[grampaTom]

I've lived in both Jacksonville and Pensacola. I've lived in Arkansas, Virginia and now Tennessee. I do not believe Florida really has the 'Deep South' feel. Try Alabama or Mississippi or Georgia. For the REAL deep south go to the Mississippi River delta -- pretty much anywhere South of Memphis.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

The drive from Orlando to places that feel "deep South" in North Florida would take three to four hours one way so instead would recommend towns that are much closer and will give you that sense of Old Florida/Deep South. Check out Dade City, Bushnell and Tavares which are all about within an hour to 90 minutes outside of Orlando and can be visited "on a loop" in a fairly easy manner and take an afternoon, versus all day.

I'll give you Bushnell and Dade City, but Tavares? Nah, I don't see it at all. It's almost like an extension of Mt. Dora, which is basically just a small, old, "happening" city with lots of cultural events. No Southern feel about it whatsoever IMO.

[US64WB]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

The drive from Orlando to places that feel "deep South" in North Florida would take three to four hours one way so instead would recommend towns that are much closer and will give you that sense of Old Florida/Deep South. Check out Dade City, Bushnell and Tavares which are all about within an hour to 90 minutes outside of Orlando and can be visited "on a loop" in a fairly easy manner and take an afternoon, versus all day.

Thanks!! I'll have to look those up!! But I just want to be able to say that I have been in "The South" if you know what I mean. Would i be able to if I were to visit those?

[greensousth]

Having lived in Athens GA, Atlanta and Charlotte NC I think that to say you have been in "the South" you would have to go as far as South Georgia or Alabama. Yes, Florida is in the "Southeast" and parts of North Florida and the Panhandle are somewhat "southern". But I would say most Southerners don't think of Florida as "the South", even the Panhandle. JMO!

[Brinley]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

I'll give you Bushnell and Dade City, but Tavares? Nah, I don't see it at all. It's almost like an extension of Mt. Dora, which is basically just a small, old, "happening" city with lots of cultural events. No Southern feel about it whatsoever IMO.

Definately not Tavares. The person inquiring will be very disappointed if they go there. There's nothing there really. And it doesn't have any kind of charm never mind southern charm. It's just blah.

[Brinley]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

As other posters mentioned Florida doesn't have southern culture or a shared history with "the south". Except for Tallahassee, you can't grow cotton in Florida and colonization was minimalist Spanish. Why don't you go to Cocoa Beach instead and check out surfer culture?

Really? You can't grow cotton in Florida? Not that I have ever seen anyone do it but I'm shocked that it's not possible. In north central Florida they seem to have that same red clay soil in some places that is supposed to be perfect for growing cotton. How come they can't grow it there?

[RedneckRebel]

You can start getting a southern flare around route 42 and North. This would be Citrus county, Bellevue, Umatilla...

[Fredesch]

Originally Posted by Brinley

Really? You can't grow cotton in Florida? Not that I have ever seen anyone do it but I'm shocked that it's not possible. In north central Florida they seem to have that same red clay soil in some places that is supposed to be perfect for growing cotton. How come they can't grow it there?

This might be part of the reason cotton isn't economic to grow in Florida.
IRC - Natives for Your Neighborhood

[KerrTown]

The line between Peninsular Florida and Mainland Florida would be a line stretching from Apalachee Bay to the Atlantic Ocean between Gainesville and Lake City to Saint Augustine/Jacksonville. Saint Augustine is on the boundary (literally on-the-fence; could be either one), but Jacksonville is definitely a Mainland city like Tallahassee and Pensacola.

One of the main distinguishing criteria is that the bulk of the population resides on the peninsula and sprawls along the coast, while the mainland part is sparsely populated outside of the three major mainland cities.

[floridarebel]

Anywhere in inland Florida is southern. Coastal areas south of i~4 are not southern at all. Basically a u from Perry FL and Daytona down the coast. Anything in the u is southern and anything out isn't. A few exceptions like Orlando. Rural areas of Osceola and lake couties are southern but are being eaten up by sprawl and populated by more northerners and Puerto Ricans.