Pros + Cons of Living in the Sunshine State.
Pro: Sunshine.
There are very few weeks out of the year that are too cold to lay on the beach or by the pool. I would say months, but even the “coldest” months have days with pool-worthy weather. It may not be an endless summer, but it’s pretty darn close.
Con: Humidity.
I’m convinced that beachy waves only became a trend because Floridians had no clue what else to do with their hair. Makeup? That’s a funny joke. I’m still learning my lesson on this one. No mater how great you look when you leave the house, you’re going down a good six notches once you step outside. Frizz serum and setting spray are no match for Florida.
Pro: All the good things about summer, all year long.
All of the good things you love about summer are pretty much always around in Florida. If you love sundresses and sandals, move it on down to the sunshine state. Bikinis and flip flops, all year long. Cookouts? Twelve months out of the year.
You can always find really fun shops for drinks, popsicles, ice cream, and any other treat that usually stays in the summer. You want a tropical fruit popsicle the week after Christmas? You got it.
I get mad when people say things like, “Living in Florida must be like being on vacation all the time!” Because hello, work. But then sometimes on a Saturday in November I’ll park it by the pool with a fruity drink and think, yeah, vacation.
Con: Lack of Seasons.
I love fall more than the average human being, so living somewhere with no changing leaves and no need to wear boots and scarfs is a little bit of a bummer. However, there is something to be said about living somewhere you can drink a pumpkin spice latte in the morning and work on your tan in the afternoon.
Pro: Variety.
On one tank of gas, I could make it to the beach, a college town, a few downtown areas, the river, some suburban towns, some rural areas, and theme parks. Florida isn’t just beach towns, it isn’t just tourist destinations, it isn’t just suburban neighborhoods. It’s all of those things, and they’re all pretty close to each other. So if you want a day of adventuring in a completely different town, it’s pretty easy to do.
Con: Tourism.
Depending on where in Florida you live, it can get really touristy at times. I live in Orlando, but not right by Disney World–which is something I have to explain every time someone new finds out I live in Orlando. “There’s other things in Orlando that aren’t Disney World?!”
Whenever I have to drive in the Disney area, especially around holidays, I kind of just want to cry. Lots and lots of cars slowing down to 40 on the interstate to ensure they don’t miss their theme park exit. I mean, I get it. If I didn’t live in Florida, I’d want to visit too. But maybe drive the speed limit.
Good and bad, for now, it’s my favorite place in the world. What are some pros and cons about living in your state?
Pssst…I listed a few fall line pre-orders this weekend! Let me know what you think of them!
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agree with all of these! oh florida, you saucy minx – i still heart you 🙂
This almost makes me want to cry (ok, just kidding…I live in Georgia). We're looking into buying a house in Florida, but dang it….i MISS THE FALL!
Florida sounds like a good time with it basically being summer all year round, but I would miss seasons. One pro to where I live (Washington) is that is is always green, but the con is that is rains so dang much ha ha.
Oh Chels! I totally feel your pain! New York is awful with tourists (especially around the holidays).
I live in Orlando too, and everyone's always surprised that Disney is actually not in Orlando.. it's in Lake Buena Vista a good 1/2 hour south of Orlando.
I grew up in Connecticut, and you couldn't pay me enough $$ to move back up there. I have never been happier since moving here and even think our "chilly" days in Jan/Feb are too cold for me! LOVE it here 😀
I live in New England, a pro is that we have all four season and the fall is absolutely stunning here. Seriously, no one has fall better than New England. But the cons are, we have extreme seasons, so winter we get blizzards and snow storms all the time. But we can also go from snow one day to 70 degrees the next! It shifts so fast! But I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!
xo, Kyla
http://kymariec.com
The only con for my state is price! I love So Cal but it is expensive. We don't get 4 seasons per se but I still get to wear boots and scarves-just not nearly as often but the sunshine trade off is totally worth it for me. I am sure I'd wear make up even less then I do now if I lived with daily humidity!!
I think it would be really nice to live in Florida for a while – but I don't think I could do it for a long time. I love that Idaho has all 4 seasons, from hot, hot of the summer (dry heat!) to snowy winters and beautiful springs and falls in between. I can't drive to beaches or theme parks but within an hour drive of me is rafting, fishing, hiking, camping and all the city offers like shopping, movies and concerts. I really think it's the best of both worlds – but sign me up for a couple weeks at the beach ok?
