Found my own little personal paradise:

1. 93

   habeeposted 10 years ago

   a warm, clear bay full of fish; a big shade tree; a comfy chair; a cooler of cold drinks; wonderful Florida sunshine; nice breezes; and a cast net. What’s not to love?
   
   
   

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      wayne barrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Cleawater here; which is in the Tampa area. Love it!

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      Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Us Westies cannot fathom the sun setting over land. But I hear tell there is both a west coast and an east coast. The pictures are dreamy good.

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      denden mangubatposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      wow i like this

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2. 93

   habeeposted 10 years ago

   BTW, the kids found theirs on the other side of the island:
   
   
   
   
   
   

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3. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 10 years ago

   
   
   Shh, don't reveal these secret places, enjoy it!
   
   

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   1. 93

      habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      +1

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   LuisEGonzalezposted 10 years ago

   Welcome to my neck of the woods................like I have been saying all along.....Florida's got it!...............

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   1. 93

      habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      We LOVE Florida! Hubby is ready to move to SW FL. I think I'd really enjoy it, but I'd miss the seasons. At least we have a slight change of seasons here in GA.

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         kthix10posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         No Chicago winters for you then?

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         1. 93

            habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            No thanks!

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               Motown2Chitownposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               You know I was born in Detroit, Michigan.  Spend the second half of my childhood in Northern Michigan.  The winters are pretty harsh up there.  But it was living in Chicago for three years that put me over the edge where winter is concerned.  I'm moving to Florida Monday...lol  Give me Chicago in the summer, spring, and fall and I'm all about it - but this winter crap is kicking my ass!
               
               habee, you're gonna spend some time in NE Florida now and again once we're down there, right? 
               
               

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               1. 93

                  habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Mo, we can meet up on Amelia Island, which is just north of Jax. We visit there at least once or twice a year - sometimes more.

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         rebekahELLEposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I felt the same way when we made the final transition to Florida.  I had lived here during part of my elementary years, college years and yearly vacations and loved it, but always thought I would miss the seasons.  I don't.  Depending on how far south you want to go, central, sw central and northern FL do experience slight seasonal changes. My yard has three maple trees that change colors and lose their leaves, but it's closer to Dec./Jan. when you notice a change.  It's really very beautiful.  The leaf colors aren't quite as vivid as New England, but they do change.  Winters are usually mild, but temperatures sometimes drop below freezing, but not for long. Summers are hot, hot, hot, so have a pool and live close to the Gulf!   
         I think what I love most about living here is the beauty of nature.  The flowers, the tropical scents, the birds, cranes flying overhead in the big blue sky, and of course, the beautiful coast line and Gulf of Mexico.  I'm originally from the midwest, so I've experienced the seasons.  No more snowy, cold winters for me. 
         
         Enjoy the rest of your vacation!  I think you would enjoy living here.  There is sooo much to discover.

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         1. 93

            habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks for describing your experience. I love all the water - the Gulf, the sounds, the bays, the tidal rivers, and the canals. We really enjoy fishing, crabbing, and netting shrimp, so those activities alone would keep us pretty entertained. Swimming, boating, snorkeling, and visiting historic sites would provide even more entertainment.
            
            In the house we rented, there was a 55+ magazine with info about FL retirement communities. I couldn't believe how affordable some of them were, including a couple on a bay or saltwater river that had private marinas. Heck, if we sold our GA home, we could move into one of those places and be able to afford a nice boat! My 3 daughters and their families live near me now, however, and it would be hard to leave them. One, though, says they'll move with us.
            
            It wouldn't be easy for me to leave/sell this house. I'm living in the house I grew up in, and I'm really attached to it. I'm thinking that maybe my middle daughter would like to rent it, which would be a perfect solution. I could live in SW FL and come "home" when a hurricane threatened. BTW, how many tornadoes do you guys get a year, on average?
            
            As for hot summers, I'm used to those. Believe it or not, summers here in South GA are hotter than those in SW FL in areas very close to the Gulf.

