I'm just brainstorming right now, but the thought of moving out of Texas is starting to sound appealing to me. (I didn't want to thread jack the tired of Houston thread). I love Texas, but I feel that moving out of state for a change of scenery is something that could be very beneficial. Being in the power industry, the opportunities are pretty widespread. Florida is appealing to me due to the vast fishing and hunting opportunities available. Any input on living in Florida is greatly appreciated!

I moved here a decade ago under the premise I'd be returning to Texas in a year or two. Thankfully, we have family in TX and visit fairly often. That being said, I love Florida for the beautiful white sand beaches, excellent fishing, and mild winters (I'm not a Disney guy, but there are some great theme parks too). I do wish it wasn't so flat and had a little elevation, but due to the tropical season, the foliage stays green year round. It basically feels like you're on a permanent vacation. Cost of living isn't bad and like TX, there's no state income tax.

(Saw you're a hunter. Unfortunately, that's nowhere as near as promising as what TX offers. The serious hunters I know, typically head up to GA).

Thanks for the input!

I know this isn't the area you seem to be thinking about, but for hunting and fishing, have you looked at any of the rocky Mountain states? I know it isn't deep sea fishing, but still pretty good fishing on the rivers and lakes in that region, and the hunting can't really be beat (especially in regards to public hunting lands)

I've kind of been reading about all over and I know Oregon stuck out as far as outdoor activities go. It's mild enough weather, but not insane amounts of snow from what I've read.

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mild winters (I'm not a Disney guy, but there are some great theme parks too). I do wish it wasn't so flat and had a little elevation, but due to the tropical season, the foliage stays green year round

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This is exactly what you need to be prepared for if moving to Florida. There's no such thing as hiking because there's no topography to speak of.... flat scrub brush and swampy marsh land for as far as you can see.

Saying the winters are mild is putting it mildly... it doesn't cool down enough to go camping comfortably until about December and that lasts maybe through January. The rest of the year you will be sweating as soon as you step out doors. Which leads to there are no seasons here in Florida other than wet and dry season. 80 degree Christmas mornings is the norm, at least here in Tampa.

If all of that is perfectly fine with you then you'll love it here.

So it's Houston weather, but 11 months of hot instead of 9?

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So it's Houston weather, but 11 months of hot instead of 9?

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I haven't experienced hot 11 months, here's the average temperatures for the Tampa Bay Area:
http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/tampa/florida/united-states/usfl0481

Ok, I'm a native to Orlando. Followed a brother to A&M from here. Other than my detours to CS, Longview and New Orleans, I've lived here my entire life.

Fishing is what I know in Central Florida. Inshore, great bass fishing in and around the 200 lakes that cover the Orlando metro area. Yes 200. Some world class fishing in Lake Toho in Kissimmee. Great family fishing is everywhere.

Inside the barrier islands, Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River on the East Coast of Central Florida are really good speckled trout, redfish areas. Pier fishing and surf fishing are readily available, some of the National Canaveral Seashore (a 3 wood from Launch Pad 39a at KSC) fishing is secluded and great. Playalinda Beach is old time Florida at it's best.

A couple of inlets on the East coast are known for superb fishing, I.e., Sebastion Inlet near Ft. Pierce (2 hrs from Orlando) is big on Snook. Punta Gorda on the West Coast is known for Tarpon and Budweiser boats loaded with bewbs on tournament day.

Off-shore you can go to the Gulf or you can go to the Atlantic. Again, out of Ft; Pierce, you're about an hour from the gulfstream, which is offshore nirvana for many.

I obviously highly recommend Florida. The weather is perfect from now until late April/May. Yes, shorts are the norm for Christmas. No changing leaves because we do only have 2 seasons. But if you've shoveled snow, you'll know why we get 70 million visitors a year thru Orlando International. It's the water that I missed while in Texas. Lakes, bays, rivers, the Gulf and Atlantic. With multiple places to go. I haven't even gone into the scalloping near Steinhatchee on the West Coast. Beach volleyball on Clearwater Beach. Attractions (if that's your thing) are also a draw. No hunting info, sorry. Good luck, you can PM if you'd like.

Great insight! Thanks for all the opinions.

Wooahhhh,

I was pleasantly surprised by all the freshwater in Florida. I wasn't aware there were so many fishable rivers, streams, and canals. Also lots of spring fed, crystal clear springs that make for great scenic kayaking.

yeah, it's definitely the lakes, springs, rivers; most of which are spring-fed from under our limestone base structure that makes Florida an outdoorsman's paradise.

