[lair8]

Originally Posted by foodyum

Florida has a certain look and feel that is very, Florida. Strip malls, gated communities, high rises on the beach.
It’s not bad but it is very consistent. If you never leave it can get boring. Most of the towns and cities, have the same look and feel and from around the same circa. Miami and st Augustine are the 2 exceptions.
Th beaches are beautiful but they are all pretty much the same too. It’s not worth it to take a trip to a different part of the state because really most if it is not that different even though it’s a huge state.

Exactly! It's a very samey color palette. This is taste of course. Some people enjoy this, but I hate this.


It's not a fun state to drive through. It has the congestion of a dense city but without the density of things to do of the city.



For many people, a good chunk of their time outdoors, when they're not at work, or at home, or at a gathering with family/friends, is driving.


80% of what you'll see is highways, congested intersections, grass, gated communities, a strip mall, etc. It's so non-descript.

[foodyum]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

Nah. I disagree... Orlando (city proper and core areas) has a distinct look, with old towering oaks, natural springs, etc.
I live near Tarpon Springs -- nothing in FL remotely looks like it. Tallahassee is nothing like the peninsula... It's no different than anywhere else. Most of Georgia has a typical GA feel, aside from Atlanta.
The NJ townships "all feel the same." etc. etc.

Orlando, clermont and all those thousands of houses in all those hundreds of developments look pretty much exactly like the ones in Lakewood ranch and Boca and delray and Bradenton or Naples. The apartment high rises in Miami and ft lauderdale and Sarasota also look exactly the same.
Heck they are even decorated the same. Been to so many parties at so many houses that if you blind folded me on the way there I couldn’t identify which part of Florida I was in.
Pick out a Zillow listing and I’ll bet you’d be hard pressed to identify the location from looking at the house, backyard or living room shot.
That is unusual for most states.

It’s a nice look but it’s also kind of creepy in a stepford wives kind of way.

Compare that to say Pennsylvania which has the poconos, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, the main line, Amish country, Scanton. … all completely different in look and feel.

[lair8]

There's a visceral unsettling feeling I get driving in south FL that I get nowhere else. It's hard to articulate, but I'll try my best:

There are dense cities like Denver or wherever that are congested but there's a lot of uniqueness and things to do in them. Traffic moves slowly, but things aren't too far away.

There are rural places where places are spread apart, but you can drive more quickly and you don't have the share the road with as many bad drivers.

Much of South FL has the density of cars you'd expect in a major metro area but not the density of things to see and do. So it feels like you're spending a lot of time driving without really going anywhere.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by foodyum

Orlando, clermont and all those thousands of houses in all those hundreds of developments look pretty much exactly like the ones in Lakewood ranch and Boca and delray and Bradenton or Naples.

I wasn't referring to the new(er) cookie-cutter developments in Orlando and surrounding areas. The inner parts of the city have some unique areas that can't be mistaken for some development in Bradenton, Sarasota, etc.

Most of FL's metro areas though, I agree, are hideous, copy/paste suburban sprawl. Can't argue that.

[foodyum]

Originally Posted by lair8

There's a visceral unsettling feeling I get driving in south FL that I get nowhere else. It's hard to articulate, but I'll try my best:

There are dense places that are congested but there's a lot of uniqueness and things to do in them. Traffic moves slowly, but things aren't too far away.

There are rural places where things are spread apart, but you can drive more quickly and you don't have the share the road with as many bad drivers.

Much of South FL has the density of cars you'd expect in a major metro area but not the density of things to see and do. So it feels like you're spending a lot of time driving without really going anywhere.

I think most residents just really like the consistency. Possibly it makes them feel safe because it’s familiar. Just a hypothesis. That may be why HOA’s flourish in the state way more than in other states.
There is no question that it exists. If it is a positive or a negative is up to the individual.

[LKJ1988]

FL is about the worst state to live in nate to date. Weather is the worst with year round heat pete and no rain jane. Traffic is a nitemare blare and i could go on and on.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by lair8

I wish you were right, but I'm a prisoner here. I'm trying to move out, but waiting for the real estate market to cool down first.


I'm fine with people disagreeing and having a spirited discussion. But I dislike that someone would say that I'm lying about living in FL just because I don't personally like it. That's a strong rationalization.



Why is it hard to fathom that there is a Florida resident that dislikes Florida? Is everyone supposed to like it?

It's clear you don't like Florida,,and your laundry list of things that "suck" about Florida clearly show that perspective.

I hope you can move out of Florida as soon as possible for your own sanity...

[Trip Mcnealy]

Why not just move then?

[SanyBelle]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

It's clear you don't like Florida,,and your laundry list of things that "suck" about Florida clearly show that perspective.

I hope you can move out of Florida as soon as possible for your own sanity...

Originally Posted by Trip Mcnealy

Why not just move then?

I agree. If the OP hates Florida so much, he/she should leave as soon as possible.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by lair8

1) High rent/housing prices, yet low wages. You pay Seattle-like rent, but get Kansas-like wages. The same job you get here, you could get $5+ more an hour in similar priced areas in the country.

2) Most towns look the same. (This sounds like a trivial point, but it's a lot bigger of a frustration than it may seem). It's like a video game world where the same assets are copied and pasted for every town; it feels artificial. Aside from some towns looking richer or poorer than others, there's little difference. Hence, it makes driving around the state less exciting.

3) Lack of geographic diversity. No mountains. Lack of woods. Lack of memorable places in general to visit.

4) Public transportation is horrible. (See point #1. I know several working class people who had their car break down, but had to go without one for a few months because they pay half of their wage to rent)

5) Congested roads. Bad drivers.

6) Lack of a social atmosphere for mid-age people. There are younger social groups (bars/clubs, college, high school, etc). There are social groups for age 55+. But not much for people in their 30's-40's.

7) Actually, just a lack of things to do in general for most towns here, aside from going out and drinking. Meetups are practically dead.

8) Rated below average in health care and crime. Education system is a joke.

9) Natural disasters, and long-term, climate change.

I have friends who are making payments on a house they plan to retire to. They live out-of-state. Their town was smack in the middle of the last hurricane. The house survived intact, but their daughter's house had a ceiling cave in from the water the storm was carrying. They have a renter, which takes the pressure off from them economically, as they live out-of-state.

But their plans are unfazed after getting lucky and suffering no damage in that recent event. They say, there's no point in worrying about it, because anywhere you may choose to locate has its risks. I wonder if they'll shrug it off so easily once they move there, and go through another couple of hurricanes.