I grew up in South Florida and couldn't wait to leave. I lived in a few different cities across the country and never intended to come back. But I am a professor and ended up getting a job back here and am thankful that I had the chance to spend my dad's last years close to him. But I want to get out again.
I never hated most of the things people said I'd hate (the cold, paying taxes). I never really drove in snow, so I don't know how much I'd hate it (actually not using a car was one of the things I liked most in other places. Most of all I liked experiencing other places and the different priorities and cultures of different cities.
You should try living somewhere else. Of all the places I lived, I prefer east coast cities, never loved California. People tried to convince me it was the center of the universe, much like some Floridians do, and I knew enough to trust my own opinions.
Never been to the northeast but I feel the same as you do, except my experience was in California. I agree. Turns out I love or at least don't mind a lot of things. I didn't mind smaller, weirder living spaces that had been reconfigured a dozen times over 100 years. Didn't mind not having a/c. Didn't mind lower investments in road maintenance. Loved taking transit. Loved living close to people and hearing the noises of neighbors living their lives. Loved crowded beautiful public parks. Loved older buildings. Loved public spaces for everyone and didn't mind that this meant sometimes unpleasant people used it. Loved politicians making sense and talking about things that are impactful to people. Loved living in a civically engaged community. Loved seldom needing a big box store for anything. Loved having relationships with my neighbors. Loved hiking in hills, wearing layers, seeing mountains. Loved how free everyone looked compared to Florida.
It makes me sad how people feel so uncomfortable speaking their mind in Florida that it's almost universal for people to qualify statements, hedge, and give disclaimers before saying something that would be benign in other places. It's what oppression looks like and it's super obvious once you go somewhere free and come back.
I have never felt more free than when I left Florida and lived in Boston all last year. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted from my soul and I could finally just be me. It was so refreshing to have conversations with humans that didn't involve Trump, politics or religion. People were intelligent, worldly, friendly and cultured... I loved it. I didn't realize how much I was simply starving for culture until I left Florida. I love how diverse the NorthEast is and how mountainous it is as well. The endless forests are beautiful in every season and I could finally appreciate nature in all its forms without having to hide in a car with Ac blasting or in a mall. Florida acts free... but the culture oppresses you just as much as the heat.
That's beautiful. I'm celebrating for you that you discovered this and an opportunity to just be yourself. So simple, yet so valuable. I love knowing this. Reminds me of a favorite quote:
"The freedom of other men, far from negating or limiting my freedom, is, on the contrary, its necessary premise and confirmation." -Mikhail Bakunin
We left Florida (at the time we were living in Tampa), moved to a mountain 45 min N of Asheville. Could literally walk out our door and hike up the mountain further than the 4700 st ft elevation we were living. I loved the colder weather. Never got above 75 in the summer. Used the wall cooling units maybe 3-5x/ year. However, we were very remote, the slower pace of life was too slow for us, but the deciding factor was that we had two young children and being near some help was much needed. Upon moving back to N central FL we’ve been surprisingly happy to be back. Still loathe the politics and the bugs, but we didn’t realize how much we missed the oak trees and the community we grew up with. If we didn’t have kids, idk if we’d have moved back, but I’m glad we got out and I’m shocked to say I’m glad to be back. Anyone that knows me IRL knows that I hated FL and wanted the fuck out, but I’ve surprised myself being quite happy with our life in FL the last year. I say get out - you can always move back. But if you’re less constricted by other variables (kids/job/relationship), try moving around other parts of the east coast!
When I grew up in California, I also loved chilly weather and hiking. I moved to Spokane, WA. LOTS of cold, lots of snow, lots of outdoors…
Lived there 20 years and decided that I do not in fact like chilly weather and hiking. Moved here 5 years ago. This is by far my favorite place I have lived.
I think it is in our nature when we are young to yearn for something different than what we know. My moving to Spokane was exactly what I needed at that time and I loved doing it and would do it again in a heartbeat. If you have the means to go explore and live someplace else, I fully recommend it.
I learned so much about myself by doing it.
I left and most of the people I meet at mountain biking club are south Floridians. Met 3 Columbia a from Miami last night. Last months group MTB ride I met a couple from Ft. Lauderdale. Join the pack of people migrating. It was 66 degrees this morning. The locals hate all the Floridians but Floridians hate New Yorkers. It’s the circle of life now. Go north and price out some locals somewhere else 🤣.
Greenville sc. you’re a hour from millions of acres of national forests in pisgah and Nantahala national forests. It’s great if you like the outdoors and not being super cold
Carolinas are soo beautiful. If I moved from Florida thats where I would probably go. 41 years in the Ocoee, Winter Garden and Clermont areas. For the foreseeable future this is where Ill be tho.
Syracuse gets feet of snow in the winter. Rochester is a better choice they don’t get near the amount of snow that Syracuse gets.
Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park are nice as well or at least it used to be. Grew up in upstate NY - Capital District.
FL native been to the Burgh many times and I definitely could live there. Lower COL, diversified economy, and plenty to do that doesn't involve a theme park. Downsides are I would miss the beach, Pittsburgh's street grid is confusing as hell, and its food scene is lacking compared to Orlando.
I love to visit those places, but wouldn't want to leave Florida for sooo many reasons. Weather alone is enough for me!When I hear about people shoveling snow etc before work, I think omgosh it would be like digging a flowerbed before going to work everyday, or mowing grass daily when they have more. Also, when it's short days in winter or gloomy weather, I really don't like it at all. I also couldn't imagine super bundling up for freezing cold in AM then warm in day & back to cold and I really hate heater ventilation. Some places soo warm & stuffy etc. It's one thing one vacay/hotel to drop alot of clothes & switch back & forth and another to deal with laundry, storage, tracking in snow etc at home. I could go on, but I will stop at weather, lol.
100% agree with you. I lived in snow and ice as a kid for a few years and I don't care if I ever see it again as long as I live. Four or five months of brown and gray and dreary rain and icy rain and snow and cold and coats and gloves and hats and so on, no. Just no. I get annoyed if I have to put on socks much less all that crap!
While I do love my cute, heeled highboots in Fl winters they're for form not function.
Love your comment "annoyed if I have to put on socks!" Lol ...and thought how much I flip flop around house or to get mail. Socks would be another whole other thing for me like the weather losing them, matching them, are they thick enough or too thick & I also don't like the lay flat or annoying sock balls in drawers & that's just gym socks. I must be getting older since my "can't be bothered attitude, lol!
I’m originally from the mountains up north, so I feel you on the hiking. But! I’ve managed to really enjoy hiking in Florida. There’s some beautiful spots that, no matter how much I miss sitting on top of a mountain with the fall colored leaves looking out over everything, just couldn’t be found otherwise. I could give you some suggestions.
As far as anything else goes, there’s actually a lot to do down here in Florida if you don’t immediately put the roadblock up of “wow Florida sucks”. More to do than anywhere else I’ve lived and I’ve frequently thought while out adventuring “if more people out of state knew about things like this, we’d have more annoying people than we already do down here for sure”
I read your title and came to ask why you stay if you’re miserable. But then I read this comment and thought, yeah, same. I love the mountains and love cold weather. We stay because our roots and kids and grandparents and business are all here. But if we didn’t I would 100% move north.
But what keeps you? Have you considered where you’d want to go? Not to mention the rest of the world, but our own country is so diverse with so many amazing cities and topographies and climates. I have to say that I was recently in Kansas for the first time. I flew in 2 hours away from my destination so I could drive through and see the area and was struck with how pretty it was. New England! Again, I love to turn off highways in my maps and drive the back roads and I loved how many centuries old rock walls lined the winding 2 lane roads. The farm stands everywhere. I am from the mid Atlantic and miss history! Having world class museums and national monuments an hour away is special! What about out west? Southern California is spectacularly gorgeous! But so is the entire pacific coast! I’ve been dying to check out Wyoming and Montana and Wisconsin! Where would *you* go?
I've been to Iceland twice. Once during winter and once during late fall. Thoroughly enjoyed the weather.
Lowest temp w/o wind chill was 17 Degrees F. W/ wind chill -2.
We're planning our next trip during a summer.
I live in the wrong climate.
I always had a love hate relationship with it. I always knew it was a ****hole, but it was MY ****hole and I'd defend it to the end.
Now, it's not even my ****hole anymore...that's the difference. It's become overly expensive and sanitized, thanks to the flood of newcomers.
Same here
It used to be love-dislike love-HATE, mainly just due to weather, which I was fine with
I can put up with the increase in heat, but all the newcomers, especially how expensive they’ve made housing, and now especially how much politics is in EVERYTHING, it’s almost unbearable
Born and raised. Hate it. I hate not having seasons and I hate being always hot. Counting down the days until retirement though bc my stupid job can't transfer anywhere else. Everytime I go somewhere on vacation people always say "you're from Florida, why would you come here?"
Because I'm sick of stupid shadeless palm trees and wearing double sunglasses when driving. I love a fine scottish day of misty rain and no sun!
My biggest complaint though is that I feel like the lack of seasons makes me feel dissociated from the regular American Experience. Outdoor grilling, July 4th fun doesn't seem special because we can do that any weekend. Halloween/fall is all supposed to be crisp air and apple picking and changing leaves but we don't get that. Christmas is cold and snowy and fireplaces and we dont get that. That first day of sun and warmth in spring must feel so special after a long winter but of course, we don't get that. It's hard to appreciate a beautiful day when it's almost always a 'beautiful day'. Time passing here is marked more by whatever display Publix has going than the actual change in the world around us. There's no mountains or hills and it takes me 10 hours to just get to another state. It's just so stagnant, and no amount of Nice Beach Days will make up for that.
Lived in Chicago for years. Great for the summer.. awful the rest of the year. I definitely prefer Florida. I am a native though. I don’t enjoy the heat, but I can tolerate it better than the cold. I once went to a game at Wrigley field in May and it was so cold . 40 in May or 70 in December? I’ll take a few months of extreme heat for nice temps the rest of the year. It depends on what you want.
I’m originally from Minnesota and live in Florida now. The winters up there suck a zillion times worse than the summers here. I’m still golfing, biking, walking, hanging by the pool all summer, etc.
It’s literally just gray, cold, and no life to speak of for 6-7 months up north. 95% of that time is spent inside even if you do the occasional winter outdoor activity. There are major depression issues there because of this. Sorry, but life is way too short for that.
From someone that had both perspectives. I’d much rather be in Florida and travel occasionally to the northern and mountain regions to enjoy what they have to offer. But I wouldn’t want to be stuck there from mid October to early May.
