Hello all. First let me say that I have enjoyed this site for a long, long time as a lurker of many years standing - first back in the US and now overseas. I am currently living in Australia. When my overseas assignment for my firm is over in about 18 months and I move back to the US, I am considering Florida as a place to make my home, specifically St Pete. I would like to hear any and all info and opinions on the area - traffic, quality of life, access to ranges, anything at all.

Thanks.

PS: If you ever find yourself taking the blessings of liberty that we all enjoy in the USA for granted, live overseas for a year or so. You will be cured for life!

Very nice place, but then I'm getting on. Not my cup of tea, as I'm a Swamper. The city is no place for me. I've never lived in town (by choice). It's not in me. One of my customers is a St. Pete Beach resident. Sounds nice. I'm forwarding this thread to him. He'll shoot you straight.

As luck would have it a awesome new indoor range that can handle up to 50 cal just opened in Clearwater area.  Knights shooting sports I think it's called fresh brand new building and range.  Worth a look.

Also would be a good place for us Tampa area people to have a shoot day.

later

I just moved from St. Pete to Michigan last month... and yes, stay away from South St. Pete.  I lived in Pinellas County for 10 years.

Before I moved I lived on 54th Ave South in St. Pete and at times it was like a 3rd world country... a huge load of police activity 24/7... kept it interesting.  

If you stay away from the beaches you'll do OK... the traffic is killer, especially 'in-season'.

Overall the traffic is pretty bad.  You'll get to see lots of antics!  US 19 MUST be experienced to be believed...

I lived in Seminole for most of my stay in the St. Pete area, which is west of Largo/Pennyless Park, near Mad Beach... I'd highly recommend you check that area first.  Still close to everything, but much quieter.  The zip for Seminole is 33772 if you want to do a search for further info.  If I'd have stayed in Seminole I'd still be living down there... South St. Pete was so bad at times I ran all the way to Northern Michigan... YMMV



edited to add: Osprey is quite correct about the babe eye candy... I sure do miss that!

I worked as a firefighter for the City of St. Petersburg for almost 9 years. Was a resident near the Tyrone Mall for 16.

I now live in New Hampshire. 'Nuff said.

Some pointers, to wit:
-Carry a pistol in your vehicle. Car jackings are a great pasttime, especially in the Tampa area.
-Summertime heat is oppressive. I cannot stress that enough. September is the worst month.
-Beware the "trailer trash", they are EVERYWHERE! They all came down from the North to seek their fortune, and found out they still had to work for a living. So, now they just live off the welfare and drink all day. I believe Busch was still the brew of choice, as I recall, when the check came in.
-Get used to HUGE roaches. I hope you keep a clean house, otherwise, well...you'll find out.
-A/C is a good thing. Florida's version of winter heat in the North, except you'll find that you have to run it 24/7 for only about 10 months out of the year.
-Live on the northside, as said earlier, stay away from the southside. Unless you wish to live in Tierra Verde, which has homes for upwards of 200K.
-Hurricanes and tornados. Lightning capital of the world(literally).
-Good luck. If it were me, though, I would live in the East Lake area. Much nicer...

[B]-Darkstar...54 Ave S.? My God, you are BRAVE soul. Glad you made it it "out"![/B]

That, my friend, was the toughest 15 months of my life!  My home was broken into 4 times!  I shipped all but one of my firearms back to Michigan after the first break-in... well... what was left of them.  The guns not in the safe were gone.  I've since gotten a bigger safe...

The vandalism done to my 2 Ford 4x4's was amazing...

It's nice be living in the trees now...

My God!  You people are GREAT! I love it!  I've been trying to keep people away from here for 40 years with no success, but you guys should get it done a lot better. [8D]

I will write more later, but I grew up on the Southside of St. Pete, I have lived on 54th Avenue South, I went to school on 54th Avenue South, my Son goes to school in a Magnet on the Southside at 62nd and 22 Street South.  My wifes Mother lives on the Southside, and many of my friends, also.  Much of what is stated above is over-generalization, or complete BS.

I am 4th generation St. Pete, and have lived or/and have family living in every section of the city / area.  I would be happy to show you around when you decide to check us out, and let you make your own decision, whether to move here, or not.

1) Traffic is nothing unless you are from a town with only one flashing yellow light.  Nobody drives through St. Pete, and only traffic are those that live there, going to work, or coming home.  It really is not bad.

2) South St. Pete-  Yea, it can be bad in some areas, just like any *city*  I never had anything stolen until I bought a house in what is known as *Old Northeast*, and it is *THE* place to live, and on the North side of town.

3) Beaches (Where I live) That is very cool part of area, and nearly zero crime!  An occaisonal guy eaten by a shark (in my neighborhood) swimming off his dock.  Plenty of German and British tourist girls.  The Germans are more fun!

4) Babes!  Yes, and the beach is only one place to find them

St. Pete Police Pistol Club and Range
Knights Shooting Sports (Clearwater)
Knights Trail shooting Range (Sarasota)
Manatee Range and archery club (Bradenton)
A bunch of ranges in Tampa, and others mentioned.

