Should I move to Florida?

[djtimmy77]

I only spend a Sunday there as I had gone there to dive. The place appeared dead. Restaurant choices were very limited. Early morning I went to McDonalds, opposite the movie theater and asked for an oatmeal. The lady gave me a surprised look. "This is McDonalds. We dont serve oatmeal!" I told her "In Washington DC McDonalds has oatmeal." She just shrugged. Then I went to the movie theater and even though it was a Sunday there were no lines in front of the ticket counter. I was thinking where the hell are all the sunday movie-goers? I asked the girl at the ticket counter if this place was open. She said yes. Then I thought if my wife and I would be sitting and watching a movie all by ourselves since there was no one around. That seemed to be the case so we decided to go elsewhere. But there was no elsewhere to go to. There was a beach so my wife said she would lay on the sand until I did my dive. I had to kill a few hours till the dive and those turned out to be long hours.

Being less crowded is a big part of the reason I like Jupiter. I actually wish I could have lived here 20-30 years ago when it was significantly more sleepy.

There are plenty of restaurants in Jupiter, and even more if you include Juno Beach and PBG. I don't think not having a specialty item at McDonalds is a reason to dislike a town though...most people I know avoid eating there completely anyway.

 

[DennisS]

I only spend a Sunday there as I had gone there to dive. The place appeared dead. Restaurant choices were very limited. Early morning I went to McDonalds, opposite the movie theater and asked for an oatmeal. The lady gave me a surprised look. "This is McDonalds. We dont serve oatmeal!" I told her "In Washington DC McDonalds has oatmeal." She just shrugged. Then I went to the movie theater and even though it was a Sunday there were no lines in front of the ticket counter. I was thinking where the hell are all the sunday movie-goers? I asked the girl at the ticket counter if this place was open. She said yes. Then I thought if my wife and I would be sitting and watching a movie all by ourselves since there was no one around. That seemed to be the case so we decided to go elsewhere. But there was no elsewhere to go to. There was a beach so my wife said she would lay on the sand until I did my dive. I had to kill a few hours till the dive and those turned out to be long hours.

The dive was excellent though. One of the best dives I have ever done.

Over all the place liked excitement! When I go to Orlando everyone is in a festive mood. That was not the case in Jupiter.

If you do decide to move to FL, realize it is different, nothing irks a floridian more, than to hear, that's not the way it's done up north.

 

[SeaHound]

If you do decide to move to FL, realize it is different, nothing irks a floridian more, than to hear, that's not the way it's done up north.

I was not comparing Florida to "up north." I was comparing Jupiter to other parts of Florida. Trust me, if I did not love Florida more than "up north" I would not have put a post that reads "SHOULD I MOVE TO FLORIDA?"

I envy you guys. But I envy those who live in Key Largo more than those who live in Fort Lauderdale and I envy those of you who live in Fort Lauderdale more than those who live in Jupiter. By the end of the day, every person living in Florida earns my envy. You guys are much closer to America's best diving than I am. Hence the post!

 

[OneRestlessNative]

If you feel you can make a successful transition in a down economy I would say go for it. There are several advantages and disadvantages in this time we live in. I would assume that your professions and income requirements are the key factors in the location you choose to live. I suggest some carefully planned short scouting trips and lots of area specific economy and housing searches. If you prefer a slower paced less traffic area, stay North of Palm Beach. If you prefer the faster paced life lifestyle, South of there might be what you are looking for. I would recommend the East Central/ Southeast over any other parts of Florida if you are looking for the "tropical" experience and access to diving. Like others have posted, you have lots of diving options within a couple hours drive if you choose Central or South Florida.

 

[sportxlh]

......... I was comparing Jupiter to other parts of Florida.....

I live in the Jupiter area (Palm Beach Gardens specifically) and I would agree that Jupiter is quite a bit sleepier than Ft. Lauderdale. There is some action in WPB on Clematis in the evenings and there are definitely nice restaurants in Jupiter, but for a young single guy looking for an action packed life-style, Jupiter might not be your best bet. Its a really nice place to raise a family and has many many amenities that are family oriented. I used to manage a group of young people (early 20's age wise), for night life activities most would go to WPB or Ft Lauderdale and avoid Boca, Jupiter and Pompano, since those communities tend to be family oriented or havens for retired folks. Jupiter to Miami or FT Lauderdale is much like Naperville (or any NE Illinois suburb) is to Chicago. With all that being said, I love the Jupiter/Palm Beach Gardens area: but my 20's are a long way off in the rear view mirror of life.

By the way, I used to work extensively with McDonald's franchisees. McDonald's corporate office has gotten better about allowing local stores to sell some regional offerings if the local franchisee co-op does so in an organized fashion. That might be why oatmeal is sold in your market. Oatmeal is not as popular around here (or anywhere in the south for that matter) as in the north: grits are more likely to be found and consumed though I don't think McD's offers grits on the menus: some other fast food chains do though.

Best of luck on your decision to move or remain where you are.

 

[The Chairman]

The bulk of the diving media resides right here in Central Florida. ScubaBoard (Winter Park), Scuba Diving Magazine (Winter Park), Sport Diver Magazine (Winter Park), Scuba News (Jax), Advanced Diver Magazine (Tampa), Scuba Radio (Winter Park) and one other that I can't think of their name, all originate right here. Why? Easy access to the world, cave diving 2-3 hours north, reefs 2-3 hour south and if you have a growing family, there are all the theme parks here for them.

 

[Splitlip]

But we do have Spearboard. (North Palm)

 

[The Chairman]

TheDecoStop, RebreatherWorld, SpearBoard and a few other (way minor) forums call Florida their home. Dive Training and Dive Center are out of Mo, but the majority of the Scuba News comes out of Florida.

 

[Glock Diver]

I moved from Fairfax County, VA to Florida exactly 2 years ago. Never looked back! Cost of living?? OMG. Unbelievable difference. No state income taxes. Real estate prices much lower. I can afford a real house down here! Are you from NoVa too? PM me if you need details.

I was pretty locked in to SW Florida because of my job offer, but if you can move anywhere in the state, personally I'd recommend Palm Beach or Broward Counties. Awesome diving just minutes away.

 

[Erbun]

To add my 2 cents - I moved to Fort Lauderdale from northern Indiana last fall... And couldn't be happier. I just recently took up diving, however its been a dream of mine for years. The weather is great, the beaches are gorgeous, and the only thing better then living in the keys is living close enough to drive to spend the day and still drive home at night.

That being said be warned there are downs to living here, cost of living is high, even though its lower then normal now its still high, the electric company is a thief, and traffic is a bitch at times. But honestly? For me its been completely worth it. Good luck in your decision and your move if it comes to that!