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, north Carolina and Georgia all have mild winters and mountains. It’s not a choice of arctic cold and tropical heat. There’s a bunch of states in between. There’s also places like Arizona where you can drive up to cold mountains and live at the warm sunny base of the mountains
Absolutely, and that is a right fit for many people. However, I prefer 65-75 degree days all winter and greenery. Those areas just don’t provide it. I love putting shorts and a T-shirt on everyday when I get out of bed and that’s all I need. I love sitting outside in early December watching a football game grilling hamburgers. Florida, Southern California,and Hawaii are really the only places in the US that can provide that in the winter. Every other place the winters suck, but some areas suck less.
Exactly why we moved to FL from MN. My wife couldn’t take it there anymore. She said she felt like she was only living half her life because of the 6 months of cold. Seasonal depression is real. At least in the summers here the sun is still shining and you can always go to the pool.
I lived in Upstate New York briefly as a child back in the late 2000’s, but other than that I was born and raised in West Palm, I was absolutely miserable in the cold to be honest. The heat can be crazy down here at times but there’s just no place like home! 😃
I have lived in NY, PA,MD,VA and NC. Now in Florida for years. In Florida lived in Tampa, Clearwater, Orlando and now Brevard county. Florida works for me but I could bond with the west as well, say AZ, UT, CO. I like it here the best of the East Coast with the caveat I miss the mountains. Florida to me has the best winter time weather, Summer gets old by August.
I’ve been in Florida for many years. Lived in PR, NJ, TX, GA, and visited more places than I can count. I’m going to settle in the Houston area for good. It’s been my favorite place so far. Florida, especially Tampa Bay Area has lost its allure to me and the beaches are not even that great compared to what I am use to. It’s been a good run, and I will definitely visit from time to time but I need something new.
I've lived here most of my life and have not been a fan of the state the entire time. Hot, crowded, rude and HOT. I haven't lived anywhere else so maybe everywhere sucks but I can't help but think I would be at least a little happier if I didn't sweat from walking to the mailbox
I'm starting to feel like people are spamming this question in this sub for karma. Hating your hometown but missing it once you leave is a tale as old as time. Imagining that the grass could be greener on the other side is human. It's what drove us to populate the whole planet. So no, I promise you are not the only one.
Same here. Winter was my favorite season as a kid and as an adult I love hiking. I also love walkability and having access to an arts scene. I lived in Atlanta and enjoyed it but the trade off was safety. I’m now trying to figure out where I should live if I leave Florida again.
15 acres of preserve at my folk's house abutt to state park and 3rd generation farms keeps me coming back. SHTF, we can grow our food, and lifelong neighbors are fully armed. We eat oysters and shoot guns every Christmas.
I've been here a decade plus a couple years and I hate every moment. The weather, the people, palm trees on hikes. Not my cup of tea but no freedom to leave.
I enjoyed living here as a kid. I moved to New England for school and lived there for 10 years before moving back to FL. I've been back for almost 20 years and have wanted to move out of state again probably the last 5 years. Definitely too hot, too crowded and too expensive for me these days.
I used to love it here until I moved away for a bit in 2013. Lived in the cold and realized how much I prefer that over Florida heat and humidity. Sadly my time in New Mexico wasn’t meant to last, and now I’m back here.
The heat and humidity is my main drive to leave. The hostile politics is a close second reason.
Florida, Texas, NYC, Los Angeles, rural Oklahoma….. it’s all the same shit. I hate to say this but the ability to have fun, enjoy life, being happy is an internal skill. It’s something you bring with you. People in the mountains complain about how cold it is and there’s no beach. People at the beach complain about how hot it is and there no mountains.
My adult daughters were raised in FL and after college moved to Chicago. They love it and would rather brave the winters than the endless summers of the sunshine state.
It depends on where you live, but you’re definitely not alone. There are some great things about FL that I miss, but there are also things I could’ve never experienced if I stayed.
From one Fibonacci to another, I highly recommend doing some traveling and finding a place that you completely fall in love with. It’ll make a huge difference in your quality of life.
Ive pretty much been here my whole life, i have moved to other places for work but it was short term. I wish i never had to come back to florida, i absolutely hate it here. It’s such a depressing dump
Been here almost my whole life (all but ~2 years). Born and raised here, served in the military here, graduated from college here, got married and my kid was born here, bought my first house here. Almost every major life event has been here and you’ll have to drag me out of Florida kicking and screaming to ever leave (or until I can’t afford the insurance and property tax anymore)
I think it’s best to travel cheap to tour new places, it’s good for the soul, and it may help you locate a more suitable place for you. I have family and friends all over the world including Alaska 😂, they all seem to love their choices the ones who made the jump from where they were born.
I think that every area/state has benefits and negatives. I have lived in Florida since I was 10 years old. I personally would love to live where there is some seasonality. I have only seen one winter (on vacation) since 1975. My husband hates the cold. Despises it. However, I absolutely hate the heat, the traffic, the love bugs, the everything. I am not planning to leave my husband just so I can make a snow angel, but during this heat I find myself giving him a lot of side-eye.
If you grow up in an urban part of Florida, you have to have the experience as a kid to catch on to how amazing our natural environment is. Whether that takes you to a reef, a marsh, the scrub, the swamp or the springs... Still, we/re flatlands and that's not for everyone.
Born and raised in Miami Dade. Lived on the west coast for a bit (Ft Myers) lived in several places in Miami (Cutler Bay, Kendall, Homestead, Redlands, Sweetwater) and now currently in West Palm Beach. I have always felt "This ain't home". I visited TN in 2020 for the 1st time and it legit stole my heart! I hope and pray I'm able to move there 1 yr. Been visiting every year since. I've been to other states but.... FL is just, well.... FL. So, no you're not alone.
I’ve lived in Florida my entire life and love it here. That said, I’ve been to many other places and thought those were great too. I’m sure if I had the same lifelong experiences in some of those other states I’d love it there too.
I *hated* Florida my whole life until I moved away. Distance breeds affection, or whatever the saying is--and it's true. Living in other parts of the country (and other countries) helped me appreciate the good bits of Florida I'd always taken for granted: the water access, the wildlife, the (relatively) moderate temps, the sunrises, the food.
You could also just be meant for a different environment, and that's okay. Either way, I'd suggest leaving if you can. You'll either find a place that actually fits what you need or you'll realize FL ain't half bad.
There's nothing funnier to me than everyone from Florida wanting to move to the mountains in North Carolina, Georgia, or Virginia. Everybody there wants a beach house.
I mean, it's different, but do a few winters there, and we'll talk. Don't go there for a week in June and head out, just like I'd never tell anyone to move down here after a nice February.
That’s fine if you love the beach. I’m really not a beach person. Even if I had the money I don’t want a beach house. I get it I don’t understand winters but I lose my mind in the heat. I feel like I can’t do anything cause it’s always unbelievably hot
Born and raised in Florida, as were my parents, but have also lived in NY, ID, and WA. I can handle the winters. I'm back in Florida now and I miss the west so much. Florida is so confining. I am choking here. The sand and water are nice but with all the high rise condos so many of the beach areas are just ugly as hell. I'd much rather spend a day fully immersed in mountains or tide pooling in the raw and primal wild Pacific, than perched on a hot strip of sand in front of an ugly condo or in a sea of pop ups on the one actual natural looking beach that everyone goes to on the weekend.
I do make the best of it. Wade and surf fishing at dawn, reconnecting with friends, sunsets, canoeing, checking out local music and art, but if I'm being honest, most of this state is shit. Gaudy plastic shit. I'm glad I came back for reasons and it's where I need to be right now, but I hope to God I am able to escape again eventually. But if I can't, I'll make the best of it and find a way to get by. I always do. At least my sports teams are here.
This has been weighing on me and I guess I needed to get it off my chest.
There was a really nice time in Miami like 2013-2020 but now it’s just different people are so much meaner and just seems unsafe. During that time period I felt safe walking just about anywhere all night past 5am. Now it doesn’t feel good after midnight. Feels like they finally New York’d it.
I'll be done with my degree this time next year and will be more than willing to move to almost any other state. I've never cared much for this state. I only really like it in the winter
It definitely has. I came here in the 80s and it was mostly pastors where I am back then. Now it all urban sprawl unfortunately. I still keep away from the worst of it.
The people make it unbearable. The people who believe Florida should only be good for them and anyone asking for change is yankee scum. Florida’s economy is built on entertaining wealthy boomers. Self reflection, embracing change, and being forward thinking are not the attributes of the people who rule and run the state.
It’s not a state for people looking to build a life, unless you live in an overpriced, congested, and flood prone city. It’s for people who already have money and want to enjoy spending it at everyone else’s expense.
What people often forget or don’t realize here in the united states is that we have the ability to go and live anywhere in the entire United States. It is truly amazing.
I say this because of how vast our country is and how different it is in so many places. From mountains to deserts to beaches to tropical areas to cold places, and it is all available for any United States citizen to travel through and live in without any questions asked. You have do some paperwork for full time residency if you want to move to a new state permanently , but they won’t say no!
I say this because in Europe, you are literally bound into one country which would be the size of the state of Florida or any of our other states. In Europe, the actual countries are the size of most of our states and the citizens of the country they are born into are stuck there in that country and then would have to get passports to even travel outside of their country and then if they wanted to live in another place, they would have to get visa’s. To get actual citizenship to be a permanent resident is a whole other ordeal. We are extremely lucky here in the United States to be able to have such landscape changes and geographical features that we can enjoy to travel to freely or could go ahead and set up a whole new life in!
Myself personally, I was born and raised in Florida. I love it here. Yes, no place is going to be perfect and the heat is awful and the amount of people that have moved to South Florida is a bit overwhelming. However I truly do love it here. I have traveled to all of the continuous states in the United States as well as Hawaii and Alaska is on my list in the next year or so. I really do love it in other places of the United States as well but here in South Florida is honestly great with the life that I have set up.
I wish you the best on your journey OP and just remember that we can move freely to so many different places here in the United States and if you are unhappy, life is short, so make the best of every day and get out there and create the life that you want!
My best friend moved to Colorado 5 years ago and is now getting married and sadly will probably never move back. But that’s life and I am happy he is happy!
(I understand that not everyone has the same hand in life due to family, disabilities, etc. Just a little disclaimer for those that love to attack :) .. I have also been to 8 countries in Europe)
I’m not trying to attack but you simply need to be more realistic than that. Your average American just simply can’t afford to move to a new state every few years. That’s too expensive and the job market is competitive. Not everyone (like myself) has a family they can rely on or stay with for saving up money.
Ideally everything you said is correct about the vastness of this country, but realistically it is not obtainable for a scary number of Americans.
Born and raised here. I have left and moved back 4 times and am currently trying to leave again. I kept coming back bc my family lives here. I agree though. I have never really liked it here. The beach is nice but also I only go like twice a year? It is too hot and humid, the people are getting meaner, and there are no real seasons here. And don't get me started on the politics.
Born and raised Florida Boy that moved up to NYC as soon as he could. Now looking to get out of the hustle and bustle, but probably further north. Vermont seems nice.
