[goolsbyjazz]

Great post lovescrowds! I am happy to see a good post touting the MANY positives of Florida that often get overlooked or pushed to the back. Like the OP I too live in Phoenix and the same thing happens with this city and the state. Please, keep the positives flowing!!!!!!

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

Great post lovescrowds! I am happy to see a good post touting the MANY positives of Florida that often get overlooked or pushed to the back. Like the OP I too live in Phoenix and the same thing happens with this city and the state. Please, keep the positives flowing!!!!!!

Agreed!!

[Sunscape]

[Spring Hillian]

In 2005 we sold our home in Orlando after living there for 17 years. We wanted to go to a quieter less crowded area.

We could have gone anywhere in the U.S. but there was no doubt in our minds that we would stay in Florida because we enjoyed it so much. Now we've been here in Spring Hill 90 miles due west of Orlando and have been here over 10 years. We are very content with our choice. We did consider other parts of FL but we like the central FL area so here we are.

Lots of people complain that FL is this or that but most of the complaints are personal preferences.

The fact is 20 million people live here, its the "go to" place for the majority of the snowbirds and the flow of new residents continues.

FL, as anywhere has its rough and undesirable areas but Ive never seen a place that does not.

FL is a great place to be though its not for everyone.

[justin230]

Spring Hill is starting to get bad too. I remember when it was a nice small town. The northerners moved down and turned Spring Hill into a city. As a Florida native, I hate what the Yankees have done to this state. Overbuilt and overcrowded. The Florida panhandle is Florida's last part that's still small and southern.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

I spent 2 months in Orlando, Tampa and Sarasota. I thought it was a very, very clean and orderly state.

The interstates were in very good shape compared to most states and the roads in Orlando were some of the maintained I have seen.

I live in Phoenix now and prior to that was in Vegas. I was stunned how Orlando was so lush and smelled like a tropical rain forest with all the amazing trees, plants and flowers. The whole city is like a botanic garden with no admission fee.

Orlando was the cleanest city I have ever seen. The roads were silky smooth, I saw very little litter and seemed like they must do a thorough cleaning of the city often. The interstate was spotless going through Orlando and the lushless is beautiful, its like a constant mist of Fabreeze.

The area around Lake Eola was busy with many people enjoying the lake and neighborhood. The skyline is very nice for a city of 230,000 people with all the sleek mid-rises.

Tampa was a bit rough around the edges, it seemed like the infrastructure was not as good as Orlando but it was still far, far better then most American cities. The downtown has a very nice skyline for a city of 350,000 and even the rougher areas of North Tampa are nothing compared to most North American major cities.

I like the fact Tampa metropolitan area isnt a one size fits all metro area where everyone is married with kids. Its been rated a great for singles of all ages and I did see alot more non-married then most metropolitan areas.

Pinellas County is great with the proximity to the beaches, the cities are well maintained and the people are very friendly.

I also spent time down in Sarasota which instantly seems like one of the most well run cities in America. It is a city of only 50,000 people but yet the downtown is better then many cities of 500,000 people or more.
The downtown was very clean, unlike other cities with only restaurants and bars they had a wide variety of retail. Many cities 10 times larger then Sarasota don't even have a downtown grocery store but yet they have a massive Whole Foods in the middle of the downtown.

Overall, I had heard that Florida was trashy and dirty before I visited but I was shocked by how clean, orderly and well-run the state and it's cities are.

I also noticed that Floridians are the most attractive people I have seen. Floridians have such soft and smooth skin from the lack of pollution and the abundent humidity. The friendly, older ladies in Sarasota look healthier then women in most of America half their age.

What is amazing about Florida is it has no state income, very low sales taxes compared to other areas and very low property tax rates but yet has some of the most beautiful, well-maintained, cleanest cities I have ever seen.

Hehe - I hope I was one of those "friendly older ladies that look healthier, etc. et." Thank you for your observations - I was born and raised in Florida and feel the same way. It's not perfect, but it really has a lot to offer, and there is no place I would rather live. My husband and I live in Sarasota and think it is as close to paradise as we can get.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by justin230

Spring Hill is starting to get bad too. I remember when it was a nice small town. The northerners moved down and turned Spring Hill into a city. As a Florida native, I hate what the Yankees have done to this state. Overbuilt and overcrowded. The Florida panhandle is Florida's last part that's still small and southern.

It depends how you define "bad". It has grown alot. SR50 going east continues to develop as more Businesses open there. Yes, it was a small retirement community but is no longer. It's still rural outside of Spring Hill east of Brooksville. Just north of 50 is mostly undeveloped as well. There are a lot of northerners here in Spring Hill but we have lots of people from the midwest too.

Not only the panhandle but most of the areas north of here are very rural and since there are no major cities nearby it will most likely stay that way.

[Bobdreamz]

Originally Posted by justin230

Spring Hill is starting to get bad too. I remember when it was a nice small town.The northerners moved down and turned Spring Hill into a city. As a Florida native, I hate what the Yankees have done to this state. Overbuilt and overcrowded. The Florida panhandle is Florida's last part that's still small and southern.

I hate to burst your bubble but most of Florida has been mostly built by Yankees.The entire Southeast coast was developed by them & Miami is considered the "Sixth Borough".
You are correct that the Panhandle is Florida's last part that's still small and southern but that is the charm of Florida where we have large swaths of a rural environment and "Southern" culture is maintained even though Florida isn't really a culturally Southern state when within 500 years of it's existence we had 5 Nations having flown their flags over the state.

If you dislike big Urban Florida you can escape it relatively easy by driving about a hour away from most major metro areas and has concentrated development.
Florida is a very Urban state :


http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...psvnnqpduk.jpg

I love Florida even with all the craziness.

PS: Florida is a environmentally sensitive state despite concrete everywhere. No drilling off our shores for Oil.

[CindyRoos]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

I hate to burst your bubble but most of Florida has been mostly built by Yankees.The entire Southeast coast was developed by them & Miami is considered the "Sixth Borough".
You are correct that the Panhandle is Florida's last part that's still small and southern but that is the charm of Florida where we have large swaths of a rural environment and "Southern" culture is maintained even though Florida isn't really a culturally Southern state when within 500 years of it's existence we had 5 Nations having flown their flags over the state.

If you dislike big Urban Florida you can escape it relatively easy by driving about a hour away from most major metro areas and has concentrated development.
Florida is a very Urban state :


I love Florida even with all the craziness.

PS: Florida is a environmentally sensitive state despite concrete everywhere. No drilling off our shores for Oil.

Cool picture

[hotkarl]

Coming from the North East let me say that over all, Florida is one of, if not the, cleanest states I've ever been.
Even the ghettos compared to the NE are clean.
Yeah there are some rough areas here and there but as a whole Florida is a very neat and clean state, even the large cities are clean. It's remarkable. The roadways are top notch as well, but in fairness the NE roads gets clobbered in the winter due to the snow removal and freeze/thaw. But even so, the roads are terribly neglected up here. Most of the money goes to salaries.
Florida is not without problems, it has a ton, but I would say compared to other areas it is very organized and structured.
As an outsider I can truly appreciate the differences.