[paradiddle]

Going into my 4th year here in SW Florida , I have to re-asess living here. Money has become an issue but some of it is due my out of work status for 12 months due to surgery. Of course a recent business trip to Rochester, NY (18 deg) 9 days ago helped me re-think why I live here. I haven't seen snow/ice since 2004. I am not a winter-hater but that season makes for uncomfortable and limiting conditions. even just for clothing choices. I also have noticed that I have not had the flu or a serious cold since being here.

One big factor for staying is that we are now involved in the community. I am on the board of directors of a music and performing group. I also volunteer to teach music at a local high school marching band.

Sometimes I think about moving back north but keeping our SW Florida home. The lifestyle down here is different and more laid back. Working like an ant in a colony is not that important. Up north, that's what it feels like to me. Up north the weather stinks most of the time, you can't make any outdoor plans with more than a 30% success rate. So why not just work as much as you can. Down here the weather is always great, so why hide inside?

I see some talk on heat and humidity. If you prefer having your sweaters, flannel shirts and heat on you will not like Florida. ( well maybe up in North Florida near GA.). To me, the humidity is not a problem until June and I start getting tired of it come 1st week of October. If that is the "worse" time of year, I would pick that over a moderate winter in New England. I can still go swimming everyday! Boating, motorcycle, convertible top down, shorts every day!!! It can get oppressive but you do get somewhat used to it especially if you keep your house temp on the high side (79 -82 deg. ) Going in and out doesn't seem so bad.

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

Native Floridians and Transplants, do you consider Florida a good or great place for a vacation or to visit, yet a bad place to live year-round?

By the way, folks, this thread is definitely subjective!

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by paradiddle

Going into my 4th year here in SW Florida , I have to re-asess living here. Money has become an issue but some of it is due my out of work status for 12 months due to surgery. Of course a recent business trip to Rochester, NY (18 deg) 9 days ago helped me re-think why I live here. I haven't seen snow/ice since 2004. I am not a winter-hater but that season makes for uncomfortable and limiting conditions. even just for clothing choices. I also have noticed that I have not had the flu or a serious cold since being here.

One big factor for staying is that we are now involved in the community. I am on the board of directors of a music and performing group. I also volunteer to teach music at a local high school marching band.

Sometimes I think about moving back north but keeping our SW Florida home. The lifestyle down here is different and more laid back. Working like an ant in a colony is not that important. Up north, that's what it feels like to me. Up north the weather stinks most of the time, you can't make any outdoor plans with more than a 30% success rate. So why not just work as much as you can. Down here the weather is always great, so why hide inside?

I see some talk on heat and humidity. If you prefer having your sweaters, flannel shirts and heat on you will not like Florida. ( well maybe up in North Florida near GA.). To me, the humidity is not a problem until June and I start getting tired of it come 1st week of October. If that is the "worse" time of year, I would pick that over a moderate winter in New England. I can still go swimming everyday! Boating, motorcycle, convertible top down, shorts every day!!! It can get oppressive but you do get somewhat used to it especially if you keep your house temp on the high side (79 -82 deg. ) Going in and out doesn't seem so bad.

When one's basis for living in an area is strictly the weather and "laid back" lifestyle, then you are destined to be the easy victim of a cruel and volatile economy. In the scheme of priorities, a comfortable climate should be be relative to the healthy "economic climate" of an area. During the 4 months of December through March, it would be tough to complain about the Florida weather. Being economically comfortable and healthy during those 4 months, plus the other 8, is the biggest part of the equation that is missing in your perspectives.

It is difficult for too many Florida citizens to enjoy the 75 degree December sunny days at the beach, when there is not enough money to pay for the food, taxes, shelter, and clothing for their families.... and little opportunity to realistically to garner enough income to sustain a reasonable standard of living. Personally, I do not know how relaxed and "laid back" I could be when so many of my Florida neighbors are being so adversely affected by the worst economic downturn in their lives (and possibly in state history).... that can/will only get worse for them in the foreseeable future.

[riverdaleny]

florida is not a great place to live, its hot all the time, im sick of it.

[TANaples]

Laid back lifestyle puts me to sleep and saps my energy. It did when I was 22 and lived here. It does so now when I am 60. I am also not the personality type to just sit and do "nothing". That drives me crazy. I have to be moving and doing something. That is probably why I hate frying on a beach just sitting around. As I said before, "This is your brain in the Florida sun."

Financially, right now we doing ok in Florida, but that is because my husband is making his NY salary here. As far as the future, well, the 401K has dwindled down to half of what is was. That isn't good since we are nearing retirement age. I will get a state of Florida pension instead, but the state pension fund is now $100 billion in the red. What will happen with that, who knows?

The worst time of the year for ME in Florida IS December through March. Well, actually, October through March. I don't like summer in winter. The summers here are really horrible, but I can rationalize 95 in July more than 80 degrees in January.