US 19 is only a problem in North County, so just stay off it! [:)]

Beach traffic is predictable!  Leave the beach in the morning, come back at night, no traffic!  It's like any beach with one main road I've ever been too.

Yes AC is a GOOD thing.  I turned mine on last week.  It's run for 5 days now.  That's three more days than my heater this last year.

Seminole is nice, but it is too far away from EVERYTHING, and my Beach Little League Allstars kicked their butts last night!  Oh yeh, my kids play baseball year-round!

Come on and visit, but to move here, you have to get two New Yorkers, or 7 Canadians to move home!

Thanks to all. Definitely some food for thought here. Any other opinions, etc are welcome.

BigGuns, I will be emailing you. Thanks.

Big Guns,

You are what I call very tough or very...resilient. Yes, that's it.

Anyway, I guess every city has it's, well, "seemy" areas. I just got tired of going to 12-16 year old gang-type kids shot in the head near 22 St. South at or near Jordan Park and sitting outside Fire Station 3 listening to the sounds of automatic(as in "full auto")gunfire and waiting for the bell to ring, so I got to see the handiwork of the MAC 10 up close. Delivering REAL babies from little girls and chickenheads(crack mothers). [B]"Complete B/S"[/B]you say? What a hoot. That's no B/S, my friend, that is the reality of St. Petersburg and you KNOW it, despite what you write here. I suppose you'll say that Liberal rag St. Pete Times loves gun owners and is an opponent of gun control next.

Yeah, the sunsets are beautiful. I used to love flying R/C helicopters in January. Simple things like changing my oil outside anytime of year was great. The radio guys at 970 WFLA in the morning. The Clearwater Jazz Fest, and the cool F16's from MacDill flying over the Bay. But something has to be said for the garbage and s--t you put up with, and St. Pete has MORE than it's share. Remember the Curtsinger affair? That was FUN stuff, wasn't it? Maybe it's just me, but I would rather hear about the bad stuff if I'm going to live somewhere and raise kids. I can go to bed at night now with the keys in the ignition of my truck and the front door open in my house, with no fear. Not just [B]"almost zero"[/B] crime. I prefer to not go just by the Chamber of Commerce version, just watch TV anywhere in the country and you get your fill of it.I just figured the guy ought to know what he's getting into, that's all.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents on good ol' St. Pete. Good luck.  [;)]

I moved to St. Pete 10 years ago from SoCal for a job transfer. Lived in Kenneth City for a couple of months, then Mad Beach. Loved it there. Then had an apartment over by the Dog Track on Gandy. Left to move to Detroit. As the Canadian Customs agent said to me on my first visit to Windsor "What are you, stupid or something?"

Sure, the traffic can be a bear, but what city isn't. The worst part to me was all the FOPs (elderly Northeasterners with attitudes). I'm actually mulling over moving back once the economy picks back up. Anyone know how the IT market is there for an MCSE/CCNA?

Tarfu64,

Man you didn't have to move all the way to NH...there are plenty of good places to raise the familia here in the Panhandle!


Liberals and old people are what you find in St. Pete proper.  Speaking as one traumatized by my birth in the pink Bayfront Medical Center there in St. Pete, I am glad my pop's moved us out of there when I was 1.  Happy to have grown up in Ocala...  Moved up to the FL Panhandle 7 years ago.  I'll never go back down "there" again...

Hell, womenz you can find anywhere in Florida.  Beaches?? You want prettier Gulf coast beaches, then you need to look to the panhandle.  Less crime, more conservative, less development, less congestion...  Access to ranges?  Lots of cheap, open, rural land for sale or use here in the panhandle.  

I guess I'm just not a big city guy.  But the old foggies, yankees, and liberals can have everything below Orlando for all I care...

'Peace Frog'!

Dude!  You know all this about St. Pete before you were 1 YO and moved?

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the panhandle, and I think they are the best beaches in the world.  They don't call it the Redneck Rivierra for nothing.  Those beaches covered with Southern College girls kept me sane in Alabama during scool.

Ocala is nice, too, but don't give up South Florida to the Yankees, yet! Much less, central Florida.

Dude!  The areas you are talking about were the same way 30 years ago.  I'll give you Jordan Park, and 22nd Street South (parts of it) are bad, as are Campbel Park, and few other areas.  You obviously were in the battle zone from station #3.  I just don't agree with the whole "South Side" thang.  I grew up there, and still have too many friends and relatives there.

My grandfather retired from station #4.  His picture is up in firestation #1, the new one.  My best friends grandad retired there, too.  Both had about thirty years or more in.  I was wondering if "Red" Partington was still involved with Paramedics when you were here.  He's a close family friend, and I grew up playing ball with his son.

Anyway, sorry it didn't work out here for ya, but I hope you can talk at least thirty or so people into not coming here to live.

