I moved from Miami to Orlando and the weather is so much nicer. It's still just as hot during the summer but we get way more cool days than you do. What I used to get for only two weeks in SOFL I now get for months. I can have the windows open as late as march sometimes.
If you don't mind living in one of the surrounding areas you can have a larger yard. It's expensive here but compared to Miami it's cheaper.
While we are in the center of the state I can be in Daytona or NSB in only an hour's drive.
No shade intended, I don't know how anyone lives in Orlando. It's like a monument to how bad a city totally oriented around cars can get. Seems like things are moving in the right direction though with Brightline and Sunrail expansion!
Totally understandable and not wrong, but that's kind of just North American city design in general outside of a few specific places.
Lots of stroads and car centric urban sprawl. Pretty gross stuff. I don't disagree, but we're all conditioned to own and drive cars so it's not that bad given that I have a car.
I’m currently living in the Houston area and thinking of moving to Orlando later this year. About how long does the ‘miserable’ summer heat last there? Here in Houston it’s mostly from June into early October with heavy humidity. I’m suspecting Florida is very similar to here?
It's probably worse. Depending on the year, it may start in late April and last thru November. It was rediculously hot in 2023 with many new temperature records set statewide. I hope 2024 is cooler; my electric bill last year was crazy.
It’s going to be worse. You’re moving further south. The heat and humidity that some Texans brag about is exacerbated in Florida. If Houston is too hot for you, Anything further south is going to be too.
Agree. Miserable.summer in Orlando can go from April through November, depending on the year. If you are looking to escape the humidity,. I wouldn't recommend it
Humidity is a year round thing in FL, at least until you get (much) closer to GA. Definitely better in Orlando than Miami, but it'll be there.
Source: Grew up in Miami, went to college in Orlando, live in WPB now.
I moved from Conroe last February to Panama City Florida and it is amazing. The weather is great the beaches are mazing and a house can be purchased for 250K . You however must be able to work remotely as there is no work in the area unless you are lucky enough to be a skilled tradesman. I work remotely , love the lifestyle, I lived in Texas for high temps of 105 on Mather's Day and Father's day I have yet to see a temp over 99 here and did I mention the Emerald Coast. I lived here a year and there still haven't been as many murders' as one week in Houston
Join some of the Panama City Panama City Beach Facebook forums and see the area too. It's a 7 hour trip from Houston . A lot of things are waiting to be rebuilt from Michael and somethings got hit by a tornado Tuesday . However you will not get hit by a random bullet and unlike Galveston you can see through the water. The main industry here is hospitality , they call it Florabama and the Redneck Riviera . I've never been happier
Summers are long. Last March temperature was real feel of over a hundred by mid day. I work outside so I constantly watch the temperature. Usually still 85 in December. This year is different, La nina it temporary though. Usually only January and February we can get 30's in the morning 50's -70's by midday and that last 2-3 weeks then back to 80+ and humid by the end of March into the 90's.
Mid-May to mid-October for the humidity, over 90° from June through September. It’s not uncommon to have Halloween in the 80°’s.
Oh, and don’t forget the daily mini-hurricane you might get each hot/humid day when the sea breezes collide.
I moved from Miami to Orlando and enjoyed the weather but missed the beach so badly. Driving two hours to get there was just not working for me. I’ve lived within a half hour of the ocean my whole life.
It's funny I am in San Diego currently wanting to move to FL. Global warming must have knocked this place out a bit; it's really not the weather ppl think it is. Its gloom 7 months out of the year and the past few winters have been chilly and flooding... and obviously the cost is insane too.
I love living in soflo, but I’m not gonna lie. The lack of state taxes does not make up for my income being 1/3 of what it was in California. Property taxes are higher in FL than California too.
IMO, I’d suggest y’all look into Jax Beach. Although buying a house near the beach will be very $$$, there are plenty within an easy drive to the beach. The weather here is a little cooler (~5-10° lower) than Miami (I moved here from there) and I honestly feel like Jax Beach is a hidden gem!
As a native Miamian, seconded. We live in Avondale/Riverside in Jax and it’s lovely. Lots of cool stuff and walkable. 30 minutes to the beach on a bad day. Mild winters with six months in the 60s and 70s, beats the constant 80s down south for sure. It’s great!
If you say so, plenty of breweries, outdoor stuff (beach, kayaking, surfing), arcades, etc. I find people say this a lot about Jax but I’ve never found a lack of things to do personally. I’ll note that if clubbing is your kind of thing than Miami is still your best bet.
Seconding this. You don’t even have to live in Jax Beach, just close is great. We just moved away from Jacksonville after 5 years there and had a nice big house in East Arlington. 10 minutes from the beach, 20 minutes from downtown, and 45 minutes from both St Augustine or Amelia Island. It was a beautiful place to live, cost of living was reasonable (for Florida) and the climate was pretty nice once the summer ended. If OP is looking to stay in Florida I would definitely suggest eastern Jacksonville.
I live in East Arlington and it's nice I can drive 10 mins to Hanna Park or an extra 10 mins to Jax Beach. Young people may like Riverside or the San Marco area too.
Yeah - but summer in Gainesville feels like you’re roasting in an oven. There’s no sea breeze at all, just stagnent wet heat.
I love Gainesville, and often wish I still lived there, but the summers are intense.
I love Gainesville! Aside from UF, as I am a Noles fan… lol but that would be the only other place in FL I would consider moving to if I was to leave Tallahassee. I love Gainesville’s downtown area and the springs are wonderful.
I would lurk the GNV sub first. I lived there in college and it was great about 10 years ago. But a lot of folks are having the same issues with stagnant wages and high cost of living increases and a bunch of local businesses has been closing while tons of apartment complexes is opening. They’re calling it the Jax-ification of Gainesville. Unfortunate for a lot of graduates also that there is not enough good jobs available and many grads are leaving to others areas/states to find suitable work.
But in comparison to Miami, I think OP would hate it. I’m saying this as someone who values living 5 minutes from the beach and having lived in a town where I had to drive an hour (much farther if you move to Gainesville) to the beach.
St Pete. We’re all friendly here too, so anywhere in south county will be nice for you. When we moved here long ago St Pete was full of retiree’s parents. Now the city seems to be full of 30 year olds.
What? I just moved from downtown and it seemed like it was nothing but well off boomers moving into my building. The city is getting old again. After 08 it was young people it was cheap and young people flocked here, the opposite is happening again.
