Any folks living directly north of Pensacola in the suburbs ? (Crestview: for sale, houses)
PensacolaEscambia County, Santa Rosa County
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Im giving great consideration to living in Cantonment, Jay, Century, and Milton areas. I have found some nice homes in my budget just outside of Jay and Century but am concerned about them being very tiny towns and a long way to travel to stores like Super Walmart/home DePot/and a variety of restaurants. Im wondering if it would be too quiet in these country towns (??) . Milton and Cantonment have appeal being closer to Pensacola and the Beaches but i suspect they are towns that are growing fast and I may have wished i were in the country more.
If youve lived directly north of Pensacola, can you please share why you like living where you do ? Also, can you tell me about Black Water State Forest and if it is a good place for nature and RVing/Camping ? Thanks.
Milton is very close to P'cola. I had friends who lived in Milton and really loved it. Although, Cantonement, Jay, and Century are still very small town areas. It all depends on what you're looking for. Do you have kids? If so, I would live closer to P'cola as the schools are better. Have you considered Pace? Another small town that's similar to Milton. The beach is prob. about a 45 min drive from Milton and even farther away from Cantonement, Jay and Century.
The Blackwater River is an awesome place to canoe, tube, kayak, etc. Alot of ppl from P'cola and surrounding areas go to Blackwater River. Just watch out for the horseflies!
Thanks for that info. I have no kids...its just me . I love nature , pistol shooting, and classic car shows. Ill take a look at pace and milton more closely.
I just moved near the Cantonment area from Milton a week ago. I lived outside of Milton (South of Bagdad, just North of I-10) for three years. I moved there when I transferred to the area for work from a small mountain town in California. Although there were things that I enjoyed about living there, having been born and raised in California, I did find the area to have a lot more racism and bigotry than I am comfortable with. Truth be told, that is true for me of the entire area, but it seemed particularly bad to me in the Milton area.
Living in the South has been a cultural education for me. I have always ascribed to the "live and let live" doctrine, and to try to understand that other folks' backgrounds and upbringing is very different from my own, and not make judgments of others even though their beliefs vary from my own. I felt a bit out of place and uncomfortable in the Milton area, but like I said, that is somewhat true of the entire area for me. I try to take it all in as learning experiences.
The things that I liked about living in the area -- and why I bought my home there -- is that even though I lived in a "neighborhood" (which I have rarely done in my life, and is not my preferred living situation), the homes in my subdivision were all on large lots, it was a nice, quiet area, with lots of trees and privacy, but yet it was still close to town and the interstate (I work in Pensacola, right over the Escambia Bay Bridge).
There is a WalMart, Target, Publix (if it's not open yet, it will be very soon), Home Depot, Chili's -- and all those sorts of things -- in Pace, which is just few minutes down the road from Milton proper. Because I lived on the South side near the interstate, I usually shopped in Pensacola when I lived there, but they are fairly convenient to most of the rest of Milton. I found restaurants to be on the slim side for my dining preferences, but I'm not sure if I'm the best person to comment on that. I prefer lighter fare... Japanese food, grilled fish, stuff like that, where I find Pensacola to be a better fit for me.
Hi, I live in Pace--for the moment, at least, as we're relocating to Denver. This area is definitely bigger and less quiet than Jay or Century and has better schools and shopping than Milton. Plus, we're just over the bridge from Pensacola, with its bigger downtown and beaches. We do have a new Publix, Target and Starbucks, as the above commenter mentioned, in addition to a soon-to-be opening TJ maxx. Dining options are more limited here than in Pensacola, but there are the usual franchises/chains, a couple of Mexican places, seafood joints, and a Japanese steak/sushi/hibachi place. Our library is also new, though small. It takes me about 40 minutes to reach Blackwater or Pensacola Beach, and after living all around the state of FL for 20 years, I find myself at Blackwater much more often than the beach--the water's colder and perfect for tubing, rafting, etc.
I realize you don't have kids, but another benefit of this area is that it's VERY close-knit and friendly. Everyone knows one another b/c we all shop at the same places, send our kids to the same schools, etc.
Plus, houses here are more expensive than in Jay, Century, or Milton, but they are still very affordable. Plenty of options under 200K, especially in this market, and plenty of neighborhoods have homes on 1/3 or 1/2 acre lots.
There are drawbacks, of course. This whole part of FL is very conservative, although my family has never had a problem with racism, and we're a mixed-race couple. We are, however, pretty liberal politically, so this area isn't the best fit for us.
Also, for malls, museums, or bookstores you have to drive in to Pensacola.
Hi, I live in Pace--for the moment, at least, as we're relocating to Denver. This area is definitely bigger and less quiet than Jay or Century and has better schools and shopping than Milton. Plus, we're just over the bridge from Pensacola, with its bigger downtown and beaches. We do have a new Publix, Target and Starbucks, as the above commenter mentioned, in addition to a soon-to-be opening TJ maxx. Dining options are more limited here than in Pensacola, but there are the usual franchises/chains, a couple of Mexican places, seafood joints, and a Japanese steak/sushi/hibachi place. Our library is also new, though small. It takes me about 40 minutes to reach Blackwater or Pensacola Beach, and after living all around the state of FL for 20 years, I find myself at Blackwater much more often than the beach--the water's colder and perfect for tubing, rafting, etc.
I realize you don't have kids, but another benefit of this area is that it's VERY close-knit and friendly. Everyone knows one another b/c we all shop at the same places, send our kids to the same schools, etc.
