We lived (winters only) in Jupiter, FL for three years. The coastal
areas were over-developed and busy but we didn't find it to be too bad.
Good restaurants and things to do. Our place was inland a bit, away
from all the traffic and congestion. There were areas further inland
that I used to go for motorcycle rides that were pretty much isolated
from any construction or even traffic.
I remember when we first started thinking about buying down there
(wife's idea .. I wanted to just live on the boat) some of our friends
up north warned us about hurricanes, so I did a little research. Turns
out the Jupiter, FL area had not had a direct hit for 100 years. I
realized that Florida is a big state and the chances of a direct hit in
any particular area is remote.
So, we bought. Actually, we bought two places within the same gated
community. In 14 months we were clobbered with three hurricanes, all
either direct hits or close enough to cause a lot of damage.
In the good old days...the 1950s...the Connecticut shoreline seemed to
get clobbered at least twice a summer by hurricanes.
Yabut, as I learned in Florida, the hurricanes we get up here, with rare
exceptions, are not like the hurricanes in Florida. Wilma scared the
crap out of me.