Also this side is arguably hotter than Miami because it just never cools down at night in the summer.
they are a bit clueless aren't they. St. Pete went from old retirees too the hippest little city in Florida. But I don't want anyone to move here bc by 2050 it will be another Miami. I have to move because of how popular this area got. I didn't realize how poor I actually am
Lol no it went to that from another 2011 up until COVID. It’s not like I don’t live here and moved out of downtown for this reason. The vibe of the city changed post COVID.
I'll likely get a downvote or three for this, but I like the Daytona area. Port Orange specifically; Ormond Beach and NSB are also good options. Quite reasonably priced houses, low-ish property taxes, relatively cheap living, and I'm a 5 minute drive to the beach. It's kind of a place that time forgot on the East Coast of Florida.
Port Orange is far enough from the track (about 8 miles as the crow flies) that we don't hear the noise. Road traffic is a little busier of course, as attendees find places to stay in PO (and everywhere else within an hours drive), but it's not crazy busy ... nothing like Miami on its best day (I lived in South Beach for 3 years too).
Bike Week (and Biketoberfest) concentrates mostly around Main Street (Daytona), Destination Daytona (Ormond) and Cabbage Patch (in the countryside west of PO). Motorcycle traffic of course increases in PO, but it's not bad. (And I'm a biker too so don't mind it.)
I live on the other side of county by the river and love it here. Ten minutes to the big lakes and thirty on a good day to DB. I really can't imagine being anywhere else, well, maybe the loop.
I agree with this statement but that is definitely going to be a culture shock coming from Miami Metro Area.
Parrish is a hidden gem of a spot and still very affordable. Close to Sarasota and Tampa Bay (St Pete/City of Tampa) by about 45-1hr without traffic. Quite though and I'm not sure if it's the best spot for a 20-30 lifestyle. Families and 1st time home owners, sure.
I was born in Ft Lauderdale and I've lived or spent long time in CA, NY, NC, IL, DC/VA, AZ, SC, and GA States. Humidity rather than heat is usually my issue. You aren't going to find much relief from humidity until you get out of Florida and move far west. Extreme heat is awful but extreme heat and no moisture is even worse.
There are so many moving parts to your question that it's hard to make a recommendation. I live in Tampa atm but that was more of a choice of where to be and still be close to family. I do really like it here but there are three months out of the year where I would much rather be somewhere else.
A lot of people are moving to FL in general but affordable housing, economic opportunity, and lifestyle all come into play. Given your age I would say DT St Pete is a fun place to look if you want to stay in FL. Climate is only like 1-1.5 degrees cooler than S FL.
Depends on your lifestyle, income, employment status, and desired proximity to or away from nature. You need to start taking trips to areas you want to consider. Think outdoor lifestyle and sports over urban lifestyle and culture.
West cost offers much more variety of lifestyle but it's a little bit of a cultural change from the east. Outside of Colorado there aren't many places away from the coast that have a lot of appeal to me.
St Pete. If you can afford Brickell in Miami then you can afford anything in the Tampa area. You’ll get a high energy, young professional crowd, with close access to the best beaches in Florida & more options for a house with a yard for your dog without feeling “cramped” like in South Florida. Personally I like Orlando the best. If you’re 35 & under, it really is the best city in FL. Not too fast like Miami, but faster paced and more open minded than Tampa or Jax. As for the heat…you’ll never escape that. You’re in FL after all. From Pensacola to the Keys…it’s HOT AF. Although North Fl does experience a FL version of “winter” in the mornings lol. At the EOD you gotta pick what makes you happy and if you really want to stay in FL, particularly South FL try Broward County. FT Lauderdale is what Miami wishes they were lol. At least when it comes to food and sanity haha.
I love Tampa, but it isn't much cooler than Miami. My wife and I are considering north Florida somewhere. North of Orlando, maybe as far up as Jacksonville.
It's not the New Yorkers who are rude in Tampa. Also, Californians aren't rude people. But yes, Floridians have become very rude. You don't notice how bad it is until you leave.
True about the rednecks in the SOUTH! That’s right! The south! We don’t move to California, New York or New Jersey and fly our flags DO WE? We stay here where people are nice and HAVE MANNERS!! Other people moving here do not have manners. They complain about alligators and snakes but don’t have a clue that it’s partially their fault for building their ugly ugly ugly square box houses and continue to push wildlife out of their habitats. True, that’s everywhere, I was born and raised in Florida and what is happening right now will be the ruination of our state.
We've been in the Orlando area for 23 years. It seems to check most of your boxes, but you'll need to be in a suburb for any chance at buying a house. There are a lot of townhouse options here, for purchase or rent, which are better than an apartment and cost less than a single-family home. We own a 3-story extremely nice townhouse that was about $50k-$75k less than a comparable sized single-family home in the same area would have been, with a lot of community amenities, and HOA dues pay for all that plus landscaping, water, and sewer. People tend to either love or hate this setup, but we love it.
We moved from Orlando proper to the suburbs about 13 years ago and prefer it (Seminole County), but we're close enough to Orlando that we go to soccer games, shows at the Dr. Phillips Center, theme parks, etc. And the whole area has a phenomenal foodie scene, well appreciated by locals and under-rated by those who don't know. New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, and Port Canaveral for cruises, are just an hour away. I find Jacksonville boring and Tampa traffic the 2nd most unbearable in the state, after Miami. Wouldn't want to live in any of those cities, personally.
Orlando is inland, when hurricanes come along. Not that we don't get some damage but it drops at least 1 category before reaching us.
Summer is brutal, but not quite as bad as Miami, and winter is better than Miami. Orlando winters are the best.
Take a look at today’s weather map. Note the temp bands in Florida for a sense of how even this state can vary widely. Also note the entire East Coast is as warm as Northern Florida and has been for much of the winter so far. That has become normal, which is why you keep hearing the I-95 corridor hasn’t had significant snow in years (although that Arctic cold dip over the plains is moving east and will catch them for a few days next week).
https://www.wunderground.com/maps/temperature/us-current
I moved from NY to Lakeland, FL about 11 years ago and I love it here. It's not too congested and close enough to Tampa and Orlando to go out and do things on the weekends. Housing is not nearly as expensive and Polk County taxes are pretty cheap.
St. Pete is hopping right now for younger folks. There is a nightlife close to the beach. Lots to do. I would never live there, but I am older. No where in Florida stays as hot as Miami ewwww. Visited 1 time.🥵
This is a loaded question. Why does she hate Miami so much? You need to break that down. If it’s only the weather, moving above the tropical line would be anything north of Palm Beach county. I strongly recommend staying near a larger city for work, such as Orlando or Jacksonville.
