Tampa?

MyWedding13

Hi Everyone! My husband and I are from Chicago and looking to relocate to FL. We are interested in moving to Tampa. For those of you that live there, I am wondering if you could tell me a bit about what you like or don't like about living in Tampa. TIA!!!

Kristin789

I would suggest that (depending on your job location) you consider living in Pinellas County rather than Hillsborough County.  

Pinellas County has more neighborhoods that have their own grocery shopping and a close mall - my friends who live in Hillsborough County all complain that they have to drive all the way through their neighborhood and get on a huge boulevard/interstate to get up to where the closest grocery store/shopping/restaurants are.  We lived in west Tampa for a year, and that was certainly true for us too.  The exception is the Westchase community in the very west part of Tampa, which was deliberately planned with neighborhoods AND local shopping & restaurants, etc. 

Pinellas County has better schools.  In Tampa, the best elementary schools are Gorrie and Mitchell in South Tampa, and they both feed into Wilson Middle School then Plant High School in Palma Ceia.  That's a good progression but it's not amazing.  And housing in South Tampa/Hyde Park/Palma Ceia is really horribly overpriced even in these days when housing prices are supposed to be lower.

Pinellas County has some problem neighborhoods where crime is higher like the South St. Pete area called Midtown and the area north of downtown Clearwater called Greenwood, but those neighborhoods are clearly defined with specific well-funded programs that are working to reduce those problem areas.  In Hillsborough County, the crime statistics are higher and more spread out through Tampa. 

jjswife08

Pros:

1. People - For the most part the people in the Tampa area are pretty laid back.

2. Plenty to do - You're close to some of the best beaches, there are great parks, shopping, restaurants, etc. If you're bored you didn't look hard enough to find something.

3. Weather - Even our "winter" is wonderful (for the most part)

4. Cheaper - Living here is cheaper than most places, especially Chicago!

 

Cons:

1. Traffic - the city was not designed for the growth it has seen. Something can be 10 miles away but take 45 mins to get there. However, coming from Chicago you're used to crazy traffic.

2. Weather - as much as I love our tropical weather I miss the seasons. I am from the Midwest (MI) and miss having a spring and fall. It's pretty much hot, hotter or just right down here.

 

Overall, I adore living in FL and couldn't move back to MI for anything! The overall quality of life is much better down here - IMO anyway!

HTH! 

KrystalsKitsch

What Kristin said! I love all the communities of north Pinellas county (Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs). I went to high school here and thought my school was fantastic (East Lake). As an adult, I moved back (actually near downtown Dunedin) and I still love it. I love it so much that I am willing to have an hour commute to USF each day. Sigh. That's the only bad thing about where I live -- the commute mixed with Tampa's hellish traffic! There is always something to do down here, I find things to be reasonably priced, and I just always seem to have a good time here! Good luck!

moonstone523

Krystal and Kristin -

Can I hijack this thread?  Can you tell me some specific neighborhoods in Pinellas that have good schools, a "downtown" like Dunedin and Safety Harbor have, and are family friendly? 

I have to agree with what y'all said.  I moved to Tampa - it is more like Riverview from Sarasota and I really don't like it here.  I'm used to living in an area where I can get on a bike and go to a park, grocery store or restaurant.  I can't stand suburbia and am saving my hard earned pennies to get out of this hours (I married into a mortgage!)

We are looking at houses in South Tampa, but I honestly don't know if I love it there either.  Both H and I love Davis Island, but there is like 2 houses a month that go on the market in our price range.  

Thanks.  

planetkari

I have lived in Tampa for the past 8 years, and I really love it here.  The weather is great and I really love the people I've met here.  I work in St. Petersburg, but my commute is actually not that long (only 20 minutes) because I live in South Tampa.  South Tampa has been my favorite place to live in the area because there are a lot of conveniences (grocery stores, restaurants, Target, parks, dog parks, etc.) within 5-10 minutes of my home.  I'd also consider moving to the Westchase or Carrollwood areas of Tampa down the road, if I needed to leave (but I hope I don't have to).  I lived in St. Petersburg as well, and it's nice too, just different.  I lived in the 4th Street corridor and there was a lot to do there and it was convenient to downtown.  The homes in these areas are not the cheapest in the area, but the conveniences make them attractive options.

MrsShawanaB

I love living in Tampa.  I grew up in Miami for 18 years so I might have a different perspective than others on what makes a great city, but I think the people here are SO nice and I feel that there is a sense of community in a lot of areas. 

When I first moved to the bay area, I lived in St. Pete for 2 years.  It was kind of a culture shock for me as there are mostly just white and black people and I am used to a more diverse demographic.  I also didn't feel like there was enough to do for what I like besides going to Rays games and the beach.  It was fun for 2 years but I got over it pretty quickly.

We have been in Tampa 4 years now and couldn't be happier. There is tons to do here and it is so central to the airport, malls, museums, major sports, and even Orlando is a short drive.  Our next move will hopefully be into the Carrollwood area.  It was built in mostly the 70's so the lots are larger than newer areas, and the neighborhoods are gorgeous.  You can also walk/bike to shops, restaurants, and grocery in Carrollwood village.

I am a teacher and taught in Pinellas county before moving here, and just an fyi the public school system in Pinellas is in a much worse financial state than Hills.  They've closed schools, cut back on a lot of programs, etc.  North Pinellas is the only area with decent schools and even then, they aren't that great.  Hillsborough schools are a little better - yes, south Tampa has some good ones but so does the nothern Tampa area in Carrollwood, Westchase, and Northdale. 

Just my 2 cents, good luck!!

diamondgrrl5

I've lived in Tampa Bay for over 10 years now and can definitely say that the traffic is horrible.  I say this as a person that is originally from Miami.  However, I have learned that if you find ways around it then you will be fine (try to be opposite of the flow of rush hour or have a job that allows you flexibility in the time you arrive/leave so it is not in the heat of rush hour). 

So far, H and I like living in North Pinellas the best because we have close access to everything we need, we have a decent size yard, and we are close enough to everything yet not in the hustle and bustle.  While I have friends that live all over Tampa Bay and they love their respective areas, you need to look at what your lifestyle is like to find the best fit because there are a variety of neighborhoods here from urban to almost rural.