Boring...really?? (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miramar: crime rate, how much, hotel)

[DivingPrincessE]

Hi, my name is Emily and my family recently moved to FL and I will be moving down shortly. I have been coming to FL frequently since May because my boyfriend lives in Fort Lauderdale and I find a lot of posts on this forum fairly surprising.

I read the “why do you hate it here” thread in addition to several other disparaging threads, and I think people really need to move if they hate FL so much. I’m thinking you will quickly find that things really aren’t so bad in your little slice of paradise.

I live by/work in DC so spare me the traffic argument.

Crime…DC is always in the top five in the “murder capitol of the country” list (darn that Baltimore, always beating us out) so that is pretty silly argument from my perspective as well. Fort Lauderdale doesn’t even make the crime list at all. (United States cities by crime rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2007/offe...ime/index.html) Not to mention that one of the most dangerous gangs in the country (MS13) is taking over Northern Virginia. (MS13 Gang)

The rude people thing…well I was actually commenting about how much friendlier people were down there when I was down for two weeks over Christmas/New Year’s. When I went shopping at Publix, all the employees (and a few shoppers) actually said “good morning” That would never ever happen here…ever. Believing people are rude is a subjective kind of thing, so it will be difficult to change anyone’s opinion on this.

The gripe I’ve seen on here that I hate the most is the “it’s boring and there is nothing to do here.” I truly believe if you are bored in South FL it’s because you CHOOSE to be bored and you would be unhappy anywhere. South Florida has something for EVERYONE!!

Partiers = Miami has TONS of night life if that’s what you're into, and Lauderdale has a few places too. (Miami Nightclubs - Find Nightclubs in Miami and Read Unbiased Reviews - NightGuide) (Fort Lauderdale Nightclubs - Find Nightclubs in Fort Lauderdale and Read Unbiased Reviews - NightGuide)

Drinkers but not really partiers = South FL has more bars than I can count…I don’t think this statement requires a link to back up my claim.

Relax people = The beach or sitting at the pool

Gamblers = Slot Casinos and gambling cruises (Fort Lauderdale Casinos in Fort Lauderdale FL Yellow Pages by SuperPages)

Sports fans = The Dolphins, the Marlins, Miami Heat, plus all the college teams in the area…and the best part is you don’t have to freeze your bits and pieces off just to watch a football game. I’ve been to three Dolphins games this year, including the Playoff game against the Ravens (stupid Ravens!! ) and had a great time at all three!

Travelers = Well other than the fact that you LIVE in an area that many people travel TO. You have instant access to super cheap cruises and the Caribbean, plus the same opportunity to travel anywhere in the world (no different that the rest of the country which is apparently so much better than FL) via one of the several airports in the area.

Active people = Soccer leagues, football leagues, basketball leagues, baseball leagues, swimming, golf, and cycling PLUS you have a ton of activities that most of the country can’t do like ocean kayaking, scuba diving, parasailing, beach volleyball, fishing, boating and sailing. Heck there are even ice rinks so you can play hockey! I’m very sorry you can’t ski and mountain climb in Florida…yup that means there is nothing to do in FL and it’s really boring.

Entertainment = Same as the rest of the country - movie theaters, stand up comedy (Florida Stand-Up Comedy Guide), concerts (American Airlines Arena), the Theater (The Broward Center for Performing Arts: Welcome) (http://www.miamiandbeaches.com/visit...re_theatre.asp), outdoor events year round (festivals, art shows, gardening, bbqs, etc), and TONS of restaurants all around South Florida.

History and Art = South Florida has plenty of museums and art galleries, so take your pick (||| MoAFL |||), (Fort Lauderdale Galleries | Yelp), (Miami-Dade County - Miami Art Museum), (www.mocanomi.org), (Miami Art Central), (Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science - Florida, USA. Ft Lauderdale, FL.), (Fort Lauderdale Fire Museum), (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale Art and History Museums - SoulOfAmerica), (http://www.hmsf.org/)

So to the people that claim Florida is oh so boring…please enlighten me. What exactly do you find so entertaining that you can’t do in South FL??

*Donning flame suit* Go ahead and flame away.

[tonyc]

lol..I'm in DC and can relate to the traffic and was in Miramar a few weeks ago....

Here's what I think it is in a nutshell - to truely enjoy SFL u really have to have the income to support it. For example, my last trip I stayed at the Westin Diplomat in Hallandale. I had a hook up so the rooms were discounted. Looking around that hotel everything seems grand; wow I could live here, the pool, the bar etc..

Now if I lived there don't think I'd be able to afford it, so then life can become boring for folks who like that sort of stuff. For me, give the beach and I'm set.

[Lost in Translation]

Boring and nothing to do? I haven't heard that one yet, and whoever said that 1) either hasn't lived here, 2) never left his/her house or 3) was just another Miami-hater trolling around trying to get a rise out of everybody.

There's TONS to do here, and every year I find more and more undiscovered things to do and see - some in my own neighborhood.

[DivingPrincessE]

Originally Posted by Lost in Translation

Boring and nothing to do? I haven't heard that one yet, and whoever said that 1) either hasn't lived here, 2) never left his/her house or 3) was just another Miami-hater trolling around trying to get a rise out of everybody.

There's TONS to do here, and every year I find more and more undiscovered things to do and see - some in my own neighborhood.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/fort-...hate-here.html

Boring: 36%

http://www.city-data.com/forum/flori...p-reading.html

My son is your age and totally hates it here and moving back home to Phila. He's been here 10 years since college. As you know, you can be just about anywhere in a few hours driving or train...from there including Canada. NY, AC, Phila, Md, etc are a stone's throw with never ending action and culture etc.

