Florida or California? Need opinions please

The weather in Florida can range from beyond tolerable heat to freezing. The freezing is less than 10 days a year in coastal cities. The political climate is much better in Florida than in Commiefornia. Freedom actually means something in Florida and is not just a buzzword. Humidity in Florida sucks so Cali is better with that. Cost of living: Florida wins hands down. Culturally I give it to Cali. Its really all in what you are looking for.
 
Crosis said:
The weather in Florida can range from beyond tolerable heat to freezing. The freezing is less than 10 days a year in coastal cities. The political climate is much better in Florida than in Commiefornia. Freedom actually means something in Florida and is not just a buzzword. Humidity in Florida sucks so Cali is better with that. Cost of living: Florida wins hands down. Culturally I give it to Cali. Its really all in what you are looking for.
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Thanx all for your replies. Being born, bred, and raised in the Gulf Islands I think the climate in S. Ca will be more like what we're used to. For now, while we're still members of the "working stiffs" club, I think simply trailering down to San Diego in the winter and spending a month or two as "live aboards" at some of the less expensive marinas will be what we're looking for right now. Although, from what a lot of you have said, there doesn't seem to be such a phrase as "less expensive" In S. Ca. All we need for now is dock space with power for our little 240 and every so often we can treat ourselves to a few nights in one of the "bells and whistles" marinas. Or maybe I'm expecting too much????

For retirement, Florida looks like it's going to be the place. This "Bradenton" area has got us planning a trip out that way next winter just to check it out. Can't believe we've never heard of it before. Mind you, most of our friends do the Palm Desert or Messa thing in the winters, you know,,, no water, no boats, no fun. We can't live any more than a few blocks from the water.
 
Morning from Northern California,

Been living here for the last 35 years. Just retired (2 yrs). I wouldn't live in S. Ca period.

For Chris: Having been to Florida on many occasions I have one word for you if you are considering retirement there: Palmeto!

John
 
I've been half heartedly discussing a move south with my wife and from what I've found out so far I like the Tampa area. Definitely not downtown, but areas like Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and yes, even Bradenton. I have family in San Diego and they do love it, but are not boaters. They don't spend much time in the water, etc so the weather is perfect for them.

Can't argue that the cost of living is much lower in FL vs CA and for my style of boating the gulf coast of FL seems about perfect.
 
CA is the last place I would live! The Left Coast is the wrong coast. FL is nice and the taxes are not so bad. The Gulf is nice and the Key's are better!
 
SeaNile said:
I've been half heartedly discussing a move south with my wife and from what I've found out so far I like the Tampa area. Definitely not downtown, but areas like Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and yes, even Bradenton. I have family in San Diego and they do love it, but are not boaters. They don't spend much time in the water, etc so the weather is perfect for them.

Can't argue that the cost of living is much lower in FL vs CA and for my style of boating the gulf coast of FL seems about perfect.
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Yeh, we're going to check out Florida next year. I'm not at all familiar with the East Coast but it appears to be a whole different boating scene than out here in the West. There sure seem to be a lot of center console boats out there,,,, and fish with big long noses!!! (that's how much I know). When we lived right at the coast we could boat all year round, but rarely did any swimming. Kind of the same here in the interior; we can boat pretty much all year round but 6 months of it is with your woollies on. Doesn't bother me any though, any day on the boat is better than a day stuck on land.
 
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Toy yoT said:
Having been to Florida on many occasions I have one word for you if you are considering retirement there: Palmeto!
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We call it Palmghetto. Bradenton is a much nicer place.

To Seanile - that link you posted on the house in Palm Harbor is under contract. I am doing the loan for a repeat customer of mine. Small world.
 
HUMPH said:
Okay, I admit it..... I hate living here! FLA, here I come...
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this made me laugh....

No place is perfect. My Family live in Florida and it can be cold in the winter, and humid almost any day. San Diego weather is much better. However, California is represively socialistic, a nice place to visit, not a to retire. What about Arizona or New Mexico? I am considering Colorado or Utah to retire, but not for the boating...
 
I thought Arizona was extremely expensive for retirement?
 
rcknecht said:
this made me laugh....

No place is perfect. My Family live in Florida and it can be cold in the winter, and humid almost any day. San Diego weather is much better. However, California is represively socialistic, a nice place to visit, not a to retire. What about Arizona or New Mexico? I am considering Colorado or Utah to retire, but not for the boating...
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Sounds like Rod wants better skiing in his future?
 
I live in Los Angeles, but I have family with a home in Jupiter and boats in both locations. If it is about boating, Florida will beat S. California hands down for places to go, time on the water, water temp, nice anchorages etc, foreign countries reachable by boat etc, unless you are going to trailer and consider going to inland lakes in AZ , NV etc and have a long range boat and are brave enough to go to Mexico.

From a purely weather and quality of life standpoint S. California beats Florida unless you are on the water. In FL living on the water is tolerable to me, anything off the water is just a mosquito infested swamp. Grandparents lived in Largo for 10 years, I would kill myself before I would go there, seriously. Honestly you need a lot of money to have waterfront in either place, but it is more doable in Florida, a friend had a house in Pompano on the intracoastal with a 50 foot dock and it was only around $350,000. Not a bad setup. Jupiter on the other hand you better have $1M and up and So Cal, you can forget waterfront with a dock for less than $1.5M.

I would say you are thinking on it right, spend some time in both places before you make such a life altering decision. S Cal will be more like what you are used to, and it will be FAR easier to visit your friends on the left coast in BC than if you go to FL.
 
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