Do you have a home in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton or Palm Beach?

[Panina]

I love Florida. Years ago I was very familiar with these area. Now my knowledge is with the West coast of Florida so I figured where better to get information but from my tugger friends for the East Coast.

I have friends and family that live in these areas and love it and I have others that plan on moving. I have always been reluctant to move full time to Florida because of hurricanes but am now considering it.

If you live or have a second home in these areas I would love to hear what you think and any input you might have. If it is in a 55+ active community detail would be appreciated.

 

[Talent312]

I grew up in Miami. I have vivid memories of hurricanes. They were fun.
Electricity went out, so it was like camping, but we did have a gas stove.
Lots of trees came down, so we could build treehouses on the ground.
Dips in the road turned into ponds to wade in.

But seriously, the chances of a 'cane hitting any one certain spot is low.
These days there's plenty of warning, and plenty of insurance to cover.

I really like the Palm Beach area: The beaches, the shopping, the culture
(The Breakers Hotel, Henry Flagler Museum, Lion Country Safari, etc.)

But frankly, I prefer the more laid back atmosphere of Marco + Sanibel.
.

 

[Luanne]

My bff moved to Florida a little over a year ago. She was burned out due to the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA and lost everything. Her husband had passed away about a year before that. She moved to Florida to be close to her older dd, sil and two grandsons. She's living north of the areas you mentioned, on Merritt Island (near Cocoa Beach).

 

[LannyPC]

Do you have a home in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton or Palm Beach?

No. In fact nowhere outside the country where I live do I have a home.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Probably the best east coast city to live in is New Smyrna Beach. It's a historic city, essentially two in one. One side is "mainland", or a part of the state itself. The other side is "beachside", which is on a long island. It's very laid back, the city shuts down around 6pm. Daytona Beach is the same, mainland and beachside (but not the same island as New Smyrna Beach), but it is a big-time tourist trap. The big thing is, New Smyrna Beach has never had a direct hit from a hurricane. A couple times, a hurricane has hit Vero Beach to the south, so the city got hit by the feeder bands, but never hit.

I would know, my grandparents lived there from 1981 - 1996, we visited them frequently, and I graduated high school there in 1991. A lady I went to high school with is a realtor in that area.

TS

 

[AnnaS]

My in-laws had a condo (snowbirds) in Jupiter for many years. We visited quiet a few times. It was given to my husband and his brother and eventually we sold it a few years ago. (long story/in-laws passed). We have visited a few times since then. My husband's cousin lives in Tequesta. We loved the area and they were not too far from the beach. We thought it was a beautiful and nice area. Doctors and hospital great (in-laws both in here and there and one for surgery). That's about all the input I have.

Good luck in your search. Is visiting each area a possibility? Have you been to any of the areas?

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I know this is an area you’re not considering but if you choose to live in Naples or Bonita Springs I can provide you with a ton of info on active communities in both locations.

We have finally narrowed it down to 3 locations in Naples and in Bonita Springs.

I even found a newcomers group to join.

I wish you much success in finding the place that makes you happy

 

[Glynda]

I wouldn't live in Florida again for any reason but I do prefer the Gulf Coast over the East. The East Coast today, below Daytona, is just one town/city running into another. Traffic is horrible, but to be fair, in the Winter particularly, it's horrible on both coasts! I like the Gulf's calmer water, wider, and more level, white sand beaches. Walking on the East Coast beach at Vero, where my in-laws lived, hurt my back as it banked steeply. I like being able to wade so much further out into the Gulf and its sandbars. A few steps in the Atlantic and you can be over your head. I found the West Coast more laid back and charming...or at least it used to be before Florida became what it is today.

 

[Brett]

I wouldn't live in Florida again for any reason but I do prefer the Gulf Coast over the East. The East Coast today, below Daytona, is just one town/city running into another. Traffic is horrible, but to be fair, in the Winter particularly, it's horrible on both coasts! I like the Gulf's calmer water, wider, and more level, white sand beaches. Walking on the East Coast beach at Vero, where my in-laws lived, hurt my back as it banked steeply. I like being able to wade so much further out into the Gulf and its sandbars. A few steps in the Atlantic and you can be over your head. I found the West Coast more laid back and charming...or at least it used to be before Florida became what it is today.

I've visited the east coast in Florida in January and February the last ten years and rarely encountered traffic - but it's around Cocoa Beach

 

[b2bailey]

My introduction to Florida was a tiny, gulfside town named Anna Maria Island. My new father-in-law had retired there. A few years later my husband and I found out way to Naples. During the years we lived there, we visited several Atlantic side cities but I always preferred gulfside. The one city that caught my eye during those visits was Delray Beach. I just looked it up to confirm it's the place I am remembering -- and found this nice article.

VISIT DELRAY BEACH | Downtown Delray Beach

www.visitdelraybeach.org

 

[Panina]

My introduction to Florida was a tiny, gulfside town named Anna Maria Island. My new father-in-law had retired there. A few years later my husband and I found out way to Naples. During the years we lived there, we visited several Atlantic side cities but I always preferred gulfside. The one city that caught my eye during those visits was Delray Beach. I just looked it up to confirm it's the place I am remembering -- and found this nice article.

VISIT DELRAY BEACH | Downtown Delray Beach

www.visitdelraybeach.org

I love the gulf side but initially feel the Atlantic side would be a better fit. Close enough to the gulf side to vacation.

