There is an internal opening with my company that I may pursue (sales). I would have an extremely large territory with accounts already existing in Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Gainesville. Also have accounts in New Orleans, South Alabama, and Atlanta.

With opportunity for expansion in all those areas plus some of Tennessee and the Carolinas.

My question would be where would be best to live with best airport access for the multi state travel?

I'm thinking Orlando as I would be driving distance to Jacksonville Gainesville and Tampa. I'm assuming there are a lot of options for direct flights out of Orlando.. any input on my thought process or any Orlando Ags suggestions on parts of town to aim for?

Thanks everyone

Orlando
Atlanta

Atlanta is obviously huge, but Orlando services all of that area non stop. I assume if you wanted to live further south you could look into Miami.

Miami puts you four hours drive from Orlando and Tampa, and of course much farther from everywhere else. Plus its basically Northern Havana. What do you enjoy doing outside of work (do you have a family, kids, etc)? I'm assuming that would factor in at least a little bit. Tampa would give you the closest access to beaches. Orlando has the amusement parks but is a drive from the beaches (sure there are lakes, but uhmm, I doubt I have to tell you about gators). Jacksonville is a ****hole...the whole state of Florida agrees upon that. Gainesville is more of a small-town life, if thats what you're after.

Can't say anything about Atlanta, etc.

Happy to answer any specific questions - I just moved from Dallas to the Orlando area last June.

I'm actually a huge fan of Orlando. Decent cost of living, the beach access is easy enough and MCO is not a terrible airport (although I still miss LoveField).

I'd recommend avoiding living too close to the parks (ie avoid I-4). If you're going to be traveling all over the area, take a look at Winter Garden and Windermere (where we live). It's right by the Florida turnpike and ~25-30 minutes to the airport. Winter Park is a pretty nice area as well

Tampa/St. Pete have some great areas, but the population is going to skew a bit older.

I've never been a huge fan of Miami, but that's really based on what you like to do.

Jacksonville - some areas are a bit older, but you're going to get the best bang for the buck if you want to live right on the water.

Atlanta is an easy flight from Orlando. Atlanta is honestly Dallas 2.0 with terrible traffic, but there are a lot of jobs in the area and it's growing like crazy.

Born and Raised in Orlando. Military brat down the street got my brother to A&M, that's how we both got there. I'd go with Orlando as well because of easy access to Tampa, Gainesville and Jacksonville. MCO is a great airport, 43 million a year. (MCO is for AF Col. Michael McCoy who was killed bringing a B-47 into the Air Base (and away from homes) at the time - still goes my MCO)

If airport access is required, I'd stay in South Orlando. Windermere & Winter Garden (west & NW of airport), Conway (large SE part of Orlando), and Lake Nona (just east of MCO) are all good locations. I-4, Turnpike & Bee-Line are all major roads in S. Orlando for easy statewide access. Lake Nona is brand new, relatively speaking. The whole place is brand new. It's all only about 50 years old. Before Disney it was orange groves. Widest range of houses in Conway. Old, new, lakefront. Windermere is pricey. Winter Garden is not. Lake Nona will be pricey.

Windermere has a new HS opening this year. Winter Garden has West Orange HS. Lake Nona has a good HS, Conway has Boone HS (oldest in city, but very good).

Winter Park is very nice, suburb North of Orlando, but 45 minutes to the airport. Old money lives here. Windermere is new money. The loop around Orlando has helped access to the airport. Winter Park (#1) and Boone HS's (#2) are the two best public HS in Orange County.

Nothing better than easy beach & lake access. Great fishing, salt & fresh. Gorgeous women. October thru May = paradise, Summer is hot af, but rains everyday. Don't worry about the gators, just don't leave a small dog near the shoreline. They've been here forever. Stay off I-4. It's in the beginning of a 5 year makeover. Traffic is awful.

Thank y'all for the amazing responses.. truly helpful!

Been in Orlando for 2.5 years working on the construction of the south terminal. We are just finishing phase 1 and about to begin phase 2 the actual terminal itself. I have enjoyed it here so far. It is nice being in the central close to Gainesville and Jacksonville. Nice local breweries around here and the Tampa area.

I've been in Tampa for a dozen years, and can pretty much answer most questions about this area. It sounds like you're heavily leaning towards Orlando though, so thankfully there are some folks that can be a better resource for you regarding Central Florida and flights out of MCO (definitely the busiest airport in Florida).

It's about 40 miles from MCO, but I really like the Clermont area (puts you opposite side of most of the Disney chaos, and it's one of the few spots in the state that offers even a little bit of elevation and natural hills).

Your potential district sounds a lot like a buddy of mine's (pretty much the top dog in Florida for Obstetrics sales), and he's lived in Tampa, Lakeland, and now Gainesville. Lakeland is a nice area and puts you pretty much equidistant between Tampa and Orlando on the I-4 corridor. I like Gainesville a lot, quaint little town with Southern charm, but all the amenities found in a college town with a major research university. I know Gainesville Regional has direct flights to Atlanta and Charlotte, as well as the major cities in Florida (just have to be flexible with limited fight options per day).

Should you decide other contingencies like recreations and outdoor life, I would choose the Tampa / St. Pete / Clearwater Area, hands down!

Last year, I helped a guy with my company relocate from Moscow, Russia to Orlando. He loves it.

Also, though work, all the guys I've talked to in Tampa - Orlando, Jacksonville, love it.

One of my HS buddies lives down in Port St. Lucie and loves it.

As long as you're not in the rough part of Miami-Dade County, I think it would be hard to go wrong in Florida.

I'm relocating to Clearwater/St Pete sometime around February.

Just realized you commented on my original thread.

Being relocated to Pensacola from Orlando. Found out 8/31 to come up here 9/5. If anyone knows areas to look for rental housing please let me know.

redassag12 said:

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Being relocated to Pensacola from Orlando. Found out 8/31 to come up here 9/5. If anyone knows areas to look for rental housing please let me know.

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I am quite familiar with the area. Check out Gulf Breeze, FL. Kind of unique in that it is located on a peninsula of Santa Rosa County that extends westward under (aka south) of Pensacola. You'll have to look at map to understand it fully, but basically you take the Bay Bridge out of Pensacola and land in Gulf Breeze...if you continue a few miles you cross another bridge and you are back in Pensacola Beach (Escambia County.) Gulf Breeze is a nice little beach town that is maybe 6 minutes from busy Pensacola. If I was moving to the area, that is where I would live.

Awesome. Looked at a property down close to it I believe. Close to the back gate of the NAS. Looks like I left Orlando at the right time. However only have what I packed in the suitcase.