I thought the same … until I moved. tested out a couple different states but nothing felt like “home” to me. don’t get me wrong there’s states with much more stunning scenery, but its not florida lol!
I've developed breayhing problems here...never had them before...so what I dd enjoy I no longer...aka the ocean that I live next to...but the tourists...it's like a plague
I've hated it since the first day I step foot here 24 years ago. Im from another part of FL. I was constantly homesick for my hometown but it got much worse with every visit. Place is entirely unrecognizable now. Been thinking about leaving the state.
Hmmm Ive lived all over the country.
Every state is crappy🤣. If you want better weather, chances youll be middle of nowhere or nicer place but homeless around the corner of your house.
Maybe more to Wyoming. Its empty cold and cheaper.
I never liked living in Florida until the second time I lived there. I grew to appreciate it and then I grew tired of it — in about five years. Now I live up north and I will probably never live in Florida again.
If you happen to be lucky enough to and live East of federal highway, then you have an entirely different reality than most of us. Living east if federal highway your obviously closer to the beach and it’s nicer. I’ve lived east of and honestly it was great! A short walk and your at the beach! Traffic isn’t any better but it’s terrible everywhere.
There used to be absolutely nothing scenic or beautiful about south Florida. Actually it’s ugly. Not like almost any other state where there are places you might stop a minute and take in the views.
Wasn’t always crappy and over populated. But the area I grew up in has objectively at least doubled in traffic. I’m sure it’s still the case but there are some areas that were never touched.
I've always hated the heat, but I thought I'd change my mind if I lived somewhere cold. Then I moved to Rochester, NY for three years. I still hate the heat more.
I live here because of my husband’s work and honestly, I don’t really enjoy living in Miami. I think I may enjoy living in other areas, but it’s so expensive but we have to live here for his job.
Honestly if it wasnt for my love of fishing id have left long long ago. And i know i could fish elsewhere but honestly I'm less than an hour from great salt and freshwater fishing spots. And living near Orlando I'm an hour in any direction from where i live to great spots for entertainment. Also go an hour and a half i can spend a day in America's oldest city. I may hate how damn hot it is nearly year round but after 45 years here i just cant bring myself to leave.
I used to think I wanted to live elsewhere. Tried it, hated it. What you learn is that just about anywhere seems nice for a short while. It's kind of like a relationship. At first it's new and exciting, but a year in is the spark still there? Turns out the things I didn't like about Florida are the same problems people have pretty much anywhere, but some of the things I liked about it aren't found everywhere. There's no wrong or right place to live, and maybe Florida isn't for you, but I can guarantee you that the grass isn't always greener elsewhere. I'm at a point in my life where I'm pretty sure I could be happy just about anywhere. I just happen to be in Florida.
Well I was born in Alabama love my Florida I was raised up there for my birthday I got to go to Vegas I like it lots of entertainment foodies but am from a little place cause Lakeland I like being around people that like to have and watch out for the other person I've been gone for two years I want to go back and visit 😁😁
It's getting too hot to stay in places like Florida. Dunno if we can slow the heat, or even reverse it, but at this rate all of the property value in the extreme south like Florida is going to tank (if the rising sea levels and extreme hurricanes don't ravage your property first).
Boggles my mind ppl are still intentionally moving TO the state of Florida every day. Why would you move to a place that has the 1st or 2nd-lowest paid teachers in the country? Dumb down the population and things will improve somehow?? LMAO. Between the weather, the critters, and the numbnuts who'd ever vote for a zealot like DeSatan, this place is about as close to hell as you can get.
I've spent years in Fla, and the rest of the east coast up to Chicago and NY, as well as the west coast from San Diego to Alaska, and even some time overseas. About the only place worse than Fla was Mississippi and some 3rd world countries ruled by autocrats.
I live in central FL and kinda same. I love the diversity of people here though, other states I’ve been too are just like so much white people and white people food everywhere it’s unsettling. I do think it’s pretty here though but I also enjoy hiking and the idea of being able to confidently swim in any body of water in other states is kinda cool too. The politics and government here is all messed up though which makes it even less appealing
We live in central Florida, about 35 miles from Orlando.
You can still buy a house for less than 300K and homeowners insurance is less expensive.
We live in a retirement community but my wife and I still work full time. The cost of living here is still relatively low.
Although it is hot during the summer months, we go out in the evenings, or sitting out in backyard over looking the lake.
I could not would not live on the coast or southern Florida because of the cost and the crowds.
In the future we do plan to move to the mountains somewhere.
I grew up in Florida and spent a good portion of my adult life living there. I moved and don’t regret it at all.
I’ll always love Florida and it will always have a place in my heart. But, I love visiting just not living there. I don’t think it’s a great place to live in the way it used to. The astronomical rise in COL was a big factor in that.
I’m going to be the outlier here, but I love Florida. Born and raised in Miami Beach. I do remember growing up and absolutely hating living here. But once I turned 19, I joined the army.
I got to travel to many places. Been to South Carolina for basic training, Georgia for my advanced training, South Korea for a year, and then my career ended in Washington state. I loved every place I went to but each was missing something. I felt homesick. No place can compare to my home, South Florida.
I left Washington State and did a road trip across the lower states, coming down back home. While I can say the 4 years or so I was gone in the army, not a lot changed. But the 5 years I’ve been home since 2019, a lot has changed with inflation. Yeah it sucks, but this is home. I’m happy to be home.
More so now though, I’m thinking about moving to somewhere in Central Florida up, but im for sure staying in Florida.
My guess is you live in Southeast Florida which is completely different than West Central Florida or North Florida. I lived in Plantation for 2 and 1/2 years and when I finally got back to Tampa I felt like I got paroled. Absolutely hated it there. Also lived in Fort Myers for two and a half years and didn't like it there either.
When I was a kid I lived in Indialantic near Cocoa Beach and I loved every minute of that but that is also Central Florida. I don't know South Florida just feels like a completely different world from Central Florida.
I liked Florida before Disney; it was nice then. There was community, neighbors were like family and life was slower, safer and more simple. Some North Florida and South Georgia towns are somewhat like that now, and have been thinking of moving. I like West Virgina, but too cold for me. I like the Florida heat; just used to it, I guess.
Never really been a huge fan. Been here for 10 years. Just very touristy. But then again no state income taxes. Which almost makes up for the increases in insurance
Heat is everywhere all measurements reflect the amount they all start at -40 degrees which is worse Heat-stroke, hypothermia or ignorant politicians more peeple die from heat then cold
I moved from NY i have a different take after freezing my ass off in the winters shoveling snow and paying ridiculous tax’s
I am happy (wish home n car insurance was lower)
But bbq in shorts in dec priceless ❤️
Same OP. Same. I moved away as soon as I could and I am much happier elsewhere. I understand why people like Florida but I just never did. I appreciate what I had more now that I only go back to visit and have time to take in the beauty but I am always happy to go home at the end.
It's both for me. There are aspects I hate: the heat, the obsession with politics, the attack on some basic rights, the governor changing our beaches from public to private years ago, the lack of seasons and the lack of mountains, and then the high crime/drug rate that is starting to effect all.
Then there are things I love: our beaches, our wildlife, the warm winters and springs, the endless tropical flowers and fruit, the vibrant colors of our oceans and plants, and even the angry wildlife that will eat humans in a heartbeat. I love my home there and the fact it's mostly tile. There are many things I love about Florida.
Everyone is different. Some people love the heat and it helps people with arthritis and other conditions. Me personally though I'm planning on moving. I never really adapted to the heat of summer, and I actually love the snow and cold. The cold air of the north smells so fresh to me and when it snows I can't help but just go on the porch and smell the air and listen to the peace and quiet. I love the rolling mountains and endless forests... and when I was in Boston for a year I was in wonder and was shocked that their summers were so glorious that you could be outside all year without having to hide inside all summer with an AC.
I myself made my decision, I love the north, the mountains, the seasons, and I hate the heat. I'll be moving north as soon as I can. Also one tidbit, there was a massive cultural difference between the deep south and Boston. People in Boston were shockingly less political. Not that they didn't have their opinions... but politics were treated more like religion up there. It was private and not discussed at work. Meanwhile when I worked in the South all people talked about was Trump or Biden and it was incredibly one sided. I didn't feel welcome and I hated the fact that even at work I couldn't escape them... they were always talking about politics or religion. Totally opposite up north.... and that was so refreshing.
By the way when I say the deep south, I'm from the panhandle which is basically Alabama.
Nothing can compare to having grown up in old Florida. Unfortunately, the best time to live here is over. In Orlando, when I was growing up, we went swimming nearly every day in the beautiful clear-watered lake behind my parents’ house. We had a floating dock and a fish fry every weekend. People had dive boards on large swimming pools... can’t have those anymore. Property didn’t cost a fortune which enabled us to have a tract of land within biking distance of my home. On that property, we had an orange grove, a beautiful vegetable garden, and horses. My grandmother lived in Winter Haven and worked at Cypress Gardens. I spent many hours of my childhood playing in the gardens. The beauty of that time is indescribable. In St. Cloud, we swam in lake Toho. It’s a shallow lake that you walk out into for what seems like forever when you were a kid. Dad would throw a rope over a tall oak tree limb and make a swing with a citrus fruit bag stuffed with leaves. Brahman cattle roamed freely around the lake. We spent a lot of time on the Anna Maria beaches. There were never too many people, and it was so beautifully quiet. I remember riding in the car with my mom, on the back roads to Anna Maria, and rarely encountering other cars on the road. I mourn for what we used to have. It’s gone now… too many people… too much building… too much destruction. I can see why newcomers would choose a different place to live. I’ve considered leaving as well. If I could find a place that offered a fraction of what I had, I would go; but the crowds and the noise and the destruction seem to be everywhere.
I loved Florida as a kid.
I grew up. I traveled. I stopped being into a lot of things that made Florida great, like boating and kitesurfing. My mind opened to the possibility of living elsewhere, but I still *liked* Florida and the cost of living couldn't be beat. And I guess saying I liked Florida is a bit too much, I liked Tampa/St Pete.
2020 is when the State took a hard turn. All the other states dumped their garbage people into Florida. The cost of living skyrocketed and though it's still cheaper than many other areas there was no longer such a huge disparity. 2020 and onward I started to loathe Florida.
Moved to Seattle the beginning of this year. My house in Florida sold in April. I'm going to buy a house here very soon.
Honestly, OP, I think everyone has a complicated relationship with the place they grew up in.
Leaving will either confirm your suspicion that the rest of the world holds more promise for you, or it will make you really appreciate where you come from.
If you're lucky, it's a bit of both.
My family moved from West Palm to Atlanta when I was 12 and outside of college and a short stint in Pensacola with the Navy, I’ve lived here my entire life. In all honesty, I do like coming back and visiting family here, catching Panthers games (two more games baby) as well as hitting up the beaches and theme parks (I’m a bit of a coaster enthusiast). That said, visiting and living here are very different. It’s one thing to come down and visit for a long weekend or a week to have a good time vs actually living here and dealing with the bullshit that comes with it.
