My wife and I are researching the "possibility" of moving South next year. The one area that I really like is the St. Augustine, FL area. Our priorities are pretty simple:
Five to ten miles to the coast Atlantic Side.
Opportunities for volunteering in anything that has to do with water.
Good housing values.
Strong retail environment.

A little info:
Currently we live in Pittsburgh, PA and yes we are Steeler fans
We are looking to retire to this area
Been a member of S2k for six years although I now drive a 55SLK AMG


Any suggestions would be appreciated including other areas that you may recommend, like I said we're not stuck on this area but it does seem to offer what we are looking for without all of the craziness of other areas.
Thanks, and looking forward to your advice.

Maury

 

st aug is a nice place to visit but I think I would get bored there. Have you considered south fl as an option. Jupiter beach is great. Nice beaches and lots of restaurants in the Juno area. Weather is a little warmer in the winter. St aug along with jax can get a bit nippy in the winter.

 

I used to live in St. Augustine and it's great. It's laid back, great food, close to Jax, Orlando, Daytona etc. That's why I love Jacksonville-- it's in the middle of some great cities.

I recommend it. I actually live 15 mins from St. Augustine now, towards Jacksonville, mainly so that it's not a far drive.

 

It would definitely help us if you posted a little more of what you're looking for. Condo, duplex, cookie cutter suburban neighborhood, decent amount of land, new house, older house with some character, and your budget.

On the 75-100 mile stretch between Fernandina Beach down and past St. Augustine you'll find every type of house you can think of. I wouldn't necessarily look at Jacksonville Beach or Neptune Beach, but there are some good areas there, but definitely check out Fernandina Beach, it's very similar to St. Augustine (IMO), but without a lot of the tourist traffic.