Moving to Orlando

[opivys85]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are moving to Orlando this August and were looking to be downtown (before we have kids). We visited a bunch of places this week and put a deposit down on a place but wanted to see if y'all had any recommendations/things to look out for. We are looking for a 3/2 and would like to have a good amount of walkability to restaurants, groceries, running outside etc. 

Any input would be valued, thanks in advance!

[dcluley98]

South Eola is your neighborhood. They have only grocery store DT in the Paramount. You can walk to Thornton Park for restaurants and are close enough to walk to the CBD/Plaza Movie theater, Church St., etc. but aren't "in it". CBD is rowdy, dirtier, and a lot more noise, partiers, homeless, etc. 

SoDo area could also be a good option. It is really starting to blossom. 

[bqknight]

2 minutes ago, dcluley98 said:

South Eola is your neighborhood. They have only grocery store DT in the Paramount. You can walk to Thornton Park for restaurants and are close enough to walk to the CBD/Plaza Movie theater, Church St., etc. but aren't "in it". CBD is rowdy, dirtier, and a lot more noise, partiers, homeless, etc. 

SoDo area could also be a good option. It is really starting to blossom. 

If you want to be DT, South Eola is definitely your spot. It's mostly young professionals, a good amount of doctors/nurses are in this area. It's quiet but still Downtown. Being able to walk to Publix is great and you can still go into the main CBD if you want - where the bars and more restaurants are. 

Thorton Park would also be a good option - though there aren't really any apartment complexes, you'd need to buy or rent a house/duplex. 

[opivys85]

Thanks for the advice, the place we put a deposit down on is in South Eola, loved the proximity to Publix and I'm looking forward to being able to run around the lake

[popsiclebrandon]

Don't live at Post, 55W or Steelhouse. Rest can be good or bad depending on unit and everything but those are ones to avoid completely.

[opivys85]

1 hour ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Don't live at Post, 55W or Steelhouse. Rest can be good or bad depending on unit and everything but those are ones to avoid completely.

Thanks. Our friends also told us to avoid some of those. Didn't even check them out, actually.  You ever go to the events they hold around Lake Eola? Our realtor talked those up a lot, including the famers market. Seems like a nice thing to be close to.

[bqknight]

1 hour ago, opivys85 said:

Thanks. Our friends also told us to avoid some of those. Didn't even check them out, actually.  You ever go to the events they hold around Lake Eola? Our realtor talked those up a lot, including the famers market. Seems like a nice thing to be close to.

The Farmer's Market on Sunday is great, it gets packed. Every second Thursday there is a Wine Walk which is fun. It's a great little are 

 

2 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Don't live at Post, 55W or Steelhouse. Rest can be good or bad depending on unit and everything but those are ones to avoid completely.

May I ask why with Post? Even the non-tower units?

[tennis32801]

Baldwin Park near its town center may be a good option too, and very short drive to downtown.

[popsiclebrandon]

Honest question - what do you get at the farmer's market? Its all junk to me and I can't understand why people go anymore. No real farmers there, just the same stuff you get at Publix.

And Post has bad bed bugs, floods, mold, etc. The tower is the worst but I know of people all over with those issues. Hard pass.

[bqknight]

1 hour ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Honest question - what do you get at the farmer's market? Its all junk to me and I can't understand why people go anymore. No real farmers there, just the same stuff you get at Publix.

And Post has bad bed bugs, floods, mold, etc. The tower is the worst but I know of people all over with those issues. Hard pass.

I enjoy the food you can actually get there. Like Tamale Co. It's just a nice atmosphere if you have a dog or something too. 

Good to know about Post. I know they're claiming to be redoing the interiors but...who knows. 

[popsiclebrandon]

Tamale Co is good. The owners are really nice people. That is all too rare in this town.

[HankStrong]

How is the move coming along?  Are you adjusted yet?

[mdeancherry]

On 5/11/2018 at 5:58 PM, popsiclebrandon said:

Honest question - what do you get at the farmer's market? Its all junk to me and I can't understand why people go anymore. No real farmers there, just the same stuff you get at Publix.

 I agree that the big produce stand is meh.

There are good prepared-food options there though along with a cheese shop that I like a lot. Sometimes I'll get honey or bread there too (although I'm not sure if the current honey vendor is any different than what you can get a Publix). There used to be a local tomato farm that had a stand and those were great tomatoes but I haven't seen them in a while.

But mostly it's people watching before wandering over to Aku Aku or The Courtesy for a bit of Sunday Funday. 

opivys85 - There are tons of events in the spring and fall when the weather is less oppressive. I love the various dog/cat/pet events. The big arts and crafts festivals tend to be more crafts e.g., bears and angels (and angels with bear faces and bears with wings, etc.) to put in your country kitchen kind of stuff.  Seriously, several years ago I went and every other booth seemed like it was selling some sort of cutesy combination of bears and/or angels. 

 

[spenser1058]

Angels and tigers and bears - oh my! I agree that the produce selection at Eola is limited but the prices tend to be lower than Publix if you find what you need.

Nevertheless, some of the BBQ and baked goods available (including killer baklava) are to die for.