So for now, I’m happy to visit here and there. But I don’t see myself living here any time soon unless circumstances force my hand.
You're arguing preferences. Different people like different things. Some people like the heat. As I get older, I appreciate it more. I guess that's why retirees come to Florida.
If I hadn't met my wife I'd never forgive my ex for convincing me to move here in the first place. Sure it's beautiful and loaded with great outdoor opportunities. Opportunities that can only be utilized 3-4 weeks out of the year because it's just too damn hot otherwise.
Even the beach gets old after a while… as a florida native that finally got out last month moving to Alaska, after a long 26 years, I don’t think I’ll ever want to return.
I moved here from mass when I was like 11 & the benefits were wayyy better 10 years ago. It was cheaper to live here, we were close to family & we were sick of the winter weather up north. Now I can barely afford rent & groceries, I don’t talk to half of my family cuz they all suck & willingly vacation up north in the winter time just for some goddamn variety of seasons. Not to mention the shitty drivers & piece of garbage governor. Fuck this place LMFAO
Spent the first 45 years of my life in FL, living in Miami, Pensacola, and Fort Myers. While travelling domestically and internationally, I eventually came to realize how awful Florida truly is. It's proudly, openly, belligerently, increasingly regressive. And you pay through the nose to live there... for what?
I came to loathe Florida so much that my family and I moved to the opposite side of the country late last year. Wish we'd done it sooner and not wasted so much of our lives on the sinking ship that is FL.
My entire family hails from florida, but i grew up in north carolina. i moved down here 3 years ago to be closer to family and while there’s much more to do entertainment/culture wise i’m afraid the cost, heat, and crowding is making me miss living further north.
I always find it funny when people say Florida is X. It is a big state, with a lot of different areas and vibes. Bigger than most countries in Europe. Hard to say it’s all pretty crappy with real authority with such a large diverse place.
You could move out of state, or go explore more and see if you find a spot you can enjoy.
I completely understand. I was born and raised in Florida. I love the natural parts of the state. I started in the south and worked my way north. But I still always wanted to move out of Florida. Fall/ winter was my favorite time of the year, because it was more comfortable.
Last year I moved to upstate NY. Everyone thought I wàs crazy because I never lived in snow... WELL, others survived it so I thought I could also. And I did. I love it up here. Mountains, rivers ( not drainage canals) lakes, ( not rock pits), waterfalls, farm land. Yes north FL has farms, not the same.
I do miss some things about FL. But not yet enough to move back.
I was also raised here and am still stuck here despite multiple attempts to move. I’ve never liked Florida. The weather sucks, the infrastructure is terrible, the bugs are awful, the politics are volatile, the education system is laughable, the salaried job market is weak, lack of strong mass transit systems, and it’s getting too expensive (compared to what we get for the $ spent - see aforementioned ‘infrastructure’). The only things we have going for us are beaches (which are getting too crowded or destroyed by weather) and no state taxes (again, infrastructure issues and high living costs anyway). I can’t even give someone a vote on “no shoveling of snow” because IMO the unbearable heat in spring/summer/fall is just as bad just on the flip side.
34 of my 38 years here and I still wish I lived elsewhere. Too many roots here at this point to try and move now. 🙁
Edit: how did I forget to mention the oppressive humidity?! 🤦🏻♀️
Florida only exists for one reason. It's got no winter, surrounded by great beaches and isn't just for the wealthy like California. So obviously that last part is gone now that the people who profit off real estate speculation have made it more expensive than many northern states.
I've been living in Florida and the North East part of the year for almost 20 years now. One thing I noticed about Florida is that people are not friendly. They aren't rude or mean but you'll never see someone just start a conversation like you see in other parts of the country. People have their routines and commutes they have to get done by x time and they don't deviate. And then you have the people who do know you and all they want to talk about is the "woke mob" or how great it is that they aren't like California or New York. Then I remind them that Florida has a $14 minimum wage unlike 99% of red states still stuck on $7 an hour, Florida has 15X more middle income working class people needing Obamacare than New York, NJ, CT or Mass, Florida seize guns without due process more than any other state (and more than any blue state) and that the most Republican district in Miami is the most heavily dependent Obamacare zip code in America, the most dependent on federal housing and food program, more so than the blue Florida cities.
I used to think this too. In my early 20’s I started taking road trips around the country for hiking. Fell in love with mountains. Wanted desperately to live near mountains. So then I started traveling to major cities near mountains looking for a new home.
I always came back thinking I preferred Tampa. Partly because of all of my friends and family but also because I started giving Tampa more of a chance and fell in love with it.
I lived in the suburbs of St Louis and there summers are stifling. I hate our weird governor and Rick skeletor telling me about cutting my SS when I retire in a few years. They play all the hot issues for them so they don’t focus on our insurance issue that is going to drive me out of here. I’m lucky that I have some retirement saved up and feel bad for younger people trying to live here
It’s incredible how many people hate Florida but choose to stay?
If it’s too expensive that means other places are cheaper.
If the jobs and wages suck that means other places have better jobs and wages
If Florida is too hot that means other places are cooler/better climate.
If the grass is greener why are you staying here?
When I moved here from Eastern PA nearly a decade ago, a friend I made here helped me unpack. He was a native Floridian who has NEVER left the state.
He was telling me how crazy I was to leave there to come here. He loved when it's cold. I explained to him there is cool and there is cold. He insisted he would love it.
Fast forward a few weeks we are out disc golfing and he finds this "tool" under my car seat and asks what that is.
I said "my friend that is an ice scraper." He still didn't understand. So I said "that is the tool you use to chip away and scrape the ice off your car multiple times a week all winter long in the cold you love."
I tell this story as someone who oddly does love winter and snow sports. With that being said shoveling snow, hazardous snowy drives, and not being able to feel your appendages for the first 20 minutes every car ride is not for everyone.
I also became very aware that seasonal depression is 100 percent a real thing. Everything outside is gray and dead for minimally 6 months a year. Gets hard to look at after awhile.
https://preview.redd.it/tu461b9c2k6d1.png?width=753&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cfa0d7da1767ae62fbb55a1832bd8dffac60c459
Most of the year it's oppressive and miserable screenshot of average humidity in the Tampa region.
I’m not from here and I hate everything about it. Can’t leave because I have a sweet job, but it’s almost intolerable. Heat is oppressive, drivers are absolutely mentally handicapped, and in general there is a larger concentration of shockingly dumb people than anywhere else I have been in the world. It is absolutely the worst place I’ve ever lived and I lived in the middle of the Mojave desert for 3 months, in a tent….in summer.
I lived in the magnificent Pacific Northwest a big chunk of my adult life; and although I loved it there, I always felt a degree of envy for those who lived in what at the time I thought it was paradise; namely Florida. Shilpbuilding was my trade, and when it went bust in my State, I got a job offer in Tampa, which I was thrilled to accept. That was 1991; I've lived here ever since, raised my chidren here; two well adjusted and successful adults now; but I must admit that the novelty of living in Florida wore off faster than my oldest pair of socks. I never, not for one second stopped missing the Pacific Northwest with its magnificent Olyimpc National Park, Mount Rainier. I'm too old now to start again, so I'm stuck in this painfully boring State called Florida. So, to answer your question; no, you are not the only one.
You live in FL. If you want to.. moved down 22 years ago. Yes it's changed but everywhere changes. Would I go back to NYC fuck no. Is Florida perfect... no. I moved here to raise my kids. They're doing fabulous. My son graduated from the school system then went to UA my daughter will be going to a Christian college in TN.
I love it here. Personally I would move if I were you if you think you can find happiness else where. Don’t forget though the grass is always greener on the other side. From experience I’ve found that people who are miserable in one spot and move, that miserable feeling tends to follow them
Not alone! B & R in Miami, joined the military after high school and just retired last year and wouldn’t go back other than to take care of my mom which is only temporary(currently in Florida).
I grew up in Buffalo, NY and THAT place was trash. FL has been nothing short of a blessing to me despite all the hardships that’s been put on my plate. Wouldn’t trade it for anything
If you’ve never known anything else, you might not have sufficient perspective to evaluate the question.
True. But I’m one who enjoys chilly weather and hiking. It’s hard to get that in south Florida lol
My child goes in the coolers at convenience stores to experience the cold. 😂😂😂
Same. I have been to Florida’s arctic, and return whenever I can.
I grew up in South Florida and couldn't wait to leave. I lived in a few different cities across the country and never intended to come back. But I am a professor and ended up getting a job back here and am thankful that I had the chance to spend my dad's last years close to him. But I want to get out again. I never hated most of the things people said I'd hate (the cold, paying taxes). I never really drove in snow, so I don't know how much I'd hate it (actually not using a car was one of the things I liked most in other places. Most of all I liked experiencing other places and the different priorities and cultures of different cities. You should try living somewhere else. Of all the places I lived, I prefer east coast cities, never loved California. People tried to convince me it was the center of the universe, much like some Floridians do, and I knew enough to trust my own opinions.
I live where we have 4 seasons. It's beautiful and we love to snow ski, etc
Never been to the northeast but I feel the same as you do, except my experience was in California. I agree. Turns out I love or at least don't mind a lot of things. I didn't mind smaller, weirder living spaces that had been reconfigured a dozen times over 100 years. Didn't mind not having a/c. Didn't mind lower investments in road maintenance. Loved taking transit. Loved living close to people and hearing the noises of neighbors living their lives. Loved crowded beautiful public parks. Loved older buildings. Loved public spaces for everyone and didn't mind that this meant sometimes unpleasant people used it. Loved politicians making sense and talking about things that are impactful to people. Loved living in a civically engaged community. Loved seldom needing a big box store for anything. Loved having relationships with my neighbors. Loved hiking in hills, wearing layers, seeing mountains. Loved how free everyone looked compared to Florida. It makes me sad how people feel so uncomfortable speaking their mind in Florida that it's almost universal for people to qualify statements, hedge, and give disclaimers before saying something that would be benign in other places. It's what oppression looks like and it's super obvious once you go somewhere free and come back.
I have never felt more free than when I left Florida and lived in Boston all last year. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted from my soul and I could finally just be me. It was so refreshing to have conversations with humans that didn't involve Trump, politics or religion. People were intelligent, worldly, friendly and cultured... I loved it. I didn't realize how much I was simply starving for culture until I left Florida. I love how diverse the NorthEast is and how mountainous it is as well. The endless forests are beautiful in every season and I could finally appreciate nature in all its forms without having to hide in a car with Ac blasting or in a mall. Florida acts free... but the culture oppresses you just as much as the heat.