It's BORING here, really. (not including Miami if that's your bag) Anywhere you want to go is FAR. You have to drive hours and hours to just get out of Florida and you're only in Georgia (or Bama) for goodness sakes (in So Fl).. LOL.

He moved to downtown West Palm for the few activities and nightlife and to be able to walk outside and get to places. It's also culturally very different than Phila/NJ/NY. Alot of S L O W paced people and I'm not talking about seniors. Just brain dead young people. They can take three times the time to ring you up at CVS compared to Phila, seriously. It's still the S O U T H and they are not too thrilled with Northerners, I'm not kidding.

Spend time and see if you really do like it. Get cheap fares by signing up with Spirit you just missed some flights for ONE dollar this week. Come down alot and see what you think. You need to ignore the weather and water and listen to people around you. Usually you hear NOTHING LOLOL. It's very different than up North where everyone is talking all the time and laughing. I think the sun fries brains here, seriously. The only animated people I know are from other places.

(I realize she said not including Miami, but I'm guessing her son is bored because her son is boring...there is LOTS to do all over if you just go LOOK for something to do).

I agree and I am sure my 29 year old daughter, who just moved here from NY and cries her eyes out every night, would too. I gave you a rep for this one.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/miami...mi-boring.html

I just found this forum today and was just laughing at some of the bad attitudes on this forum. Get a grip people, there is PLENTY to do and your crime/traffic/etc really isn't bad compared to a lot of other places in the country.

[DivingPrincessE]

Side note...Is there a minimum post number required to post links or do links always show up like that??

Nevermind...answered my own question. It's just like the tootsie pop commercial

One - Tahoo - Three

THREE

[Wild Style]

fort lauderdale IS boring. I am from Brooklyn and know what a real city should be like. The quality of living here SUCKS compared to NYC. If I want to go out in NYC with the family i don't have to spend money to go to a quality park or go to cultural events etc. In Fort Lauderdale you do. Miami is a a bit better than Ft. Lauderdale though.

[tonyc]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

fort lauderdale IS boring. I am from Brooklyn and know what a real city should be like. The quality of living here SUCKS compared to NYC. If I want to go out in NYC with the family i don't have to spend money to go to a quality park or go to cultural events etc. In Fort Lauderdale you do. Miami is a a bit better than Ft. Lauderdale though.

lol...lived in bklyn but mostly qns for 10 years, so I hear u

but, I have friends who are from NYC currently living in Dade/Broward who totally enjoy living there. They visit NY often, but would never ever move back. They're making there NE salaries so that may have something to do with it.

[Lost in Translation]

I can see how Dade/Broward could be seen as boring for someone coming from NYC, but to say there is nothing to do here is ridiculous. And you don't need to make gobs of money to enjoy life here. In fact, there is a free showing of Macbeth in Flamingo park this weekend in SoBe - outdoors I might add!!!

I'm still waiting for someone to answer the OP's original question: "What exactly do you find so entertaining that you can’t do in South FL??"

[DivingPrincessE]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

fort lauderdale IS boring. I am from Brooklyn and know what a real city should be like. The quality of living here SUCKS compared to NYC. If I want to go out in NYC with the family i don't have to spend money to go to a quality park or go to cultural events etc. In Fort Lauderdale you do. Miami is a a bit better than Ft. Lauderdale though.

?? Broward has the beach...that's pretty free...

Kayaking, swimming, shore dives (once you have equipments), walking along the beach, going to a dog park, art galleries, several museums...free free free free.

Also if someone is saying boo hoo I'm bored because I don't want to spend any money...that is kind of their problem, now isn't it?

So what exactly does Brooklyn have that South Florida doesn't? Also if FL is so awul and boring that why do soooooooooooo many NYers come down south...yet you don't see many people born in FL heading up north to NY

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by DivingPrincessE

?? Broward has the beach...that's pretty free...

Kayaking, swimming, shore dives (once you have equipments), walking along the beach, going to a dog park, art galleries, several museums...free free free free.

Also if someone is saying boo hoo I'm bored because I don't want to spend any money...that is kind of their problem, now isn't it?

So what exactly does Brooklyn have that South Florida doesn't? Also if FL is so awul and boring that why do soooooooooooo many NYers come down south...yet you don't see many people born in FL heading up north to NY

yeah and after you have done the beach thing for a few months that will get pretty damn old. I have beaches in NY, and assure you ft lauderdale isn't offering much of anything I can't get back home if I wanted it. art galleries, umm several museums, have you been to any art galleries on museums in say Chicago or nyc? They don't compare. Its like comparing Columbia University to a south florida kindergarten, lets be real here. You people who don't live here but have all these opinions about what it is like to live here crack me up. Try living here a few years, then get back to me.

As for people moving to NYC as opposed to Florida. Last time I checked people are leaving Florida by the dozens. Move here, live here for awhile then bring me a informed opinion.

Originally Posted by tonyc

lol...lived in bklyn but mostly qns for 10 years, so I hear u

but, I have friends who are from NYC currently living in Dade/Broward who totally enjoy living there. They visit NY often, but would never ever move back. They're making there NE salaries so that may have something to do with it.

I have had about five friends move down here from NYC. Some owned businesses and others did the regular 9 to 5 thing. All did well for themselves and all have left to go back to NYC. To each their own I guess.

My break down of Broward county or Fort Lauderdale specifically is. It is a small town with big city aspirations. However those small town mentalities don't know how to reach the goal.

Dade I like a LOT better than Broward, a LOT better. They just need to work on their corruption and get people in office who actually know how to govern and develop a city. I am impressed with the Miami 21 initiative though. Good first step.