What do you *still* like/love about Florida? (Miami, Tampa: low income, insurance)

[tallrick]

Florida is not the problem, it's the Miami attitude. I am not impressed with Miami_dade county at all. If all of that county disappeared, Florida would not suffer one bit, but actually do better. Miami Beach is no big deal, it is unique but too expensive for what is is. The rest of Florida holds a lot more promise than Miami-Dade county which is all but lost. There is a lot about Florida that I still love, but Miami-dade county is the cancer that has severely damaged our state. The economic fallout from its comming collapse will push the county and the city of Miami into bankruptcy again.

[Maramax]

Beaches!!
Six months of decent weather and the other six...lots of heat plus humidity.
weather is ok as long we don't get hurricanes...

[DoveDiva]

What I love about Florida (South Florida in particular)

-the beaches. My mother lives 15 minutes away from the beach. When I became of driving age, it wasn't uncommon for me to drive to the beach just to watch the sun come up.
-the international flair. Where else in the Southeast is it not uncommon to eat arepas while at your college's basketball game?
-the weather, esp. in the winter. I didn't own more than one winter coat until I moved to Atlanta!

[doggiebus]

So there are still a few things I like about South Florida (not much though). I love the wild quaker parrots that are in our area. I like the lush green plants.

Originally Posted by Elvi03

I know, some people may have to dig deep since I have read ALL the gripe threads--- But, it just seems that people are so open to say what they hate and not what they like. Tell me what you still like/love about living in Florida?

[gbugmiami]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Florida is not the problem, it's the Miami attitude. I am not impressed with Miami_dade county at all. If all of that county disappeared, Florida would not suffer one bit, but actually do better. There is a lot about Florida that I still love, but Miami-dade county is the cancer that has severely damaged our state.

While I basicly agree with you. Its not tied the dade-broward line anymore. The cancer has spread into several other areas. I'm literally ALL over florida in little towns (almost every weekend) and I hear stories from almost all of them how 'the people from miami came in and ruined our town'. No bs. School overcrowding, new housing/construction, language barriers, etc. Ive heard it all. So while this may be 'ground zero' its not nearly as simple to avoid as it seems.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by gbugmiami

While I basicly agree with you. Its not tied the dade-broward line anymore. The cancer has spread into several other areas. I'm literally ALL over florida in little towns (almost every weekend) and I hear stories from almost all of them how 'the people from miami came in and ruined our town'. No bs. School overcrowding, new housing/construction, language barriers, etc. Ive heard it all. So while this may be 'ground zero' its not nearly as simple to avoid as it seems.

ANy good little towns that can be recommended based on your trips? Curious...

[gbugmiami]

I have heard various statistics and things I've heard from people over the years, but won't post them without finding some sort of proof of it. Basicly the towns you've heard people moving to, they are, in droves. St. Lucie, Port Charlotte, etc. Alot of the towns arent prepared for the growth and services and particularily schools are suffering. Id look into a town that seems to have adapted and embraced the growth.
I have several friends that moved from here to little town outside of Orlando (debarry, deltona, port orange, deland), and ALL have said the towns arent what they were just 3 or 4 years ago. (deltona, frightening). Some are looking to relocate again. Where they are is where I'm looking to move oddly enough. Some have had to come up with crazy building permit freezes and things to build infrastracture and schools to accomodate newcomers (deland) . This is of course, a foreign concept to us in miami-dade. Deland was included in a 'best place to live/raise kids' list. That was their downfall! The strangest one I heard was a little city up by Jax called neptune beach. They are basicly anti-change, and were all but freaked out by people moving in there, and came up with groth strategies to basicly try to stop it! It had effected their schools and roads to the point they did something about it. I can't say it was even people from down here, but likely some.
A joke I heard that I dont think has any merrit but is worth mentioning. I was talking to a realtor in Panama City beach, and she basicly said "we'd love to have you move in here, but tell you friends in Miami you moved to Tampa". I though that was pretty funny. From a realtor nonetheless. Her friend was offering me a job, so maybe I was excluded? My guess is she woudlnt have loved to have me move in there. hehe.
If you can adapt to small city life, I'd look for one nearish to a big city that offers you what you need for work/social interation. If you like big cities, then your choices are wide open. Im just getting to a point where my patience has been tried too many times and I need some space and a change. I can only imagine the small town my buddies 40 deep heavily latin family invaded in North Carolina. Hows that for change, on both sides. Basicly I can't recommend a town, they all have their good and their bad. How they cope and grow, and what they offer to you is what they should be judged on. I have been to tons of litle towns on the east coast, and panhandle that I consider super laid back and cool. And not a way in hell I'd move there due to no jobs! Don't take work for granted. I know several people that left thinking they would just find a job when they got there, rude awakening. Several have taken a while to get jobs, and have taken pay cuts. Thats why I limit my searching to around big cities. At least there is the option to driving into town, with everyone else, to get to work.

[UnderTheRadar]

Thx "gbugmiami" for the insight. The towns you mentioned, Port St Lucie and Port Charlotte dont interest me anyway really. I know PSL is going to change soon. It probably already is. The people that have lived there for yrs, are probably seeing a change a comin, and they will probably head northward.
Also, those towns areound Orlando that you mentioned, Deltona, Debary, Deland, and Port Orange.. not too sure abot any of those, even though I live in Orlando, but do not choose Deltona --- believe me on that one. It is all Spanish now (language barrier), crime, gangs, etc are going up, and it is not a good place to be in my opinion.

[crystalblue]

the warm weather
the hot babes
not too conservative
hot babes outfits
lots of entertainment options
Haulover Beach

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

the warm weather
the hot babes
not too conservative
hot babes outfits
lots of entertainment options
Haulover Beach

Interesting: the hot babes + hot babes outfits = Florida