Anyone ever lived in Orlando or Tampa? Are they shitholes or ok? Which is worse?

[Clay]

Theres a possibility that I will be moving to central florida and Ill be checking out Orlando first.
When I look at the crime rates in Orlando its a 10 out of 10, meaning as bad as it gets in America
http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/

But everyone I ever met from Tampa has told me its a bad city, ugly and dangerous. I've never heard one person say 1 good thing about Tampa.

So which city is worse?
If you were going to live in a decent sized city in the middle of florida where would you pick?

[digitaldivas]

L-Pink can point you in the right direction on this, most likely, bump for him!

[Verbal]

Tampa is not that bad. Depending on your income, it can be a nice place to live. Cost of living is very reasonable. Do you have any specific questions?

[AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]

ADG

[Lykos]

Originally Posted by AsianDivaGirlsWebDude

ADG

She is cool

[slapass]

Sarasota is nice if a bit small. Miami has nice areas and is a full sized city. I think both of those beat Tampa or Orlando.

[dehash]

I used to live in Orlando and was working on Orange Blossom Trail at night shifts. You don't want to live on this street, trust me.

I use to live by Orlando Int. Airport - nice neighborhood, good schools.

[ClickCashEmily]

Originally Posted by Clay

Theres a possibility that I will be moving to central florida and Ill be checking out Orlando first.
When I look at the crime rates in Orlando its a 10 out of 10, meaning as bad as it gets in America
http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/

But everyone I ever met from Tampa has told me its a bad city, ugly and dangerous. I've never heard one person say 1 good thing about Tampa.

So which city is worse?
If you were going to live in a decent sized city in the middle of florida where would you pick?

Depends entirely on where in those cities you're looking. I've been to some amazingly great places in Tampa and some pretty shitty ones, too. Just like Orlando.

Are you looking at Orlando itself or the surrounding cities? Same for Tampa. EG: I prefer St. Pete to Tampa even though I do like Tampa, and prefer some of the less-touristy bits around Orlando to Orlando.

The weather will be nicer in Tampa vs. Orlando, though -- Orlando's about an hour's drive inland, while Tampa's right on the water. Having been to both cities in the same day only an hour apart (as it's only an hour drive on I-4 to get from one to the other), Tampa's nicer, cooler weather. And you don't have Disney/Universal tourists there.

Dehash, you worked on OBT and lived to tell the tale?!?!?!

~Emily

[signupdamnit]

For Orlando try a surrounding city instead. Clermont is a good bet. There is far less crime, better people, and you're still right next to Orlando. In fact it's closer to Disney than many in Orlando are.

[L-Pink]

Tampa, lol. Like "Verbal" posted above can be a very nice place to live. That being said it can also be a real shithole.

If you are looking at demographics and crime info keep in mind that's for the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County, which is what the show "cops" relies on for content. If you look at the whole Tampa area including the beaches in St Pete to the Land-O-Lakes area in North Tampa you are looking at a huge area that is pretty diverse.

What are you looking for? Historic artsy areas, beaches, luxury gated communities, neighborhoods full of kids … Tampa has them all.

My family is from the Casey Key and Pine Island areas. Beautiful beach communities but also kind of quiet for someone not married with no kids which is why I gravitated to the Tampa area.


.

[Choopa Phil]

Delray is a great area as well. Love it there.

[Webmaster Advertising]

Jacksonville is a good option too, it's full of blacks (on the north and south sides) but its definitely a nice town to live if you can avoid the ghetto/hood skreets.

Somewhere like Riverside, Mandarin, The Beaches are very affluent areas with nice homes and neighbors.

[docputer]

Orlando area, Volusia County has some nice areas. In Seminole Co, Lake Mary is nice, Winter Springs, Oviedo as well

[Jesse1984]

Fuckkk Orlando. Living there and just the city in general.

Tampa is alright, Ybor city in particular is great. Used to live there and in Jacksonville [equally a fucking black hole of a town.]

[dehash]

Originally Posted by ClickCashEmily

Depends entirely on where in those cities you're looking. I've been to some amazingly great places in Tampa and some pretty shitty ones, too. Just like Orlando.

Are you looking at Orlando itself or the surrounding cities? Same for Tampa. EG: I prefer St. Pete to Tampa even though I do like Tampa, and prefer some of the less-touristy bits around Orlando to Orlando.

The weather will be nicer in Tampa vs. Orlando, though -- Orlando's about an hour's drive inland, while Tampa's right on the water. Having been to both cities in the same day only an hour apart (as it's only an hour drive on I-4 to get from one to the other), Tampa's nicer, cooler weather. And you don't have Disney/Universal tourists there.

