Northern and Central Florida. NEED FEEDBACK PLEASE!

I figured this website would serve as a good opportunity to get some information about the more densely populated areas in Northern and Central Florida. There is a good possibility that I may be relocating to Orlando for a full-time marketing job. I recently graduated from LSU and I live in Baton Rouge currently. I am originally from New Orleans so any comparisons to Orlando that you can think of will help me get a better idea as well. I have only visited Orlando for Surf Expo so I am not too, too familiar with the area but my focus is to learn about Northern and Central Florida. If any of you can answer these questions or point me in the right direction to find more information (i.e. websites, blogs, etc.), I would really appreciate everyone's help. If possible, just try to give me some examples but if you aren't sure, that's cool too:

1. What is the collegiate landscape like in Northern and Central Florida? Name all of the universities and community colleges. Also, what are some of the more popular or flagship colleges that are more densely populated?

2. Part of my job will be to leverage the media to expose content that we produce. What are the names of some mainstream media in Northern and Central Florida? (Ex. newspaper, magazines, etc.)

3. What are some key groups that you find are more popular in and around Northern and Central Florida? Key groups can be anything from certain types of musicians, or sports like wakeboarding and Nascar, or even dance groups. For example, some key groups in Louisiana are jazz musicians, hunters and fishermen, wakeboarders, football players, etc.

4. What is the downtown nightlife like in Northern and Central Florida? Specifically, what are some popular streets where people like to go for entertainment, drinking, dance, festivals, etc. An example of this would be Bourbon Street in New Orleans, or Sixth Street in Austin. Also do you know the names of any popular bars that get the most business?

And lastly, do you know any websites or blogs where I can find any of this information that would help me to better understand both the Northern and Central Florida regions?

Thanks so much, I hope to get some good feedback and I appreciate everyone's time.

1. University of Central FL
Valencia
Rollins
Barry
Stetson
University of North FL
Florida State College
Flagler
- just off the top of my head
- I went to UCF and UNF

2. don't know where to start here outside of local newspapers

3. ummmm, boarding is huge in central FL, not as big in north FL. I would liken North FL to Louisiana minus jazz musicians

4. Central FL- Church Street and UCF area are big for partying
N FL- Jax beaches, Riverside, somewhat downtown

Your post reads like a collage demographics class. All this info can be found online by you with help from Google. Now if you looking for people to ride with I'm sure we can help you out with that.

dave, indeed i will be looking for people to ride with if and when i move there for the job. in fact, as part of my community's creative development, i will definitely be looking to get involved with the wakeboarding scene to produce both media content and launch events.

i ride at lot in louisiana, but i have never ridden in Orlando. only been there for Surf Expo and i had a friend who was living on Clear Lake with Phil Aslinger, so i've been out that way too. what are some other good lakes to ride on?

also, thanks for the feedback guys. hopefully this thread will stay active with more members commenting.

Our usual spot to ride is the Winter Park chain during the summer right behind Rollins Collage. lately I've been @ Clear lake riding with someone who helping me clean up my recreational wakeboarding. You also have the Clermont chain & Windermere chain & the St Johns river in the Central Fl area.. Florida is so stretched out that is hard to pick a area to cover everyone.

understood. despite Florida being the mecca for wakeboarding, i hear very good things about the entertainment and lifestyle. seems like there is always something to do. and good people are always passing through that are from Florida. i really like it down there.

isn't Nascar a huge deal down there as well? and what about the motorcross scene?

That's another problem in Florida, (I"m not complaining) Is that there is so many things going on a any particular time it's hard to hold people's interest very long & something new is just around the corner. ( during the spring & fall I might attend two or three different things going on @ the same time) So what might be hot now will get replaced with the next thing new, It's constantly evolving.. Nascar is in Daytona but twice a year & is a huge impact for that area. I've never noticed the impact to the Orlando or surrounding areas. Bike week seem to make more of a Monetary impact I believe..

when you say Bike week, what kind of bikes? FMX, BMX?

http://www.officialbikeweek.com/