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         TIMETRAVELER2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Move to the Tampa Bay area instead!  Tampa is known as the land of three seasons. I have lived in this area for more than 40 years and love it more every day!

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Now, YOU'RE making me pine for Florida........oh, the majesty of it ALL!  Imagine, summers ALL YEAR round.
      

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         Kangaroo_Jaseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Looks like Queensland in Australia

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5. 73

   lorlie6posted 10 years ago

   Okay habee, my friend, my ole pal, send funds and I'll be there asap!  My address is forthcoming...

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6. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 10 years ago

   Holle, I don't know how many tornadoes we have here on average.  I've lived in this area for 23 years and have never experienced one.  The worst I've directly experienced was last year when slow moving Tropical Storm Debby pounded rain relentlessly in a short period of time and caused rivers to flood.  My street was 3-4 ft. covered with water that had nowhere to go.  The water was about a foot away from my front door.  Kayaks were the only way to get through the streets for a while.  But that is the only time I've experienced a scary, threatening situation.  They've recently finished upgrading massive drainage systems to more quickly move the water off the streets.
   
   Tarpon Springs was recently listed as the fifth best place for boaters to retire in the BoatsUS magazine.  I have an image of the Spring Bayou on my Tarpon hub.  I'm there often as my son lives on the bay, it's absolutely gorgeous and so much fun for anyone who loves water sports, fishing, etc.
   
   It's great to see other hubbers who live in the greater Tampa Bay area.  And welcome Motown to the sunshine state!
   
   Hey, we could have hubber parties!

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   1. 64

      maxoxam41posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      What about the humidity, the mosquitoes, the tropical rain (maybe it's too early for the season), the probability of a tsunami... AHHH...Florida, nothing better.

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   2. 93

      habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the info. Tarpon Springs is great, but we like the Anna Maria Island/Bradenton/Sarasota area more. We also really like Amelia Island in NE FL and Mexico Beach/St. Joe Beach on the Panhandle. We were disappointed in the beaches near Tarpon Springs/Port Richey, but we did enjoy boating and fishing on the flats and spending time on little islands. Heck, I think I could live in one of the stilt houses!

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         rebekahELLEposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Definitely the best swim beaches are in the panhandle and starting below Tarpon at Honeymoon Island/Caladesi (Dunedin) south.  Tarpon is more about water sports/boating.  Bradenton/Sarasota have beautiful beaches, plus Bradenton is just a fun place to hang out on the beach.  If you've never toured the Ringling Museum of Art and the Ca' d'Zan, it's a nice break from the beaches.
         My favorite beaches in the Tampa Bay area are Caladesi and north Clearwater Beach.  I'm not as familiar with the area south of Sarasota but it is a beautiful part of the state.  Did you drive over the Sunshine Skyway?
         
         
         Caladesi

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         1. 93

            habeeposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            No Skyway for me, but my daughter and her family made the drive. I did fish from the Skyway Bridge pier, though. Does that count?
            
            My two greatest fears are heights and tornadoes.
            
            

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               rebekahELLEposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               No, the fishing pier doesn't count!
               
               It is a great experience!  The ascent going south feels like you're driving up into the sky.  It's a beautiful bridge, and the view is amazing.
               
               Yes, I have been to the beach at Anna Maria Island.  It's a great shelling beach and we also would dive under to find the sand dollars.  The water is so clear.  I haven't been there in years, but remember loving the calmness of the beach and no crowds.

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   Petroleyposted 10 years ago

   Looks wonderful. Enjoy

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8. 93

   habeeposted 10 years ago

   Have you been to the beach on Anna Maria that's on the north end, between the 2 piers? It's wonderful! Clear, calm, shallow water that's perfect for kids. Good place to snorkel, too. We always find sand dollars and starfish. There's shade, too, supplied by some large trees, along with nice restroooms, benches, and picnic tables. I've never seen this beach crowded, either, even when the other AMI beaches are packed.
   
   
   
   
   
   

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