 

[dioxide45]

We opted to move to Jacksonville a year ago. Of course not as far south as you are asking about. The winters here are still kind of chilly, but the summers seem to be as hot as south Florida. While we like to vacation in the Palm Beach area along with Hutchinson Island. I don't think I would want to live that far south. The tourist areas seem okay, but I am not sure I would like the neighbourhoods as much. Not sure why, just the impression I get. Lots of traffic. Even here in Jacksonville the traffic is bad and I fear it is going to get worse as the road we live off of is under development. Looks to be thousands of new homes and apartments going in. One existing 55+ community right beside us and another brand new Del Webb community being built among all those new homes. We are only 15-20 minutes from the beach, but we have only been to the beach a few times. We do like the area we are living in, even though we have been living through a one year reconstruction of the condos we moved in to. They are just about finished up with that now.

We like that we live within driving distance of so many of the places we like to visit and if we opt for a trip to the Caribbean or Cancun, it is only a short flight away. We are also within 5 hours of some of the largest cruise ports in the world, if we ever get back to cruising.

 

[Glenn2]

I have lived in Florida almost my entire life and would not live anywhere else, as it is home. I can't address the question about the Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach area, but it is a beautiful area of the state. IMHO, both coasts have its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your preferences. The great thing about Florida (among many), is the diversity of the state. Almost 3 states in one and all within driving distance of each other. I have lived mostly in the Tampa Bay area, grew up in Tampa and have lived the past 30 years or so in St. Petersburg, went to school and started my career in Tallahassee. Each part of the state has something to offer. I really enjoy visiting Fort Lauderdale and Miami, quite different from where I live, but only 4 hours away. I hope you enjoy living in Florida, don't let tropical storms dissuade you. That kind of risk you can find in many states, not just here. I wish you the best of luck in finding your next chapter here in Florida.

 

[WinniWoman]

My brother lives in Palm Coast near Flagler Beach and loves it. It’s not far from St. Augustine.

 

[JudyH]

My close friend lives in the Avalon community in Boynton Beach. I have been there many times. I live in Venice on the Gulf side. Much less congested.

 

[Glynda]

My brother lives in Palm Coast near Flagler Beach and loves it. It’s not far from St. Augustine.

The nice thing about living in that part of the state is that it doesn’t take all day to drive out of Florida to travel to other states!

 

[Panina]

The nice thing about living in that part of the state is that it doesn’t take all day to drive out of Florida to travel to other states!

Whereas I love the west coast one of the reasons I am considering this location is for the ease of driving to other locations that I go to, SC, Ga, NY. In addition, choice of airports, Amtrak trains, good medical and being near others I know plus close enough to the west coast to visit Marco Island often and lets not forget about Disney.

 

[WinniWoman]

Whereas I love the west coast one of the reasons I am considering this location is for the ease of driving to other locations that I go to, SC, Ga, NY. In addition, choice of airports, Amtrak trains, good medical and being near others I know plus close enough to the west coast to visit Marco Island often and lets not forget about Disney.

Yes. That’s what my brother says. He and his wife maintain a rental condo in NY.

 

[bbodb1]

Speaking of this:

Whereas I love the west coast one of the reasons I am considering this location is for the ease of driving to other locations that I go to, SC, Ga, NY. In addition, choice of airports, Amtrak trains, good medical and being near others I know plus close enough to the west coast to visit Marco Island often and lets not forget about Disney.

...in the many hours spent at home this summer, I've been surfing YouTube a lot and have found several reviews of train travel. You may already be very familiar with Amtrak but on the possibility you might soon be traveling some new routes, be sure to give YouTube a look for any videos of the lines you might travel..

 

[Panina]

Speaking of this:



...in the many hours spent at home this summer, I've been surfing YouTube a lot and have found several reviews of train travel. You may already be very familiar with Amtrak but on the possibility you might soon be traveling some new routes, be sure to give YouTube a look for any videos of the lines you might travel..

I have traveled cross country with Amtrak, some beautiful routes.

 

[Glynda]

I have traveled cross country with Amtrak, some beautiful routes.

I thought Amtrak went down the middle of Florida. It's been a long time but to get to Ft Myers on the Silver Star, I used to have to be picked up in Sebring.

 

[Panina]

I thought Amtrak went down the middle of Florida. It's been a long time but to get to Ft Myers on the Silver Star, I used to have to be picked up in Sebring.

It comes along the east coast from Miami and mid Florida goes west to Tampa back east though Orlando and then up the east Coast to NY.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

Amtrak also has the Auto Train that goes from VA to Sanford (north of Orlando) FL. I've never used it, but for northerners who don't want to drive I-95 all the way to Florida, it's an option.

TS

 

[Brett]

Amtrak also has the Auto Train that goes from VA to Sanford (north of Orlando) FL. I've never used it, but for northerners who don't want to drive I-95 all the way to Florida, it's an option.

TS

my parents took the auto train down to Cocoa Beach every year (almost, stops north of Titusville)

 

[Glynda]

Amtrak also has the Auto Train that goes from VA to Sanford (north of Orlando) FL. I've never used it, but for northerners who don't want to drive I-95 all the way to Florida, it's an option.

TS

My in-laws used to put their car on the Auto Train when they spent Winters in Vero Beach.