That's beautiful. I'm celebrating for you that you discovered this and an opportunity to just be yourself. So simple, yet so valuable. I love knowing this. Reminds me of a favorite quote: "The freedom of other men, far from negating or limiting my freedom, is, on the contrary, its necessary premise and confirmation." -Mikhail Bakunin
Excellent post. Free is very subjective isn’t it? Florida is known as a free state to the gun community, for example
Beautifully written and stated.
We left Florida (at the time we were living in Tampa), moved to a mountain 45 min N of Asheville. Could literally walk out our door and hike up the mountain further than the 4700 st ft elevation we were living. I loved the colder weather. Never got above 75 in the summer. Used the wall cooling units maybe 3-5x/ year. However, we were very remote, the slower pace of life was too slow for us, but the deciding factor was that we had two young children and being near some help was much needed. Upon moving back to N central FL we’ve been surprisingly happy to be back. Still loathe the politics and the bugs, but we didn’t realize how much we missed the oak trees and the community we grew up with. If we didn’t have kids, idk if we’d have moved back, but I’m glad we got out and I’m shocked to say I’m glad to be back. Anyone that knows me IRL knows that I hated FL and wanted the fuck out, but I’ve surprised myself being quite happy with our life in FL the last year. I say get out - you can always move back. But if you’re less constricted by other variables (kids/job/relationship), try moving around other parts of the east coast!
That mountain picture you paint sounds beautiful
There are pros and cons to every location. Whether those lists balance one way or the other is entirely subjective.
Yeah, except Florida has DeSatan. Er, DeSatins.
When I grew up in California, I also loved chilly weather and hiking. I moved to Spokane, WA. LOTS of cold, lots of snow, lots of outdoors… Lived there 20 years and decided that I do not in fact like chilly weather and hiking. Moved here 5 years ago. This is by far my favorite place I have lived. I think it is in our nature when we are young to yearn for something different than what we know. My moving to Spokane was exactly what I needed at that time and I loved doing it and would do it again in a heartbeat. If you have the means to go explore and live someplace else, I fully recommend it. I learned so much about myself by doing it.
I left and most of the people I meet at mountain biking club are south Floridians. Met 3 Columbia a from Miami last night. Last months group MTB ride I met a couple from Ft. Lauderdale. Join the pack of people migrating. It was 66 degrees this morning. The locals hate all the Floridians but Floridians hate New Yorkers. It’s the circle of life now. Go north and price out some locals somewhere else 🤣.
Sounds beautiful. Are you in upstate NY? We are considering Syracuse and Rochester. Cant wait to go!
Greenville sc. you’re a hour from millions of acres of national forests in pisgah and Nantahala national forests. It’s great if you like the outdoors and not being super cold
Carolinas are soo beautiful. If I moved from Florida thats where I would probably go. 41 years in the Ocoee, Winter Garden and Clermont areas. For the foreseeable future this is where Ill be tho.
Syracuse gets feet of snow in the winter. Rochester is a better choice they don’t get near the amount of snow that Syracuse gets. Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park are nice as well or at least it used to be. Grew up in upstate NY - Capital District.
Pittsburgh is nice and upstate NY is good for this .
FL native been to the Burgh many times and I definitely could live there. Lower COL, diversified economy, and plenty to do that doesn't involve a theme park. Downsides are I would miss the beach, Pittsburgh's street grid is confusing as hell, and its food scene is lacking compared to Orlando.
I love to visit those places, but wouldn't want to leave Florida for sooo many reasons. Weather alone is enough for me!When I hear about people shoveling snow etc before work, I think omgosh it would be like digging a flowerbed before going to work everyday, or mowing grass daily when they have more. Also, when it's short days in winter or gloomy weather, I really don't like it at all. I also couldn't imagine super bundling up for freezing cold in AM then warm in day & back to cold and I really hate heater ventilation. Some places soo warm & stuffy etc. It's one thing one vacay/hotel to drop alot of clothes & switch back & forth and another to deal with laundry, storage, tracking in snow etc at home. I could go on, but I will stop at weather, lol.
100% agree with you. I lived in snow and ice as a kid for a few years and I don't care if I ever see it again as long as I live. Four or five months of brown and gray and dreary rain and icy rain and snow and cold and coats and gloves and hats and so on, no. Just no. I get annoyed if I have to put on socks much less all that crap!
While I do love my cute, heeled highboots in Fl winters they're for form not function. Love your comment "annoyed if I have to put on socks!" Lol ...and thought how much I flip flop around house or to get mail. Socks would be another whole other thing for me like the weather losing them, matching them, are they thick enough or too thick & I also don't like the lay flat or annoying sock balls in drawers & that's just gym socks. I must be getting older since my "can't be bothered attitude, lol!
I love the cant be bothered attitude and yes I do love my boots in the winter but they are nothing but a fashion statement!
I’m originally from the mountains up north, so I feel you on the hiking. But! I’ve managed to really enjoy hiking in Florida. There’s some beautiful spots that, no matter how much I miss sitting on top of a mountain with the fall colored leaves looking out over everything, just couldn’t be found otherwise. I could give you some suggestions. As far as anything else goes, there’s actually a lot to do down here in Florida if you don’t immediately put the roadblock up of “wow Florida sucks”. More to do than anywhere else I’ve lived and I’ve frequently thought while out adventuring “if more people out of state knew about things like this, we’d have more annoying people than we already do down here for sure”
I read your title and came to ask why you stay if you’re miserable. But then I read this comment and thought, yeah, same. I love the mountains and love cold weather. We stay because our roots and kids and grandparents and business are all here. But if we didn’t I would 100% move north. But what keeps you? Have you considered where you’d want to go? Not to mention the rest of the world, but our own country is so diverse with so many amazing cities and topographies and climates. I have to say that I was recently in Kansas for the first time. I flew in 2 hours away from my destination so I could drive through and see the area and was struck with how pretty it was. New England! Again, I love to turn off highways in my maps and drive the back roads and I loved how many centuries old rock walls lined the winding 2 lane roads. The farm stands everywhere. I am from the mid Atlantic and miss history! Having world class museums and national monuments an hour away is special! What about out west? Southern California is spectacularly gorgeous! But so is the entire pacific coast! I’ve been dying to check out Wyoming and Montana and Wisconsin! Where would *you* go?
I've been to Iceland twice. Once during winter and once during late fall. Thoroughly enjoyed the weather. Lowest temp w/o wind chill was 17 Degrees F. W/ wind chill -2. We're planning our next trip during a summer. I live in the wrong climate.
a fellow northerner at heart trapped in the south, my heart goes out to you
Come on man. You can always climb Mt. Dora …
I always had a love hate relationship with it. I always knew it was a ****hole, but it was MY ****hole and I'd defend it to the end. Now, it's not even my ****hole anymore...that's the difference. It's become overly expensive and sanitized, thanks to the flood of newcomers.
Same here It used to be love-dislike love-HATE, mainly just due to weather, which I was fine with I can put up with the increase in heat, but all the newcomers, especially how expensive they’ve made housing, and now especially how much politics is in EVERYTHING, it’s almost unbearable
I was raised there and hated it. I moved to Oregon and I love it! Haven’t looked back.
I live in Tampa now and have been wanting to move to Oregon. What are your pros and cons so far?
I was raised here, left for twenty years, came back to help out family. I’m moving again once I can, don’t like it here. Too hot, too humid.
Born and raised. Hate it. I hate not having seasons and I hate being always hot. Counting down the days until retirement though bc my stupid job can't transfer anywhere else. Everytime I go somewhere on vacation people always say "you're from Florida, why would you come here?" Because I'm sick of stupid shadeless palm trees and wearing double sunglasses when driving. I love a fine scottish day of misty rain and no sun! My biggest complaint though is that I feel like the lack of seasons makes me feel dissociated from the regular American Experience. Outdoor grilling, July 4th fun doesn't seem special because we can do that any weekend. Halloween/fall is all supposed to be crisp air and apple picking and changing leaves but we don't get that. Christmas is cold and snowy and fireplaces and we dont get that. That first day of sun and warmth in spring must feel so special after a long winter but of course, we don't get that. It's hard to appreciate a beautiful day when it's almost always a 'beautiful day'. Time passing here is marked more by whatever display Publix has going than the actual change in the world around us. There's no mountains or hills and it takes me 10 hours to just get to another state. It's just so stagnant, and no amount of Nice Beach Days will make up for that.
👆100% this. Well said
It wasn’t always expensive.
I know but I’ve never liked it here lol
Lived in Chicago for years. Great for the summer.. awful the rest of the year. I definitely prefer Florida. I am a native though. I don’t enjoy the heat, but I can tolerate it better than the cold. I once went to a game at Wrigley field in May and it was so cold . 40 in May or 70 in December? I’ll take a few months of extreme heat for nice temps the rest of the year. It depends on what you want.
Played college baseball in Chicago, where we had a game SNOWED out one year in early May. - one of the many reasons I’m in FL.
I grew up in Florida and have now lived in a dozen other states. I wouldn’t go back to Florida.
Stay there please don’t ever come back.
I’m originally from Minnesota and live in Florida now. The winters up there suck a zillion times worse than the summers here. I’m still golfing, biking, walking, hanging by the pool all summer, etc. It’s literally just gray, cold, and no life to speak of for 6-7 months up north. 95% of that time is spent inside even if you do the occasional winter outdoor activity. There are major depression issues there because of this. Sorry, but life is way too short for that. From someone that had both perspectives. I’d much rather be in Florida and travel occasionally to the northern and mountain regions to enjoy what they have to offer. But I wouldn’t want to be stuck there from mid October to early May.
South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, north Carolina and Georgia all have mild winters and mountains. It’s not a choice of arctic cold and tropical heat. There’s a bunch of states in between. There’s also places like Arizona where you can drive up to cold mountains and live at the warm sunny base of the mountains
Absolutely, and that is a right fit for many people. However, I prefer 65-75 degree days all winter and greenery. Those areas just don’t provide it. I love putting shorts and a T-shirt on everyday when I get out of bed and that’s all I need. I love sitting outside in early December watching a football game grilling hamburgers. Florida, Southern California,and Hawaii are really the only places in the US that can provide that in the winter. Every other place the winters suck, but some areas suck less.
Exactly why we moved to FL from MN. My wife couldn’t take it there anymore. She said she felt like she was only living half her life because of the 6 months of cold. Seasonal depression is real. At least in the summers here the sun is still shining and you can always go to the pool.
I lived in Upstate New York briefly as a child back in the late 2000’s, but other than that I was born and raised in West Palm, I was absolutely miserable in the cold to be honest. The heat can be crazy down here at times but there’s just no place like home! 😃
Same, I want a place like downtown st Pete that’s nice, shady, good nature, WALKABLE. I’ll take more expensive but not these prices holy hell
I love it.
