Would you consider Tampa "Southern?" (Miami, Lakeland: transplants, subdivisions)

[godsavethequeens]

I mean politically, culturally/socially, industrially, etc.

Also, how would you compare the Tampa metro's overall vibe to Miami's? Are they worlds apart, or fairly similar? Tampa has always struck me as Florida's "second" city, invariably eclipsed by Miami. I just wanted your overall opinions on these concerns. Thank you, in advance.

[Eresh]

I don't think of most of Florida as Southern because there are so many people here who are from somewhere else. Certain more rural parts of central and north Florida seem to be more Southern than the metro and beachside areas.
Ever notice on the weather channel how they refer to "the deep south and Florida"? They treat it as separate form the south too.
I haven't spent enough time in Miami to compare it to Tampa, but I suspect that Miami has a more urban feel to it.

[Sailor Curt]

I was born in southern Georgia and lived in the south most of my life. What Eresh is saying above has always seemed to me to be true, i.e., that most of nothern and central Florida are "southern," while the coastal cities and those closer to Miami tend to be a hodge-podge of people who have moved from colder climes.

As for what they say on the Weather Channel, well, that may be because Florida lies in what is considered a "semi-tropical" zone as far as forecasts are concerned.

Politically, Florida seems to have gone the way of most of the other southern states historically, but even that seems to be changing since the last round of elections.

I like to think that Florida retains all of the best of what it means to be "southern" and has discarded others as new cultures and ideas are assimilated.

[seain dublin]

Well they fly a huge Confederate flag where the intersates meet.

[TXRyan23]

I say Yes.

It's not so much the actual city of Tampa but the entire metro area that makes up Tampa/St. Pete/Sarasota/Lakeland.

If you venture out in pretty much all directions (except West ) You'll run into VERY southern suburbs fairly quick, esp. in Eastern Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk.

[honu1]

Having lived in many southern states, Tampa does not feel southern to me at all. I often say the only thing that is truly southern about it is its geographic location. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing...

[sueinge]

I lived in NC for awhile and that was WAY more southern than anywhere in FL in my opinion. Most people down here don't sound or act southern.

[TampaKaren]

I'm a Tennessee transplant and I'd say, "Why bless your li'l pea pickin' heart y'all, of course it's Suthin."

[Aconite]

The Bay Area's Southern at its core. It's just been paved over and parts of it used as a containment area for misplaced Yankees, who are too busy shopping at national chains and living in subdivisions filled with other transplants to notice.
On the rare occasions they do notice, they're too busy fussing about "but back hoooooome we do it thiiiiiiiis way!" to appreciate whether it's Southern, Caribbean, or filled with little green men from Alpha Centauri.

[godsavethequeens]

Originally Posted by Aconite

The Bay Area's Southern at its core. It's just been paved over and parts of it used as a containment area for misplaced Yankees, who are too busy shopping at national chains and living in subdivisions filled with other transplants to notice.
On the rare occasions they do notice, they're too busy fussing about "but back hoooooome we do it thiiiiiiiis way!" to appreciate whether it's Southern, Caribbean, or filled with little green men from Alpha Centauri.

So it's always those darn Yankees' fault?