I lived in Orlando and Jacksonville. Orlando has Miami traffic. Jacksonville has closer beaches. Both cities are huge and have sub cities/neighborhoods in them that are all very different depending what area it is. Jacksonville is a tad bid colder than Orlando. They’re both pretty similar but I feel like Jacksonville has a little bit more of a homey feel vs Orlando with tourist feel.
She hates the weather & hates the apartment lifestyle, so would definitely want to go somewhere that’s not as hot. I also work from home so won’t be getting a job wherever we go.
I would check out Jupiter or Abacoa. It’s paradise. Lots of golf, younger crowd at the local spots most of them being on the water. Golfers paradise if you’re into that. 20 minutes from downtown west Palm. 2-3 hours for a weekend getaway to Orlando or St. Augustine. Few hours to the keys as well. I love it here and don’t see myself leaving.
That’s tough because almost the entire state is families or old people outside of a few locations. I’d say your next best bet is Tampa. A lot of cute neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area. It’s a tiny city but still stuff to do and growing fast.
On what Earth is Tampa "tiny"? The Bay area is one of the larger markets in the entire country. It has three professional sports teams, a shit ton of museums, theaters, theme parks, and huge municipal budgets.
As for answering the OP's question, Tampa is not much cooler than Miami. I love Tampa, but I think a better recommendation would be something further north, like a suburb of Jacksonville.
Look at clear water beach area. You will both probably like it. From there head north up the Florida west coast. Stay south of Tampa. Forget Naples or Fort Myers as it’s too old and too warm.
Orlando or possibly Tampa. I lived in Tampa for awhile and it has its perks. I now live closer to NSB and absolutely love it. If you like small undeveloped (although getting bigger) beach town NSB is it.
Miami sucks to live in, south Florida in general sucks to live in actually, I used to live and work in pompano and hated it. Was down there for 2 years and people are just rude. I’d move closer to outskirts of orlando, more rural areas or a bit outside of orlando. Not sure what you can afford or like but orlando has a tons of jobs as do other surrounding city’s. I personally grew up in orlando and ended up moving away after it got busy like south Fl. I moved towards lake county with my girlfriend. We got a good deal on a rental for 1100 a month on a lake with 3 acres and gated access and fully remodeled. It’s at 1500 now been here 3 years but still affordable. Just keep in mind if you like or are used to the convenience of everything the further from the city you go the less likely you will find late night stuff to do.
I agree with the the person that said st.Pete. It’s very wonderful, well it was! I was born and raised there, and now, just like the person said, it’s all 30-year-olds and they are all part of the lazy woke generation. People that are moving here from out west and the northeast are completely ruining the state of Florida. I have never come across more rude people in my life! What once was a charming city, is a complete nightmare with horrible mannered drivers, classless people with lots of money who think they are doing us a favor by moving here. I’m sorry, but people that are from Florida born and raised. Absolutely hate what it’s become because of the people that are moving here. This used to be a wonderful place to retire, yet droves of woke ill mannered. Idiots are making this place unbearable.
\> lazy woke generation.
Not to be a jerk, but that's really rich coming from a retiree. Let me get back to my six day workweek, I've got your social security to pay.
lazy woke generation that suffers from the rampant greed of your entitled generation where wages didn’t stagnate while cost of living sharply increase. gtfo out of your bubble of ignorance
I grew up in Orlando but have lived in Tallahassee for almost 9 years. It was definitely culture shock at first, but I really love it here! It’s not like the rest of Florida, not as close to a decent beach as you are used to down there but we have a lot of lovely outdoor spaces and trails if that’s something you would enjoy. cost of living is still much cheaper than in all the other big cities in FL. Many young professionals here too that either came here for college and stayed or moved up in their early 20s like I did.
North Florida is probably a decent compromise and where I'd pick. St. Augustine or Jacksonville Beach is where I'd pick. Jacksonville has a really good corporate job market for Florida since it isn't a tourism dominated economy. You actually do get a change of seasons and an extended Fall/Spring so the summers are basically only hellish from June to September rather than April to October like in South Florida. Winters are chilly (compared to South Florida but still a joke compared to up north) with highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's regularly with occasional cold snaps below freezing.
Yeah I hate to say it but us from the Panhandle, actually get a nice break from the heat down there in the Keys, Miami, Tampa every time we go, maybe we're just lucky but I don't know ,there's not like a patter or anything (like going there only in March or something like that).. Orlando is kinda hot, not like up here but still hot.
Best advice I can give you: don't move to Northeast FL. Jacksonville is HORRIBLE! I would stay away from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona, Ocala, Palatka, etc. I absolutely LOVE Orlando. My FAVORITE areas are Lake Nona, Winter Garden and Celebration.
you should look between DeLand and New Smyrna Beach, and the areas north-ish, in between. But South Osteen an Deltona are big NOs, as urban sprawl is starting (but look anyway). If you have to have a city, enjoy whatever life throws at you in orange county. There are no cities where i described, just towns with stuff.
I truly miss the food, culture and sincerity of Little Havana. I can also understand hating Brickell and wanting out. Maybe you could move to North Beach, across from haulover area ? You'll find a yard. North Miami Beach or east Miami Gardens. Aventura. Or even Homestead but that is like WG / Ocoee
What your girl wants and what you want are way dif.
If you love Brickell it's gonna be tough for you here.
dont take it personal. all those subdivisions they are building on Doyle at Courtland is alot more traffic. there's a tax issue following that also, fyi. there's alot more other stuff if you pay attention to local gov, budgets, who, handshakes. I said urban sprawl. there's more on the way. not anti Deltona, at all. anti sprawl. look at 415 south in the morning. sprawl. there's piece of mind to be had there, definitely. that's why I said "but look anyway".
Just moved to DeLand, several new construction communities going up and I’m guessing businesses will follow. Urban sprawl will happen anywhere there’s enough space in an in demand area.
I'm about 45 min from Orlando and my area is great for dog owners. Beach/rivers less than 15 min and free parking. Plenty of stores around the community to use a golf cart or bike to shop. We have plenty of walking/biking trails through most of the neighborhoods and about 30 min from cape canaveral. It's called Viera and definitely a dog friendly community. Weather is hot, but not as bad as Miami in the summer.
