[Citrine]

Originally Posted by TANaples

My husband won employee of the year award and a free trip. Nope, didn't want to use it for Disney, Keys, or a cruise. We are using the money to go back to NY Thanksgiving. Someplace that is not TROPICAL.

My older daughter keeps say, "You won't go back". lol She called me up to say it was 85 degrees the other day in LI. "Blazing HOT", she said. I asked her if it was hot as Florida and she said, "No way in hell". ROFL

Quite frankly, I would rather be anywhere NORTH or WEST of NY, than here in Florida. I used to spend my summers as a kid in Indiana. I used to think it was very boring there as a kid. Now, I would even swap Florida for Indiana (other than too far from my kids). I would rather be COOL and bored, than HOT and bored. Yes, it IS boring if you hate the beach.

How exciting for you, and for me, because I get to read about it from you! I am so happy for you. Will you bring us back pictures? You will not want to leave NY, of course, but at least these trips will refresh you and help tide you over until the day you move. Brace yourself for the trip back here, because as I'm sure you know, that's a hard slap in the face.

I am with you 100% on living anywhere NORTH or WEST of NY! I will take what I can get, but my strong preference is far, far away from Florida and from the SE part of the country in general.

[mazenblue]

Just a word of warming for those of you looking to move out, and that includes me!
Florida leads the country in moving scams. Do your homework when getting a mover.
Please use the BBB , movingscams.com and moverescue.com and FMCSA.com to check out companies you are considering using. A $2000.00 move just cost me $1500.00 in damages.
Going home to visit next month. Can't wait to see family and friends. Fall colors and a crisp apple!

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by BacktoMA4good

Hiking... Not in Florida.

Whereas I grew up in Florida, and I've always been an avid hiker. When I first moved to the New York City area (where I still live most of the time) and went hiking, I thought, "What?? This is mountain climbing!" lol. Growing up in Florida I always thought of hiking as simply taking a walk, but "in nature" rather than on city streets.

I like the New York City area, but I like Florida, too. I like everywhere, really. I don't mind any environment, any temperatures. I like to experience heat, cold, rain, deserts, etc.--everything. I think each place has a lot to offer, and I try to enjoy every place for what it is. The thing that's frustrating for me is that we have to choose. If I could, I'd just travel all the time, because I miss Florida when I'm away too long, I miss the Northeast when I'm away too long, I miss the deserts and mountains in the West when I'm away too long, I miss the rainforests of the Northwest when I'm away too long, I miss the Caribbean when I'm away too long, etc.

[Floridamom1970]

Two weeks from today we will be on our way to Oklahoma City!

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

Whereas I grew up in Florida, and I've always been an avid hiker. When I first moved to the New York City area (where I still live most of the time) and went hiking, I thought, "What?? This is mountain climbing!" lol. Growing up in Florida I always thought of hiking as simply taking a walk, but "in nature" rather than on city streets.

I like the New York City area, but I like Florida, too. I like everywhere, really. I don't mind any environment, any temperatures. I like to experience heat, cold, rain, deserts, etc.--everything. I think each place has a lot to offer, and I try to enjoy every place for what it is. The thing that's frustrating for me is that we have to choose. If I could, I'd just travel all the time, because I miss Florida when I'm away too long, I miss the Northeast when I'm away too long, I miss the deserts and mountains in the West when I'm away too long, I miss the rainforests of the Northwest when I'm away too long, I miss the Caribbean when I'm away too long, etc.

Go upstate. You have the the Catskills and the Adirondacks. You want mountains, those are mountains. Go in the Fall. It is absolutely beautiful. If you don't want to travel too far, try the Hudson Valley, although those are only the foothills, but still beautiful. Or go to the Poconos. It really isn't that far away.

There are a lot of mountains in the vacinity of NYC.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by TANaples

Go upstate. You have the the Catskills and the Adirondacks. You want mountains, those are mountains. Go in the Fall. It is absolutely beautiful. If you don't want to travel too far, try the Hudson Valley, although those are only the foothills, but still beautiful. Or go to the Poconos. It really isn't that far away.

There are a lot of mountains in the vacinity of NYC.

I don't quite get how you would have understood, "I don't go to any mountainous areas near New York City/I don't go in the fall/etc." from what I typed.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

I don't quite get how you would have understood, "I don't go to any mountainous areas near New York City/I don't go in the fall/etc." from what I typed.

Read it too fast. Now I get it.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Citrine

How exciting for you, and for me, because I get to read about it from you! I am so happy for you. Will you bring us back pictures? You will not want to leave NY, of course, but at least these trips will refresh you and help tide you over until the day you move. Brace yourself for the trip back here, because as I'm sure you know, that's a hard slap in the face.

I am with you 100% on living anywhere NORTH or WEST of NY! I will take what I can get, but my strong preference is far, far away from Florida and from the SE part of the country in general.

I will.

[typ8lbb]

Have been living in FL for about 13 years...time to move. Weather is just too damn hot and humid. It definitely was not like this when I first moved. Darm global warming....I find myself wanting to stay home instead of going out just to avoid the damn 90+ degree weather plus humidity year round
Looking to move, we're just trying to decide between maybe Denver, Chicago or North Carolina....we'll start visiting those places starting later this year

[rich67]

I have been living out here for 15 years. I moved from Southern California, where I had lived for about 25 years. I left California when I got married, looking for cheaper housing and to get my kids away from the gangs and poor attitude I saw out there. It was a good choice for sure, since Florida was much nicer at the time.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the beaches and palm trees out here...but that's about it. The traffic is terrible, city planning even worse, and the economy is miserable. I took a substantial pay cut to make the move, and sometimes wish I had stayed since I probably would be at least 5 years closer to retirement in California if I had.
I am planning to move to Arizona when I retire. Most of it has to do with the fact I live a very active lifestyle- I mountain bike, love to hike and camp, want to start kayaking, and jet ski all the time out here. There are NO mountains out here, and that is killing me the most right now. I have been eyeing northern Az since it offers lots of activities, lakes for kayaking and jetskiing, Utah nearby for mountain biking, and endless hiking and "getting in touch with nature" opportunities. Things I plan on doing a lot of when I retire.
The transient population of Florida is crazy, and some of the people who come down here are just plain...well....strange and sick. We have a very high concentration of sex offenders, criminals, and other dregs of society. It seems they all come down here to try to escape things in other states, but when they get here they are either severly disillusioned or they fall right back into their old ways.
I honestly can't wait to get out. If I had the means to retire early, I'd be gone tomorrow. I also am going through a divorce (hence my short fuse on occasion on other posts! LOL), so I have a very sour taste in my mouth for Florida if you catch my drift...bad memories for the most part.
So...
Pros of FLorida:
1) Beaches
2) Warm weather
3) inexpensive car registration
4) No state income tax

Cons:
1) Pay scale
2) Home insurance
3) traffic
4) crime
5) bad economy (seemingly worse than other places, but can't verify that for sure..just my opinion)
6) getting too crowded
7) TERRIBLE drivers!
8) No mountains
9) no real change of seasons (which I do want to experience-without tons of snow, though!)