Sometimes the heat and skeeters can overwhelm even the most stalwart residents, but when Florida gets a bad rap from outsiders it bugs me more than a tree full of skunk roaches (aka palmetto bugs). Let’s hope this batch of irrefutable evidence sets them straight.
1. Sunshine!
As long as you can dodge the occasional hurricane and afford air conditioning, Florida’s tropical and subtropical climates make it a very comfortable place to live or visit.
2. No Snow, Like, Ever.
Temperatures hardly ever reach freezing, so there’s never any snow to shovel or ice to scrape off your windshield in the mornings.
3. It’s a Penisula -- Peninsula.
Yes, it’s shape is reminiscent of a certain part of the male body, but that unfortunate shape is exactly what gives Florida one of its best features, its 1,350 miles of coastline and beautiful beaches.
4. Case in Point.
5. Walt Disney World
Simply put, the happiest place on earth. If a giant rodent’s not your bag, there’s Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Legoland, Islands of Adventure, Discovery Cove, and many more.
6. Oh So Many Sports
Whether you like football, baseball, basketball, golf, or hockey, Florida has it all. If you prefer your athletes seated, it’s also the home of NASCAR.
7. Let's Keep it Casual, Baby.
It’s socially acceptable to wear flip-flops almost year-round (a good or bad thing depending on who you ask -- and who is wearing them).
8. We Keep You on Your Toes on Election Day
We always spice up boring election coverage. Whether it’s the hanging chads or the complicated voting laws and controversies years later, we always find a way to bring new challenges to the stale practice of voting.
9. Orange Juice
We produce most of the citrus grown in the country. We have so much of it we have to squeeze 95% of it just to save space.
10. Cool Animals
With its alligators, dolphins, manatees and sea turtles, Florida comes pretty close to having modern-day dinosaurs, and what’s cooler than that?
11. History
Florida is home to the oldest city in America, St. Augustine. This city is great fun for families and barhoppers alike. If you’re not into the bar scene, check out the awesome restaurants, museums, landmarks and outlet malls. Skip the botox and come visit the real Fountain of Youth!
12. Beer
Florida may not be well known for its breweries yet, but with more top-rated breweries cropping up every year in several cities, it will be soon. Great examples include Abbey Brewing Company, Bold City Brewery, Intuition Ale Works, Cigar City Brewing Company, Orlando Brewing, Swamp Head Brewery and Big Bear Brewing Company. Nothing beats the heat like an ice cold brewski.
13. Your Grandparents Probably Live Here.
With warm weather, no income tax and tons of age-restricted retirement communities, there’s a pretty good chance your grandma has chosen to retire in Florida. Isn't it about time you visited her?
14. Fresh Seafood
Do they even sell sushi in the Midwest?
15. Music
Florida is the state that brought you Tom Petty! And Limp Bizkit, Creed, Matchbox Twenty, NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. The music gods giveth and the music gods taketh away.
16. We Shoot Things Into Space
What’s hotter than the rocket fuel blazing through the air as we launch a ship into space? Florida has launched every spaceship in the U.S. since 1968 from the Kennedy Space Center. It’s a really fun place to visit, even when no launches are scheduled.
17. Enough Said.
This one speaks for itself.
I’ve said my peace and pleaded my case for why Florida is irresistible, once you get to know it a little. What other reasons do you love Florida?
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