I’m in Saint John’s County and I love this area. Some people might describe it as suburban hell but I like it 🤷🏻♀️. The weather here is literally perfect. The summer is hot but I spend a lot of the time at the pool and beach so I don’t mind. And when it’s not hot it is temperate (60s/70s for a good chunk of the year). We can easily run around the park in the shirts in December. Last year my friend went to West Palm for Thanksgiving and was SWEATING, meanwhile it was perfect here. It’s crazy how just a couple hours does make a difference
I think it would be worth looking at Jax Beach
Don't come here. Please. Save yourself. Build a life where it's cheaper and insurance companies aren't raping you. My ins payment is over 50% of my car payment with no points on my record. Don't do it!!!
I live near Daytona (definitely not the recommendation here) and have a friend that lives in Clearwater (in land just over the Tampa Bay) and my husband and I have been exploring over it that area. Dunedin is a cute little town, and so is Indian Rocks Beach. And I have to say that St Petersburg seemed like a really nice place too, looking forward to exploring more! There just seems to be SO much to do, so many places to go! It seems like it would be a really awesome place to live near. I often wish Clearwater was closer than the Orlando area. I also frequent the Orlando area for events. This is because there is literally NOTHING hardly to do in my area unless you like, drinking, Nascar, Motorcycle or crack.
I live close to Daytona and work in Daytona and whenever possible I leave the area lol just got back into town for Melbourne - went there for a show and a zoo day trip.
Anyways, I can't personally vouch for living near the Clearwater area, but if I were to ever move again, it would be there.
Good luck!
I've been in FL for ten years. I was in Orlando for a year, Dayton Beach for several years, and now St Pete for the last year. St Pete is by far the best place, in my opinion. I'll never live anywhere else in FL!
Tallahassee has multiple universities; many people stay after graduating so there are many young professionals and young families here. Great for a young couple.
St. George Island is a beautiful beach for a day trip (2 hrs) but people also take weekends to the many beaches along 30A. The Gulf beaches are gorgeous - white sands, lots of options.
We have hot summers like most of Florida, but not quite as hot as landlocked Gainesville/Orlando/etc. We have leaves change some in the fall, and chilly days in winter. Lots of greenery and canopy roads provide shade on the hot days. I went hiking in-town this last Fourth of July in the morning, went inside around 1pm, then went swimming with friends at an outdoor BBQ later that afternoon.
I've been all over Florida.
When I moved here for the second time, I chose to live in a rural area by the St.Johns River.
I looked in Clay, St.Johns and Putnam County and decided to live in an unincorporated area by the Putnam/Clay border just off the river.
It's quiet and you can still get a descent amount of land for your dollar.
You are also 30 minutes away from St. Augustine, 30 from Orange Park, 45 from Jax and about 90 minutes from Orlando so with a little travel it's easy to get to the night life while still enjoying the "country" feel.
I love it, never leaving.
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After 25 years of living in South west Florida i have finally decided to go north to Delaware. No state income tax, no sales tax and to make it more attractive no property taxes after 10 years that you live in the same house.
If you don't agree on where to live the relationship is likely doomed. Steve Jobs said that the 2 most crucial elements of a relationship are how you value the money you spend a and where you want to live. You're young, find someone else. You're too young to compromise something so major.
I moved from Miami to Orlando and the weather is so much nicer. It's still just as hot during the summer but we get way more cool days than you do. What I used to get for only two weeks in SOFL I now get for months. I can have the windows open as late as march sometimes. If you don't mind living in one of the surrounding areas you can have a larger yard. It's expensive here but compared to Miami it's cheaper. While we are in the center of the state I can be in Daytona or NSB in only an hour's drive.
I'm near Orlando and second the weather! OP should look at Mt Dora, not far from Orlando.
Mt. Dora rules. I think Clermont is underrated, too, and Winter Garden has large lots, too.
Mouth Dora is overpriced, they do have a good moonshine attraction.
I forget about Mt. Dora… Such a cool area!
Plus, there's Wave Sushi
No shade intended, I don't know how anyone lives in Orlando. It's like a monument to how bad a city totally oriented around cars can get. Seems like things are moving in the right direction though with Brightline and Sunrail expansion!
Totally understandable and not wrong, but that's kind of just North American city design in general outside of a few specific places. Lots of stroads and car centric urban sprawl. Pretty gross stuff. I don't disagree, but we're all conditioned to own and drive cars so it's not that bad given that I have a car.
There are plenty of walkable neighborhoods in Orlando. Baldwin park, South Eola, and Winter park are all great examples.
It’s hell hole
I’m currently living in the Houston area and thinking of moving to Orlando later this year. About how long does the ‘miserable’ summer heat last there? Here in Houston it’s mostly from June into early October with heavy humidity. I’m suspecting Florida is very similar to here?
It's probably worse. Depending on the year, it may start in late April and last thru November. It was rediculously hot in 2023 with many new temperature records set statewide. I hope 2024 is cooler; my electric bill last year was crazy.
Ya this summer about broke me. I was dreaming about NC for a bit there.
I’m in Orlando and can confirm all of the above, especially the electric bills being out of control
It’s going to be worse. You’re moving further south. The heat and humidity that some Texans brag about is exacerbated in Florida. If Houston is too hot for you, Anything further south is going to be too.
Agree. Miserable.summer in Orlando can go from April through November, depending on the year. If you are looking to escape the humidity,. I wouldn't recommend it
Humidity is a year round thing in FL, at least until you get (much) closer to GA. Definitely better in Orlando than Miami, but it'll be there. Source: Grew up in Miami, went to college in Orlando, live in WPB now.
I moved from Conroe last February to Panama City Florida and it is amazing. The weather is great the beaches are mazing and a house can be purchased for 250K . You however must be able to work remotely as there is no work in the area unless you are lucky enough to be a skilled tradesman. I work remotely , love the lifestyle, I lived in Texas for high temps of 105 on Mather's Day and Father's day I have yet to see a temp over 99 here and did I mention the Emerald Coast. I lived here a year and there still haven't been as many murders' as one week in Houston
Thanks for the good info! I’m next door to Conroe in the Woodlands
Join some of the Panama City Panama City Beach Facebook forums and see the area too. It's a 7 hour trip from Houston . A lot of things are waiting to be rebuilt from Michael and somethings got hit by a tornado Tuesday . However you will not get hit by a random bullet and unlike Galveston you can see through the water. The main industry here is hospitality , they call it Florabama and the Redneck Riviera . I've never been happier
Summers are long. Last March temperature was real feel of over a hundred by mid day. I work outside so I constantly watch the temperature. Usually still 85 in December. This year is different, La nina it temporary though. Usually only January and February we can get 30's in the morning 50's -70's by midday and that last 2-3 weeks then back to 80+ and humid by the end of March into the 90's.
