Recommendations for moving to Miami area

[alicedmillionaire]

Hello, I've been a member of the board for a while, but I don't post often. Honestly, I don't use social media that often, but I am reaching out to this board because I have seen the wonderful community you have created. My girlfriend (soon to be fiancee) and I are moving from southern California to southern Florida, and I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for areas to live/areas to avoid. Neither of us are very familiar with the area, so any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Some basic info to help. We will need to be relatively close to an airport, so we are thinking Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. This is open since both seem to have large regional airports (she will be travelling to TX, GA, TN for work). We have a dog and love to do outdoorsy stuff, so I would prefer to not be in the middle of a bunch of high rises. I will be by myself a fair amount due to her travel, so it is important for me to be in a laid back area with access to fun night life (good music, good bars but not night clubs/dance clubs). Hopefully that is enough to get started, and again, I do really appreciate any info you can pass along. We're doing this by the seat of our pants, last minute (gonna be there by early July), and I want to try to catch up.
Thanks a lot for at least taking the time to read!

[one belt loop]

You need to ask the Swamps, our resident Floridians. And Gator McKlusky, too.

[beantownbubba]

My advice to you is don't get sick in southeastern FL. From everything I can tell, the apparent standard of care and quality of doctoring are shocking.

Living in SoCal, you're probably used to high real estate prices and plenty of Spanish speaking, and you'll definitely find both in SE FL.

You didn't mention living near the water as being important but if it is, that's gonna be mostly high rises (or multi million dollar houses). You also didn't say anything about a boat but the "water culture" is very big there for obvious reasons and if you think you're gonna buy one that will impact where you'll want to live as well.

The Ft Lauderdale airport is a large regional airport. Slightly further north, the West Palm airport is a moderate sized regional airport w/ surprisingly good service, especially during "the season" (winter months). Miami is a major international airport and actually might not be worth the extra hassles that come w/ that size & scope if your travel is going to be as geographically limited as u indicate.

The neighborhoods of Miami and Ft Lauderdale and the cities/town that line the SE coast and blend into each other vary considerably in terms of cost, look, feel, ethnicity(ies), age (of population i mean), culture, prestige and pretty much everything else so you'll want to check out a wide variety of places and look carefully at a wide range of criteria. If you're on the traditional arc of fiancee-marriage-kids you will definitely want to pay very close attention to the schools which vary in quality by huge amounts in very small geographical spaces.

Along the coast, east of I 95 is a lot more expensive than the other side. In Miami and Ft Lauderdale on the water is obviously going to be most expensive, but after that neighborhoods vary considerably. I don't know those neighborhoods very well but i do know some of the towns N along the coast if that turns out to be w/in your scope. If you lurk a lot you might not be surprised that i do know a few really good restaurants in Ft L (and points north). I do know that South Beach is clubs and tourist places, not neighborhood bars, Coral Gables is very nice and used to be middle class but I think it's now is much more pricey and Coconut Grove used to be pretty close to the kind of place you describe as far as being neighborhoody, low rise and laid back and may well still be but i suspect prices there have skyrocketed too. I'm pretty sure you don't want to go too much further south than Coconut Grove.

[Beebs]

The real Cuban sandwiches are on the other coast. Sorry to be a downer.

[Gator McKlusky]

BTB pretty much covers it. I avoid Miami as much as possible; haven't been down there in at least 6 years (except drivng by on the way to Key West) Oh and a DBT show in Ft. Lauderdale in 2008.

[alicedmillionaire]

Thanks, bubba. This definitely helps. We will likely only be there for a year or two, so are just looking to rent. We do plan on having kids, but not in the amount of time we expect to be in SE FL. Being close to the water would be nice, but no boat involved. Coral Gables is an option and would be good for her job, but I have received mixed reviews about the area. I'll look into Coconut Grove, and may PM you when we arrive for restaurant recommendations. This is exactly the type of info I was hoping to find here. Thanks again.

