For me, the decision to move to Florida was only the first of several that had to be made. The next one was this: Where in Florida should we land?

That was a tough one. There were a lot of things to consider:

• East Coast or Gulf Coast?
• South Florida (Miami area, perhaps)? Central Florida? Panhandle?
• Large city? Small city? Something more town-like?
• Near the water? Or someplace more inland?

We made a few trips to Florida and checked out various areas, and we talked to friends and others who had already made the move. We visited Walt Disney World, went to Bike Week in Daytona, attended a number of Spring Training baseball games, and spent many hours just driving around.

We also checked out employment opportunities, as we were about 20 years short of retirement.

After all that we landed in (drum roll, please)…

Tampa Bay.

Our first stop was an apartment over a garage in St. Petersburg. A year later, we moved to North Pinellas County, maybe 25 miles north of St. Pete. We’ve lived in three different North Pinellas towns, but we have been in Tarpon Springs, a lovely Gulf-front community with a heavy Greek influence, for the past 10 years.

(Full disclosure)

I do sell real estate, but this isn’t a real estate blog.

Rather, I want to provide some insight into what a move to Florida looks and feels like. What you can expect to find in different areas, and which areas might be best for you. What Florida living is like, and how it may differ from what you are accustomed to. Since I live on the Gulf of Mexico in Tampa Bay, you can expect most of my content to reflect that.

I hope you will respond if something touches a nerve, good or bad. And I’d love to respond to your questions.