TravelTalkOnline Forums People Talk SXM People Talk Florida Towns feels like St Martin

we are thinking of moving to Florida. We love being in St Martin and would like to move where you feel like you are in the caribbean. Nice beaches, good places to eat, relaxed atmosphere. Are there any such places in Florida?

Key West.

that's about it, Key West.

I love SXM and we owned in FL and I couldn't wait to leave FL. I don't think it's anything like SXM and yesterday son said it was 65 in Miami.

Or try looking for property on St John US Virgin Islands. It's a beautiful island. Many other islands nearby.

Sanibel/Captiva might fit the bill. Key West beaches are not "Caribbean" by any stretch of the imagination. The treasure coast of Florida has great beaches and restaurants however there was ice on my windshield this morning, first time in 3 years and it did get up in the 70's by midday, but ice???

I am looking for the same thin!g...I live in SXM now but feel it might be time to move back to the states...thinking of FL but not too sure where to go
Let me know where you end up

Honestly, a big part of being in SXM is because you are on vacation. If you live there, regardless of the surroundings, it's not the same. That said, it depends on what you associate with SXM. For me, I have no desire to do snow, ice, etc., any more and Florida suits me. There are some practicalities, like health insurance, as the prime example, that there is no substitute for living in the US...

I'm concerned about the medical care living in SXM especially in an emergent situation. I prefer SXM to Florida in the winter but thinking of compromising when I retire...3-4 weeks in SXM in February and Nov, Dec, Jan, March in Florida! Never concerned me much until we started having medical issues and visiting doctors offices more often as we get older.

Medical care is the number one reason why we decided to live in Florida, versus somewhere in the Caribbean...

The following might sound strange but for us this is how we feel: We lived in Pennsylvania forever and every winter we would take a family cruise and then a separate week for us to SXM and we loved every minute of both vacations and couldn't wait until the following year and do it again; so last April we sold our house in PA and moved to a 55 + community with all the amenities you could want and really close to Orlando with all those attractions, not to mention the airport and cruise port, but now that we are living down here neither of us want to take a cruise or go to SXM by reason of the wonderful weather, maybe later this year we will feel differently but as of now no desire to do any of the above. I'm still not so sold on the Florida thing other than the warm weather. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

in my humble opinion---florida is new jersey with palm trees--and key west --although alot of fun ---can be likend to an overpopulated ant hill---lived there for a while--long ago----sxm is our favorite place to vacation--but wouldnt want to live there full time .--then it wouldnt be ''special''.

I agree with the Sanibel/Captiva thought. Some areas definitely have that Carib feeling...and at times traffic on the main road also feels like SXM.

Key West would not be on my top 10 as being Carib-like...maybe some of the other Keys along the way but not Key West

You might want to consider the east coast of Florida between Cocoa Beach and Vero Beach, aka the "Space Coast" ... My first Air Force duty assignment in the late 60's to early 70's was at Patrick AFB, working on range support to programs like Minuteman, Delta, Poseiden, Apollo, etc. Launches are visible from your lawn...

Although it has become more built up and populated in the decades since
I lived there, some of the reasons I loved my time there are still valid:

- Weather: since I was out on the barrier island, the prevailing winds from April through October were usually out of the ESE at 10 kts and we almost never had daytime rain for those seven months. I could lay on the beach or at the pool and watch the towering cumulus clouds start building across the Banana and Indian Rivers to the west and as the day progressed they would be blown west across Orlando and then across the Tampa area. Like Camelot, it only rained at night. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

- Many of the housing developments along the western (river) side of the barrier island have backyard docks on canals connecting to the rivers, allowing easy access for water sports, fishing, etc.

- when I lived there there were a lot of great restaurants spread out along the coastal highway (A1A).

-one of my favorite winter pastimes off duty was going down to the high rise bridge at Sebastian Inlet and netting shrimp from the fishing catwalk under the span.

AND it is only 90 minutes from all the attractions in Orlando.(Including Cypress Cove!)

Send me a PM if you would like additional info...

To me, the Gulf Coast water is much prettier than the Atlantic Coast, and the water is usually calmer, as well as much prettier sunsets over the water! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Carol, the Atlantic Ocean side of the barrier island definitely has wave action since the daytime onshore winds blow across a lot of ocean before landfall.