Dehash, you worked on OBT and lived to tell the tale?!?!?!

~Emily

I was only working on OBT 1.5 miles south from I-4 in hotel. Prostitutes, drug dealers, car break ins, guns. Cops , cops , cops.

BTW Orlando is one hour away(by car) from ocean and gulf - it is a plus in case of hurricanes.

[candyflip]

I loved living in Orlando, and would move back down there in a heartbeat if I could convince my girl to up and move the family.

[Clay]

Thanks all. I live in south Florida now and I can't stand Miami. I have an old friend who lives in Orlando and has a small but successful business and we may be going into business together.

However he doesnt like lakes and wants to be near water and is thinking of moving to Tampa or perhaps St pete.
So its a question on my mind before I go see him.

I was in Orlando once and just drove through a really really shitty neighborhood that looked like Beirut.
And I was in Tampa for a few minutes driving to Busch Gardens with my sister and the area sucked and she said "don't move to Tampa" it was an ugly area lol.
but thats all I know.
I did spend a week at St Pete beach and I loved it there

[fris]

tampa for a while, i would rather be in a place like phoenix though

[pornguy]

Shit tons of nice places in florida to live.

[Stephen]

Orlando the city and Orlando the tourist destination are two different places

I lived on International Drive in Lake Buena Vista by Sea World, which was a great location for having fun at the touristy places, with downtown only a short drive away

I-Drive is Disneyland, Orange Blossom Trail is crack land, take your pick...

[candyflip]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Orange Blossom Trail is crack land, take your pick...

I bet you've partied at the Parliament House.

[CurrentlySober]

i like shitholes...

[mineistaken]

just pick white neighborhood and you will be all right in both cities

[fuzebox]

I like the Gulf coast, lots of nice spots.

[shimmy2]

either way youre still trapped in america

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by shimmy2

either way youre still trapped in america

Yep, if you are not good enough to comfortably live in your home country become an expat and feel as your value raises.

[Webmaster Advertising]

The biggest problem we have in Jacksonville isn't the blacks, its that the city council members are retardly stupid.

They actually (at present) don't even know which properties in the city they own, what the values of those properties are or even if they are allowed to sell them.

Oh and they just spent almost $1B on building a new courthouse, despite the fact they are cutting salaries and staff of essential city services like PD, FD, etc..

[Jim_Gunn]

Orlando is a pretty small town and full of Bible thumpers compared to Tampa. If I had to choose between those two there is no choice at all.

[TheFootMan5]

There are some really nice places in Tampa and Orlando, not sure who you are getting your info from. Channelside and Bayshore are very nice

[edgeprod]

I live in Weeki Wachee, which is about an hour North of Tampa. Tampa itself has awful cuisine (so if you're a foodie, stay away).

St. Petersburg is a great city, and is a short drive from Tampa, if you base out of there. Lots of places to ride a Segway, go for a run, or relax by the water.

The people here are mind-numbingly stupid, but they're also often nice and genuine. Expect a lot of right-wingers to be talking about Jesus. As an Atheist, it's annoying, but not a deal-breaker.

[MediumPimpin]

I can't stand Orlando or Tampa-St Pete area. You need to add more choices to your list.

[crockett]

Orland has a very high crime rate, but you most likely wouldn't "live" in Orlando but one of the surrounding suburbs. Of those, some are nice some are shit holes.

The deal is you can't turn on the TV and watch the local news with out seeing them talk about this shooting or that one..


Just in Orlando in 2006-07 there were 242 gun related homicides and another 210 suicides by gun.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6018a1.htm

Tampa has less crime from what I understand but honestly I look at most of FL as a 3rd world country. You have your "nicer" areas then you have the rest of it which is mostly shit holes.

The problem with FL, is because it's warm.. all the dead beats and assholes of America end up there.

Personally I kinda liked St Augustine, but I never actually lived there.

[keysync]

I thought all of Florida was full of Jesus people?

[Clay]

[QUOTE=crockett;19579601]
The problem with FL, is because it's warm.. all the dead beats and assholes of America end up there.

this is so true. South Florida is the scam artist capitol of America. But I like Florida and texas because no state tax and the weather. I never want to shovel snow again

[ErectMedia]

I spend a little time every year down there in Brandon, Bradenton and St. Pete. I dig it and will probably move to the Tampa area in a year or two. Keep in mind I'm coming from Chicago though so almost anything would be an improvement.

[LAJ]

I've never lived in FL but I've visited there plenty. There is no way in hell I would live in Orlando. I'd consider Tampa but there would have to be a big incentive. Why don't you like So Fla?