As another poster so aptly put it, "I/we" don't belong here." Unfortunately, finding a job at 60 is very difficult. Better to keep what you have, where you have it, until you can retire and then move to wherever "your" paradise is.

[beachmouse]

I couldn't imagine just sitting round on the beach. Fortunately, you've got year-round outdoor sports opportunities down here. November through mid-March is winter marathon season, the rest of the year is triathlon and shorter running race time. And there's also year-round mountain biking and kayaking and good hiking from October to May.

I grew up in Michigan, and I definitely don't miss the four seasons deal at all. We've actually talked about going further south in the state at some point because the Panhandle gets rather chilly for a couple weeks every winter.

[Ceiling Cat]

I was at a Christmas party in Lakeland yesterday and all of us sat around in the living room fanning ourselves, almost sweating. Some of us stood by the dining room window because there was no air conditioning (this is supposed to be DECEMBER!), and at least right there we could feel a tiny breeze. Even the baby had to be changed out of his cute little Christmas outfit because it was too hot.

Later, my nephew was attacked by fire ants as he played on the trampoline. Welcome to the hell that is Florida, little ones...

[Mrs. P]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

Some of it probably depends on where one spent Christmases as a kid. Growing up in Florida, Florida Christmases couldn't have seemed "not like Christmas" to me, and I liked the fact that if you got something like a bicycle or skateboard for Christmas, you could take it outside and use it right then. Of course, that also meant that you didn't get things like snowmobiles for Christmas, lol.

. . . anyway, I think it has something to do with where one grew up, and those nostalgic associations that make someplace "home" in the more figurative sense.

hmm....not for me. I grew up where it REALLY snows, the Lake affect snow.

Last year I lived at home? 132 inches of snow...I never want to see the filthy (LOL) stuff again. People in Buffalo NY, Erie PA and eastern suburbs of Cleveland, could probably live without snow again too.

Your right, I forgot about getting new roller skates and bikes for Christmas and living where I did it still snowed in April, and I remember 3 or 4 times it snowed in May.It seemed like FOREVER before we could get out side and play...and it was hurry hurry hurry ..8 weeks of summer, 2 weeks of fall, and months and months and months of cloudy, freezing cold, snow and ice ...never again.

Besides if I was ever stupid enough to miss snow, I could always fly home (that is if the airport ain't snowed in) and look at the snow....oh about 5 minutes turn around get back on the plane and head back South

I thought when I moved to SC I would be rid of the crap...but NOOOOOOOO it snowed here in January. I'd love to be laying on the beach with a cocktail in my hand with 80 degrees and sun...you betcha.

Snow at least for the ones that grew up in the SNOW BELT with Lake affect snowstorms (1 to 3 feet at a time) are probably for the most part sick of it.

Patoooieee on snow

[Mrs. P]

Originally Posted by Margel

I get it; I totally do. You did not want to move here, but you had to and you're stuck and unhappy. I would be too if this were not my type of climate and surroundings. But with all due respect, to actually give any warranty to this type of poll is ridiculous. Most people I know, who by the way, love living here, don't even know about City-Data. This poll only says those who posted, and don't like Florida, were higher in numbers....and of course, you know that too.

You know I was thinking about something earlier today. All these negative posts about Florida, well it seems like it is the same people over and over again....so...I says to myself "Self...why don't you think you see more disgruntled posts if it's soooooooooooooooooo very horrible in FLA????? then a spark comes to me...that would be because the other percentage of people (and I think there's more that like it than not) are outside enjoying their beautiful state, instead of being behind a keyboard.

I can not however, think of anything worse than being "forced" to move somewhere where one does not want to go in the first place...that is a guaranteed unhappy life. It's not that I don't believe some of what's written about being "wrong" it's just that I have to weigh it against who wrote it.

IF someone hates heat and humidity of course FLA will suck to them. IF someone hates cold, gray cloudy, icy 6 months winters of course OH will suck to them.

I'm just really trying to sort out through things I don't know about...like these "temporary licenses" you don't get a full driver license once you move there if you intend that to be your full time home? Do you take driving tests again? How about license plates, what is required and what is the normal fee, is it different between each county? Do your cities have "city tax?" some cities in states do and some cities don't. Depends on the State one is in I guess. I paid city tax in Ohio, in the city I lived in, I do not pay city tax in SC, they don't have it..

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

hmm....not for me. I grew up where it REALLY snows, the Lake affect snow.

Last year I lived at home? 132 inches of snow...I never want to see the filthy (LOL) stuff again. People in Buffalo NY, Erie PA and eastern suburbs of Cleveland, could probably live without snow again too.

Western Michigan got the lake effect too. My 'I'm getting out of this state' moment came senior high school when we got four inches of snow during a track meet the first Saturday in May.