Did you parents move to Florida when they retired?

When someone asked my dad back home if he had moved to Florida, he said "I wouldn't let myself be buried there."

My grandparents retired back in the 1970's to Holiday, Florida. It was basically an orange grove that the developers cleared and made a town. It was pretty grim back then. It's even more grim now.

Clearwater and St Petersburg aren't bad

My parents moved to Miami from DC after retirement mostly because they are Cuban American and their siblings have been living here for decades. I just moved down here from NYC to be closer to them and help them in their older years. I had been sick and tired of NYC for years and needed a change. It's not terrible here but floridians are dumb as hell. I miss my friends and the perks of living in NYC but it's ok here and there are plenty of advantages of living here as opposed to NYC. I doubt I would be happy living anywhere else in Florida though.

I understand your pain, R3. Are you enjoying the Fox News Radio piped in on the "town squares"?

Oops, I meant that for the OP.

R3, You sound like a really good son.

Why are you living with your retired parents, OP? Why don't you have a place of your own? Do homes in Florida have basements?

Op, say hello to my parents; they're in Groveland. Same county, but 20/30 minutes closer to Orlando.

I'm not bitch at r7. I'm doing what is called "visiting them." Strange you couldn't figure that out.

Oh wait. I just figured out who r7 is. Don't stare the cage and wake the crazy sleeping monster.

I didn't notice that r4. I have been watching the Villages TV channel though. Which is just like watching Deliverence. The host is a young woman who seems to have been born to two cousins.

By the time my parents were ready to retire, in the 80's, the Jersey Shore seemed like a better alternative to Florida. It was closer to the grandkids.

I thought the Jews retired to Florida.

My mom died when I was young. And then I was in my early 20's when my father moved to Florida - first Ocala then Oklawaha.

Dad died 3 years ago. Good fucking riddance to that asshole.

Dont these ^ trolls realize they are ruining their psyche and mental well being but repeatedly posting hateful remarks?

You’re only hurting yourself.

this is a site devoted to pointless bitchery r15. It isn't group therapy or the Oprah Show.

My dad (81) is in St. Pete, OP, but I'm about 1/2 hour north of you in the Ocala National Forest. I live in beautiful, undisturbed woodlands where it's very peaceful. I retired here over a year ago (I'm 60) after living in St. Pete for 15 years, and to be honest, I really love it here. I have an incredible view of a prairie and I'm only an hour east of Ormond/Daytona Beach.

Relax and enjoy yourself, OP! Head over to Gator Joe's in Weirsville for some lakeside dining (try the ribs), rent an ATV for a day and ride on dirt roads in the Forest (look out for bears!), go fishing, ride a horse, or take a ride on an airboat. Mt. Dora is famous for its antiques. Silver Springs is known for its glass-bottom boat rides. There's even a gay bar in Ocala! There's plenty to do here, and the weather this past week has been damned near perfect.

I know it's chic to say you hate Florida, but there is so much to do here -- if you can't find anything to amuse yourself while you're here, shame on you.

Sorry -- an hour West.

Thanks r17. Where should I rent the ATV and ride horses? I'm into both those things.

Didn't know they were so close. So far I've only been in The Villages.

My Dad’s sister moved to Madeira Beach, FL in the 1950s, so we went every Washington/Lincoln’s birthday week to visit. That was before the two days, a week apart, we’re consolidated into President’s Day. It also happens to be Robert E. Lee day in Florida.

So, in retirement, my folks spent every Winter in Madeira Beach. It is really dull there. One visit I searched for the local Gay bar. It happened to be literally next door; however, the bartender asked me if I was looking for girls, and I said “yes” to avoid getting killed, and he sent me to some other bar. I didn’t know that the front room there was straight, but the back room was gay. Isn’t that odd? There was a beach-side gay bar in St. Pete, but an arsonist had burnt it down.

My cousin moved to the Villiges, I can’t imagine those homes holding their value since they seem able to build more on the edges, and just spread out more and more. She’s liberal, but says she’s surrounded by Fox and Trump supporters.

Here you go, OP. This site has the ATVs and the horseback riding as well as a lot of other things to do. Have fun!

My parents moved to Rancho Mirage.

are they in Betty Ford r22?

OP I have to admit when I read your first post I too thought you were living with your parents.

They have a timeshare there, r23.

The Villages is where every Republican holds their town hall and psycho rallies during presidential campaigns. Come further south for an escape from that shithole city.

Lol, my parents have been talking about moving to the villages for 4 years, OP. They finally decided to stay in the northeast, and just vacation there. They usually go for a few months at a time, and come back north during the summer.

R26 the villages was created by a major republican donor. The reason for the influx of republicans is that they do a lot of advertising on Fox News.

OP, head down to the nearest city fire bar and relax. I’ve never been to the villages, but it can’t be too bad if you’re only there for a couple days visiting.

Ive been hearing about The Villages for over 4 years. I know a ton about it, unfortunately. Amy questions feel free to ask, I may be able to answer them.

