Where would you live in Florida?

[Rob9876]

I guess it's a matter of perspective -- a 3 hr. drive for nice salt water diving would be great! Some of us are driving 2 hrs. each way to dive in a murky quarry. Sure, I could hop a cheap flight to Florida - but for 2 of us it becomes less cheap, even more so with fees to bring our gear, then I need a rental car, hotel, and don't forget an 18 or 24 hour no-fly time. Not to mention the hassle of air travel these days, arrive early, late flights, wait for shuttle to rental cars, etc., etc.

 

[kelemvor]

Tampa probably has something good but I’m not sure what it is.

Meh.. IMO Tampa's best feature is that it's close to a lot of other good places. I think it exists because Tampa bay provides a good place for a port. You do have immediate easy access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. 2.5hr drive to cave country. 3.5 hr drive to the Atlantic. 5 hour drive to the keys. 1 hour drive to theme parks. Semi international airport (Yes, it's an international airport, but most international flights go through Miami before the international destination). Inexpensive gigabit fiber (FIOS) is a reality in a lot of the bay area. 5G wireless is available in a lot of he bay area. We've got fooseball, hockey, and baseball teams right here. Gambling (if that's your thing) right in town at the Seminole casino.

One thing that we do have in abundance here are awesome beaches. No significant travel, and there's a lot of them. Our beaches don't really have any good shore diving since the gulf slopes so gently, but the beaches themselves are the best I've seen (and I have been to all the famous California beaches).

So, not terrible but the main benefit to Tampa is that it's near to many other desirable places... at least that's my opinion.

 

[NothingClever]

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampaba...or-names-multiple-tampa-bay-beaches-best.html

 

[kelemvor]

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampaba...or-names-multiple-tampa-bay-beaches-best.html

Although I do think we have excellent beaches, take anything on those "business journal" sites with a grain of salt. I believe that almost everything (or possibly everything) on there is a paid advertisement. Local businesses pay them to make a full page article when they open and then put a framed copy on their wall. At first I was taken in by the articles, but now that more small businesses have one than not it's pretty obvious what's going on.

That said, various well known magazines have named Clearwater Beach #1 over the years. I know because the city is so proud of the ranking that they have permanent signs about it as you come across the bridge from Tampa airport.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

It gets too cold in the winter in Tampa for my liking

 

[NothingClever]

Not a beach-goer anyways...unless I’m jocked up in dive kit and have my DPV loaded with fresh batteries.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I guess it's a matter of perspective -- a 3 hr. drive for nice salt water diving would be great! Some of us are driving 2 hrs. each way to dive in a murky quarry. Sure, I could hop a cheap flight to Florida - but for 2 of us it becomes less cheap, even more so with fees to bring our gear, then I need a rental car, hotel, and don't forget an 18 or 24 hour no-fly time. Not to mention the hassle of air travel these days, arrive early, late flights, wait for shuttle to rental cars, etc., etc.

If you’re (OP) going to go to the time and expense of moving 10+ hours down the road for the sole purpose of being close to diving sites...why settle for a place that still leaves you with a 3+ hour drive?

Is a 3+ hour drive better than a 10+ hour drive? Yes, I can do the maths, but still...that’s a long drive to do “on the reg.”