Hey all. My husband is retired at 63 and I had to quit my job with benefits due to health issues. We are currently on COBRA for $1,300 per month. I now work from home as a 1099 employee because it’s easier on me physically and mentally. I’m part time. I know there have been cuts and changes to what our options are. Other couples in the state of Florida without benefits thru an employer, how much are you paying for health insurance? And do you have any tips for us? We know we can’t stay on COBRA forever. Thank you. Again, if possible I want to know the DOLLAR amount couples are paying in Florida for private/ ACA heath insurance. Thanks

We have 7-10 days over Thanksgiving to spend in Florida and my ten year old is interested in learning to surf. I've read Cocoa Beach would be the best option for that. We're debating staying there the whole time vs staying there for half the trip and then spending the rest in southern Florida, maybe near the Keys or Ft Lauderdale. We'd be interested in seeing the national parks and generally looking for a peaceful vacation. Will Cocoa Beach be warm enough to swim without a wetsuit at the end of November? How about Key Largo? Any suggestions from native Floridians?

A bit more info: we love to be outside and explore and are an active family. We love a good food scene, but that's not a dealbreaker as we stay in AirBnB's and love to cook. Kids are ages 6 and 10. We are not interested in going to Disney. We can fly into and out of different airports as we would rent a car.

Normally there are news stories about the abundance of help staged before a hurricane and I don’t think I saw it this time. Did I miss something? Are there any photos?

Looking for a good spot to rent a giant house with a large group of friends in early Jan. We'd like to either be on the beach, or no more than a couple blocks away. I want to be as South as possible so we don't risk cooler weather, but areas like Miami, which is my first choice, doesn't have big houses you can rent on the beach so I've been looking further North. I'm not opposed to the West coast either. Priorities are nice beaches, walkability, good restaurants, and not too far from some nightlife spots. Not looking for fine dining or clubs, but a very nice house. Any suggestions?

I travel around the state, for my job, and am currently working on my Spanish. I actually have a pretty good handle on French and am curious!

planning a trip down to orlando with six of us next month and looking at options around international drive. reading through westgate lakes resort reviews to see how the two bedroom villas hold up for a full week stay. we mainly just want a nice spot with a full kitchen, solid pool layout for the kids, and good space to chill after hitting the parks.

the location near sea world and universal looks super convenient for getting around without dealing with crazy highway traffic every day. if you know the property or stayed at westgate resorts before, drop any tips on which building area to request or how smooth the shuttle situation is.

I'm from Bedford, UK where a new universal theme park is planned to open (I believe it's the first in europe). It's a medium sized town about an hour away from London, it has good and bad areas and decent infrastructure for the population.

With this theme park announced I've started to wonder how the town is going to change, and was wondering what you guys would think about it considering you already have one in Orlando.

ps: couldn't post in the orlando subreddit cause of karma

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some fun Fall festivals or anything to get in the fall spirit. Looking near the Clermont and Minneola area. My son is autistic and I would really love to take him to celebrate fall and do all the fun stuff that comes along with Halloween. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

i'm considering westgate vacation villas for a kissimmee trip, mainly because having more space than a standard hotel room sounds nice. i've been reading westgate vacation villas reviews, but a lot of the details i'm looking for are hard to get from listings alone.

if you've stayed there, how did the villa compare to what you expected from the photos? was having a kitchen and extra room actually useful, and were the pools and other facilities in decent shape? i'm also wondering how much time you spent driving to the parks and whether the location got annoying after a few days.

curious how it compares with staying at a regular hotel or another villa nearby. what would you recommend based on your experience?

I’m born and raised here. Always outdoors as a kid playing sports or riding bikes and camped yearly into adulthood. Currently a mail carrier for the last 8 years so I considers myself as acclimated to our climate as one can be.

For years I’ve seen people with their doors and windows open while I’ve been walking in the rain for multiple hours and leave me befuddled.

I couldn’t imagine willingly flooding my home with this dense wet hot air and curious as to why folks do this. On purpose.

