Thinking of visiting or moving to the Sunshine State? Here’s the lowdown on a few essentials for your stay.
1. Sunscreen: Here in Florida we're about three feet from the sun, so if you're going to be outside for a while get some sunscreen or pay the price later.
3. Flip flops: If you want to have any hope of fitting in, you've got to get at least a few pairs of flip flops. Lucky for you they're usually pretty cheap.
4. A sense of humor: Money can't buy it, but you better get a hold of one somehow if you plan on moving here. Especially if you plan on ever reading a newspaper again. Plus extreme heat can just make people crazy, so it's really important to learn to laugh things off.
5. Water. Pools, ponds, lakes, bottles, tap, I don't care how you get it, but you're going to need water and lots of it. It's important to stay cool and hydrated here, especially in the summer.
6. Some kind of vehicle: Florida is huge, and things can be spread pretty far apart, so in most cases you will need your own vehicle. I know it's not impossible, but it's not fun, either.
7. Grit: It's ridiculously hot, people can be super competitive, and we have an entire season devoted to hurricanes. If you want to live here for any real amount of time, you're going to need resilience and the ability to dig in and work hard.
9. A sense of adventure: Florida is just a much more fun place if you explore the world outdoors. We have over 160 state parks and tons of beaches filled with beautiful scenery and wildlife. It's one of the perks of living here, so don't spend all your time indoors.
11. An umbrella: It can be a perfectly clear day, and the heavens will open up out of nowhere and you'll be caught in a monsoon. Bring an umbrella, even when it doesn't look like rain.
