Having been born and raised in Florida, I feel I have the right to speak about the good, bad and ugly that resides here.
We have sunny beaches, yes, but filled with sunbathers, condos and no parking or driving or enjoying unless the local government says so.
We have lots of tourist attractions..true, but the prices have gone up so high the locals for the most part avoid them simply because who can pay the high prices with the local salaries offered? (ouch that sounds like sour grapes for sure, but unfortunately true)
While we do enjoy our out-of-state visitors, it really gets old sometimes when all we hear is the old standby "it's not like this at home". We are what we are, a diverse group both in education and lifestyle. What you see is what you get...live with it.
The weather can be hotter than hades or comfortably cool with nice sea breezes. I love the fall weather the best. Cool evenings, calm clear skies and NO humidity. The summer is so muggy sometimes it is hard to breath. After so many years it would seem we could adjust...but alas...not so. The weather allows for gardening all year..that is a real plus.
Hurricanes, tornados and floods are a part of our lifestyle here also. After a few of them you learn to stock up on batteries, canned goods and the like.
The landscape of Florida is so diverse. You have hilly areas in the northern parts, ranch land in the middle and swampy areas all over. The beaches are both beautiful and ugly according to where you land. In some parts the mangroves and other trees cause a no-beach landing area. In others the fine white sand is so beautiful it hurts your eyes.
Horse farms, vegetable farms, Even muck farms dot our landscape. The lakes in the central area of Florida are so plentiful, you can go a mile someplaces and see 3 or 4. Fishing is great here. There are laws on how big and how many, but that is OK too.
The space coast is an exciting place to visit with its interesting and unique offerings. I was allowed to see a launch one time years ago, what a site! I still remember it though it was years ago.
The cost of homes has risen to a really high level as more and more people want to retire here. This has caused more than one local family great problems trying to find a home they can afford and still have a life. I am sure this is not unusual for other places, but having lived here, I find it utterly sad.
All in all, I like my home state. For all its crazy and varied lifestyles, it is still a nice place to live and to visit.
MM