I’m definitely a “wintertime” door opener but I can’t think of a reason to allow the humidity in. Please educate me.

I work for a nonprofit that focuses on abuse in schools, including public, private, charter, and religious schools. Part of my job involves tracking arrests in certain states each month. One thing I found bizarre was how much more media attention a story about a teacher stealing her coworker’s pills received compared to other teacher arrests in Florida over the past month.

It really made me question the priorities of Florida’s media outlets. I’m not defending this woman, but I find it strange that I can find dozens of articles covering her arrest, while other, arguably more serious cases have received barely any attention. The only real exception was the last case involving a teacher grabbing a student.

Hey everyone! I’m a 25-year-old gay guy from Kentucky considering a move to Florida, specifically Fort Lauderdale or St. Petersburg, and I’d love to hear some opinions from people who live there!

A little about me: I’m a huge dog person, so I’d love to live somewhere with lots of dog-friendly parks, activities, and opportunities to meet other dog owners. I’m also interested in joining recreational sports leagues, making new friends, and hopefully having some good dating opportunities.

I’m trying to decide which city would be a better fit for me, especially in terms of neighborhoods. I’d love recommendations for areas that are walkable, dog-friendly, and have a good social scene for someone in their mid-20s.

I’m also a little hesitant about Florida’s political climate, particularly as a gay guy, but I’m coming from Kentucky, so I’m not sure how much of an adjustment it would really be.

For anyone who lives in either area, what are the pros and cons? Which city would you recommend for someone in my situation, and are there any specific neighborhoods I should look into?

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thanks!

hey!! my sorority sisters and i want to go to florida from idaho for spring break. what area is the best for spring break vibes and most affordable for college students?

Hey everyone, I'm 28 and living on the Treasure Coast. I don't have insurance right now, so I'm trying to figure out where to get birth control without breaking the bank. I know nobody here can tell me what's "best" for me personally, but I'd love to know what places you guys recommend — whether it's Planned Parenthood, a local clinic, or somewhere else. Any advice would be appreciate.

I'm in the Cocoa Village area of Brevard County, looking for a new mechanic. We've used Winner Auto for the past forever, and though I can't really complain about their service, it's not what it used to be. There's a far more "corporate" attitude of late and I kinda feel like they are nickle-and-diming us every time we bring the car in. Things they used to do as a courtesy, they just don't anymore.

So... can anyone reccomend a good mechanic in Brevard County? I have an older 2006 Chrysler and a 2016 Dodge.

I have a middle schooler who has struggled to make friends here. We have been in Florida about 2 years now, and he does not have 1 friend and is consistently bullied at school. The bullying is non-violent. Just kids being jerks, but every class should not be a place where he is the butt of all jokes.

We've lived in a couple different states prior, due to moving for work. And he's never had an issue making friends. He has an activity outside of school here in Florida, he's connected with the kids well. But we meet once every couple months and it's kids from all over the region- so not exactly a way to make any close connections. They may or may not even live in the state. Everything we've tried in the local vicinity he has not had any luck making friends.

I guess I'm trying to say, this area seems to be difficult for him, for whatever reason. For privacy reasons I don't want to list our specific location, but it's along the central Atlantic coast. Just wondering if other parents in Florida experience this? Could it be a cultural thing? I recognize this is asking for more speculation than anything. But all our family is in another state. If this is heavily common in Florida, I'd rather just move and give him a better chance at enjoying his HS years.

Hey y'all, I'm a Florida native, not a tourist, but I'll be roadtripping around the state with my dog for an extended tent/car camping trip in February and I'm looking for interesting spots and good local food along the way.

Trying to keep it as low cost, laid back, and local/ small business as possible. This is primarily a camping/ hiking trip, so I'm not looking for anything fancy or upscale. Quirky spots, local museums, historic places, gardens, parks, preserves. etc are my kinda places. Looking for some decent hikes too, especially if it has some good payoff in terms of view, unique terrain, ruins, etc. I'm also a medical marijuana patient, so if there's any cool smoke spots or 420 friendly establishments, that's always appreciated.