Spot on, girl! I love me some Florida and don't plan on moving! My con for the part of Florida I'm in is that I'm in LA.. aka Lower Alabama, so we've got rednecks galore. Other than that, nothing to complain about!
Yay!! I live in Orlando too! I love finding other FL bloggers! 🙂 You are spot on with this! I definitely have a love/hate relationship with Florida but I hate real winters so much that FL will always have my heart. And yes to people thinking if you live in Orlando you must go to Disney every day. Ugh. No thank you, we avoid that area like the plague most of the time!
<3, Pamela
sequinsandseabreezes.blogspot.com
so true! ohhh the humidity!! i really did enjoy the seasons while i lived in ny mostly because you appreciate very season since they're all so extreme.
Amen to that last one! And soeskingn as someone who works for Disney. I hate tourists! Luckily it's only a seasonal job and not a full time job any longer. Tourists are the reason car insurance is so expensive in Florida. Blegh!
Love this list! All are so true!
I'm a girl who needs seasons, so I love living in Pennsylvania.
Humidity would do me in, it almost does here and is nothing like what you guys have!
We live in Arizona and girl, I get the struggle about seasons because it is REAL.
The last few mornings have been in the 70s and I'm finding myself reaching for a jacket to leave the house because "it's cold."
Humidity, we have none and my hair is thankful.
Seasons, what are those?
Tourism, none. because everyone is afraid they'll dry up in the heat!
The tourists.. the worst part of FL! Actually people from FL visiting other parts of FL is even worse. They act like they're not tourists but they are.
i'm on the opposite spectrum in some ways because i live in portland, oregon so we have raaaaain for like 9 months out of the year. currently summer is still in full swing (too much today actually with it being 101 degrees literally) and the sneaky things about summer here are they are incredibly gorgeous so they trick you into thinking you can manage the rain.
i'm originally from colorado so it might be negative 2 degrees but the sun will eventually come out!
i do love that in portland it's an hour to the coast or an hour to a mountain!
I would miss te seasons and hate the humidity and tourists but ohhhh how I would love to move to Florida! We once seriously considered this. Job interviews were had and all. I would add: palm trees.
I agree with all of this! After just living in Florida for ten years, I think the humidity and the lack of seasons was the biggest con for me…but I did love beach weather in February! Also, Disney was really close by, too, and my kids loved that;)
Interesting, I keep telling Tyson someday I'm going to move to a warmer beach further south.
Here a big con is the tourists, but it's also a big pro depending on your line of work. 🙂
Humidity is something I hate about the southeast in general! It is nice not having a TON of snow all winter long though! One of the pros about Alabama is that you have the mountains, lakes and the gulf coast all in one state! Here in Birmingham it is only a 2 hour drive to Atlanta, Chattanooga or Huntsville as well…so that is nice for a quick one day get away!
I felt this way about California growing up, without the humidity. Oh I miss it so. Except seasons. I do love the seasons now. But can winter be a little less cold?!?!
I know it gets crazy during the holidays esp. I would say similarly.. Las Vegas is very touristy.. but it's much easier to avoid the tourist areas. We don't have humidity.. which is a huge plus.. but it also goes up to 120 degrees.. that hurts. lol
What a great post!!! IT sounds very similar to living in California! Except the humidity. Except that this summer has been pretty humid (for us). I think I might do this post for Cali!
I live in Hawaii and can totally relate to all of these pros and cons! Especially the tourist traffic. Yikes!
I love vacationing in Florida but I hate to admit I don't think I could ever live there. I love having four seasons in NY. With fall being my absolute fave!! I love harvest festivals, pumpkin picking and the chill in the air while taking my daughter trick or treating. But being on Long Island I can definitely relate to the cons of tourism. Hate that summer traffic! UGH!
I always kick myself when winter comes and I remember that I CHOSE to leave Florida. Silly me.
oh i love florida so so much!! i don't make it down there enough, but we are lucky to have a family place down there!! nashville has seasons, which i love and hate hate. i love fall, but winter will just suckkkk the liiiiiife out of you!!! i am never ready for it!!
During the winter in Chicago, I would LOVE to live in Florida! But the rest of the year, I agree with your comment about seasons. Fall is too good to miss.