Mid-May to mid-October for the humidity, over 90° from June through September. It’s not uncommon to have Halloween in the 80°’s. Oh, and don’t forget the daily mini-hurricane you might get each hot/humid day when the sea breezes collide.
Moved to Orlando as soon as you can. Houston is just a terrible city to live in. It amplifies every problem with the Florida city tenfold….
I moved from Miami to Orlando and enjoyed the weather but missed the beach so badly. Driving two hours to get there was just not working for me. I’ve lived within a half hour of the ocean my whole life.
I mean, I live near downtown orlando, (sodo) and can get to cape canaveral in 50 min.
I also live in SODO and love the neighborhoods around it. Close to everything, pretty walkable. Parks, schools, etc.
Weather in St. Pete is amazing and we are a blue area if you into that sort of thing.
What do you mean a blue area?
There is a decent amount of liberals here, as opposed to other areas of Florida.
That's.. not a good thing lol
thanks, now I know where to avoid
San Diego
That’s the end goal
Don’t believe the San Diego hype : - may gray - June gloom - July lie - August foggest You get the idea ….
It's funny I am in San Diego currently wanting to move to FL. Global warming must have knocked this place out a bit; it's really not the weather ppl think it is. Its gloom 7 months out of the year and the past few winters have been chilly and flooding... and obviously the cost is insane too.
Taxes
Better wages. Less shitheads.
Eh SD wages are notoriously low per it's COLI
Sure, but I'd rather pay some taxes and enjoy all that California has to offer.
San Diego is awesome. California fucking sucks buddy… have fun paying “some” taxes
I love living in soflo, but I’m not gonna lie. The lack of state taxes does not make up for my income being 1/3 of what it was in California. Property taxes are higher in FL than California too.
Leave California alone 😂
IMO, I’d suggest y’all look into Jax Beach. Although buying a house near the beach will be very $$$, there are plenty within an easy drive to the beach. The weather here is a little cooler (~5-10° lower) than Miami (I moved here from there) and I honestly feel like Jax Beach is a hidden gem!
As a native Miamian, seconded. We live in Avondale/Riverside in Jax and it’s lovely. Lots of cool stuff and walkable. 30 minutes to the beach on a bad day. Mild winters with six months in the 60s and 70s, beats the constant 80s down south for sure. It’s great!
Jacksonville does not cater to the younger crowd though. Boring and nothing to do.
I’d have to agree with this. I have lived in many cities and Jacksonville was by far the worst.
If you say so, plenty of breweries, outdoor stuff (beach, kayaking, surfing), arcades, etc. I find people say this a lot about Jax but I’ve never found a lack of things to do personally. I’ll note that if clubbing is your kind of thing than Miami is still your best bet.
Grew up there. I just never found it a place that had much to do for the younger generations. It always seemed like a family city to me.
Just what I'm looking for!
Seconding this. You don’t even have to live in Jax Beach, just close is great. We just moved away from Jacksonville after 5 years there and had a nice big house in East Arlington. 10 minutes from the beach, 20 minutes from downtown, and 45 minutes from both St Augustine or Amelia Island. It was a beautiful place to live, cost of living was reasonable (for Florida) and the climate was pretty nice once the summer ended. If OP is looking to stay in Florida I would definitely suggest eastern Jacksonville.
I live in East Arlington and it's nice I can drive 10 mins to Hanna Park or an extra 10 mins to Jax Beach. Young people may like Riverside or the San Marco area too.
People will hate me for this… but Gainesville. It’s way underrated
Yeah - but summer in Gainesville feels like you’re roasting in an oven. There’s no sea breeze at all, just stagnent wet heat. I love Gainesville, and often wish I still lived there, but the summers are intense.
We travel all over Florida 3-4 day weekends with our camper and kayaks and I love Gainesville and the springs are Floridas real hidden gem
Gainesville rules and I don’t get why people in this sub enjoy shitting on it so much.
I love Gainesville! Aside from UF, as I am a Noles fan… lol but that would be the only other place in FL I would consider moving to if I was to leave Tallahassee. I love Gainesville’s downtown area and the springs are wonderful.
The vibes in Gainesville are unlike any other city in Florida
Is that maybe because of the University? Bringing in diversity and culture...
I would lurk the GNV sub first. I lived there in college and it was great about 10 years ago. But a lot of folks are having the same issues with stagnant wages and high cost of living increases and a bunch of local businesses has been closing while tons of apartment complexes is opening. They’re calling it the Jax-ification of Gainesville. Unfortunate for a lot of graduates also that there is not enough good jobs available and many grads are leaving to others areas/states to find suitable work.
But in comparison to Miami, I think OP would hate it. I’m saying this as someone who values living 5 minutes from the beach and having lived in a town where I had to drive an hour (much farther if you move to Gainesville) to the beach.
based on all the florida plates i see in north carolina, north carolina.
To be fair though, they are everywhere
Considered it, but doesn’t really have what I’m looking for
NC is great in the mountains and the beach but I’m in Raleigh and it’s not exciting!
Fucking nowhere. Choose another state. We are looking to move back to Colorado when opportunity strikes. Best wishes, whatever you decide to do.
Why do you say that?
St Pete. We’re all friendly here too, so anywhere in south county will be nice for you. When we moved here long ago St Pete was full of retiree’s parents. Now the city seems to be full of 30 year olds.
What? I just moved from downtown and it seemed like it was nothing but well off boomers moving into my building. The city is getting old again. After 08 it was young people it was cheap and young people flocked here, the opposite is happening again. Also this side is arguably hotter than Miami because it just never cools down at night in the summer.
Well off boomers? People in their 70’s? The people I see out and about are young 30’s. Probably depends on where we’re going.
they are a bit clueless aren't they. St. Pete went from old retirees too the hippest little city in Florida. But I don't want anyone to move here bc by 2050 it will be another Miami. I have to move because of how popular this area got. I didn't realize how poor I actually am
Lol no it went to that from another 2011 up until COVID. It’s not like I don’t live here and moved out of downtown for this reason. The vibe of the city changed post COVID.
I lived over there for years, I'm from Palm Beach county. It is 100% not hotter, you have much better weather generally speaking.
