Why I want to move to south Florida...

[popcorn247]

I Moved to South Florida from Chicago and am happy with my decision, but it has its cons also. I stay near downtown Fort Lauderdale but spend a great amount of time in Miami as well.

CONS: OVERPRICED FOOD/TERRIBLE QUALITY (I wish I had enough capital to open a restaurant!!)

In Detail...

PROS: Amazing weather, lots of different cultures (not just CUBAN). More laid back "big city" if that makes sense. Although people drive in a rush out here everything else is slower pace. Traffic sucks but it moves faster than back in Chicago.

CONS: For some reason the food quality out here is horrible. Coming from Chicago I actually like NY style pizza (thin, long slices). BUT out here NY style pizza is horrible. Almost every place (at least 7 places Ive ordered from) is over greasy and too thin. I paid how much for this piece of paper!!?? Mexican food is disgusting out here. I never even heard of Tex-Mex until i came here. I guess thats what upper east coast people call Mexican food. Well its horrible and def nothing like Mexican food I've ever had...think Taco Bell! And not only is the food BAD but OVERPRICED as well. Lets just say I never eat out anymore, unless its traditional Cuban, Argentinian, etc.. I guess people in the upper east coast are use to eating dog **** everyday because they seem like the only people that own business in Fort Lauderdale (I can't vouch for Miami). Thats all Fort Lauderdale is..snobby upper east coast snowbirds or trashy locals. No offense, just the honest truth. Of course there are plenty of great people, but MAJORITY is that.

-Being 27 and partying all over the country I got to see many different cities. Just like everywhere else you have your wannabe "rich" fakes, but out here its to the MAX, especially in Miami. And that vibe definitely carried its way north as well. Everyone thinks their a model in south Florida and their Prius at home is a Lambo. Downtown Fort Lauderdale is cool if you like a block of bars/clubs. (And I mean a BLOCK). Its straight white/black up here. ALOT more diverse in Miami. Plus it seems like everyone knows each other, which I'm sure they do. Id take Miami on a night out any day BUT if you like to drink...drink BEFORE going out! $$$ in MIAMI. Think $12 for a cocktail at the LEAST. But you can def find your spots. Thats mostly for big nightclubs.

And thats about it. Houses are small flats out here, no basements that i know of. Bigger houses out west (2floors,etc.) You can find reasonable prices and you can find even more extremely over priced homes as well. The job market is reasonable depending on what you do. I was lucky to find a good paying job out here within my degree, but the pay scale is usually less down here which makes no sense considering that the cost of living is shortly above average. Again think food and other small inquires. The "ghetto" areas that people warned me about obviously you don't want to be in but they don't look anything too intimidating. I grew up on the south side of Chicago and these "ghettos" look like the suburbs to me.

So you can see the cons are almost stupid. If your obviously older you can care less about the nightlife. But trust me the food sucks, unless your again from upper east coast and use to this ****. Trust me Ive been to both those "famous" Philly steak sandwich joints in Philadelphia (Geno's & Pats) and they were overpriced and taste like ****. (You can see that overpriced and ****ty quality trend moved down here). I got a better steak sandwich at the food truck up there..HONESTLY![/quote]

I grew up ~ 2 hours south of Chicago, in Indiana. I moved to south Florida in the 1970's and still live down here. I just want to address your comments about Mexican food. I live in Homestead and we do have some good (not fancy!) Mexican restaurants. One is La Casita de Tejas, in downtown Homestead on Krome Avenue. Another is Rosita's in Florida City on their 'main street' Palm Drive. We have quite a few Mexicans and other Hispanics in this area. They pick crops and work in the wholesale nurseries and tropical fruit groves which are mostly just north of Homestead proper.



https://3guysfrommiami.com/homestead_casita_texas.html

[Reptoid Humidian]

I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the Primanti Brothers in Ft Lauderdale, but I only ate there once, so maybe I caught them on a bad day.

[deboinair]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I'm from the deep south of California (San Diego)....hope this does not apply to me.

I'm originally from LA only 1 and half north of Diego, so um no it doesn't apply. ha ha.You know what I mean. The bible belt states.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by space age

Valicky - during the "riding season" up here I ride just about every weekend. If the rides are that boring or it becomes too dangerous then I'll get rid of the bike. But, I imagine it's probably just as dangerous there as here. Riding a sport bike in flowing traffic seams to attract people who want to prove something as well as those who are careless. I've have had my share of close calls this past summer and it has taught me how to be more aware as a rider and never lose focus. I've seen people do some crazy things when bikes are around...with kids in the car at that. Funny that it is safer to ride in a group than solo, but in a group is when we attract the most dangerous drivers trying to prove something.

OMG I'm dying laughing!! Oh the naïve!

Seriously, I worked in Atlanta for years and my stepson graduated from Ga Tech. Atlanta has horrible, horrible traffic. I've never climb on a motorcycle in Atlanta.

That said, Atlanta doesn't even scratch the SURFACE of the degree of horrific of South Florida traffic. Not. Even.

Half the drivers aren't insured, many are illegals, traffic is either 85mph or a parking lot, no one ever uses a signal, drivers would rather cut you off than not, people constantly cut you off then slam on their brakes in front of you, etc, etc.

If you get on a motorcycle on the Dolphin, the Palmetto, I95, 595, US1, or the Turnpike, it is just a matter of time before you are in an accident, dead, or seriously injured. Not IF but WHEN.

There is a reason you see very few motorcycles down here. Maybe on A1A but that is it.

You need to live near where you work. Your commute can destroy your quality of life.

My husband commutes from Fort Lauderdale to South Beach, Brickell, and Coral Gables and it takes him anywhere from 75 to 120 minutes each way. That is a hard commute of less than 30 miles.

Schools down here are pretty bad. Everyone with kids pretty much wants to live in Weston which is where the good schools are.

The sun and surf don't always makeup for intangibles that can really lower your quality of life.

[popcorn247]

Originally Posted by blueherons

OMG I'm dying laughing!! Oh the naïve!

Seriously, I worked in Atlanta for years and my stepson graduated from Ga Tech. Atlanta has horrible, horrible traffic. I've never climb on a motorcycle in Atlanta.

That said, Atlanta doesn't even scratch the SURFACE of the degree of horrific of South Florida traffic. Not. Even.

Half the drivers aren't insured, many are illegals, traffic is either 85mph or a parking lot, no one ever uses a signal, drivers would rather cut you off than not, people constantly cut you off then slam on their brakes in front of you, etc, etc.

If you get on a motorcycle on the Dolphin, the Palmetto, I95, 595, US1, or the Turnpike, it is just a matter of time before you are in an accident, dead, or seriously injured. Not IF but WHEN.

There is a reason you see very few motorcycles down here. Maybe on A1A but that is it.

You need to live near where you work. Your commute can destroy your quality of life.

My husband commutes from Fort Lauderdale to South Beach, Brickell, and Coral Gables and it takes him anywhere from 75 to 120 minutes each way. That is a hard commute of less than 30 miles.

Schools down here are pretty bad. Everyone with kids pretty much wants to live in Weston which is where the good schools are.

The sun and surf don't always makeup for intangibles that can really lower your quality of life.

Some great advice here. I've lived in Miami-Dade co. for nearly 42 years. Moving shortly. The commute should be as short as possible.