Gay Friendly in Clearwater/ St. Pete?

Yes you should definitely retire to somewhere you know nothing about.

Fucker, that’s why I’m getting feedback shithead

Clearwater is the headquarters of the Church of Scientology.

Downtown St Petersburg is nice.

[quote] Anyone live or retire there?

Nobody has ever lived or retired there.

In Clearwater/St. Petersburg all seems to breath freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils.

[quote] Downtown St Petersburg is nice.

Yes, but other parts are far from nice. And dangerous.

Old people retire to St. Pete, and send their parents to live in Zephyrhills.

Clearwater is a redneck hell hole.

Stick to Wilton Manors.

There is always the Keys, but if you don't like being on a boat/fishing/drinking then it won't be much fun.

Gulfport, Florida -- if you can afford it!

Agree, Gulfport is a cool oasis in St Pete.

Confirming what R8 said

When in Florida, the closer you are to Alabama the more redneck it gets.

The farther south you get in Florida especially on the eastern side, the more normal it gets.... i.e Wilton Manor. The Key West being way south...just nothing to do there except drink and do water sports

OP? Dear?

Google "Clearwater" and "Scientology" - see what shows up.

R12. You beat me to it. There’s lots and lots of Xenu suckers there. But who knows? You’ll get clear, get audited to whatever level you can afford because it’s cash & carry!

[quote] You beat me to it.

So did R3.

Try Tarpon Springs. You could hook up with a gay Greek sponge diver.

R14:

R3 must be a complete and total dickfuck, as I have him / her / it on "block." Mea culpa, regardless.

try Venice. Sarasota is nice but old and expensive.

Venice is affordable, the beaches are world class and it's home to the Ringling Museum.

Clearwater beach is lovely

Some posters need a map. Ringling Museum is in Sarasota. not Venice.

Clearwater is NOT close to Alabama, it's by St Pete/Tampa, which is very gay friendly.

take a trip there and logon to Grindr. You'll spot a guy that's above average, then realize he's 10 miles away.

R1 I just retired to Palm Springs, site unseen ,and no regrets so far!

Clearwater beach is lovely but it is full of drunk, sunburnt and heavily tattooed white trash. If you find observing and listening to their antics enjoyable, then it is the right place for you.

Ugh nevermind, as I suspected Florida is back on the Last Places I Ever Want to Live list.

25 years ago, someone burnt the beachfront Gay bar to the ground. I think that’s a little excessive.

There was another Gay bar that was divided into a front and back bar. The front was straight. You’d have to walk through it to the back bar, which was Gay.

I have no idea of the bar scene today, though a hustler tried to pick me up at the 7-11 nearby a few years ago. He had no shoes and looked like he just got out of prison, but in a good way. I said no mas!

I retired to St. Pete in 2015, after living in San Diego for 19 years. Gay-friendly for the most part. About 8 gay bars in St. Pete, 2 in Clearwater, several more in nearby Tampa. (I don’t drink and don’t do bars, though many do as a social outlet.)

Real estate in 55+ condo communities is pretty affordable, though predictably higher on the beaches. No state taxes. But Florida probably has the highest auto insurance rates in the country.

Hurricanes do happen, but more so on the SouthEast coast, or across the Gulf, going North. It was no accident that the original Native Americans picked this area, because they knew the storms hit mostly at the SouthEast. There are still native mounds preserved in St. Pete.

Travel elsewhere is fairly easy, as Tampa is something of a hub. I’ve been to New York more often for theater and such, though there is a healthy local theater scene, with multiple local Equity companies.

When I first visited here, in 2014, I found St. Petersburg unpretentious and beguiling. And the sunsets can be spectacular! After 4 years here, I still find it so. Manageable place, and I really have no regrets.

Too late, R25. OP already made up his mind on this important life choice based on 3 anonymous Datalounge posters. See R23.