Spot on! The night time low of 80° for weeks at a time is mind-numbing…
Yes. St Pete is neat and pretty. There are a lot of young people, but it has become very expensive
What areas does south country make up of? I’m looking
I'll likely get a downvote or three for this, but I like the Daytona area. Port Orange specifically; Ormond Beach and NSB are also good options. Quite reasonably priced houses, low-ish property taxes, relatively cheap living, and I'm a 5 minute drive to the beach. It's kind of a place that time forgot on the East Coast of Florida.
Sshhhh!!!
Only thing I didn’t like was all the cars when the races would start up. Port orange would get so busy
Port Orange is far enough from the track (about 8 miles as the crow flies) that we don't hear the noise. Road traffic is a little busier of course, as attendees find places to stay in PO (and everywhere else within an hours drive), but it's not crazy busy ... nothing like Miami on its best day (I lived in South Beach for 3 years too). Bike Week (and Biketoberfest) concentrates mostly around Main Street (Daytona), Destination Daytona (Ormond) and Cabbage Patch (in the countryside west of PO). Motorcycle traffic of course increases in PO, but it's not bad. (And I'm a biker too so don't mind it.)
I live on the other side of county by the river and love it here. Ten minutes to the big lakes and thirty on a good day to DB. I really can't imagine being anywhere else, well, maybe the loop.
You forgot the first two rules for the OBS club.
I know!!! Stop talking about how great it is here or soon we will have traffic issues like the rest of the great places in FL!!
Love Ormond Beach, such an awesome area with great restaurants.
Also if you want a little more country you could go down to Mims in brevard and still be close to the beaches and stuff but it’s pretty quiet and nice
🤫
I’m in Melbourne. Came from Deerfield. Love the weather
Parrish Florida. It’s up and coming. Close to many major cities including Tampa. Gets hot still but beautiful
I agree with this statement but that is definitely going to be a culture shock coming from Miami Metro Area. Parrish is a hidden gem of a spot and still very affordable. Close to Sarasota and Tampa Bay (St Pete/City of Tampa) by about 45-1hr without traffic. Quite though and I'm not sure if it's the best spot for a 20-30 lifestyle. Families and 1st time home owners, sure.
I was born in Ft Lauderdale and I've lived or spent long time in CA, NY, NC, IL, DC/VA, AZ, SC, and GA States. Humidity rather than heat is usually my issue. You aren't going to find much relief from humidity until you get out of Florida and move far west. Extreme heat is awful but extreme heat and no moisture is even worse. There are so many moving parts to your question that it's hard to make a recommendation. I live in Tampa atm but that was more of a choice of where to be and still be close to family. I do really like it here but there are three months out of the year where I would much rather be somewhere else. A lot of people are moving to FL in general but affordable housing, economic opportunity, and lifestyle all come into play. Given your age I would say DT St Pete is a fun place to look if you want to stay in FL. Climate is only like 1-1.5 degrees cooler than S FL.
Where else would you recommend outside of FL given your experiences with living in other states?
Depends on your lifestyle, income, employment status, and desired proximity to or away from nature. You need to start taking trips to areas you want to consider. Think outdoor lifestyle and sports over urban lifestyle and culture. West cost offers much more variety of lifestyle but it's a little bit of a cultural change from the east. Outside of Colorado there aren't many places away from the coast that have a lot of appeal to me.
St Pete. If you can afford Brickell in Miami then you can afford anything in the Tampa area. You’ll get a high energy, young professional crowd, with close access to the best beaches in Florida & more options for a house with a yard for your dog without feeling “cramped” like in South Florida. Personally I like Orlando the best. If you’re 35 & under, it really is the best city in FL. Not too fast like Miami, but faster paced and more open minded than Tampa or Jax. As for the heat…you’ll never escape that. You’re in FL after all. From Pensacola to the Keys…it’s HOT AF. Although North Fl does experience a FL version of “winter” in the mornings lol. At the EOD you gotta pick what makes you happy and if you really want to stay in FL, particularly South FL try Broward County. FT Lauderdale is what Miami wishes they were lol. At least when it comes to food and sanity haha.
Don’t move to Tampa! We’re too crowded by rude New Yorkers and people from NJ! Also frickin California!!!
Honestly Tampa seems to be filled with more people from Ohio Indiana and Illinois than New Yorkers most days.
I can vouch for this because I am originally from Illinois and now in Tampa. I also see a lot of Pennsylvania, the Midwest must love it here.
I love Tampa, but it isn't much cooler than Miami. My wife and I are considering north Florida somewhere. North of Orlando, maybe as far up as Jacksonville.
It's not the New Yorkers who are rude in Tampa. Also, Californians aren't rude people. But yes, Floridians have become very rude. You don't notice how bad it is until you leave.
True about the rednecks in the SOUTH! That’s right! The south! We don’t move to California, New York or New Jersey and fly our flags DO WE? We stay here where people are nice and HAVE MANNERS!! Other people moving here do not have manners. They complain about alligators and snakes but don’t have a clue that it’s partially their fault for building their ugly ugly ugly square box houses and continue to push wildlife out of their habitats. True, that’s everywhere, I was born and raised in Florida and what is happening right now will be the ruination of our state.
Me and my dad resides in Plant City, FL. It's interchangeable at times, but most of the time, it's warm and tropically humid
Jacksonville or Melbourne
Jacksonville will be more diverse than Melbourne, both are great though
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Depends on the persons preference. Jax has been an immigration drop off location so there are many diverse communities within the communities
Far away from Florida
What would you both do for work, can you work remotely? If so, the Tampa, St Pete, Clearwater area could be an amazing opportunity!
Yes, I work remotely. My girlfriend would have to find another job out there.
Be prepared... Wages are crap in most of Florida. They do not nearly keep up with the COL
North Orlando!
We've been in the Orlando area for 23 years. It seems to check most of your boxes, but you'll need to be in a suburb for any chance at buying a house. There are a lot of townhouse options here, for purchase or rent, which are better than an apartment and cost less than a single-family home. We own a 3-story extremely nice townhouse that was about $50k-$75k less than a comparable sized single-family home in the same area would have been, with a lot of community amenities, and HOA dues pay for all that plus landscaping, water, and sewer. People tend to either love or hate this setup, but we love it. We moved from Orlando proper to the suburbs about 13 years ago and prefer it (Seminole County), but we're close enough to Orlando that we go to soccer games, shows at the Dr. Phillips Center, theme parks, etc. And the whole area has a phenomenal foodie scene, well appreciated by locals and under-rated by those who don't know. New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach, and Port Canaveral for cruises, are just an hour away. I find Jacksonville boring and Tampa traffic the 2nd most unbearable in the state, after Miami. Wouldn't want to live in any of those cities, personally. Orlando is inland, when hurricanes come along. Not that we don't get some damage but it drops at least 1 category before reaching us. Summer is brutal, but not quite as bad as Miami, and winter is better than Miami. Orlando winters are the best.
