Learn Me Orlando, FL

There is a good possibility that the wife will be offered a great opportunity in the Baldwin area of Orlando, but we are waiting to see what kind of compensation package is presented to her. She'll need to make considerably more than me to convince me to give up my current job.

The job market in my field looks promising, and I intend to apply for a few jobs in the area just in case she gets a good offer.

I am a bit concerned, however, about Florida's unique (or lack of) culture. I hate suburban living, aside from proximity to open space; I like being able to walk to my local bar, ride bicycle to my local grocery, and be involved in downtown happenings without searching for parking. That being said, I need someplace to ride MTB offroad within 3 miles of my home. I was recently at Alafia State Park outside of Tampa, and that place looked like a lot of fun for mountain bikes, so its just a living close to someplace like Little Econ, Soliders Creek, Markham Woods Park, or Mt. Dora while still limiting drive time to Baldwin area of Orlando.

Is there anything remotely "town" oriented along Rt 426? Or if I want that type of living will I be required to live in Eola, Thronton, etc?

I work in Altamonte and travel around the area for work (northeast Orlando off I-4) but live near daytona on the coast.

I dont know much off hand about the Baldwin area but overall Orlando isnt an awful area to be. Traffic is rough on the surface streets so I would tend to try to keep near the expressways or toll roads. To be near town from what I can tell the Eola area is going to be your best bet but it comes with the "hipster" and young professionals tax. A friend of mine lives near there and is paying +/-$800 for a 1 bed 1 bath 1 parking spot place in a row house style place for a point of reference.

Remember the tolls as they can add up if your commuting.

Baldwin Park is the site of the former Naval Training Center. It is all new houses and offices, done up in a kind of new urbanism theme. Think houses inches from each other with garages out back off the alley. But on the plus side you can walk to some dining and shopping without leaving the neighborhood. If that's not your thing the surrounding area has plenty of older neighborhoods, although they are pricey due north of Baldwin Park because then you are in Winter Park.

There is mountain biking in Chuluota/Christmas, which is due east on 50. It's not 3 miles away, but on a Sunday morning it would be pretty easy to get to.

Anyone else?

OOOOOrlandoooooooo. SeaWorld and Disney; putt putt golfing!

I spent a few years in the Baldwin Park area, but that was back when it was still an active Navy base, so nothing helpful to add other than Orlando is not a place I'd really desire to live again. How about living in Winter Park? If it is like it was 20 years ago, then it may meet most of your requirements. Doubtful that meets your MTB within 3 miles though.

Just a note, I'm not really thinking of living in Baldwin Park area, that is merely where the job would be located for the wife, so she'd have to commute to the location.

I'm thinking more out toward Oveido.

PHeller wrote: I hate suburban living, aside from proximity to open space; I like being able to walk to my local bar, ride bicycle to my local grocery, and be involved in downtown happenings without searching for parking.

If you want to live in a "townie" area, Colonialtown, Mills/Delaney, Thornton Park, College Park etc., would work, as would living in Baldwin Park itself (the "downtown" in Baldwin is kinda artificial).

Winter Park has it's own downtown, but unless you are made of money good luck living within walking distance of that.

PHeller wrote: I need someplace to ride MTB offroad within 3 miles of my home.

Hmm- not sure how serious terrain you are talking about. You if you lived in the East Oviedo/Chuluota area you would be with 3 miles of the Snow Hill/Little Big Econ mountain biking area. If you lived out towards Winter Springs you would be within 3 miles of the Spring Hammock/Soldier Creek area.

PHeller wrote: I'm thinking more out toward Oveido.

That might work for your mountain biking requirement, but that whole area is as suburban and opposite of your first requirement as you can get.

Well the wife got the offer and its good, but not as good as I would've hoped to make a sure-fire decision.

After moving expenses were factored in we'd probably lose a bit of money on the deal.

Now comes analyzing whether I could even tolerate living in Florida or if we should hold out for something in Santa Fe, Phoenix, SLC or Southern Colorado.

