Both retired, their best friends of 40 years live across the street. They have their routine and all their memories in that house. They are all also mid 70s and have no energy to go through a move. I get it.
Wrapping up 6 years in Fort Myers, my wife and I think it's finally time to start considering a move up to Tampa. We always had it in our long term plans to move to Sarasota or Tampa, that way we are much closer to our family and core friends. Lots to figure out before then, looks like Tampa is where we will land. No idea which neighborhood yet but time is on our side. Hopefully looking at houses and making the move in the next 12-18 months.
My BIL is a member of the Tampa Club. If you work downtown I think it’s worth it if you entertain clients.
Fuck you Greater Carrollwood! Northdale gives you priority access to the top Applebees and Glory Days restaurants if you’re into fine dining.
I guess she doesn’t have any aspirations for running for any other office bc of the move she tried to pull
Thank you! Interesting to see you circle Tampa Palms/New Tampa. I randomly in a first search came across three homes in that area we liked. But everyone I know in Tampa is further south and west, initially thought to look closer to the water.
I prefer Lutz to Tampa Palms. Tampa Palms is a nice neighborhood but it's a pain in the ass to get too.
I only circled it because it's a planned community where every house is generally going to be decent. But if anyone is going to be working downtown, then I would cross it off the list as that morning commute is dreadful. As long as no one has to commute downtown for work, Tampa Palms/New Tampa is fine. I would also avoid the Brandon area at all costs. I would say that South Tampa (south of SR60/Kennedy blvd) and the Westchase areas are generally the higher thought of areas to live. Seminole Heights is good to, but can be tricky with kids as the zoned public schools in that area are rated poorly. What part of Tampa do the people you know live?
If you can afford it South Tampa is the best spot IMO. Home prices are nuts right now though. Otherwise, Westshore and Lutz-Cheval area are probably best bet for family atmosphere. Westchase has a whole restaurant area that’s enticing. If you’re a more stay at home most of the time person Lutz is a good option. I used to live in Cheval but I work in South Tampa, and both of my kids go to school in South Tampa. I was driving both of them back-and-forth every day and it was a huge pain in the ass. Made no sense for us to still be up there. Especially when the vast majority of all our friends live in South Tampa. Luckily got a deal on a house before the market exploded.
Not the best. My wife initially wanted my kid to go to pre-school in south Tampa where my oldest went but I told her I would rather die than drive with an infant from Cheval to South Tampa and back in rush hour traffic every day. We just moved instead.
Westchase, Lutz, Town N Country and downtown. I work from home so it doesn't bother me, but my wife is in healthcare. Probably depends on her future job
I would prefer Westchase if it was up to me because that’s where I was raised. My wife hates the traffic coming from there into downtown where she has to go two days a week. I would love to end up there. I don’t mind Lutz/North Carrollwood because in HS a lot of my friends lived there so it’s pretty nostalgic for me.
Downtown is great if you want to live that condo life. But if you want a house and to be in that vicinity, live in Seminole Heights or South Tampa. Best suburb area is Westchase area. Newer homes, great schools, downtown isn't a difficult commute, and easiest access to the best non-St Pete beaches and Pinellas towns (Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Tarpon).
Menu looks right up my ally. May have to make that a Father's day lunch/dinner request since I'm the only one in the family that loves seafood. I was gonna request Rick's on the River to do a couple dozen oysters. Speaking of which, we need to do like a TMB Yelp or Creative Loafing Best of for Tampa area restaurants.
ricks is the best people watching in Tampa. All walks of life go there the I c sharks tiki bar (rip) was the goat local oyster spot If you like oysters, the guy here in SH does a once a month oyster thing. I think it’s $80 but you get more oysters than you need and they’re so good. You get beer too
Just booked a rental house on the beach in Siesta Key for the week of 4th of July for us and another family. I grew up in Sarasota, but for the last 20 years I really only go to visit my family for a couple hours during holidays. Anyone (Duval ) have some restaurant recs I should look into? Downtown, Southside Village, and/or Gulf Gate areas are preferred. Some family places and maybe a place or two for a parents night out? We'll probably try and cook most meals, but just want to have options for a night out.
In gulf gate, there’s not a ton of great food, but Brine is pretty legit. A little further down 41 is Napule, which is a great Italian restaurant. If you’re just looking for pizza, Tralia is very good. just outside gulf gate is a good ramen spot called yokoso. best overall restaurants to me are indigenous, and baker and wife. I’m not impressed with the restaurants at southside village, but they are popular. Meliora is the newest spot and some people love it, but it was just ok to me. Veronica’s is the other popular spot, but the menu is seldom exciting. Same deal for Libby’s; solid but unspectacular.
Thanks. I just made a list of some places in Siesta Village (5 min walk from our airbnb), St. Armand's, and Downtown. I'll add Indigenous as a potential parents night out option. After thinking about it, I'm not sure we'd really go to the gulf gate area for anything except maybe a publix/detwiler's run. You ever go to Fresh Friday or Friday Fest at the Van Wezel? Our last day there is the first Friday of the month (July 7) and google told me those were good Friday night happenings.
Nope, but my sister in law goes occasionally. Think it’s a little more family oriented. Shore is probably the best restaurant in St. Armands, if you want to add another restaurant to the list.
We own a place on siesta that we fly down to all year round. We p much only eat in the village because I’m lazy. Happy to help if needed.
Any specific places that are good for kids between age 3-15? Or is it all pretty much the same? I really only went to SKOB and Daiquiri Deck when I lived there/visited from college.
Mine is 16 so I get it. Ripfire Pizza in the village is always good, The Hub has lots of options too. Captain Kurt’s and Old Salty Dog are nice with littles because they have some more kid friendly options. Spearfish at the marina is my favorite place though. They have live music and bags and right next to the boat storage so end of day for kids would be good potentially to see them lifting boats. One of the only places that serves hogfish too. Clayton’s over that way is good for breakfast or Dickie V used to show up quite a bit at Broken Egg in the village but we don’t really do breakfast now so don’t know. Meanies Mini Donuts in the village is good for a late snack and they’ve got so many ice cream places now. They also put in a Kilwins in the village so you don’t have to go to St Armand’s.
Yeah, I saw the Kilwins in the village when I was scouring the map the other day. I'm sure we'll still take a trip to St. Armand's for the family coming with us and the kids. They have a pretty cool arcade over there now (Arcade Monsters) that I know the kids would love.
It also sounds stupid but if you get a cloudy day or kids get too much son one day you can kill half a day easy at Mote. We’ve done that so much and with the turtles it’s pretty cool depending on time of year. Arcade Monsters is really cool. Also if you end up needing something while Beach Bazaar is obviously easiest if you go to Compound on Osprey they have way more shit for the most part. Go out the north end of the village and up to Osprey but instead of taking the left to Sarasota take a right and it’s like half a mile. Also if your off the key Phillipe Creek is always a decent meal
Yeah, they have another one like a half mile from my sister-in-law's house in Oviedo that I popped into last time we were there and it was pretty awesome. Most of the retro games were free to play too. Not sure if that's the case for St. Armand's, but it's nice to have an option like that in a destination area versus Livingstone's that's kind of out of the way/not close to anything else we'd want to do (still might go there one night too).