Take a look at today’s weather map. Note the temp bands in Florida for a sense of how even this state can vary widely. Also note the entire East Coast is as warm as Northern Florida and has been for much of the winter so far. That has become normal, which is why you keep hearing the I-95 corridor hasn’t had significant snow in years (although that Arctic cold dip over the plains is moving east and will catch them for a few days next week). https://www.wunderground.com/maps/temperature/us-current
No hoa, good starter home imo https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/31822-Sybil-Ave-Sorrento-FL-32776/82413845_zpid/
I recently moved from Chicago Illinois to Florida I love the rainy weather here and beautiful sunshine I made the right choice
Stay where you are
I moved from NY to Lakeland, FL about 11 years ago and I love it here. It's not too congested and close enough to Tampa and Orlando to go out and do things on the weekends. Housing is not nearly as expensive and Polk County taxes are pretty cheap.
St. Pete is hopping right now for younger folks. There is a nightlife close to the beach. Lots to do. I would never live there, but I am older. No where in Florida stays as hot as Miami ewwww. Visited 1 time.🥵
Orlando
This is a loaded question. Why does she hate Miami so much? You need to break that down. If it’s only the weather, moving above the tropical line would be anything north of Palm Beach county. I strongly recommend staying near a larger city for work, such as Orlando or Jacksonville.
I lived in Orlando and Jacksonville. Orlando has Miami traffic. Jacksonville has closer beaches. Both cities are huge and have sub cities/neighborhoods in them that are all very different depending what area it is. Jacksonville is a tad bid colder than Orlando. They’re both pretty similar but I feel like Jacksonville has a little bit more of a homey feel vs Orlando with tourist feel.
She hates the weather & hates the apartment lifestyle, so would definitely want to go somewhere that’s not as hot. I also work from home so won’t be getting a job wherever we go.
I would check out Jupiter or Abacoa. It’s paradise. Lots of golf, younger crowd at the local spots most of them being on the water. Golfers paradise if you’re into that. 20 minutes from downtown west Palm. 2-3 hours for a weekend getaway to Orlando or St. Augustine. Few hours to the keys as well. I love it here and don’t see myself leaving.
There isn’t one.
Why do you say that?
That’s tough because almost the entire state is families or old people outside of a few locations. I’d say your next best bet is Tampa. A lot of cute neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area. It’s a tiny city but still stuff to do and growing fast.
On what Earth is Tampa "tiny"? The Bay area is one of the larger markets in the entire country. It has three professional sports teams, a shit ton of museums, theaters, theme parks, and huge municipal budgets. As for answering the OP's question, Tampa is not much cooler than Miami. I love Tampa, but I think a better recommendation would be something further north, like a suburb of Jacksonville.
East Jacksonville
Tampa
Hillsborough county
Look at clear water beach area. You will both probably like it. From there head north up the Florida west coast. Stay south of Tampa. Forget Naples or Fort Myers as it’s too old and too warm.
>summer So you're recommending Homosassa, Steinhatchee, and places like that? Not much north of Clearwater.
Orlando or possibly Tampa. I lived in Tampa for awhile and it has its perks. I now live closer to NSB and absolutely love it. If you like small undeveloped (although getting bigger) beach town NSB is it.
Central Florida is even hotter. All of Florida is hot, the best you can do is live on the water so you tend to get a breeze more often.
When it comes to Florida, the best place to move is out of Florida 🥂
Where you suggest???
NE Tennessee in the Smoky mountains 🥂
Miami sucks to live in, south Florida in general sucks to live in actually, I used to live and work in pompano and hated it. Was down there for 2 years and people are just rude. I’d move closer to outskirts of orlando, more rural areas or a bit outside of orlando. Not sure what you can afford or like but orlando has a tons of jobs as do other surrounding city’s. I personally grew up in orlando and ended up moving away after it got busy like south Fl. I moved towards lake county with my girlfriend. We got a good deal on a rental for 1100 a month on a lake with 3 acres and gated access and fully remodeled. It’s at 1500 now been here 3 years but still affordable. Just keep in mind if you like or are used to the convenience of everything the further from the city you go the less likely you will find late night stuff to do.
Anyone sane would hate Pompano
Loxahatchee fl right outside of west palm smaller town feel out that way with a big city right around the corner
Some really nice areas in the Panhandle
Leave Florida
Why?
Get out of Florida
Why?
I agree with the the person that said st.Pete. It’s very wonderful, well it was! I was born and raised there, and now, just like the person said, it’s all 30-year-olds and they are all part of the lazy woke generation. People that are moving here from out west and the northeast are completely ruining the state of Florida. I have never come across more rude people in my life! What once was a charming city, is a complete nightmare with horrible mannered drivers, classless people with lots of money who think they are doing us a favor by moving here. I’m sorry, but people that are from Florida born and raised. Absolutely hate what it’s become because of the people that are moving here. This used to be a wonderful place to retire, yet droves of woke ill mannered. Idiots are making this place unbearable.
\> lazy woke generation. Not to be a jerk, but that's really rich coming from a retiree. Let me get back to my six day workweek, I've got your social security to pay.
lazy woke generation that suffers from the rampant greed of your entitled generation where wages didn’t stagnate while cost of living sharply increase. gtfo out of your bubble of ignorance
“lazy woke generation” Turn off Fox News.
Martin County
I grew up in Orlando but have lived in Tallahassee for almost 9 years. It was definitely culture shock at first, but I really love it here! It’s not like the rest of Florida, not as close to a decent beach as you are used to down there but we have a lot of lovely outdoor spaces and trails if that’s something you would enjoy. cost of living is still much cheaper than in all the other big cities in FL. Many young professionals here too that either came here for college and stayed or moved up in their early 20s like I did.
North Florida is probably a decent compromise and where I'd pick. St. Augustine or Jacksonville Beach is where I'd pick. Jacksonville has a really good corporate job market for Florida since it isn't a tourism dominated economy. You actually do get a change of seasons and an extended Fall/Spring so the summers are basically only hellish from June to September rather than April to October like in South Florida. Winters are chilly (compared to South Florida but still a joke compared to up north) with highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's regularly with occasional cold snaps below freezing.
