Nice Cities to live in?

[Vonna]

For someone who lived in Florida almost all her life, Miami was the one place I hated to go. I have never been fond of it. The traffic, the crowds, the people trying to show off. And I've found out it's a sentiment shared by a lot of Floridians.

But you travel anywhere in the world and say you are from Florida and the response is the same: "Miami Beach? Disney World?"
I guess both (Orlando) are really tourist towns. There are many other places in Florida I'd rather visit. The Keys being number one. But Florida has its hidden gems too. The only ting good I can say about Miami is that they have the best Cuban food.

I LOVE San Francisco and would love to live there. Maybe in my next life. Hopefully by then, they have figured out a way to control earthquakes.

I agree...I do not like Miami at all, but I do like Miami Beach. I love how Miami Beach is surrounded by water and the beautiful beaches. My sister is tired of the hurricane threats and is looking into selling their house 5 blocks from the beach and moving North or back to Northern California. She would also love to live in San Francisco again, but $$$$$.

I sure had fun at the Keys and on Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida. Never had any desire to visit Orlando. I'm a water person.

Earthquakes......they don't seem to do much damage to newer buildings. Most damage is done to the old, old brick buildings. I was working in an old brick building during the last earthquake. You never saw anyone run out of a building so fast.. Then I watched my car rock back and forth....no damage done.

[katgib13]

Last year on vacation, we made a pit stop for a couple of days in Huntsville, Alabama. I have a friend who lives there and I have to say....I would LOVE to move there. There is so much to see and it's really a pretty city. It's home of the NASA camp for kids, there are 3 children's museums and several ones for adults. If you like to shop or eat out, there are many, many places to do that, too. My little guy loves trains and we took him to the train depot museum. We got to ride around the grounds on a train, there is an old fashioned town set up with gift shops, restaurants and they even have a red caboose with a huge deck they rent out for birthday parties.

The people are super friendly, too.

[MRD]

You want to go to a beautiful beach? One that is fairly secluded and a nice little secret? Go to Gasparilla Island to Boca Grande. It does fill up during tourist season, but in summer, we have often been the ONLY ones on the beach. It's out of the way, but that's why its so perfect. Boca Grande is a very small town, but has a couple great restaurants (The Temptation Bar and Grill is a nice little dive with great food) both cheap and expensive. The grocery is a small little place, but stocks some gourmet goodies.
There was a Denzel Washington movie filmed there, I cannot think of the name. Out of Time I think. He's a police chief. (shows him at the Temptation) and Hoot was partially filmed there. (shows the boys on bikes on the famous Banyan street. Love that street, the trees make a huge canopy over the street and its like a cave. I love Banyan trees)

Don't expect a lot of entertainment, its a sleepy little place with great fishing, great beaches and FANTASTIC sunsets. It's off the coast near Ft. Myers and it takes some driving to get to it and a toll to get over the causeway, but well worth it in my opinion. And the lighthouse has a nice little museum attached to it. The ONLY way I'd live in Florida again is if I could live there.
Besides the state park at Bahia Honda in the keys, this is my favorite beach place to visit.
And I could go my ENTIRE life without ever going to any of the beaches on the East Coast of Florida again. I prefer the gulf coast. The East coast ones are crowded, noisy, dirty (cigerette butts and trash in the sand) and too much other stuff going on (carnival atmosphere. I prefer to have calm and tranquility at the beach, not a big party).
Besides the gulf is warm and the waves are gentle and its so nice to lay on a raft and be rocked gently instead of pounded by the Atlantic surf.

And that is why I will never go back to Myrtlebeach, SC again. No, thanks, I would rather go where its quiet.

I would love to visit Vancouver and really see it this time except for what we saw from the cruiseship and airport. But I would love to live in Victoria, BC. What a quaint little town and a great, great Irish pub with the best Irish stew I've ever had.

[Veruka]

You want to go to a beautiful beach? One that is fairly secluded and a nice little secret? Go to Gasparilla Island to Boca Grande. It does fill up during tourist season, but in summer, we have often been the ONLY ones on the beach. It's out of the way, but that's why its so perfect. Boca Grande is a very small town, but has a couple great restaurants (The Temptation Bar and Grill is a nice little dive with great food) both cheap and expensive. The grocery is a small little place, but stocks some gourmet goodies.
There was a Denzel Washington movie filmed there, I cannot think of the name. Out of Time I think. He's a police chief. (shows him at the Temptation) and Hoot was partially filmed there. (shows the boys on bikes on the famous Banyan street. Love that street, the trees make a huge canopy over the street and its like a cave. I love Banyan trees)

Don't expect a lot of entertainment, its a sleepy little place with great fishing, great beaches and FANTASTIC sunsets. It's off the coast near Ft. Myers and it takes some driving to get to it and a toll to get over the causeway, but well worth it in my opinion. And the lighthouse has a nice little museum attached to it. The ONLY way I'd live in Florida again is if I could live there.
Besides the state park at Bahia Honda in the keys, this is my favorite beach place to visit..