[crockett]

Originally Posted by keysync

I thought all of Florida was full of Jesus people?

The jesus people tend to be more to the middle of the state. There are shit loads of churches everywhere but at least on the east coast it was fairly liberal. I can't speak of the west coast though.

[crockett]

Originally Posted by Clay

this is so true. South Florida is the scam artist capitol of America. But I like Florida and texas because no state tax and the weather. I never want to shovel snow again

Yea, the no state tax is pretty nice, but personally I've gotten used to it here in MA. I just sent out 8 pages of tax forms today...

If you are serious though, I'd look more toward either South FL or perhaps North Fl.. Central FL has really become a cesspool and with the Shuttle program having ended, there are a lot of people out of work.

I'd say South FL if you want an active entertainment lifestyle or north FL is you don't want to deal with crazy traffic and want a more out doors feel.

Regardless with either, the heat is gonna kill you in the summers.

[epitome]

Originally Posted by Webmaster Advertising

The biggest problem we have in Jacksonville isn't the blacks, its that the city council members are retardly stupid.

They actually (at present) don't even know which properties in the city they own, what the values of those properties are or even if they are allowed to sell them.

Oh and they just spent almost $1B on building a new courthouse, despite the fact they are cutting salaries and staff of essential city services like PD, FD, etc..

I was like "uh, there is no way they spent $1B on a courthouse..."

Then I Googled it and learned the real price was $350M.

[MK Ultra]

Originally Posted by candyflip

I bet you've partied at the Parliament House.

(only Orlando peeps will get that)

I left Lake Mary recently, it's a nice place but I decided to get away before the
George Zimmerman trial comes up just down the road in Sanford.

Plus after 20 years I was just plain done with that entire hot, flat, wet, buggy state

[Captain Kawaii]

Originally Posted by Clay

Thanks all. I live in south Florida now and I can't stand Miami. I have an old friend who lives in Orlando and has a small but successful business and we may be going into business together.

However he doesnt like lakes and wants to be near water and is thinking of moving to Tampa or perhaps St pete.
So its a question on my mind before I go see him.

I was in Orlando once and just drove through a really really shitty neighborhood that looked like Beirut.
And I was in Tampa for a few minutes driving to Busch Gardens with my sister and the area sucked and she said "don't move to Tampa" it was an ugly area lol.
but thats all I know.
I did spend a week at St Pete beach and I loved it there

I was born and raised in Tampa. When it was still a nice sleepy little town.

Given your circumstances...pick up your partner and head to Clearwater via the Causeway. Then go south to St. Pete...the beaches there all the way to Bradenton or Sarasota could be very nice. theres some cool stuff all over the bay area...but if I moved back now it would be st pete beach or south of it.

Tampa is fine if you are settling in, have a family or like meth. Alot.

P.s. Avoid Pasco County like the plague. Just north of Tampa. they will lock you up if they think you even think about pussy, sex, satan, free speech, free thought. You get the idea.

[dehash]

BTW you don't have to pay car tax in FL. Don't know about other states, but now in CT I have to pay for both cars(and plus state taxes as mentioned earlier.)

[MrMaxwell]

Orange blossom is nowhere near as horrible as everyone says that it is. I've been up and down it on foot a couple of times at night and while I didn't feel comfortable, I didn't get mugged and raped in an alleyway, either

There are plenty of nice quiet relaxing areas on the outskirts of orlando. I'd take tampa over orlando because tampa has the Hard Rock and there's good poker there. Avoid tampa if you don't like black people.

[crockett]

Originally Posted by Clay

Thanks all. I live in south Florida now and I can't stand Miami. I have an old friend who lives in Orlando and has a small but successful business and we may be going into business together.

However he doesnt like lakes and wants to be near water and is thinking of moving to Tampa or perhaps St pete.
So its a question on my mind before I go see him.

I was in Orlando once and just drove through a really really shitty neighborhood that looked like Beirut.
And I was in Tampa for a few minutes driving to Busch Gardens with my sister and the area sucked and she said "don't move to Tampa" it was an ugly area lol.
but thats all I know.
I did spend a week at St Pete beach and I loved it there

St Pete is much nicer than Tampa it's self. I've never lived on the west coast but I came very close to moving to St Pete and it was certainly not the same as Tampa. Just stay the hell away from anything to do with Polk County, which is further inland from Tampa. It's like religious zealot land and sisters married to brothers.. (ok not that bad but it's certainly not a wise choice if you work in adult)

[campromoter]

wow, funny you post this thread. i had this debate myself (orlando vs tampa) a while ago. i have pretty much decided on tampa, but i still need to narrow it down to a more exact area.