The Banana River, on the otherhand, is shielded by the barrier island and has relatively little wave action usually, especially the eastern half of the river which is in the lee of the buildings and trees to the east. At Patrick AFB the Bananna River is several miles wide, resulting in spectacular sunsets... Especially with all the thunderheads low on the western horizon as they dump on central and western Florida... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

The causeways also mitigate the wind effects, alowing water skiing on glassy smooth water on at least one of the four "corners".

And then you have the southern part of Merrit Island, which serves as another wind block, making the Indian River even smoother...

It's a nice area for boating... :

I was at Patrick also. It's lovely up there. Hey Bill, I used to hang out at George's. Remember that place?

But my suggestion to Patty is Lauderdale by the Sea. It's like a little village. Has cute restaurants and nice beach.
Cheers
irina

If you are concerned about medical care...Key West would not be the place for you. Most of us locals travel to the mainland for medical care and at that it is a 3-4 hour drive just to get out of the Keys. It is one thing to be here on vacation but a whole different atmosphere living here. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> I will say I do love the weather <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I'm not interested in Key West. I've been spending a lot of time on the west coast of Florida and help my parents with their medical appointments, etc. I'm in the medical field and impressed with some of the docs I have met in Florida. Also have spent some time at Bascom Palmer in Naples. Very impressive facility for eye issues like macular degeneration. There is also a rehab facility in Sarasota with a wonderful PT program. I would feel more comfortable spending the majority of my winter months in this part of Florida knowing that good medical care is right around the corner! This is my first trip to SXM that I purchased insurance to cover medical flights to the states in case of an emergency.

I agree that the gulf coast water is beautiful and much calmer than the east coast. Also sunsets are amazing! I love Boca Grande, one of my favorite islands. The beaches are very clean and water is calm. Just a little too cold in February so nice month to spend time in SXM. Looking forward to retiring in Florida and SXM:-))

That's our experience also. We moved to AZ just south of Tucson for the winter & just don't have the same anticipation as it gets closer to leaving for SXM. We still have a great time when we're there, and maybe it's cuz we've been going since 1998, but I couldn't wait to get there & now it's not exactly the same.

I'm currently in the Caribbean on a jazz cruise. After it's over, I'm driving to Sarasota to check out real estate. Will likely look at surrounding areas such as Bradenton and Venice, too. Sarasota has a large jazz club, and I've met up with several members who are on the cruise. Many have come to Sarasota from other areas. To a person, they are happy with Sarasota being their choice. I'm excited to check it out (especially since it's forecast in Portland for another snow storm.)

We recently spent a week in Siesta Key and loved the beach and sunsets...beautiful area as well. We love jazz too...could you please share the name of the jazz club in Sarasota Txs! We will visit next trip to Florida. I'm looking into a David Koz cruise. That might be the next trip after SXM;-))

We lived there and it's nothing like SXM---except for the prices.

Marco Island, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach would be my preferences. It has been a while since I have been there but the North Palm Beach to Vero Beach stretch used to be cool. Juno Beach was a hidden jem.
You never said what price range you were looking for. The quandary is the international feel and panache are on the east coast like Palm Beach and Miami but the better beaches and laid back attitude is on the west coast and panhandle.

Hated the west coast beaches. Don't understand the allure.
There are beaches here very much like Caribbean. Go to Bill Baggs State Park. Crystal clear, totally different than Miami Beach.
Key Biscayne I would not live at. Taxes too high and only one road in and out. I do go to beach there and staycation at Ritz but that's it.
I already mentioned Lauderdale by the Sea. Tiny village. Restaurants. Nice beach.
irina

If living on the beach isn't a deal buster then Coral Gables or the Brickell area would be close to good walking areas and short drive to beach. BTW the beach at Bill Baggs is beautiful

Hi,

I do live on Brickell! LOL
Cheers
irina

I wasn't referring to a "brick and mortar" club but rather a jazz "society."

Jazz Club of Sarasota

I really enjoyed visiting friends on Casey Key near Venice.

Stayed at Casey Key on a few occasions, including most recently in October 2016. Very laid back, beautiful sunsets, great stuff, unless you want lots of action.

check out Latitude Margaritaville, a Jimmy Buffet community in Daytona Beach...being built as an over 55 community