Plus, houses here are more expensive than in Jay, Century, or Milton, but they are still very affordable. Plenty of options under 200K, especially in this market, and plenty of neighborhoods have homes on 1/3 or 1/2 acre lots.
There are drawbacks, of course. This whole part of FL is very conservative, although my family has never had a problem with racism, and we're a mixed-race couple. We are, however, pretty liberal politically, so this area isn't the best fit for us.
Also, for malls, museums, or bookstores you have to drive in to Pensacola.
Hope that helps!
Yes, good info. Thanks. Im coming down in 3 weeks to do walkthrus of homes. There are two in Bagdad ill be looking at. I understand it is an old area as is Milton and Pace (?) . Im glad to hear the people are friendly round there ; what is the pace of life like in Pace/Milton area ? Do you think most folks are less stressed out than from more major cities ? Im coming from the Chicago area where it is very hectic and fast paced ; im definetly in need of an area that is layed-back , quiet, etc... Ive heard alot about BlackWater ; are there alligators in Blackwater or in the Pace/Milton area ? Im into camping and kayaking so i think Blackwater will be a real treat. Regards.
Bagdad and downtown Milton offer more in the way of historic interest than Pace, from my experience. Nothing here was planned well in my opinion, so the infastructure really sucks. Be careful looking at places with low elevation... during hurricane season you'll want to be mindful of storm surge.
For me, Milton, Pace, and certainly Pensacola are much more fast-paced and hectic than anywhere else I have ever lived. But that ain't sayin' much. Most people get a good, hearty belly laugh out of that. I really, really, REALLY do not like cities. I am extremely hermitty and I very much enjoy my solitude and the mountains. I do believe that by most peoples' standard it is very quiet and laid-back here, I would certainly think by Chicago standards.
I have heard that there are alligators in the Blackwater, but have never seen one myself.
Since gulfcoastgirl brought up politics, it may be worthy to note that I am a Libertarian, and I still find this area to be extremely conservative. Distastefully so, at that. But, as I mentioned in my post, I try to take it all in as a learning experience, but sometimes it is difficult.
Bagdad and downtown Milton offer more in the way of historic interest than Pace, from my experience. Nothing here was planned well in my opinion, so the infastructure really sucks. Be careful looking at places with low elevation... during hurricane season you'll want to be mindful of storm surge.
For me, Milton, Pace, and certainly Pensacola are much more fast-paced and hectic than anywhere else I have ever lived. But that ain't sayin' much. Most people get a good, hearty belly laugh out of that. I really, really, REALLY do not like cities. I am extremely hermitty and I very much enjoy my solitude and the mountains. I do believe that by most peoples' standard it is very quiet and laid-back here, I would certainly think by Chicago standards.
I have heard that there are alligators in the Blackwater, but have never seen one myself.
Since gulfcoastgirl brought up politics, it may be worthy to note that I am a Libertarian, and I still find this area to be extremely conservative. Distastefully so, at that. But, as I mentioned in my post, I try to take it all in as a learning experience, but sometimes it is difficult.
I assume you are talking about East Bay getting storm surge coming in from the Gulf (??). How did Milton/Bagdad do when Hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola as far as storm surge goes ? Were these towns flooded ? Im with you on the 'Hermittie' life ; I really enjoy my peace and quiet and think nothing of camping / exploring by myself. Im going to be walking thru 4 homes around Milton/Bagdad and the other area im very seriously considering is Crestview/Holt area .. which im told is a little more contemporary/modern (?) As for conservativism, as it relates to morals / ethics / lifestyle... id be pleased if the area is like that ; but as far as racial prejudice is concerned , I would find it a drawback and possibly a deal-breaker .. and im a 'white' . Are there any must do/must see things if i move to Milton or Crestview areas ? Thanks for your help. Greatly appreciated.
Thought you'd like this: "To find the finest beaches in the world, intrepid Americans might head to Saint Tropez on the French Riviera or perhaps Australia's famed Gold Coast. But the ultimate sun-drenched powder-sand fantasy lies not on some distant shore, but on the coast of Alabama and Northwest Florida."
Coastal Living (May 2008)
I have friends and family in Chicago...I like Chicago, but they don't. Funny they aren't here!
Bagdad and downtown Milton offer more in the way of historic interest than Pace, from my experience. Nothing here was planned well in my opinion, so the infastructure really sucks. Be careful looking at places with low elevation... during hurricane season you'll want to be mindful of storm surge.
For me, Milton, Pace, and certainly Pensacola are much more fast-paced and hectic than anywhere else I have ever lived. But that ain't sayin' much. Most people get a good, hearty belly laugh out of that. I really, really, REALLY do not like cities. I am extremely hermitty and I very much enjoy my solitude and the mountains. I do believe that by most peoples' standard it is very quiet and laid-back here, I would certainly think by Chicago standards.
I have heard that there are alligators in the Blackwater, but have never seen one myself.
Since gulfcoastgirl brought up politics, it may be worthy to note that I am a Libertarian, and I still find this area to be extremely conservative. Distastefully so, at that. But, as I mentioned in my post, I try to take it all in as a learning experience, but sometimes it is difficult.
Could you take a look at this link and click on the 'Map' ? This is one of the homes i really like and im going to walkthru it soon. Cozy Home For Sale in Bagdad. ID: 6528266 . Its close to the Tributaries that come off of East Bay ; do you think the area that this property is located at will flood if Storm Surge is pushed in from the Gulf ?? Im concerned about this. Please advise.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