Living in Florida does have a few advantages. Very low taxes. Schools suck in general, but some are quite good. Really hard to beat the weather. Except for rare but memorable hurricanes. Fishing? What most of our readers brag about, we use for bait. Nowhere in Fla are you more than an hour from salt water, and great bass fishing (I have heard). I'm a good bit south of there, don't really care for the "Plastic" feel of Orlando. Much prefer Tampa / St. Pete and Ft. Lauderdale, but decent employment carries a lot of weight. Living anywhere requires adaptation to the realities. Auto sports? Yeah, we have some, 12 months a year. Some tracks don't do much in the height of summer, as it does get very uncomfortable. You should take a trip and take a good look. Of course, this is a bad time to do that as it's 78* and very sunny right now.

Orlando has a big mouse problem.

Mountain Bikes in Florida ?

My vote is SLC or Southern Colorado. I've lived in Florida my entire life. Alafia is 10 minutes from my house(I'll be there in the morning), if I wasn't tied to my pension I would probably be in Salt Lake or close by. We do have year round motorsports here Sebring, Daytona, Homestead, etc. A lot of motocross guys live in west central Florida cause they can ride all year. You can fish all year. There are benefits to living here. No state income tax, no emissions testing, etc

Most of Orlando strikes me as big box store / tilt-wall / nouveau-riche suburbia. Some friends just moved to Winter Park and that is a nice little pocket. But given the choice of where to live in FL I'd look elsewhere. I do like the Mt. Dora / Howey-in-the-Hills area for boating, and the Wekiva river is nice for canoeing. I'm not a mountain biker but I know there are a good number of trails there, and lots up north towards Ocala. It does have a triathlon center, and Clermont is a very popular road cycling area.

Its hot as balls in the summer there too, no ocean breeze to knock the edge off.

With the exception of downtown and a few dense centers, it's the type of place where if you are walking somewhere, you are either homeless or your car just broke down.

I lived in Orlando for just shy of a year, and didn't find many redeeming qualities. I liked Lake Eola, the Indian grocery stores in my neighborhood, and the Cuban restaurants on the south side of town, but not much else strikes me as memorable. Well, living expenses there were cheap, but my pay didn't leave me a lot to play with.

Perhaps I didn't spend enough time in the right parts of town; i couldn't afford the trendy neighborhoods, and I worked in the infamous Pine Hills.

Yea, our pay would be enough that we could pretty much live where we wanted to, but then again I'd also be without a job, so it wouldn't be as good as we've got it now.

iceracer wrote: Mountain Bikes in Florida ?

Yep, we actually have some great trails. There's a coquina ridge that runs through the middle of the state, and it can get pretty mountain bike-y. Lots of clay on some trails, too–so no sand.

Oh, and I don't care for Orlando much at all. Draw a 60-mile circle around it, then live anywhere outside of that circle. The circle gets 2 miles bigger every year, btw.

Here's my favorite trail:

http://chucklennonmtbtrail.weebly.com/trail-info.html

There's also the mountain biking mecca that is Santos, which is over in Ocala.

Didn't realize Chuck Lennon was so close.

If we lived in Oviedo I could ride Little Econ every night and Santos/Lennon on the weekends.

Looking around on Craigslist I'm not convinced rental prices are any better in Orlando than they are in Lancaster, PA. Yet, cost of living is cheaper?

Is this because housing prices are so low in Florida?

Normally I'd say "we'd buy a house", but I'm not wanting to get stuck down there.

Anyone personally know any surveyors in the Orlando area?

For those of you that live in Florida,

Do you spend a lot on electric during the summer? I've been in Florida in warmer months, but was mostly at the beach, so I'm not sure how I'll deal with the humidity.

Yes, but a good AC unit goes a long way in keeping the bill down.

My electric bill on a 1200 sq ft house over in Daytona is about $75 in the winter and $175 in the summer.