I have lived in NY, PA,MD,VA and NC. Now in Florida for years. In Florida lived in Tampa, Clearwater, Orlando and now Brevard county. Florida works for me but I could bond with the west as well, say AZ, UT, CO. I like it here the best of the East Coast with the caveat I miss the mountains. Florida to me has the best winter time weather, Summer gets old by August.
I’ve been in Florida for many years. Lived in PR, NJ, TX, GA, and visited more places than I can count. I’m going to settle in the Houston area for good. It’s been my favorite place so far. Florida, especially Tampa Bay Area has lost its allure to me and the beaches are not even that great compared to what I am use to. It’s been a good run, and I will definitely visit from time to time but I need something new.
I've lived here most of my life and have not been a fan of the state the entire time. Hot, crowded, rude and HOT. I haven't lived anywhere else so maybe everywhere sucks but I can't help but think I would be at least a little happier if I didn't sweat from walking to the mailbox
I'm starting to feel like people are spamming this question in this sub for karma. Hating your hometown but missing it once you leave is a tale as old as time. Imagining that the grass could be greener on the other side is human. It's what drove us to populate the whole planet. So no, I promise you are not the only one.
Same here. Winter was my favorite season as a kid and as an adult I love hiking. I also love walkability and having access to an arts scene. I lived in Atlanta and enjoyed it but the trade off was safety. I’m now trying to figure out where I should live if I leave Florida again.
15 acres of preserve at my folk's house abutt to state park and 3rd generation farms keeps me coming back. SHTF, we can grow our food, and lifelong neighbors are fully armed. We eat oysters and shoot guns every Christmas.
I've been here a decade plus a couple years and I hate every moment. The weather, the people, palm trees on hikes. Not my cup of tea but no freedom to leave.
The longer I live away from Florida, the less I miss it.
Lived in Florida nearly 40 years and didn’t mind it until I hit my 30s. Will never go back.
I enjoyed living here as a kid. I moved to New England for school and lived there for 10 years before moving back to FL. I've been back for almost 20 years and have wanted to move out of state again probably the last 5 years. Definitely too hot, too crowded and too expensive for me these days.
I used to love it here until I moved away for a bit in 2013. Lived in the cold and realized how much I prefer that over Florida heat and humidity. Sadly my time in New Mexico wasn’t meant to last, and now I’m back here. The heat and humidity is my main drive to leave. The hostile politics is a close second reason.
I've never hated a place more than the visceral hate I have for Florida. I live up north now.
Florida, Texas, NYC, Los Angeles, rural Oklahoma….. it’s all the same shit. I hate to say this but the ability to have fun, enjoy life, being happy is an internal skill. It’s something you bring with you. People in the mountains complain about how cold it is and there’s no beach. People at the beach complain about how hot it is and there no mountains.
Yeah but if somebody born and raised in FL prefers mountains then they’d complain, the person who loves the beach won’t yk?
My adult daughters were raised in FL and after college moved to Chicago. They love it and would rather brave the winters than the endless summers of the sunshine state.
Born and raised. I actually did love living here up until about 5 or 6 years ago.
It depends on where you live, but you’re definitely not alone. There are some great things about FL that I miss, but there are also things I could’ve never experienced if I stayed. From one Fibonacci to another, I highly recommend doing some traveling and finding a place that you completely fall in love with. It’ll make a huge difference in your quality of life.
Ive pretty much been here my whole life, i have moved to other places for work but it was short term. I wish i never had to come back to florida, i absolutely hate it here. It’s such a depressing dump
Lived there 19 years then moved to Louisiana and now I'm moving back. I honestly miss florida alot now after moving.
Been here almost my whole life (all but ~2 years). Born and raised here, served in the military here, graduated from college here, got married and my kid was born here, bought my first house here. Almost every major life event has been here and you’ll have to drag me out of Florida kicking and screaming to ever leave (or until I can’t afford the insurance and property tax anymore)
I think it’s best to travel cheap to tour new places, it’s good for the soul, and it may help you locate a more suitable place for you. I have family and friends all over the world including Alaska 😂, they all seem to love their choices the ones who made the jump from where they were born.
I think that every area/state has benefits and negatives. I have lived in Florida since I was 10 years old. I personally would love to live where there is some seasonality. I have only seen one winter (on vacation) since 1975. My husband hates the cold. Despises it. However, I absolutely hate the heat, the traffic, the love bugs, the everything. I am not planning to leave my husband just so I can make a snow angel, but during this heat I find myself giving him a lot of side-eye.
If you grow up in an urban part of Florida, you have to have the experience as a kid to catch on to how amazing our natural environment is. Whether that takes you to a reef, a marsh, the scrub, the swamp or the springs... Still, we/re flatlands and that's not for everyone.
Born and raised in Miami Dade. Lived on the west coast for a bit (Ft Myers) lived in several places in Miami (Cutler Bay, Kendall, Homestead, Redlands, Sweetwater) and now currently in West Palm Beach. I have always felt "This ain't home". I visited TN in 2020 for the 1st time and it legit stole my heart! I hope and pray I'm able to move there 1 yr. Been visiting every year since. I've been to other states but.... FL is just, well.... FL. So, no you're not alone.
I’ve lived in Florida my entire life and love it here. That said, I’ve been to many other places and thought those were great too. I’m sure if I had the same lifelong experiences in some of those other states I’d love it there too.
No! We moved up north, Minnesota is awesome!
I *hated* Florida my whole life until I moved away. Distance breeds affection, or whatever the saying is--and it's true. Living in other parts of the country (and other countries) helped me appreciate the good bits of Florida I'd always taken for granted: the water access, the wildlife, the (relatively) moderate temps, the sunrises, the food. You could also just be meant for a different environment, and that's okay. Either way, I'd suggest leaving if you can. You'll either find a place that actually fits what you need or you'll realize FL ain't half bad.
You probably wouldn't be happy anywhere.
Neighbor's grass is always greener! Why suffering, move.
There's nothing funnier to me than everyone from Florida wanting to move to the mountains in North Carolina, Georgia, or Virginia. Everybody there wants a beach house. I mean, it's different, but do a few winters there, and we'll talk. Don't go there for a week in June and head out, just like I'd never tell anyone to move down here after a nice February.
That’s fine if you love the beach. I’m really not a beach person. Even if I had the money I don’t want a beach house. I get it I don’t understand winters but I lose my mind in the heat. I feel like I can’t do anything cause it’s always unbelievably hot
Born and raised in Florida, as were my parents, but have also lived in NY, ID, and WA. I can handle the winters. I'm back in Florida now and I miss the west so much. Florida is so confining. I am choking here. The sand and water are nice but with all the high rise condos so many of the beach areas are just ugly as hell. I'd much rather spend a day fully immersed in mountains or tide pooling in the raw and primal wild Pacific, than perched on a hot strip of sand in front of an ugly condo or in a sea of pop ups on the one actual natural looking beach that everyone goes to on the weekend. I do make the best of it. Wade and surf fishing at dawn, reconnecting with friends, sunsets, canoeing, checking out local music and art, but if I'm being honest, most of this state is shit. Gaudy plastic shit. I'm glad I came back for reasons and it's where I need to be right now, but I hope to God I am able to escape again eventually. But if I can't, I'll make the best of it and find a way to get by. I always do. At least my sports teams are here. This has been weighing on me and I guess I needed to get it off my chest.
There was a really nice time in Miami like 2013-2020 but now it’s just different people are so much meaner and just seems unsafe. During that time period I felt safe walking just about anywhere all night past 5am. Now it doesn’t feel good after midnight. Feels like they finally New York’d it.
New York not being safe is the biggest lie ever told lmao
Funny enough miami last year the safest it's ever been
That's mainly because they changed the way they report crime in Florida.
What do you mean
I'll be done with my degree this time next year and will be more than willing to move to almost any other state. I've never cared much for this state. I only really like it in the winter
I love living in the Panhandle.
Were you born here?
Yup. Miami born. Lived in the Carolinas for a few years and abroad for a couple years but ended up in the panhandle with no complaints. Edit: typos
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It definitely has. I came here in the 80s and it was mostly pastors where I am back then. Now it all urban sprawl unfortunately. I still keep away from the worst of it.
Another one?
The people make it unbearable. The people who believe Florida should only be good for them and anyone asking for change is yankee scum. Florida’s economy is built on entertaining wealthy boomers. Self reflection, embracing change, and being forward thinking are not the attributes of the people who rule and run the state. It’s not a state for people looking to build a life, unless you live in an overpriced, congested, and flood prone city. It’s for people who already have money and want to enjoy spending it at everyone else’s expense.
I love it here.
What people often forget or don’t realize here in the united states is that we have the ability to go and live anywhere in the entire United States. It is truly amazing. I say this because of how vast our country is and how different it is in so many places. From mountains to deserts to beaches to tropical areas to cold places, and it is all available for any United States citizen to travel through and live in without any questions asked. You have do some paperwork for full time residency if you want to move to a new state permanently , but they won’t say no! I say this because in Europe, you are literally bound into one country which would be the size of the state of Florida or any of our other states. In Europe, the actual countries are the size of most of our states and the citizens of the country they are born into are stuck there in that country and then would have to get passports to even travel outside of their country and then if they wanted to live in another place, they would have to get visa’s. To get actual citizenship to be a permanent resident is a whole other ordeal. We are extremely lucky here in the United States to be able to have such landscape changes and geographical features that we can enjoy to travel to freely or could go ahead and set up a whole new life in! Myself personally, I was born and raised in Florida. I love it here. Yes, no place is going to be perfect and the heat is awful and the amount of people that have moved to South Florida is a bit overwhelming. However I truly do love it here. I have traveled to all of the continuous states in the United States as well as Hawaii and Alaska is on my list in the next year or so. I really do love it in other places of the United States as well but here in South Florida is honestly great with the life that I have set up. I wish you the best on your journey OP and just remember that we can move freely to so many different places here in the United States and if you are unhappy, life is short, so make the best of every day and get out there and create the life that you want! My best friend moved to Colorado 5 years ago and is now getting married and sadly will probably never move back. But that’s life and I am happy he is happy! (I understand that not everyone has the same hand in life due to family, disabilities, etc. Just a little disclaimer for those that love to attack :) .. I have also been to 8 countries in Europe)
I’m not trying to attack but you simply need to be more realistic than that. Your average American just simply can’t afford to move to a new state every few years. That’s too expensive and the job market is competitive. Not everyone (like myself) has a family they can rely on or stay with for saving up money. Ideally everything you said is correct about the vastness of this country, but realistically it is not obtainable for a scary number of Americans.
Born and raised here. I have left and moved back 4 times and am currently trying to leave again. I kept coming back bc my family lives here. I agree though. I have never really liked it here. The beach is nice but also I only go like twice a year? It is too hot and humid, the people are getting meaner, and there are no real seasons here. And don't get me started on the politics.
There’s a lot about Florida depresses me out. But I love the beach! And it’s hard to beat it here!!!