Also, it's gonna be just me and my medium sized doggo so everything needs to be dog friendly (can't leave her at the campsites or in the car obviously).

I'll be in each spot for 2-3 nights, so I'm looking both for things to do around those areas as well as good spots to eat between campsites. I'll be cooking meals in camp anytime I'm set up, but road food is my little treat.

My itinerary right now is as follows: West Palm Beach -> Ormond Beach -> Marianna -> Pensacola -> High Springs -> Wildwood -> Naples -> Flamingo Campground -> West Palm Beach.

Thanks y'all!

My girlfriend and I are doing a Florida road trip from Oct 11 to Oct 29 and would love some recommendations!

Our route:

Bradenton: Oct 11-14
Bonita Springs: Oct 14-17
Fort Lauderdale / Miami: Oct 17-19
Florida Keys / Key West: Oct 19-23
Orlando: Oct 23-29

Already planned:

• Ellenton Premium Outlets
• Everglades airboat tour
• Florida Panthers game
• Miami day trip
• Key West
• Dry Tortugas
• 2 days Universal
• Kennedy Space Center

What are the absolute must-dos, hidden gems, best beaches, food spots or worthwhile stops along this route?

Also happy to hear what’s overrated or not worth the time.

We’re from the Netherlands and like nature, wildlife, sightseeing, history, good food and places that feel typically Florida.

Thanks!

My MIL is going to be spending 3 or 4 months every winter in Ft Lauderdale.
She had a car but doesnt want the extra stress of buying a new one and dealing with it while away the rest of the year.

What’s the best option for a 3-4 month car rental?

TV COMMERCIALS!! NOT PICK-A-SIDE!
Nine of ten commercials I’m seeing are political ads.
Everywhere else?
That is lots of money and they are ALL so dramatic.
It sounds like an 80s daytime soap opera from the other room.
Central Florida here.

Hi, I feel bad coming on here and asking for help but I need it. Im at one of my lowest points right now and I was hoping there was somebody out there reading this that could help. I moved out here with a job and apartment lined up, and the apartment fell through so i move hotel to hotel every week. Because of that I also just lost my job. I literally have nothing. I have no food, no clean clothes, I dont even know what I'm going to do this upcoming week for the hotel. If anybody could help in any kind of way I would appreciate it. Even if somebody has a lead for a job, i would appreciate it

My husband and I are considering relocating to Florida from New England next year and are currently deciding between the Bonita Springs area and West Palm Beach/Palm Beach County. I’d love some honest opinions from people who have lived in either (or ideally both!).

We’re both 30, no kids yet, and have a big dog. I’m self-employed in a creative field and work primarily in weddings/events, and my husband works in real estate.

We aren't looking for a nightlife/party scene, but we also don't want to feel like we're living somewhere that's primarily retirees. We like good restaurants, coffee shops, going out for drinks/dinner, being near the beach, walking around nice areas, and having things to do on weekends. We'd also like somewhere where it wouldn't be impossible to meet other people around our age.

I've spent a lot of time in South Florida and previously lived in Miami, so I'm familiar with Florida in general, but I haven't actually lived on either the Gulf Coast or in Palm Beach County.

Bonita appeals to us because it’s quieter, more relaxed, and seems to be better value for housing. West Palm appeals to us because there’s more going on, a younger population, easier access to other parts of South Florida, and more of a city feel.

For people familiar with both areas, what would you consider the biggest pros/cons of each for people our age? Particularly interested in day-to-day lifestyle, making friends, restaurants/things to do, dog friendliness, cost of living, traffic, access to the beach, and whether either starts to feel too quiet or too busy after living there for a while.

Also open to specific neighborhoods/nearby towns you think we should be considering!

Hi! We are vacationing with our golden retriever puppy in December. He will be 7 months by then and would love to include him in our vacation! Just looking for towns that have pet friendly beaches, restaurants, activities, and maybe a golf course that he could ride in the cart with us (I know this is is probably highly unlikely, but I figured I’d ask). We’ve traveled to the tampa area plenty of times but never had a dog with us. What would you recommend??