Also - I would reccomend a gas golf cart, not a battery operated one OP, if you’re going to head down to one of the town squares.

What is a fire bar?

I have noticed that the the Barnes and Noble has tons of Fox News people visiting there to sell their books.

It’s a bar called “city fire”

They have a few locations in the villages town squares.

What’s St. Petersburg like?

Here r28

They have one at the villages Lake Sumter town square and the villages Brownwood town square

City on Fire!!!!

It looks awful.

R33 unfortunately the website doesn’t show pics of the outdoor bar - that’s where the party is at. It’s always packed. It’s actually really nice. The inside bar seems so dark and dreary - most people stay outdoors

Don't you all think this problem could be solved by John Waters moving to South Florida? The place needs a good shake up.

If Baltimore wouldn't mind, YES.

Read " leisurville" --its about the Villages

I'm sorry OP, yes my parents moved to Florida, even when Hawaii was right there. I condole.

My gripe is the anger in South Florida. I've never seen a populace so eager to cut you than I have there. The angriest population I have ever encountered. They'll take an axe to you if you so much as hesitate at a yellow light.

How are the other people in the retirement communities? I imagine they would be a lot of jostling for position among the self appointed leaders of the pack.

I was at the Villages with a friend that lives in the area. We sat on the porch at happy hour on the main town square and watch the elders get shit faced and drive their golf carts into each other and walls. A hysterical place depending on how you look at it.

My parents winter on Longboat Key in the Sarasota area. Pretty but dreadfully boring. They have their friends though.

I wish mine would move to Florida together

Mine went to Venice Florida and fucking hated it. They moved back to New Jersey

I can't believe all the people attacking R3 for caring for his parents. I did the same thing, back in the Midwest, and it would never occur to me not to care for my parents while they were struggling. I guess some of you don't know what it's like to have loving parents, and for that, I'm genuinely sorry. R3 sounds like a prince of a gentleman.

R43 that’s what my parents want to avoid. They were planning to live in the villages full time but recently decided not to sell their home in the philly burbs, and just plan on being snow birds. I think it’s just too hot in the summer in Florida, and most people tend to go during the winters anyway, so they opted for being part timers there.

The smart retirees are the ones who just come for the winter: Summers are brutal here, and only getting worse. The Villages is huge and has a lot of shopping, but my advice would be to try south Lake County near Clermont/Groveland, which is a lot closer to Orlando and has more shopping, culture, etc. Lake County housing prices are cheaper than Orange County (Orlando), and there's a lot less crime.

The Villages is where Lawn Guyland’s racist right wingers go to retire. Good riddance to them.

Yes, they bought a crappy house in Ocala over a sinkhole. They were lucky they could sell it eventually, but at a loss. Florida as a whole is awful. They passed, and I will never return.

Mine are at the Ocean Reef Club in the Keys. It’s very nice but lots of cookie cutter McMansions. The surrounding area is so beautiful and of course there’s a quick drive to Key West.

We tried to talk my mother into being a snowbird, but her sister was wah-wahing to her that she was so lonely that my mother sold her house and used the profit to build an overpriced (not nice, just overpriced) house in the middle of Florida. After three months she hated it because her Nazi BIL forbade her from spending money much time at her sister’s house. Since my mother used the house sale profit to build her house, she didn’t have the money to return north.

And I heard for 8 of her last 10 years how sorry she was that she didn’t listen to us (my husband & I). The last 2 years of her life were all about how much she hated goddamb liberals and that n——- Obama, because she’d picked up her sister and BIL’s lifestyle of watching Fox 24/7. I talked to her less and less and then she died.

My father (liberal Democrat) loves it in St. Pete, and lives there year-round. There are plenty of liberal cities in FL, but the rural areas are very conservative -- which is true in most other states as well. Tampa Bay, Gainesville (UF college town), and Orlando are very liberal. I imagine Miami is as well, but I've never spent any time there, so I can't bet my life on it.

By the way, the more of you move down here, the more liberal Florida will become. Just sayin'.

r51 I always heard the Tampa wasn't all that liberal.

My parents snowbirded for several years, renting condos for three months at a time. They tried out South Florida, West/Gulf Coast, St Augustine, Amelia Island before settling in Ponte Vedra. They are there about 7 months out of they year. Most of their friends are Northeast and Canadian transplants.

[quote] Head over to Gator Joe's in Weirsville for some lakeside dining (try the ribs)

This is the most Americana thing I've read on DL in quite a while. I had to re-say it in my head with an American accent.

Evidently there was an STD outbreak in The Villages back in 2009

you cannot really go swimming there bc of the gators, sharks and jelly fish. It's weird.

And they had a sex scandal a few years ago when two deplorables were caught having sex outside during the day

I bet this place is a mecca for Deplorables

I just googled The Villages (I'd never heard of it) and boy, do I hate it when elderly people are induced to do undignified stuff like this.

(and NO, it's NOT funny - it's depressing)

it does look AWFUL!