me (full disclosure, my current neck of the woods).

You have Patrick AFB right there so lots of military plus all the aerospace tech companies so lots of engineers. It's politically conservative. Because of the Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River, you have a fair amount of waterfront that isn't crazy expensive (and hurricane dangerous) oceanfront, but close to the beach. You have a small local airport that is very convenient but you can take the Beachline (the old Beeline) from Cocoa to Orlando MCO and it's about 30 minutes. MCO is about as good as a large airport gets. Gainesville is about 3 hours away. If you like cruising, Port Canaveral is right there. Deep sea fishing too. It is a little boring, not a vibrant night life like in larger cities, not as many great restaurants, but it's nice.

The Gulf Coast might fit for you too, except not sure of the airport/hospital situation. Something north of Clearwater, maybe around Homosassa.

Good luck to you.

Alex.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Assuming money is no object, then one of the keys off of Sarasota with a house on the gulf.

 

[soflagator]

Sounds like the Space Coast to me (full disclosure, my current neck of the woods).

You have Patrick AFB right there so lots of military plus all the aerospace tech companies so lots of engineers. It's politically conservative. Because of the Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River, you have a fair amount of waterfront that isn't crazy expensive (and hurricane dangerous) oceanfront, but close to the beach. You have a small local airport that is very convenient but you can take the Beachline (the old Beeline) from Cocoa to Orlando MCO and it's about 30 minutes. MCO is about as good as a large airport gets. Gainesville is about 3 hours away. If you like cruising, Port Canaveral is right there. Deep sea fishing too. It is a little boring, not a vibrant night life like in larger cities, not as many great restaurants, but it's nice.

The Gulf Coast might fit for you too, except not sure of the airport/hospital situation. Something north of Clearwater, maybe around Homosassa.

Good luck to you.

Alex.

I've actually never explored any of the area from Martin to Volusia, but I'm sure it is nice for all those reasons mentioned. Unfortunately, I have friends and family in St. Augustine and would have to make that trip up 95 several times a year, which made me come to despise Brevard county as it has to be the longest county on the planet to drive through. It may as well be Texas.

 

[Gatordiddy]

Assuming money is no object, then one of the keys off of Sarasota with a house on the gulf.

This is what I've always heard - anywhere from Sarasota down thru Captiva Island are the best areas for retirees.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

Are Frankfort or Danville Kentucky in Florida? Dang...

 

[Gator By Marriage]

This is what I've always heard - anywhere from Sarasota down thru Captiva Island are the best areas for retirees.

It's gorgeous - and way out of my price range.

 

[Gatordiddy]

Are Frankfort or Danville Kentucky in Florida? Dang...

(inserting old/stale joke here)

How do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky?
Is it Louis-ville, Looey-ville or Lou-uh-vulle?

Answer:
It's pronounced:
Frankfort

I'll show myself out of the Lounge now... remember to tip your waitresses and bartenders.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Keys.
If money no object. Spend every day on the water. Take my personal sea plane to Miami when bored. Or yacht. Or cigarette boat. Crewed by young women with daddy issues.

Prettiest beaches are south of Tampa but that area is so boring.

 

[soflagator]

It's gorgeous - and way out of my price range.

Oh stop. We’ve seen the wines you drink.

 

[soflagator]

Keys.
If money no object. Spend every day on the water. Take my personal sea plane to Miami when bored. Or yacht. Or cigarette boat. Crewed by young women with daddy issues.

Prettiest beaches are south of Tampa but that area is so boring.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Keys.
If money no object. Spend every day on the water. Take my personal sea plane to Miami when bored. Or yacht. Or cigarette boat. Crewed by young women with daddy issues.

Prettiest beaches are south of Tampa but that area is so boring.

I read that as "screwed".


Alex.

 

[Bushmaster]

Money is always an object, but I should be fairly set in 8-10 years if all keeps working as planned.

I grew up in the FWB back when no one had heard of Destin. There literally was nothing there in the early 80s. One hour of nothing to PCB. Went back a few years ago and was disgusted.

Space Coast sounds interesting. Took a couple cruises from Port Canaveral. River or bay access to ocean sounds cool. Lots of water access for boating and fishing. Nothing to do in the Keys outside of boating. Its OK to visit, but wouldn't want to live there.

May plan a trip to Sarasota for vacation and check it out.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Money is always an object, but I should be fairly set in 8-10 years if all keeps working as planned.

I grew up in the FWB back when no one had heard of Destin. There literally was nothing there in the early 80s. One hour of nothing to PCB. Went back a few years ago and was disgusted.

Space Coast sounds interesting. Took a couple cruises from Port Canaveral. River or bay access to ocean sounds cool. Lots of water access for boating and fishing. Nothing to do in the Keys outside of boating. Its OK to visit, but wouldn't want to live there.

May plan a trip to Sarasota for vacation and check it out.

Choctaw ‘62

 

[ThreatMatrix]

I read that as "screwed".


Alex.

Yeah well, that's what I really meant.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Money is always an object, but I should be fairly set in 8-10 years if all keeps working as planned.

I grew up in the FWB back when no one had heard of Destin. There literally was nothing there in the early 80s. One hour of nothing to PCB. Went back a few years ago and was disgusted.

Space Coast sounds interesting. Took a couple cruises from Port Canaveral. River or bay access to ocean sounds cool. Lots of water access for boating and fishing. Nothing to do in the Keys outside of boating. Its OK to visit, but wouldn't want to live there.

May plan a trip to Sarasota for vacation and check it out.

Keys are very expensive. Miami to Key West is over 3 hours. Costs a lot to ship stuff there, plus real estate is at a premium. Stores are smaller and shortages are not uncommon. Plus so many houses are now used for short-term rentals (VRBO, AirBnB, etc.) that the costs are insane.

Everything is far in the Keys. Even Islamorada (the beginning of the Keys; Key West is the end of the Keys) is 6+ hours from Gainesville and I assume the closest major airport is Miami.

Sarasota is close enough to Tampa that you can visit the city for a game or a concert. Careful about going much further south though...Venice, Naples, Ft. Myers, etc. are nicknamed "God's Waiting Room" for a reason. That's shuffleboard and pickleball territory. The Publix cashier isn't in high school, she graduated high school in the 60's.

If you're from the Panhandle area, there's still beautiful areas up there.

Alex.

 

[Detroitgator]

Keys.
If money no object. Spend every day on the water. Take my personal sea plane to Miami when bored. Or yacht. Or cigarette boat. Crewed by young women with daddy issues.

Prettiest beaches are south of Tampa but that area is so boring.

Is that you, Tommy Vu?

 

[Detroitgator]

Oh stop. We’ve seen the wines you drink.

As an avid watcher of Siesta Key, I just don't see GBM living there.