[Beebs]

Check out the forums at Citydata.com. Like most forums it's lotsa garbage but there is some good info in there. Might help you find/avoid neighborhoods or commutes.

check it...

http://www.city-data.com/forum/florida/

[Swamp]

You need to ask the Swamps, our resident Floridians. And Gator McKlusky, too.

Miami is like another country to me. We've been there for shows and football games and we usually stayed in South Beach.
The old Dolphin stadium was in Coral Gabels and we went there 1 time and I did not like the area. We parked in a pretty
rough neighborhood, but that was about 10 years ago.

[beantownbubba]

One more warning: I guess i wasn't paying attention last nite, but tonite i noticed that the new Miami Marlins stadium is an abomination - it's about everything but baseball. It's long been clear that the Miami area doesn't want a baseball team but really? They won't show up unless there's a swimming pool and Las Vegas/South Beach dancers wearing next to nothing (on their bodies that is, plenty of headdresses tho)? Actually, from what i've seen, they won't show up even w/ that stuff. Feh.

[alicedmillionaire]

Thanks to all. Beebs, that site looks like it will be very helpful.

[Ty Webb]

Don't move to Miami. Really, don't go south of PGA Boulevard (Palm Beach Gardens) for any reason. That's even stretching it.

[Ty Webb]

One more warning: I guess i wasn't paying attention last nite, but tonite i noticed that the new Miami Marlins stadium is an abomination - it's about everything but baseball. It's long been clear that the Miami area doesn't want a baseball team but really? They won't show up unless there's a swimming pool and Las Vegas/South Beach dancers wearing next to nothing (on their bodies that is, plenty of headdresses tho)? Actually, from what i've seen, they won't show up even w/ that stuff. Feh.

I haven't made it down to the Marlins' new park yet, but by all accounts it's a wonderful place to see a game. Not all parks can be built with nonsensical left field walls, tiny uncomfortable seats, and awful sight lines. Don't worry, they'll raze Fenway one day and build something suitable.

[beantownbubba]

One more warning: I guess i wasn't paying attention last nite, but tonite i noticed that the new Miami Marlins stadium is an abomination - it's about everything but baseball. It's long been clear that the Miami area doesn't want a baseball team but really? They won't show up unless there's a swimming pool and Las Vegas/South Beach dancers wearing next to nothing (on their bodies that is, plenty of headdresses tho)? Actually, from what i've seen, they won't show up even w/ that stuff. Feh.

I haven't made it down to the Marlins' new park yet, but by all accounts it's a wonderful place to see a game. Not all parks can be built with nonsensical left field walls, tiny uncomfortable seats, and awful sight lines. Don't worry, they'll raze Fenway one day and build something suitable.

I'm sure the new park is a wonderful place to see a game. If only anyone would go. I take it you've never been to Fenway. "Tiny, uncomfortable seats" yes though at least some have been changed for the better if you can afford them. "Awful sight lines" only in one section balanced by some of the best sight lines and closest to the field seats in baseball in most of the park. The wall is the wall, take it or leave it. Now swimming pools and dancing girls at a baseball stadium? That seems nonsensical to me.

[Ty Webb]

I've been to Fenway many times. For all of its history and charm, the place is a dump. I have an aunt who lives in Kenmore Square; you can hear the Fenway crowd from her condo. I love the neighborhood; the park underwhelms me.

Can't go wrong with a Fenway Frank, though.

Paid attendance is up at the Marlins new park. They're never going to sell out every game, but average attendance YTD in 2012 is 28,416 (15/30), up from 19,007 (28/30) in 2011 and 18,953 (28/30) in 2010.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance

[Beebs]

the park underwhelms me

Less is often more, Ty. If you only equate happiness with being overwhelmed stay home and watch nascar at full volume in your ridiculous media room but leave our public spaces alone.

[beantownbubba]

the place is a dump.

