What is your favorite Florida town and why?

I’ve only been to a few. I had a friend who lived in Daytona, about 30 years ago, and I don’t remember much except going to a biker bar with her and her boyfriend. It’s a famous bar, Boot Hill Saloon. Then we went to another biker bar but I don’t remember it. I had a relative that lived in the historic section of Jacksonville and I used to go there when I was a teen. It was very nice, very genteel. There were some tea houses and gift shops – this was in the days of gift shops. Now, people don’t go to gift shops, they get stuff from Amazon. Anyway, other than those two, I’ve been to St. Augustine and Orlando. I don’t remember much about St. Augustine as that was about 30 years ago. Orlando, I’ve been to a few times and it’s like a large playground of Disney parks, and other attractions. Very touristy.

I know on one of our trips, we drove from Orlando to Jacksonville and I remember souvenir stores along the highway and they were selling pecan candy and oranges, too.

All of Florida is killer hot 9 months out of the year.

My grandmother used to go to Sanibel Island and Captiva, which are resort areas and she used to love them.

The newest part of Sarasota was gorgeous. Does that make sense?
We took our dog down to the beach; nobody was there. Before we could say a word a golf cart or reasonable facsimile came charging down to us with a ” sorry ; no dogs on the beach.”

Northern part of the state, like Ocala, Gainesville, St Augustine and that general environs. South Florida is too flat and too gaudy and the people are artificial.

Sanibel Island! It’s the place my sweetie said, “I think I’m falling in love with you,” on the beach under the moon. I lived in Winter Park at the time, he lived in TN, and was visiting me and his brother who lived and worked for an airline in Orlando. We eventually married and went back to Sanibel several times.

I also liked Orlando/Winter Park. I was in my late 20’s/early 30’s and had lots of good times and adventures, especially when I was single. Saw the Challenger explode from my porch which was so hard to watch – I just wanted to reverse time. Drove through the Cape Canaveral National Seashore a few times and saw lots of animals and birds, including at least seven Bald Eagles. Went to Tampa and saw Ram Dass; another time saw James Taylor. Saw Journey in Orlando. Worked at a large, well-respected Trauma 1 hospital for about 8 years. Such good memories and good friends.

Favorite to live in? Favorite to visit? So many great places in Florida.

I love where I live now in The Villages. So much to do, activities all day long and live music and dancing every night, and people are really nice. My husband likes that it cools off in the winter compared to South Florida. Plus, The Villages is just an hour from Orlando, so we can see Mickey whenever we feel like it. I feel like I live on a land cruise ship or back on a college campus. Fun every day.

I also really liked living in the Boca Raton Delray Beach area. It’s beautiful, great shopping and restaurants, near or on the beach on the Atlantic side, easy to get up to Palm Beach or down to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami.

Winter Park is a cute town with great local shops and restaurants and a fabulous Tiffany museum.

St. Petersburg has amazing museums, and it’s beautiful to walk around, it’s right on the bay.

Pensacola. I think they actually have a Cola factory in it.

I have good memories of Orlando and a lovely restaurant at Eola Park with jazz music and views across the water. Orlando was bright and clean and pleasantly warm in December. I haven’t visited any other towns in Florida.

Ferdinanda Beach.
Also St. Pete and Clearwater.

Ferdinanda Beach because my dad and his wife moved there in the late 90s. Rick and I flew up when Dad died. We had a wonderful time.
We went to the beach, just a few blocks from there house. Rick had never experienced a beach.. While we were there a dolphin breached. Rick’s eyes went wide and he yelled ”BIG fish!!!!”
Watching him madly scrambling, trying to catch crabs that borrow faster than a guy can dig.
It was funny.

I was just went back for 2 weeks last July because my Dad’s wife became critically ill. She died.
Not so much fun.

Clearwater and St Pete because I lived there as a child <9.

* their * house.

Not a huge Florida fan. I however do like Clearwater and Marco Island for a visit.