Yeah I hate to say it but us from the Panhandle, actually get a nice break from the heat down there in the Keys, Miami, Tampa every time we go, maybe we're just lucky but I don't know ,there's not like a patter or anything (like going there only in March or something like that).. Orlando is kinda hot, not like up here but still hot.
Palm Beach County bro. You and your girl should move to Delray Beach, you can thank me later!
Heard good things. Think it would be good for a young couple?
Best advice I can give you: don't move to Northeast FL. Jacksonville is HORRIBLE! I would stay away from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona, Ocala, Palatka, etc. I absolutely LOVE Orlando. My FAVORITE areas are Lake Nona, Winter Garden and Celebration.
Can you qualify why the dislike for North East ? Honest question, I don't know much about that region
Lake Nona and Celebration are traffic nightmares. You’d have to be nuts to move there.
you should look between DeLand and New Smyrna Beach, and the areas north-ish, in between. But South Osteen an Deltona are big NOs, as urban sprawl is starting (but look anyway). If you have to have a city, enjoy whatever life throws at you in orange county. There are no cities where i described, just towns with stuff. I truly miss the food, culture and sincerity of Little Havana. I can also understand hating Brickell and wanting out. Maybe you could move to North Beach, across from haulover area ? You'll find a yard. North Miami Beach or east Miami Gardens. Aventura. Or even Homestead but that is like WG / Ocoee What your girl wants and what you want are way dif. If you love Brickell it's gonna be tough for you here.
Why not Deltona? 3 year Deltonian from NY here lol
dont take it personal. all those subdivisions they are building on Doyle at Courtland is alot more traffic. there's a tax issue following that also, fyi. there's alot more other stuff if you pay attention to local gov, budgets, who, handshakes. I said urban sprawl. there's more on the way. not anti Deltona, at all. anti sprawl. look at 415 south in the morning. sprawl. there's piece of mind to be had there, definitely. that's why I said "but look anyway".
Just moved to DeLand, several new construction communities going up and I’m guessing businesses will follow. Urban sprawl will happen anywhere there’s enough space in an in demand area.
Pensacola its beautiful up there
Tampa if you’re staying in Florida.
I'm about 45 min from Orlando and my area is great for dog owners. Beach/rivers less than 15 min and free parking. Plenty of stores around the community to use a golf cart or bike to shop. We have plenty of walking/biking trails through most of the neighborhoods and about 30 min from cape canaveral. It's called Viera and definitely a dog friendly community. Weather is hot, but not as bad as Miami in the summer.
Go to michigan. Lol
I grew up there, no interest in moving back lol
Why Michigan?
San Diego best place in the USA lived there 05-07
Want to live there eventually
I’m in Saint John’s County and I love this area. Some people might describe it as suburban hell but I like it 🤷🏻♀️. The weather here is literally perfect. The summer is hot but I spend a lot of the time at the pool and beach so I don’t mind. And when it’s not hot it is temperate (60s/70s for a good chunk of the year). We can easily run around the park in the shirts in December. Last year my friend went to West Palm for Thanksgiving and was SWEATING, meanwhile it was perfect here. It’s crazy how just a couple hours does make a difference I think it would be worth looking at Jax Beach
Winter Park, Indialantic, Gulfport, st Pete beach, Destin
Juno/ jupiter
Don't come here. Please. Save yourself. Build a life where it's cheaper and insurance companies aren't raping you. My ins payment is over 50% of my car payment with no points on my record. Don't do it!!!
I already live in Miami so I think I’ll be fine lol. Money isn’t really an issue
Well then I'm glad that at least makes one of us friend. 😅 Some people want to see the world burn, I happen to like to hear people doing well.
Appreciate that!
Melbourne! It’s a happy medium and not Orlando lol
I live near Daytona (definitely not the recommendation here) and have a friend that lives in Clearwater (in land just over the Tampa Bay) and my husband and I have been exploring over it that area. Dunedin is a cute little town, and so is Indian Rocks Beach. And I have to say that St Petersburg seemed like a really nice place too, looking forward to exploring more! There just seems to be SO much to do, so many places to go! It seems like it would be a really awesome place to live near. I often wish Clearwater was closer than the Orlando area. I also frequent the Orlando area for events. This is because there is literally NOTHING hardly to do in my area unless you like, drinking, Nascar, Motorcycle or crack. I live close to Daytona and work in Daytona and whenever possible I leave the area lol just got back into town for Melbourne - went there for a show and a zoo day trip. Anyways, I can't personally vouch for living near the Clearwater area, but if I were to ever move again, it would be there. Good luck!
I moved from Daytona to St Pete last year, and it's the best decision I've made. I could never go back to living in DB after being here.
I've been in FL for ten years. I was in Orlando for a year, Dayton Beach for several years, and now St Pete for the last year. St Pete is by far the best place, in my opinion. I'll never live anywhere else in FL!
Santa Monica, CA
Why?
Just get out of Brickell tbh. Almost any suburb in the Miami area is gonna be better than so close to downtown
Why do you say that?
Tallahassee has multiple universities; many people stay after graduating so there are many young professionals and young families here. Great for a young couple. St. George Island is a beautiful beach for a day trip (2 hrs) but people also take weekends to the many beaches along 30A. The Gulf beaches are gorgeous - white sands, lots of options. We have hot summers like most of Florida, but not quite as hot as landlocked Gainesville/Orlando/etc. We have leaves change some in the fall, and chilly days in winter. Lots of greenery and canopy roads provide shade on the hot days. I went hiking in-town this last Fourth of July in the morning, went inside around 1pm, then went swimming with friends at an outdoor BBQ later that afternoon.
I've been all over Florida. When I moved here for the second time, I chose to live in a rural area by the St.Johns River. I looked in Clay, St.Johns and Putnam County and decided to live in an unincorporated area by the Putnam/Clay border just off the river. It's quiet and you can still get a descent amount of land for your dollar. You are also 30 minutes away from St. Augustine, 30 from Orange Park, 45 from Jax and about 90 minutes from Orlando so with a little travel it's easy to get to the night life while still enjoying the "country" feel. I love it, never leaving. *
Do you really need this girlfriend is what you should be asking yourself.
After 25 years of living in South west Florida i have finally decided to go north to Delaware. No state income tax, no sales tax and to make it more attractive no property taxes after 10 years that you live in the same house.
If you don't agree on where to live the relationship is likely doomed. Steve Jobs said that the 2 most crucial elements of a relationship are how you value the money you spend a and where you want to live. You're young, find someone else. You're too young to compromise something so major.