And if you go the week between Christmas and New Years, you're likely to run in to a bunch of members of the Bush family, and a secret service agent or two. Does that make it a good place of a bad one? Well, everyone can decide that for themselves.

And I could go my ENTIRE life without ever going to any of the beaches on the East Coast of Florida again. I prefer the gulf coast. The East coast ones are crowded, noisy, dirty (cigerette butts and trash in the sand) and too much other stuff going on (carnival atmosphere. I prefer to have calm and tranquility at the beach, not a big party).
Besides the gulf is warm and the waves are gentle and its so nice to lay on a raft and be rocked gently instead of pounded by the Atlantic surf.

I'll second you on that one! The gulf coast tops any coast in this country! I'm a panhandle girl myself, but once you've discovered that side of the state, there's not much reason to go back to the other as far as I'm concerned!

[MRD]

And if you go the week between Christmas and New Years, you're likely to run in to a bunch of members of the Bush family, and a secret service agent or two. Does that make it a good place of a bad one? Well, everyone can decide that for themselves.



I'll second you on that one! The gulf coast tops any coast in this country! I'm a panhandle girl myself, but once you've discovered that side of the state, there's not much reason to go back to the other as far as I'm concerned!

The Bush's haven't been there in quite a while from what I understand. Most of the islands tax paying residents put up quite a stink about all the disturbances from the visits. Since the taxpaying residents mostly live in multi-million dollar homes and the Bushes stay at the local inn, the money talked.
And I don't blame them. They payed out big bucks for the peace and tranquilty and having an ex-president and current president and all the attendent secret service, etc., it causes a major distruption of a very, very small place. Not to mention all the tourists trying to crowd onto the island to get a glimpse of the Bushes. So its been a couple years or more since their last visit.

[bbnbama]

Last year on vacation, we made a pit stop for a couple of days in Huntsville, Alabama. I have a friend who lives there and I have to say....I would LOVE to move there. There is so much to see and it's really a pretty city. It's home of the NASA camp for kids, there are 3 children's museums and several ones for adults. If you like to shop or eat out, there are many, many places to do that, too. My little guy loves trains and we took him to the train depot museum. We got to ride around the grounds on a train, there is an old fashioned town set up with gift shops, restaurants and they even have a red caboose with a huge deck they rent out for birthday parties.

The people are super friendly, too.

Huntsville is about an hour away from me!!!

I like Huntsville alot too....I go there alot of times for a variety of the restaurants they have and the shopping is better than where I live.....

[candor]

A couple of people have mentioned Seattle. It has extraordinary natural beauty ... but it's kind of like a handsome, aloof guy who never had to develop a personality. I've been dating it for five years, but I don't think I want to marry it.

San Francisco, ewww. Dirty, foggy, bad transportation, awful traffic. And it stole my money. I couldn't wait to get out that situation.

I loved living in New York, but it was a passionate, high-maintenance affair that fizzled quickly.

Portland, Ore., however, is the love of my life. I broke up with it to take a job in Seattle and I miss it every day. It's genuine, smart, educated, unaffected and has a natural beauty of which it's charmingly unaware. If only it could support me.

[snoopy]

Chicago is my new favorite. Wow. The people there bend over backwards to help you pick the best spots that will stick in your memory forever. I just got back from an unforgettable trip there. I stayed in the historic and newly revived "Printer's Row". A hotel called "The Blake". The decor was incredibly cool, and the staff was more than helpful in their tips. I experienced the best of Chicago thanks to them, and I was truly only there to see Pearl Jam at the Lollapalooza festival. I could have cared less about seeing the city. I know better now!

[tickerrose]

I just love New York City. The life the action the non-stop pace of it all, but I could never live there. I am really a country girl at heart and always find myself longing for those open spaces. However, I loved living in Portland, Maine. This is the perfect compromise for me between small town living and big city amenities. It's a beautiful town with great classic architecture and that seaside/port town vibe with salty air and cool ocean breezes. Unlike much of New England, Portland does not get as cold in the winter because of the current. It gets cold, don't get me wrong, but not usually that bitter, biting, cold that gets you to the bone. There is a great art scene and the old port has those adorable cobblestone streets with eclectic shops and amazing food. You have to get out of the main city and into South Portland to find the mall and all the chain restaurants. I loved Portland and could live there again in a heart beat!

[ScoutMom]

So when I retire, I want to move to a small town - a real quaint town with a town square and a gazebo and neighbors are friendly. Not all up in your business all the time, and not always walking in your house, but friendly. You know, you can walk down the street and say hi to people and actually get a response. Anybody know of a town like that? Remember! I want a small town, where you can walk from the residential part to the center of town and shop.