NotUrsula
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2002
Absolutely, living in a sub-tropical climate isn't for everyone -- Thank goodness! Difference is what makes life interesting. Renting for awhile, and especially making a longer visit in the season you are likely to like least is essential, IMO. (For the folks thinking of moving to the Villages based on 2 spring visits: you may want to think about spending at least a month in August/Sept to be sure. That area of the state is very muggy during hurricane season.)
In the Upper South they have a nickname for folks who move from the Tri-State area to Florida and then to their areas: they call them "halfbacks" -- as in, they moved half-way back north. It's often a really good compromise for folks who have decided they are mostly done with ice and snow, but who still prefer to have definite seasons, or who prefer more of a mountain vibe.
Personally, I'd prefer not to ever live in an age-restricted community; I prefer to be in an area that is widely diverse in every way. (I'm also pretty averse to typical suburbs, so that rules out a huge number of those types of communities in any case.)
My DS lives in the oldest part of St. Pete, and I love spending time there; the days of "God's waiting room" are long-gone.. Being able to roll out of bed, grab a rod, walk down to the pier and land dinner before breakfast is lovely, but so is browsing a different museum each day of the week, and the huge variety of ethnic food that is locally available is wonderful. I grew up in a sub-tropical climate, and although I've lived in the midwest for over 30 years now, my body is always happiest where the air stays pretty wet.
In the Upper South they have a nickname for folks who move from the Tri-State area to Florida and then to their areas: they call them "halfbacks" -- as in, they moved half-way back north. It's often a really good compromise for folks who have decided they are mostly done with ice and snow, but who still prefer to have definite seasons, or who prefer more of a mountain vibe.
Personally, I'd prefer not to ever live in an age-restricted community; I prefer to be in an area that is widely diverse in every way. (I'm also pretty averse to typical suburbs, so that rules out a huge number of those types of communities in any case.)
My DS lives in the oldest part of St. Pete, and I love spending time there; the days of "God's waiting room" are long-gone.. Being able to roll out of bed, grab a rod, walk down to the pier and land dinner before breakfast is lovely, but so is browsing a different museum each day of the week, and the huge variety of ethnic food that is locally available is wonderful. I grew up in a sub-tropical climate, and although I've lived in the midwest for over 30 years now, my body is always happiest where the air stays pretty wet.