Looking for the best places to live in Florida? The Sunshine State is home to beaches, theme parks, and the best Cuban sandwiches on the planet. From the shores of Jacksonville in the north down to glitz of South Florida, whether you want to reside on the Gulf Coast or near The Most Magical Place On Earth, here’s our list of the 4 best places to live in Florida.
Miami
It should come as no surprise that we’re starting our list of the best places to live in Florida with Miami. Dubbed the “Magic City,” Miami is a beachside city full of culture, community, and unparalleled energy. This glitzy South Florida city is known for its white-sand beaches, high-rise condos overlooking the water, and authentic Cuban food. Here, you can take in South Beach’s famous Art Deco architecture along Ocean Drive, get a dose of Cuban culture in Little Havana, and channel your inner Steve Irwin in the nearby Everglades.
Miami bars offer al fresco drinking and popular happy hours. Local cuisine—including staples such as Cuban sandwiches, coffee, and croquetas—is influenced by the large Hispanic population. From performing arts to catching a baseball game at Marlins Park, there’s no shortage of fun things to do. Lincoln Road Mall offers dining, shopping, and entertainment. Situated along Biscayne Bay, downtown’s 32-acre Bayfront Park hosts community events. One of the many reasons to move to Miami is its eclectic neighborhoods, like Wynwood, a trendy arts district that’s known for its many colorful murals. It’s no surprise that, with all these offerings, Miami is one of the best places to live in Florida.
Tampa
A lively and diverse Gulf coast city, Tampa hosts festivals all year long, including the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Bars like downtown’s The Hub Bar, Lowry Parcade & Tavern, Ciro’s speakeasy, and Coppertail Brewing in the historic district of Ybor City offer libations to cool down from the hot Florida sun.
In terms of affordability, Tampa takes the cake when compared to larger Florida cities. But lower prices doesn’t mean you have to compromise on entertainment; there’s still a plethora of things to do in Tampa. Busch Gardens features thrill rides, animal encounters, and safaris, while the 240-acre Lettuce Lake Regional Park is a great place to bike, hike, and picnic. Tiger King fans will want to check in on Carol Baskin and her kitties at Big Cat Rescue. On the shores of Tampa Bay, you’ll find world-class beaches including Ben T. Davis Beach and Cypress Point Park. For all of these reasons and more, you’ll see why Tampa is one of the best places to live in Florida.
Orlando
Orlando is Florida’s largest inland city, and number 3 on our list of the best places to live in Florida. While O-Town is known for its many theme parks, the “Theme Park Capital of the World” has a lot more to offer than The Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Epcot, and Sea World. Located on I-Drive in the thick of tourist town, Icon Park offers 20 acres of entertainment, including attractions, shopping, and bars and restaurants, all anchored by The Wheel. Nestled amongst a few lakes, Loch Haven Park is full of cultural attractions, namely the Orlando Museum of Art. Basketball fans can catch an Orlando Magic game at Amway Center downtown. Peruse luxury brands at The Mall at Millenia or shop ‘til you drop at Central Florida’s largest shopping center, the 1.7 million-square-foot Florida Mall.
Golfers won’t be teed off with the sheer amount of courses in the area. In addition to greens, Orlando offers lots of green space, with more than 100 recreational parks in Orange County and 100 lakes in the area. Water ski, wakeboard, or tube on Lake Bryan. Canoe or kayak on the Wekiwa River at Wekiwa Springs State Park. Surrounded by shops, cafés, wine bars, and restaurants, Lake Eola Park offers a peaceful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Not to mention, it’s near a few of our picks for Orlando’s best neighborhoods.
The city’s well-planned neighborhoods feature eclectic houses and leafy side streets filled with local businesses–from local markets to innovative restaurants and funky bars. Check out Thornton Park, College Park, and Winter Garden, just a few of the more than 100 neighborhoods in Orlando.
In addition to just about every chain restaurant under the sun and fresh seafood everywhere you look, Orlando is home to a variety of chef-driven restaurants, including Prato, SOCO, and Seito Sushi. East End Market is a cool culinary hub, but the best Vietnamese restaurants can be found in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, the Mills 50 district.
Jacksonville
Centered on the banks of the St. Johns River in northeast Florida’s First Coast region, Jacksonville is located 25 miles south of the Florida/Georgia line. Not only does “JAX” feature more shoreline than any other Florida city, but it’s also the state’s (and the southeast’s) most populous city, as well as the largest city by area in the entire country.
Dive, snorkel, kayak, boat, paddleboard, fish, and ride horseback along Jacksonville’s bevy of beaches. With more than 80,000 acres of parks, including the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, Big Talbot Island State Park, and Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, this coastal recreation hotspot is also great for hikers, runners, and even bird-watchers.
Looking for even more reasons to move to Jacksonville? How about world-class museums, like the Cummer Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art? How about unique eats, inspired by North Florida’s Mediterranean and Latin American population, plenty of seafood restaurants specializing in locally-caught fish plates, and spots serving up classic American food and Southern BBQ? And dinner won’t cost an arm and a leg—this big city is fairly affordable, one of the many reasons it’s one of the best places to live in Florida.
Well, there you have it. These Florida cities all have more than a handful of things going for them. Ready to move to one? Search thousands of Florida apartments for rent on Zumper and get ready for your new home.
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