[Wheelingman04]

Which major cities have vibrant downtowns? Pedestrian traffic and residential?

[PA Pride]

Vibrant downtowns:

Tampa: Not really
Jacksonville: Not really
Orlando: Not really
Tallahassee: I don't know. Leaning towards no...
Miami: Certain parts

[Wheelingman04]

^ Thanks.:)

[Lakelander]

Miami Beach/South Beach: yes
Miami: certain parts
Jacksonville: no
Tampa: no
St. Petersburg: yes
Orlando: certain parts
Fort Lauderdale: certain parts
West Palm Beach: certain parts
Tallahassee: no

[Rusty van Reddick]

Sarasota!

[ColDayMan]

Yeah, St. Petersburg may be the underrated one of the bunch.

[BTinSF]

Winter Park! (well, OK, it's not a major city but . . . .)

[initiald]

I was rather surprised and disappointed by Tampa's downtown. It felt like Charlotte 10 years ago. Ybor was okay but needs TLC. I mean, if Tampa and Jacksonville can host a Superbowl...

Anyway, what parts of West Palm Beach? I'll be spending the night there in a month and want to know if it is worth walking around and taking photos. Also, Ft. Lauderdale? Some parts seem vibrant? If so, where?

[atlantaguy]

I was rather surprised and disappointed by Tampa's downtown. It felt like Charlotte 10 years ago. Ybor was okay but needs TLC. I mean, if Tampa and Jacksonville can host a Superbowl...

Anyway, what parts of West Palm Beach? I'll be spending the night there in a month and want to know if it is worth walking around and taking photos. Also, Ft. Lauderdale? Some parts seem vibrant? If so, where?

Haven't been to West Palm in years, but I do know that the CityPlace area of Downtown is pretty nice - or was.

Was just in Downtown Orlando last month for the first time in 10 years.

Let me just say I was very impressed. Lots of nightlife right in the core, noticable pedestrian activity over a wide area, lots of new residential - all in a lush, clean and beautiful setting. Thornton Park and surrounding area due east of Lake Eola is wonderful. Ton's of rehabbed homes surrounding the core on 3 sides. IMO, Downtown Orlando is very underrated.

While not perfect, a very respectible Downtown for a Florida city. Huge improvement from 10 years ago.

[atlantaguy]

Sorry, initiald - In Ft. Lauderdale, head to the Las Olas area. You'll like it.

[Grego43]

I was rather surprised and disappointed by Tampa's downtown. It felt like Charlotte 10 years ago. Ybor was okay but needs TLC. I mean, if Tampa and Jacksonville can host a Superbowl...

Anyway, what parts of West Palm Beach? I'll be spending the night there in a month and want to know if it is worth walking around and taking photos. Also, Ft. Lauderdale? Some parts seem vibrant? If so, where?


In downtown West Palm, check out the Clematis St/Flagler Dr area, City Place if you want a homogenous new development that is vibrant but Disney-esque. You might also head over the bridge to Palm Beach. Though not a major city, PB has a historic, walkable center in the Worth Ave./North County Rd area and in the Royal Poinciana/Breakers Hotel area. Plenty of great architecture including some of Addison Mizner's best works. While there check out Whitehall, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.

[jonjj]

Sarasota!


St Armands Circle moreso than downtown Sarasota. Key West is vibrant. Some of the smaller cities have a more vibrant downtown than the larger ones.

[initiald]

Wait... how has this not been mentioned? St. Augustine! Enjoyed downtown St. Augustine around Flagler College and Cordova St. Also, downtown/Duval St. in Key West was a blast.

[Prahaboheme]

Vibrant: DT Orlando, South Beach, Key West, St Augustine

[mr jones]

Also, Ft. Lauderdale? Some parts seem vibrant? If so, where?

East Las Olas Blvd is pretty much it. You can go a block or two north/south downtown area, there's some ped "traffic". But it all depends on the time and day..and weather. Weekends are pretty much dead.

If you're downtown looking for coffee, check out Brew Urban Coffee at SW 2nd St and SW 2nd Ave..few store fronts south on 2nd Ave (west side of the RR tracks). Favorite lunch spot down the Las Olas shops area, Noodles Panini; E Las Olas Blvd (west side) between SE 8th and 9th Ave. South of downtown (maybe 1.5miles), but worth mentioning: My Market; good local sub shop. North east corner of SW 17th St and SW 3rd Ave. :D

Hope you enjoy us. We are small, but we make an effort... kind of :P

[Wheelingman04]

It is nice to see that Orlando is doing well.

[Lakelander]

I was rather surprised and disappointed by Tampa's downtown. It felt like Charlotte 10 years ago. Ybor was okay but needs TLC. I mean, if Tampa and Jacksonville can host a Superbowl...

Although none of this has anything to do with hosting super bowls, Tampa and Jacksonville are two cities that have decent vibrant inner city districts, but their downtowns are still vertical office parks for the most part. They are the opposite of cities like Orlando and St. Pete (better DT but lower number of walkable urban districts).

[brickell]

Firstly, I wouldn't call any cities in Florida to be vibrant in the sense that a New York, Boston or Chicago is, but for state in the sunbelt, so places are doing better than others.

Miami Beach is the exception, but it's not a downtown.

Orlando has made big strides over the last 10 years. It helps that it's the nightlife center of Orlando. The new residential towers have blended in well with the gentrifying parts east of Eola.

I'm always impressed by the layout and quality of downtown St. Pete, but it always seems quieter than it should be. St. Pete Beach is pretty nice as well.

Tampa is more business than anything else.

Miami has really picked up in the last 5 years, but has a long way to go. It's got a vibrancy and energy at times but still feels lacking at the sidewalk level. As the condo's fill in this will improve. It's already got a completely different feel than it did just 2-3 years ago.

Downtown Coral Gables reminds me of St. Pete but with actual people walking around. It's got business, restaurants, shopping, residential... I'd put it up against any downtown in Florida. If only they had run metrorail through when they had the chance...

I don't consider Tallahassee to be a major city, but it's downtown is nothing special.

Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm I haven't spent enough time in.

[tdawg]

It's not a major city but i found downtown Naples very engaging.