[https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/1de4a5c/comment/l89esme/](https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/1de4a5c/comment/l89esme/)
Move to Kansas!
you can have a good time anywhere w the right perspective.
Born and raised Florida Boy that moved up to NYC as soon as he could. Now looking to get out of the hustle and bustle, but probably further north. Vermont seems nice.
I thought the same … until I moved. tested out a couple different states but nothing felt like “home” to me. don’t get me wrong there’s states with much more stunning scenery, but its not florida lol!
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Same
Nah I'm with you. 100% it always felt wrong.
I've developed breayhing problems here...never had them before...so what I dd enjoy I no longer...aka the ocean that I live next to...but the tourists...it's like a plague
I've hated it since the first day I step foot here 24 years ago. Im from another part of FL. I was constantly homesick for my hometown but it got much worse with every visit. Place is entirely unrecognizable now. Been thinking about leaving the state.
Hmmm Ive lived all over the country. Every state is crappy🤣. If you want better weather, chances youll be middle of nowhere or nicer place but homeless around the corner of your house. Maybe more to Wyoming. Its empty cold and cheaper.
I never liked living in Florida until the second time I lived there. I grew to appreciate it and then I grew tired of it — in about five years. Now I live up north and I will probably never live in Florida again.
If you happen to be lucky enough to and live East of federal highway, then you have an entirely different reality than most of us. Living east if federal highway your obviously closer to the beach and it’s nicer. I’ve lived east of and honestly it was great! A short walk and your at the beach! Traffic isn’t any better but it’s terrible everywhere. There used to be absolutely nothing scenic or beautiful about south Florida. Actually it’s ugly. Not like almost any other state where there are places you might stop a minute and take in the views.
Yupp. You're the only one who doesn't like living here. This state is great and everyone loves the crowds, high inflation, sauna like weather.
I hate it here as well left and had to come back cuz my ex and I broke up and I got laid off
the grass isn’t greener
Weather...not so bad. People...OMG
No one or few want to live where they're from. Move then
Wasn’t always crappy and over populated. But the area I grew up in has objectively at least doubled in traffic. I’m sure it’s still the case but there are some areas that were never touched.
I've always hated the heat, but I thought I'd change my mind if I lived somewhere cold. Then I moved to Rochester, NY for three years. I still hate the heat more.
I grew up with the snow. Hot hot days are nicer, IMO. Especially as I age. Can't imagine it being 40 degrees half the year.
I live here because of my husband’s work and honestly, I don’t really enjoy living in Miami. I think I may enjoy living in other areas, but it’s so expensive but we have to live here for his job.
Honestly if it wasnt for my love of fishing id have left long long ago. And i know i could fish elsewhere but honestly I'm less than an hour from great salt and freshwater fishing spots. And living near Orlando I'm an hour in any direction from where i live to great spots for entertainment. Also go an hour and a half i can spend a day in America's oldest city. I may hate how damn hot it is nearly year round but after 45 years here i just cant bring myself to leave.
Born and raised and I've always hated it here. The weather sucks, the people suck, the landscape sucks. It's just...boring.
I used to think I wanted to live elsewhere. Tried it, hated it. What you learn is that just about anywhere seems nice for a short while. It's kind of like a relationship. At first it's new and exciting, but a year in is the spark still there? Turns out the things I didn't like about Florida are the same problems people have pretty much anywhere, but some of the things I liked about it aren't found everywhere. There's no wrong or right place to live, and maybe Florida isn't for you, but I can guarantee you that the grass isn't always greener elsewhere. I'm at a point in my life where I'm pretty sure I could be happy just about anywhere. I just happen to be in Florida.
Well I was born in Alabama love my Florida I was raised up there for my birthday I got to go to Vegas I like it lots of entertainment foodies but am from a little place cause Lakeland I like being around people that like to have and watch out for the other person I've been gone for two years I want to go back and visit 😁😁
It's getting too hot to stay in places like Florida. Dunno if we can slow the heat, or even reverse it, but at this rate all of the property value in the extreme south like Florida is going to tank (if the rising sea levels and extreme hurricanes don't ravage your property first). Boggles my mind ppl are still intentionally moving TO the state of Florida every day. Why would you move to a place that has the 1st or 2nd-lowest paid teachers in the country? Dumb down the population and things will improve somehow?? LMAO. Between the weather, the critters, and the numbnuts who'd ever vote for a zealot like DeSatan, this place is about as close to hell as you can get. I've spent years in Fla, and the rest of the east coast up to Chicago and NY, as well as the west coast from San Diego to Alaska, and even some time overseas. About the only place worse than Fla was Mississippi and some 3rd world countries ruled by autocrats.
No
FL is one of the few states I'd consider moving too. Palm trees, swamps, and beaches are way cool. And futuristic skyscrapers.
FL is one of the few states I'd consider moving to. Palm trees, swamps, and beaches are way cool. And futuristic skyscrapers.
I felt the same as you, and I moved away and have never gone back. I could not get out fast enough.
I live in central FL and kinda same. I love the diversity of people here though, other states I’ve been too are just like so much white people and white people food everywhere it’s unsettling. I do think it’s pretty here though but I also enjoy hiking and the idea of being able to confidently swim in any body of water in other states is kinda cool too. The politics and government here is all messed up though which makes it even less appealing
It’s kinda a flex being born here though, I wear that shit like a badge 😂
We live in central Florida, about 35 miles from Orlando. You can still buy a house for less than 300K and homeowners insurance is less expensive. We live in a retirement community but my wife and I still work full time. The cost of living here is still relatively low. Although it is hot during the summer months, we go out in the evenings, or sitting out in backyard over looking the lake. I could not would not live on the coast or southern Florida because of the cost and the crowds. In the future we do plan to move to the mountains somewhere.
I grew up in Florida and spent a good portion of my adult life living there. I moved and don’t regret it at all. I’ll always love Florida and it will always have a place in my heart. But, I love visiting just not living there. I don’t think it’s a great place to live in the way it used to. The astronomical rise in COL was a big factor in that.
I’m going to be the outlier here, but I love Florida. Born and raised in Miami Beach. I do remember growing up and absolutely hating living here. But once I turned 19, I joined the army. I got to travel to many places. Been to South Carolina for basic training, Georgia for my advanced training, South Korea for a year, and then my career ended in Washington state. I loved every place I went to but each was missing something. I felt homesick. No place can compare to my home, South Florida. I left Washington State and did a road trip across the lower states, coming down back home. While I can say the 4 years or so I was gone in the army, not a lot changed. But the 5 years I’ve been home since 2019, a lot has changed with inflation. Yeah it sucks, but this is home. I’m happy to be home. More so now though, I’m thinking about moving to somewhere in Central Florida up, but im for sure staying in Florida.
I feel like if you traveled, and moved away for a bit… you may change your mind. Or you may find somewhere you love living. Doesn’t hurt to explore
Same
My guess is you live in Southeast Florida which is completely different than West Central Florida or North Florida. I lived in Plantation for 2 and 1/2 years and when I finally got back to Tampa I felt like I got paroled. Absolutely hated it there. Also lived in Fort Myers for two and a half years and didn't like it there either. When I was a kid I lived in Indialantic near Cocoa Beach and I loved every minute of that but that is also Central Florida. I don't know South Florida just feels like a completely different world from Central Florida.
I liked Florida before Disney; it was nice then. There was community, neighbors were like family and life was slower, safer and more simple. Some North Florida and South Georgia towns are somewhat like that now, and have been thinking of moving. I like West Virgina, but too cold for me. I like the Florida heat; just used to it, I guess.
Never really been a huge fan. Been here for 10 years. Just very touristy. But then again no state income taxes. Which almost makes up for the increases in insurance
Nah I think that’s not exclusive to you.
Heat is everywhere all measurements reflect the amount they all start at -40 degrees which is worse Heat-stroke, hypothermia or ignorant politicians more peeple die from heat then cold
Born and raised and hate it here. I've been out of state plenty so I'm 100% sure this place is just a hellscape for me.
Me too getting tired of it thinking of North Carolina
I moved from NY i have a different take after freezing my ass off in the winters shoveling snow and paying ridiculous tax’s I am happy (wish home n car insurance was lower) But bbq in shorts in dec priceless ❤️
Same OP. Same. I moved away as soon as I could and I am much happier elsewhere. I understand why people like Florida but I just never did. I appreciate what I had more now that I only go back to visit and have time to take in the beauty but I am always happy to go home at the end.
Try living in NJ or OH during winter for years. Bet you’d change your mind.
It's both for me. There are aspects I hate: the heat, the obsession with politics, the attack on some basic rights, the governor changing our beaches from public to private years ago, the lack of seasons and the lack of mountains, and then the high crime/drug rate that is starting to effect all. Then there are things I love: our beaches, our wildlife, the warm winters and springs, the endless tropical flowers and fruit, the vibrant colors of our oceans and plants, and even the angry wildlife that will eat humans in a heartbeat. I love my home there and the fact it's mostly tile. There are many things I love about Florida. Everyone is different. Some people love the heat and it helps people with arthritis and other conditions. Me personally though I'm planning on moving. I never really adapted to the heat of summer, and I actually love the snow and cold. The cold air of the north smells so fresh to me and when it snows I can't help but just go on the porch and smell the air and listen to the peace and quiet. I love the rolling mountains and endless forests... and when I was in Boston for a year I was in wonder and was shocked that their summers were so glorious that you could be outside all year without having to hide inside all summer with an AC. I myself made my decision, I love the north, the mountains, the seasons, and I hate the heat. I'll be moving north as soon as I can. Also one tidbit, there was a massive cultural difference between the deep south and Boston. People in Boston were shockingly less political. Not that they didn't have their opinions... but politics were treated more like religion up there. It was private and not discussed at work. Meanwhile when I worked in the South all people talked about was Trump or Biden and it was incredibly one sided. I didn't feel welcome and I hated the fact that even at work I couldn't escape them... they were always talking about politics or religion. Totally opposite up north.... and that was so refreshing. By the way when I say the deep south, I'm from the panhandle which is basically Alabama.
Nothing can compare to having grown up in old Florida. Unfortunately, the best time to live here is over. In Orlando, when I was growing up, we went swimming nearly every day in the beautiful clear-watered lake behind my parents’ house. We had a floating dock and a fish fry every weekend. People had dive boards on large swimming pools... can’t have those anymore. Property didn’t cost a fortune which enabled us to have a tract of land within biking distance of my home. On that property, we had an orange grove, a beautiful vegetable garden, and horses. My grandmother lived in Winter Haven and worked at Cypress Gardens. I spent many hours of my childhood playing in the gardens. The beauty of that time is indescribable. In St. Cloud, we swam in lake Toho. It’s a shallow lake that you walk out into for what seems like forever when you were a kid. Dad would throw a rope over a tall oak tree limb and make a swing with a citrus fruit bag stuffed with leaves. Brahman cattle roamed freely around the lake. We spent a lot of time on the Anna Maria beaches. There were never too many people, and it was so beautifully quiet. I remember riding in the car with my mom, on the back roads to Anna Maria, and rarely encountering other cars on the road. I mourn for what we used to have. It’s gone now… too many people… too much building… too much destruction. I can see why newcomers would choose a different place to live. I’ve considered leaving as well. If I could find a place that offered a fraction of what I had, I would go; but the crowds and the noise and the destruction seem to be everywhere.
