Why do People Hate Living in Florida?

[Happyinwonerland]

Seems like a lot of people hate living in Florida. Many people move there and then move back, proclaiming how awful it is.

So what is so bad about living in florida?

 

[kimblebee]

For me, it would be the humidity. The last time I went was a September and it was almost too much for me. I can only imagine the middle of summer

 

[mom2rtk]

The heat and humidity would do me in.

 

[lorimay]

It's definitely the heat.
Lived here almost all my life, its unbearable a lot of the time.

 

[LisaR]

I live in FL. I definitely don't hate it, but it also isn't my favorite place to live.

The couple big things that I really don't like are:

1. I feel most of the state lacks any kind of culture. In the places I have lived before, there has always been a wide array of different "towns." For instance, one could go to a Little Italy type area where you'd find Italian bakeries, restaurants, and little old Italian men and women who were a pleasure to talk to. There were museums and theaters that were vibrant and interesting. And there were always cultural festivals to be had. The few I've been to in FL haven't cut it.

2. I miss weekends away in nearby, different places. I was always a 3 - 5 hour drive away from something very different from the area I was living in. In FL, if you drive three to five hours in any direction, you are likely to end up in an area that is almost the same as the place you left. Yes, one beach may be nicer than any other one, but it is still a beach!

I'll never more back to the snow, though.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

20 years ago we moved to Tampa from the Mtns of NC, via a couple years in Richmond VA. When DH retires, we plan to spend a few summer months in NC to spend more time with family, but I never plan to leave Florida full time. If our family wasn't there, we probably wouldn't go back for summers. A couple years ago we moved to the Miami area. I have to admit I don't like it here nearly as much as Tampa. Regardless, I love having warm weather year round. The ocean is my happy place, which makes Florida perfect for us. Obviously, we don't hate living her. We love it & have never regretted moving to the state. The Miami area, yes, but not the state as a whole.

 

[Mirielle]

Yes, heat and humidity did me in. I was told I would get used to it but threw my hands up and left after a 30 year wait. So glad to be gone but still own a home there. Just waiting for the right Diser to come along and buy it.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Oh my... Count me Out in that response lol
Loving it here ... Love everything about it.. Yes the warmth ( better than snow)
Yes, the humidity... It's an AC house to an AC vehicle to mostly AC locations.

I enjoy the personnel at stores that just Seem friendlier .. Perhaps the Sunshine makes one more relaxed??and I still smile when a bagger at the check out wants to walk me and my groceries to my car.
Never mind the beautiful sunshine, beaches, arts, theaters, Shopping, communities, restaurants, tourist things. The list is endless.. And no state taxes..
.I'm thrilled to live here and make this our home.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I live in FL. I definitely don't hate it, but it also isn't my favorite place to live.

The couple big things that I really don't like are:

1. I feel most of the state lacks any kind of culture. In the places I have lived before, there has always been a wide array of different "towns." For instance, one could go to a Little Italy type area where you'd find Italian bakeries, restaurants, and little old Italian men and women who were a pleasure to talk to. There were museums and theaters that were vibrant and interesting. And there were always cultural festivals to be had. The few I've been to in FL haven't cut it.

2. I miss weekends away in nearby, different places. I was always a 3 - 5 hour drive away from something very different from the area I was living in. In FL, if you drive three to five hours in any direction, you are likely to end up in an area that is almost the same as the place you left. Yes, one beach may be nicer than any other one, but it is still a beach!

I'll never more back to the snow, though.

I'm curious. Have you ever lived in the Miami area? You should be able to find plenty of culture here. Granted there's not a Little Italy, but there are many different nationalities represented here. I do agree about the scenery not changing a lot from one FL destination to another.

 

[Kitty 34]

The only thing I would hate about living in Florida is being so far away from all our family.

 

[LisaR]

I'm curious. Have you ever lived in the Miami area? You should be able to find plenty of culture here. Granted there's not a Little Italy, but there are many different nationalities represented here. I do agree about the scenery not changing a lot from one FL destination to another.