The needling here has run its course so FWIW, this comment is NOT in that spirit, but rather genuinely curious: Have u been in the past few years? I think the new owners (10+ yrs now, but this is boston, lol) have done a great job modernizing the park, keeping it clean and generally blending in the new while keeping the best of the old. You're welcome to disagree, i just want to know if we're talking about the same thing.

[Beebs]

the place is a dump.

The needling here has run its course so FWIW, this comment is NOT in that spirit, but rather genuinely curious: Have u been in the past few years? I think the new owners (10+ yrs now, but this is boston, lol) have done a great job modernizing the park, keeping it clean and generally blending in the new while keeping the best of the old. You're welcome to disagree, i just want to know if we're talking about the same thing.

I'm sure he doesn't really care either way. He's just in need of some negative attention.

Baseball and Fenway are about as important to me as cricket. I just can't stand the "everything new is automatically superior" attitude.

[beantownbubba]

Baseball and Fenway are about as important to me as cricket. I just can't stand the "everything new is automatically superior" attitude.

I knew that was you i saw coming from Lord's Cricket Ground after some big test match when i was standing outside 221B Baker Street in London a couple of years ago!

[Ty Webb]

BTB - to be fair, my last trip there was in 2000.

Beebs - calm yourself. I live in a 60 year old house, listen to my music on vinyl, and have never watched a NASCAR race in its entirety. Newer isn't always better; in fact, it rarely is. I just don't think that the new Marlins park did it wrong. They've got some ostentatious stuff, to be sure, but they've also got a really cool display of 600+ bobbleheads, a very Miami-themed sculpture in the outfield (it's obnoxious, but so is most of Miami), a LEED certification, and NO CORPORATE NAMING! How many new parks are doing that?!

http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/mia/ballpark/new_ballpark.jsp

[beantownbubba]

BTB - to be fair, my last trip there was in 2000.

http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/mia/ballpark/new_ballpark.jsp

Well, sounds like you're due. Come on up and we'll take in a game. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and I promise we wont sit in the right field grandstand (i hate those seats too). You can tell me all about Brussels and Amsterdam, too <hint, hint >

I didn't know about those bobbleheads - that sounds pretty cool, actually. Is that what we're calling that outfield thingy? A sculpture? You're absolutely right - very obnoxious and very Miami.

[Beebs]

I don't think you get to say this

Don't worry, they'll raze Fenway one day and build something suitable.

And follow it up with this

Beebs - calm yourself.

You were very clearly looking to provoke a response and can't just wash your hands of it when you get one. Honestly, I don't give a flying fuck.

Someone's moving to Florida?

[Ty Webb]

Do you give a train travel fuck?

[Beebs]

I prefer to ride my bike wherever I can. That's a hard way to go about giving a fuck though.

[Clams]

[Ty Webb]

I prefer to ride my bike wherever I can. That's a hard way to go about giving a fuck though.

It's tough to give a two-wheeled transport fuck. It feels too whimsical.

[Beebs]

Embrace the whimsy Ty. Let yourself go free.

Find a use for glitter in your daily life. Maybe rollerblade to work.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Can we get Embrace The Whimsy tee shirts? Perhaps with the dancing girl from the video on the back? Or, just maybe, dancing Clams?

[beantownbubba]

Can we get Embrace The Whimsy tee shirts? Perhaps with the dancing girl from the video on the back? Or, just maybe, dancing Clams?

As long as i get mine for free

[Swamp]

haven't been down there in at least 6 years (except drivng by on the way to Key West) Oh and a DBT show in Ft. Lauderdale in 2008.

We were at that show so I guess it hasn't been 10 years, but we didn't go any further south than Ft. Lauderdale.

[Beebs]

Can we get Embrace The Whimsy tee shirts? Perhaps with the dancing girl from the video on the back? Or, just maybe, dancing Clams?

Like.

Get our crack team of photoshoppers on a prototype ASAP. I'm seeing a dancing clam$/video girl dance off kinda thing.




God I love it when threads spin out of control.