How one New York family found the lifestyle and community they’d been looking for in Parkland, Florida
Heather never imagined leaving New York. She and her husband were happily raising their three young daughters in Manhattan, surrounded by family, longtime friends, and leaning into everything NYC had to offer. But during COVID, they found themselves wondering what life could look like beyond city limits.
Because both Heather and her husband could work remotely, leaving the city was a real possibility. At first, they explored communities closer to home, looking in New Jersey and the tri-state area. But during that initial search, their plans took a major turn, and they started thinking about something completely different: Florida. And if they were going to make a major move, they knew they needed to make the leap fast.
Looking Beyond the Familiar
Going into the process, Heather knew exactly what she wanted and what she didn’t. For her, Miami felt too much like Manhattan – she wanted something quieter and family-centric, where her daughters could grow up surrounded by neighborhoods, parks, and plenty of kids their ages. But she didn’t know where to find it.
Like many New Yorkers, she was familiar with Boca and Miami, but communities like Parkland and Weston were largely unknown. “I really needed someone to direct me to the right place,” Heather says. That’s when she connected with Melissa Schneider, Suburban Jungle’s Head Florida Strategist.
Working with Melissa, Heather says, felt less like working with a consultant and more like talking to a friend. They shared similar backgrounds, as Melissa and her family had also moved from New York to Florida, so she understood exactly what Heather was looking for.
Together, they narrowed the search around what mattered most: top-rated public schools, plenty of young families, an active youth sports culture, and a neighborhood where everyday life revolved around community – and from Melissa’s perspective, Parkland checked every box. But Heather wasn’t so sure.
“Are You Sure Parkland Is Going to Be for Me?”
As Melissa and Heather dove into the search process, one question kept coming up: would Heather find moms like her in Florida? Moving from New York to Florida meant leaving decades-long friendships behind, along with the comfort of knowing exactly where she belonged. Starting over felt daunting.
But Melissa reassured her that she’d fit in – and she was right.
Soon after moving, Heather became friends with the family who sold them their house. Coincidentally, they relocated just six houses away, and the children became fast friends. Today, they’re close with several families on their street – the kids ride their bikes together and ring each other’s doorbells. “My garage is almost always open,” Heather jokes. “It reminds me of a pre-technology childhood.” That sense of neighborhood was exactly what she’d been hoping to find, and she found it in Parkland.
The Little Things That Changed Everything
Sometimes, it’s the everyday moments that let you know you’ve made the right decision. For Heather, it’s watching her daughters jump into the backyard pool after flag football practice, seeing her husband unwind outside after work, taking walks through the neighborhood, and weekends cheering on the sidelines of high school football games.
“It’s just a really different lifestyle for us,” she says. And even two years later, it still feels new. “My older daughter says, ‘Sometimes I feel like we’re still just on vacation.” For Heather, hearing those words was all the reassurance she needed.
Putting the Kids First
For Heather and her husband, choosing the right town meant thinking about much more than schools, sports, and neighborhoods. She wanted to understand what everyday life would look like for her daughters, and how quickly they could begin to feel at home.
One of the most valuable pieces of guidance Melissa offered was around preschool. With six great options to consider, Heather felt overwhelmed by where to start. Melissa helped narrow the list to two schools she thought would be a strong fit for the family, giving her a much clearer path forward. And when Heather connected with one of them, she knew almost immediately. “I was like, this is the place. This is the place where my kids belong.”
She felt so confident that she put down a preschool deposit before the family had even purchased their home. Later, the school became an important entry point into their new community. The girls made friends there, and Heather met many of the moms who would become part of her own circle.
More Than Sunshine
While Florida’s weather was certainly appealing, it wasn’t what ultimately convinced Heather and her family to make the move. They wanted strong public schools, youth sports, and outdoor activities that could happen year-round. They wanted parks where their daughters could play, neighborhoods where kids could safely ride bikes, and easy access to the beach for spontaneous afternoons by the water.
They also wanted to stay connected to New York. With convenient flights from Fort Lauderdale to Newark and family nearby in South Florida, visits have become a regular part of life. In some ways, Heather says, those visits feel even more meaningful now because they’re intentional.
She also discovered that making new friends wasn’t as difficult as she’d feared. Instead of connecting through their children’s activities, she found herself building genuine friendships with so many parents in her community. “I was surprised how open everybody is to meeting new people,” Heather says.
She was also pleasantly surprised by how quickly her daughters adjusted. By enrolling all three girls in camp shortly after moving, they began making friends before the school year even started, helping Parkland feel like home that much sooner.
And beyond that, Heather always knew she had Melissa and Suburban Jungle in her corner – and that made the leap much less overwhelming.
Advice for Families Making a Move
To city families considering a move, Heather’s advice is simple: “Don’t be afraid to take the leap, because New York, or wherever you’re from, will always be there,” she says. “I’m happy we had the guidance of Suburban Jungle because I needed that extra voice in my ear telling me everything was going to be okay and that we were going to find the right fit.”
Looking back, Heather and her family didn’t move from New York to Florida simply for warmer weather. She was looking for a place where her daughters could grow up surrounded by friends in a neighborhood where families knew one another, with a lifestyle centered around time together instead of time spent commuting. What she found in Parkland was all of that and more – because, sometimes, the biggest leap leads you exactly where you’re meant to be.
For more client stories, visit Suburban Jungle’s blog page on our website.
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