While St. Pete has it's problem areas, it is no different than most cities anymore, in fact probably a lot less crime than a lot of other cities in the U.S.   Yes you definitely want to stay away from parts of the South Side unless you are looking to buy crack or shoot someone.  But the close access to alot of nice beaches and gorgeous women along with many indoor and outdoor shooting ranges within 30 - 60 minutes drive, heavly outweighs that.  Plus the weather is great (usually).  I have lived in Pinellas County for over 30 yrs, 20 of it being in NE St. Pete, I have never been broke into (knock on wood).  

just my lowly florida .02

[b]"Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the panhandle, and I think they are the best beaches in the world. They don't call it the Redneck Rivierra for nothing. Those beaches covered with Southern College girls kept me sane in Alabama during scool.

Ocala is nice, too, but don't give up South Florida to the Yankees, yet! Much less, central Florida."[/b]

Gandy Beach! South FL is a nice place to visit (South Beach), but I prefer to hole up here in Central FL (N. of SR50), nothing but cows and crops here. No crime, clean air, and gun-friendly. BigGuns is an honorary Swamper, as he has kin near me. We don't want any over-developement HERE! My compound has horses & cattle at the fence.

Gandy Beach is for those who want to drink and get into fights, maybe take there dogs but Clearwater Beach, Sand Key, and Sunset beach always has some fantastic viewing.

Big Guns,

Red left to work for Pinellas County EMS just before I got on the job in St. Pete. Yes, I knew him very well, I consider him one of my "Rabbi's" and very few others like him are the reason for my successes in life as a firefighter and a medic. Red was one of the good jakes from the "old school", and it's nice to hear from someone who knows him. My shift was on duty ("C" shift)the day they officially opened the "Master Fire Station" downtown, so I know the place well. I was assigned to the old Webb's City station while they were building the new one. What memories...

Anyway, I'm here now and on this AR15 board for good, just got done pissing myself from laughter over that "Uglier than this" topic. If you've haven't been there, ya gotta see this stuff.

Thanks for the reply,
John McBride
Formerly of the SPFD.

Wow, a great post and near and dear to my heart.  My wife and I lived in South St. Pete (off Pinellas Point Dr., very close to 54th St. South) - last exit off 275 before the skyway - we were a couple of blocks from the Pink Streets (where Dwight Gooden lived).  Had a nice house, great neighborhood.  Sure, we were very close to the "hood" and "da bruthas", but we never had any trouble.  Of course, we both had CCWs.

We lived there for 3 years and LOVED it.  We moved to East Tennessee and bought a house in the mountains 5 years ago.  Now we are ready to move back to that area of Florida.  I highly recommend it - loads of things to do, Busch Gardens is a blast, close to Orlando, beaches, etc.

We can't wait to sell our house and move back - thinking of Pasco county - anyone have an opinion on Pasco county?

I can't make up my mind, so I have 2 sites, this'n and my MO Ozarks place. My compound in MO is 10 times bigger than this FL site. I would someday like to turn this 5 acre FL place into some river property (Withlacoochee), and bounce back and forth. Only [b]1[/b] shop though, in the Ozarks! Still, I'm pretty dug in here so that's on hold for now, at least for 3 years. I bought my little mountaintop in 1979, and figured, at these prices, I couldn't go wrong. 20 years of planning, and I'm in FL.

Hey brent5412, my brother lives in NE, and my folks are moving there soon.  Brother lives on Arkansas Avenue, in Shore Acres.  He just finished building his house.  My uncle lives off of 1st Street, at 44th Avenue, and runs a lawn business there, when he isn't fly fishing, and my best friend lives across the street from him.  Dad and mom boufght a condo out there somewhere, shore acres I think.

My wife and I lived on 19th Avenue NE, between Bay and Oak, until we moved out here to the beach.  We really like it out here, a lot.  Most of our HS days were out here drinking, sunning, surfing (when it is available), and [sex] on the beach.

Never thought we'd live here, really, but we're glad we made the move. My Brother and sister-in-law live about 3 blocks from us, and it takes my wife about 15 minutes to get to her job at 16th street and 22nd Avenue North.  It all works for us.

Tarfu64- I haven't been in there, but my good friend tells me my grandfather's picture is up in the *master* firestation at Old Webb's location.  I need to get by there and check it out.  I should look up *Red*, too.  Onced did CPR on an old man when I worked at Dew Caddy's down on 2nd.  He was blue, and an old lady alerted us.  Red showed up and let me work the bag, too.  It was exciting, but as Red told me he would, the guy died a couple days later.

Greywolf2112- My Brother-in Laws Dad owns one of those BIG houses on the water as you hit the curve on Pinellas Point Drive, and My step-BIL owns the gaudy house right there at the end of the houses with the big yards. My wife's Dad owned one of the other ones, until he moved to Black Diamond, up Kurt's way in Lecanto.  We still have family picnics in Bay Vista Park, on the end of Pinellas Point, where it meets 4th Street.  I got clocked at 78 MPH on my Brother-in-laws jet ski there with my kid sitting on my lap by a FMP officer.  Said I was too close to the launch ramp, hah!  My kid wanted to go for the speed record!

Darkstar, My lady and I are gonna be moving to
the Seminole area soon. Can you recommend any
safe townhomes/apartments in the area? We will
only be staying for a few years. We're down in
Boca Raton now so we're used to the old folks.