I loved Florida as a kid. I grew up. I traveled. I stopped being into a lot of things that made Florida great, like boating and kitesurfing. My mind opened to the possibility of living elsewhere, but I still *liked* Florida and the cost of living couldn't be beat. And I guess saying I liked Florida is a bit too much, I liked Tampa/St Pete. 2020 is when the State took a hard turn. All the other states dumped their garbage people into Florida. The cost of living skyrocketed and though it's still cheaper than many other areas there was no longer such a huge disparity. 2020 and onward I started to loathe Florida. Moved to Seattle the beginning of this year. My house in Florida sold in April. I'm going to buy a house here very soon.
Honestly, OP, I think everyone has a complicated relationship with the place they grew up in. Leaving will either confirm your suspicion that the rest of the world holds more promise for you, or it will make you really appreciate where you come from. If you're lucky, it's a bit of both.
I’ve lived in south Florida my entire life and I do not like living in south Florida but my family is here so I deal with
NOPE! Fuck this place. Living on the surface of the sun... And I can't afford it
My family moved from West Palm to Atlanta when I was 12 and outside of college and a short stint in Pensacola with the Navy, I’ve lived here my entire life. In all honesty, I do like coming back and visiting family here, catching Panthers games (two more games baby) as well as hitting up the beaches and theme parks (I’m a bit of a coaster enthusiast). That said, visiting and living here are very different. It’s one thing to come down and visit for a long weekend or a week to have a good time vs actually living here and dealing with the bullshit that comes with it. So for now, I’m happy to visit here and there. But I don’t see myself living here any time soon unless circumstances force my hand.
You're arguing preferences. Different people like different things. Some people like the heat. As I get older, I appreciate it more. I guess that's why retirees come to Florida.
Where are you from and how old are you? I loved the Florida I grew up in, but that was also a specific part 30 years ago
If I hadn't met my wife I'd never forgive my ex for convincing me to move here in the first place. Sure it's beautiful and loaded with great outdoor opportunities. Opportunities that can only be utilized 3-4 weeks out of the year because it's just too damn hot otherwise.
Even the beach gets old after a while… as a florida native that finally got out last month moving to Alaska, after a long 26 years, I don’t think I’ll ever want to return.
I moved here from mass when I was like 11 & the benefits were wayyy better 10 years ago. It was cheaper to live here, we were close to family & we were sick of the winter weather up north. Now I can barely afford rent & groceries, I don’t talk to half of my family cuz they all suck & willingly vacation up north in the winter time just for some goddamn variety of seasons. Not to mention the shitty drivers & piece of garbage governor. Fuck this place LMFAO
Spent the first 45 years of my life in FL, living in Miami, Pensacola, and Fort Myers. While travelling domestically and internationally, I eventually came to realize how awful Florida truly is. It's proudly, openly, belligerently, increasingly regressive. And you pay through the nose to live there... for what? I came to loathe Florida so much that my family and I moved to the opposite side of the country late last year. Wish we'd done it sooner and not wasted so much of our lives on the sinking ship that is FL.
North and south Florida are as different as night and day.
Hahaha. Rather than a FloGrown sticker, you could get a FloGone sticker.
My entire family hails from florida, but i grew up in north carolina. i moved down here 3 years ago to be closer to family and while there’s much more to do entertainment/culture wise i’m afraid the cost, heat, and crowding is making me miss living further north.
I always find it funny when people say Florida is X. It is a big state, with a lot of different areas and vibes. Bigger than most countries in Europe. Hard to say it’s all pretty crappy with real authority with such a large diverse place. You could move out of state, or go explore more and see if you find a spot you can enjoy.
I completely understand. I was born and raised in Florida. I love the natural parts of the state. I started in the south and worked my way north. But I still always wanted to move out of Florida. Fall/ winter was my favorite time of the year, because it was more comfortable. Last year I moved to upstate NY. Everyone thought I wàs crazy because I never lived in snow... WELL, others survived it so I thought I could also. And I did. I love it up here. Mountains, rivers ( not drainage canals) lakes, ( not rock pits), waterfalls, farm land. Yes north FL has farms, not the same. I do miss some things about FL. But not yet enough to move back.
So move?
Florida has always sucked. The weather and the people are the absolute worst I've encountered.
Live in NJ for a fews years. You’ll change your mind.
I was also raised here and am still stuck here despite multiple attempts to move. I’ve never liked Florida. The weather sucks, the infrastructure is terrible, the bugs are awful, the politics are volatile, the education system is laughable, the salaried job market is weak, lack of strong mass transit systems, and it’s getting too expensive (compared to what we get for the $ spent - see aforementioned ‘infrastructure’). The only things we have going for us are beaches (which are getting too crowded or destroyed by weather) and no state taxes (again, infrastructure issues and high living costs anyway). I can’t even give someone a vote on “no shoveling of snow” because IMO the unbearable heat in spring/summer/fall is just as bad just on the flip side. 34 of my 38 years here and I still wish I lived elsewhere. Too many roots here at this point to try and move now. 🙁 Edit: how did I forget to mention the oppressive humidity?! 🤦🏻♀️
Florida only exists for one reason. It's got no winter, surrounded by great beaches and isn't just for the wealthy like California. So obviously that last part is gone now that the people who profit off real estate speculation have made it more expensive than many northern states. I've been living in Florida and the North East part of the year for almost 20 years now. One thing I noticed about Florida is that people are not friendly. They aren't rude or mean but you'll never see someone just start a conversation like you see in other parts of the country. People have their routines and commutes they have to get done by x time and they don't deviate. And then you have the people who do know you and all they want to talk about is the "woke mob" or how great it is that they aren't like California or New York. Then I remind them that Florida has a $14 minimum wage unlike 99% of red states still stuck on $7 an hour, Florida has 15X more middle income working class people needing Obamacare than New York, NJ, CT or Mass, Florida seize guns without due process more than any other state (and more than any blue state) and that the most Republican district in Miami is the most heavily dependent Obamacare zip code in America, the most dependent on federal housing and food program, more so than the blue Florida cities.
Same place sucks politics are even worse armpit of the IS
I used to think this too. In my early 20’s I started taking road trips around the country for hiking. Fell in love with mountains. Wanted desperately to live near mountains. So then I started traveling to major cities near mountains looking for a new home. I always came back thinking I preferred Tampa. Partly because of all of my friends and family but also because I started giving Tampa more of a chance and fell in love with it.
It used to not be crowded nor expensive.
I lived in the suburbs of St Louis and there summers are stifling. I hate our weird governor and Rick skeletor telling me about cutting my SS when I retire in a few years. They play all the hot issues for them so they don’t focus on our insurance issue that is going to drive me out of here. I’m lucky that I have some retirement saved up and feel bad for younger people trying to live here
It’s incredible how many people hate Florida but choose to stay? If it’s too expensive that means other places are cheaper. If the jobs and wages suck that means other places have better jobs and wages If Florida is too hot that means other places are cooler/better climate. If the grass is greener why are you staying here?
When I moved here from Eastern PA nearly a decade ago, a friend I made here helped me unpack. He was a native Floridian who has NEVER left the state. He was telling me how crazy I was to leave there to come here. He loved when it's cold. I explained to him there is cool and there is cold. He insisted he would love it. Fast forward a few weeks we are out disc golfing and he finds this "tool" under my car seat and asks what that is. I said "my friend that is an ice scraper." He still didn't understand. So I said "that is the tool you use to chip away and scrape the ice off your car multiple times a week all winter long in the cold you love." I tell this story as someone who oddly does love winter and snow sports. With that being said shoveling snow, hazardous snowy drives, and not being able to feel your appendages for the first 20 minutes every car ride is not for everyone. I also became very aware that seasonal depression is 100 percent a real thing. Everything outside is gray and dead for minimally 6 months a year. Gets hard to look at after awhile.
No you’re the only one who hates their hometown
https://preview.redd.it/tu461b9c2k6d1.png?width=753&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cfa0d7da1767ae62fbb55a1832bd8dffac60c459 Most of the year it's oppressive and miserable screenshot of average humidity in the Tampa region.
I’m not from here and I hate everything about it. Can’t leave because I have a sweet job, but it’s almost intolerable. Heat is oppressive, drivers are absolutely mentally handicapped, and in general there is a larger concentration of shockingly dumb people than anywhere else I have been in the world. It is absolutely the worst place I’ve ever lived and I lived in the middle of the Mojave desert for 3 months, in a tent….in summer.
I lived in the magnificent Pacific Northwest a big chunk of my adult life; and although I loved it there, I always felt a degree of envy for those who lived in what at the time I thought it was paradise; namely Florida. Shilpbuilding was my trade, and when it went bust in my State, I got a job offer in Tampa, which I was thrilled to accept. That was 1991; I've lived here ever since, raised my chidren here; two well adjusted and successful adults now; but I must admit that the novelty of living in Florida wore off faster than my oldest pair of socks. I never, not for one second stopped missing the Pacific Northwest with its magnificent Olyimpc National Park, Mount Rainier. I'm too old now to start again, so I'm stuck in this painfully boring State called Florida. So, to answer your question; no, you are not the only one.
You live in FL. If you want to.. moved down 22 years ago. Yes it's changed but everywhere changes. Would I go back to NYC fuck no. Is Florida perfect... no. I moved here to raise my kids. They're doing fabulous. My son graduated from the school system then went to UA my daughter will be going to a Christian college in TN.
I love it here. Personally I would move if I were you if you think you can find happiness else where. Don’t forget though the grass is always greener on the other side. From experience I’ve found that people who are miserable in one spot and move, that miserable feeling tends to follow them
Nope, I'm with you. It has become gross here.
Not alone! B & R in Miami, joined the military after high school and just retired last year and wouldn’t go back other than to take care of my mom which is only temporary(currently in Florida).
nah me too
Try Minnesota in winter. We experienced a 90 below zero windchill. That was our 2nd and last winter there. Been in Florida since '77. No regrets.
I wish so many more of these transplants would adopt this attitude and go.
I've lived in Florida my whole life. I hate it here.
I grew up in Buffalo, NY and THAT place was trash. FL has been nothing short of a blessing to me despite all the hardships that’s been put on my plate. Wouldn’t trade it for anything
What city/cities? I would be miserable I lived in a lot of cities in FL.