Hello Sunshines!
The most asked question Anton and I have received in the last few months is “Why did you choose to move to Tampa?” We don’t mind the question because it is the topic of our lives at the moment. We get this question from new people we meet in Tampa, and our previous people in our lives. Going from Macon, Ga to Tampa, Fl leave people questioning because my entire life has basically been in Georgia. I wanted to share the reason behind our choice!
The Weather
Anton and I both prefer warm weather over cold. We agreed on wanting to live close to a body of water whether that be a lake, river, or beach because we enjoy water related activities. My family has vacationed in Florida since I was born, and it was not only for the beaches but for the camping and natural springs. Yes, it does get hot down here, but to us it’s nowhere near as muggy as Middle Georgia or Atlanta, and we have several options to cool off! I’m sure the summer months will be blistering hot, but we plan to spend some of that time in Sweden, and we agreed the few hot months are worth the unbelievable weather the rest of the year.
Yes, I will miss the fall colors and wearing layers, but being able to go to the beach in January makes up for it. Anton prefers to be in a bathing suit more than me, so he wanted to live somewhere warm. People’s rebuttal always seems to be “what about hurricanes?” We have decided to stay in Tampa, which is more inland compared to St Petersburg, but Tampa and St Petersburg have a lower history of being hit by hurricanes. They credit the location of Tampa as less directly hit…plus there’s insurance and if hurricanes were such a big worry, I don’t think this area would be so highly populated. More tornadoes and severe thunder storms have hit Georgia than hurricanes have hit Tampa.
The Vibe
We love city life, but Anton and I still did not want to live in a “big city”. Growing up in Georgia and going to school near Atlanta, I’ve spent plenty of time in Atlanta and it’s….too much city. Tampa is spaced out, and you have different culture and vibes throughout the city. There is Ybor City, which is Cuban descent and inspired, and it includes a beautiful downtown area filled with shopping and eating along with a trolley that takes you from Ybor to Downtown Tampa. You have downtown Tampa, which includes Armature Works, Amalie Arena, Sparkman Wharf, the aquarium, bars, shopping, River Walk, water parks and playgrounds, Channelside and more. There is south Tampa, and this includes SoHo (South Howard St) ,modern restaurants, Hyde Park Village, Bayshore, and more. Then across the bridge you have St Petersburg aka amazing downtown and BEACHES!
We chose to live in the Tampa Heights, and we are really happy with this choice because even though we are a 15 minute walk from downtown, we have the feel of a quiet neighborhood. It doesn’t feel like we are living in downtown of a city, and we can walk, scoot, bike, skate to eat, drink or attend events.
Activities
If you know Anton and me, or just look at our social media, you know we love to be active. We aren’t home bodies, especially when the sun is out. There is always something going on in Tampa, and Anton is always asking “What do you have planned this week for us?” I am able to find fun activities through social media and research, but sometimes we get out and stumble across events, like festivals and shows. We are never without a choice of finding something new and fun to do in Tampa.
Anton voiced wanting to live somewhere with a lot of sports, and Tampa definitely has plenty of sports. Tampa Bay Lighting is our favorite hockey team, but Tampa is also home to professional football, baseball, and soccer. It’s been a little different with COVID of course, but hopefully in the future we will be able to attend sporting events.
Fun Facts & Tips
People always “warn” us of hurricanes when we mention Tampa, but Tampa has been hit once out of the last 50 years. The way Tampa is positioned, hurricanes aren’t a huge threat here.
We did our research and visited Tampa several times before making the decision to move.
I’m continuing to be a counselor for children and adolescents in St Petersburg, and I specialize in trauma services, mainly sexual abuse.
Anton has begun his real estate career, and Tampa is BOOMING with real estate. The area we leave in is constantly being flipped, and the market is great down here.
It’s rare to find a person who’s a native of Tampa. Everyone is from a different part of the world, and it’s easy to find friends.
We have found a new church home, New City Church Tampa!
XOXO, Britt