Florida is fabulous, in a fickle sort of way. While no place is perfect, John and I used to think that we would retire in Florida as there is much to appreciate about the state. But now, being fickle, there is a lot to discourage us from getting too serious about moving here. With each of our annual visits, moving to Florida permanently has become out of the question.
The fabulousness is evident: We love the warm weather, and since we tend to travel here when it is cold in Indiana, the warmth is delightful; the Everglades are above and beyond in terms of natural beauty and wondrous wildlife; the birding in the abundant wetlands, swamps, and on the beaches is marvelous; our campgrounds typically offer delightful bike riding; and of course there is often family time involved in our trips.
And…there is another side to Florida, a fickle side. The drivers in Florida are insane. They are aggressive and rude. There is heavy traffic on nearly every road, regardless of it being a surface street or the turnpike. This reality is one in which we do not intend to engage, at least not on a regular basis!
It used to be (somewhat) affordable to live in a small town such as Jupiter or on one of the numerous small islands in Florida, but affordability is not the reality any longer. Another fickle aspect of this state, although some of you will point out that real estate all over the country has become outrageously expensive. Truth.
The weather is another consideration–hot and humid summer months can be a challenge and the hurricane season is terrifying, having become more intense as the years pass. That is more fickle-ness to consider. On top of the frequent rain squalls, the wind, and the bugs that come with warm weather, there is the bizarre choice in most indoor spaces to keep the air conditioners on full blast so that a person goes from hot and humid to ice cold within a moment! Waaaa!
Then, there is the politics of Florida…do not get me started on this topic; suffice it to say that MAGA has a very strong presence throughout the state. [Disclaimer: I live in Indiana, where summers are hot and humid, and where MAGA has a strong presence as well. The difference is that we have our friend base among a community of good people whereas moving to Florida would require a new set of friends and community]. Nope.
So, we no longer think about moving here in our retirement, but we will continue to visit often; not only is it wonderful to see my (ancient) mother (she just turned 97 years old!!!), and my sister with her family of my nieces and their partners and kids, but we will continue to chase the warmer weather in the winter, the stunning birds and wildlife, long walks along the shore, bike rides over sandy soil and tree roots, and the fabulous camping at the numerous state and county parks throughout the state.