I live near a large 1800 acre chain of lakes in South Orlando and damned if there wasn't a sandbar for tie-ups and neighbors drinking and partying in 4 ft. deep water.....crystal clear water. I remembered it that way from when I was a kid (long time ago), but it is still that way today.

And not all are like that. There's plenty that you can't let your dog swim in because of gators. Let's be truthful, but don't believe the 10 months of heat and two months of shorts weather. Easily half and half. Best golfing weather ever by the way. Coaching HS fastpitch 12 months a year, because we can, is fun as well

Yeah, sorry, but it IS 9 -10 months of heat and humidity (its November and just two weeks ago we had a heat wave with literal 90temps). December and January are cool enough to enjoy going outside and camping, February starts warming back up, and by March its humid and you're sweating again.

Where do you normally camp?

I only made it out once last December with my son, who's just now old enough at 6 to really go out overnight and have fun. We camped in a county park near the Hillsborough River in Riverview. I figure before too long we'll be making trips out of state (Georgia, etc) for camping trips. For the climate as well as the scenery.

Dont mean to sound down on Florida. Just trying to prepare newcomers for the "real" picture (I got sucked in by the image of babes in bikinis on beaches when I came here planning on going back into marine biology). There's tons to enjoy about Florida - but that image isn't realistic for 90% of the state in my opinion. Majority of Florida I've seen is flat scrubbrush and palmetto bushes, swampy marsh land, mosquitos, and ridiculous humidity.

But then again I'm in the environmental consulting industry - I've spent more than my share of time outdoors cleaning up less-than-attractive land.

Florida is like Texas in that it depends on what part of the state you visit. Northwest Florida has beautiful white sandy beaches. You walk on them barefoot and your feet will squeak in the sand. Northwest Florida also has a lot of rivers, lakes and woods. Not that many people.

The further south you go the more it gets flat and the more diversity you have in terms of city/rural and cultural things. We've had snow in north Florida, south Florida gets more heat. There are still coastal areas that aren't as developed and don't have as many tourist.

Don't let anyone tell you it is just this one thing.

We moved to the Bradenton/Sarasota area in 05. I miss Texas from time to time but this area is great. White sand beaches. Short drive to any and everything a family would want to do. Great fishing, mild winters, not as hot as Texas in summer.

Biggest draw back is the snow birds.....

The wife and I will be moving to Orlando in June (from dallas) so we will see how it goes. Right now, we are targeting the Dr Phillips/Windermere area - anyone in the vicinity?

Personally I hate the Orlando area. I'm in Bradenton, just south of Tampa. The traffic from the tourist in and around Orlando is insane. The traffic never stops... Saturday, Sunday, off hours, good luck.

Well, we bought a house in Windermere. The wife and I will be planning on meeting up with the local Ag club at some point and I'm sure we'll meet a few of you along the way.

Been in Tampa since 2004. Moved here for work. The wife and I thought it might be a 2-3 year move before heading back home but since we started our family, we slowed down. The weather, from my perspective, is similar to Houston. Humidity is similar, does not get as hot or cold temperature-wise or for as long of periods but similar. Topography here is something kids would read in books. I think the highest elevation is some hill in Zephyrhills, haha. Sunshine 300 days of the year is what I like. I didn't like the hot, summer days in Texas and don't like the hot, summer days in Florida. September to April is usually the best climate wise. The lifestyle here on the West side is much slower than the East. Also, the beaches are better manicured with white sand, etc.

Which one of you did I see in Oviedo the other day at 417 and red bug lake?

My wife and I have been in the Clermont/Groveland area just west of Orlando since '06 (we both went to high school in Ocala, and moved back there in '03 before our current place). We absolutely love it here. Clermont is a great small city with a fairly low cost of living, but easily in reach for everything Orlando has to offer. The traffic in Orlando is rather easy to avoid if you just learn your way around. We spent the first few weeks of this year living at Winnie Palmer Hospital south of downtown because our daughter was born 10 weeks early. We were able to get around and go wherever we needed whenever we needed because we knew to pretty much always avoid I-4.

As to the lakes and fishing, I live in very appropriately names Lake County. TONS of water all over the place. You should, however, always operate under the assumption there are gators in the water. You'll often see them on golf courses.