Nope, haven't lived in Miami but I've visited numerous times. I don't find the diversity that I am looking for. Yes, Miami has many nationalities, however the areas we have visited are generally only well represented by two groups.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

The only thing I would hate about living in Florida is being so far away from all our family.

That's by far the worst part.

 

[MillauFr]

I couldn't take the weather. It is horrible 6 months out of the year there. Plus most of the state seems like a cultural wasteland.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Nope, haven't lived in Miami but I've visited numerous times. I don't find the diversity that I am looking for. Yes, Miami has many nationalities, however the areas we have visited are generally only well represented by two groups.

We live next door to Miami. Here we mostly have Israelis, Russians, French Canadians, Americans & some South Americans. The first four groups are pretty much equally represented. There aren't nearly as many South Americans, but there are plenty in Miami, along with natives of many other countries.

ETA: I'm not trying to convince you to come down this way. I don't like it myself, but lack of culture definitely isn't a problem.

 

[LisaR]

We live next door to Miami. Here we mostly have Israelis, Russians, French Canadians, Americans & some South Americans. The first four groups are pretty much equally represented. There aren't nearly as many South Americans, but there are plenty in Miami, along with natives of many other countries.

ETA: I'm not trying to convince you to come down this way. I don't like it myself, but lack of culture definitely isn't a problem.

I appreciate it and if I am missing something, I'd love to know. Of course, I can't move to Miami because DH wouldn't be up for a 3.5 hour one way drive to work so we'll have to pass for now! While I know there are so many nationalities down there, I just never found big areas that were represented by Russian restaurants and stores followed by Polish...then Italian....then Asian and so on.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

We've been in Orlando for 4+ years now, and for me it's the traffic. Lets say the speed limit is 45, you'll have some drivers doing 35 and some doing 60, add in the un-synchronized lights, the tourist, the snow birds, the speed racers and those of us just trying to get to work on time and its a creates an everyday nightmare. I live 12 miles from work and it can take me anywhere from 20-50 minutes to drive 12 miles. And you can forget bringing ice cream home from the grocery unless you pack a cooler in your car. Maybe if I had lived in a big city before the move, it wouldn't bother me as much. But I guarantee the traffic here will be death of me.

Other than traffic, I have no complaints. Not even the humidity.

 

[JoeA]

My wife grew up in Naples and we lived in Clearwater 12 years before moving to CO.

We just got tired of being hot.

As a life long Flordian, she loves the change in seasons and temperature. I grew up in the Midwest and I too missed seasons.

We do sooooo much more outdoors than we ever did in FL. And we still vacation there all the time but only during the cool months!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I appreciate it and if I am missing something, I'd love to know. Of course, I can't move to Miami because DH wouldn't be up for a 3.5 hour one way drive to work so we'll have to pass for now! While I know there are so many nationalities down there, I just never found big areas that were represented by Russian restaurants and stores followed by Polish...then Italian....then Asian and so on.

We're talking about South Florida traffic here. A 3.5 hr. commute in most places would be 5.5 hr. commute from here. The traffic is bad!!! You'd better have good insurance to drive here.

We have at least four Russian restaurants that I can think of on our street. We also have a lot of Israeli kosher restaurants, along with many other cuisines. I don't think we've ever looked for a Polish restaurant. A town next to us has a couple streets lined with restaurant upon restaurant all with different cuisines. All of these places are before you even get to Miami.

 

[pat fan]

I don't live there, but as a New Englander I would say 1) tourists and 2) the weather.

My friend from Jersey moved there to get away from cold and snow and loves it. She does miss seasons but lack of crap in winter makes up for it.

And as someone who lives in a semi-tourist area, I love the old saw "Why call it tourist season if we can't shoot them?"

 

[cruisingtwins]

I lived in Orlando for a uear and I did not hate it but other than the theme parks is not very family friendly.