[justNancy]

I just scrolled through this thread to make sure I didn't already post. Ok - let's see. First of all, the obvious positive thing I like about FL is the weather in the winter months. It's just about perfect. I've also gotten used to being casual most of the time. I realize it's a personal choice, but I always felt the need to dress a little better when I lived in New England. OTOH, a lot of people in FL are sloppy and immodest. People often take "come as you are" a little too literally.

[parasol]

Born and raised in SW FL.
No ice to drive on in winter and pleasant temperatures January through April.
Decent dining options. Beaches everywhere. That's the only positives I can muster up.

[Rabflmom]

Born and raised near Chicago. Started coming down here for spring breaks when I was teaching up there.
Came down in summer of 1975 and saw my first rocket launch. Moved down the next year without a job lined up. Was hired in a private school and taught kindergarten for a couple years, married my husband, and had kids down here.
Comparing my living in Florida and raising kids, my college friends and even some without degrees have made more money than us up North and have traveled etc. a lot more than we have. But we live in vacation land where we would choose to go . LOL They have a family circle surrounding them where we fly solo all of the time which can be good or can be a bad thing. My kids have never had a birthday party with family members, any family come to their graduations, and we know our side of the church will just be filled with Florida friends even though I have a huge family in Illinois when they get married.

BUT we are richer in that we have had really great experiences with our kids here in Florida at the beach and at the theme parks. What could be better than spending days at the beach with your kids and then your grandkids.

[Ishten]

1) We can watch the sun rise and set in an ocean/Gulf on the same day (I know there are a few other states that you can do this in, still neat)
2) Taking northerners to 'Jurassic Park', ie any of the "Evergladey" state parks
3) Sandhill cranes in my backyard
4) The colors of the sky are second to none
5) Fresh seafood
6) Inviting neighbors over for Easter dinner is like a UN summit - one time we had folks from Argentina, Germany, Iraq, Cape Verde, Portugal and a country in Africa - just from our neighborhood. Very cool.