In Honor Of National Florida Day, We Asked Floridians Why They Love It Here

 
Happy National Florida Day to all of you fellow Floridians out there! January 25th of each year is officially National Florida Day in the United States, commemorating the day we became the 27th state in the nation. I would love to be able to tell you how January 25th was chosen as the commemorative date, but I cannot. Florida was accepted as a state on March 3, 1845, so nobody really knows how January 25th was chosen, which in and of itself is a very Florida thing to point out.

Irregardless of not knowing how January 25th was chosen, we asked a handful of Miamians what they love about Florida life. (And yes, this is the only time I will use the word “irregardless”. It was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.) Here are some of their answers:

The Weather

We cover the Florida climate pretty extensively, and for good reason. The year-round subtropical weather is one of the main factors that draws people to stay here. I mean, we ARE called The Sunshine State after all.

But aside from just the sunshine, the beautiful bodies of water that surround us, and the temperate climate, we also have gorgeous cotton candy clouds and sunsets that encompass an entire rainbow of colors.

One of my personal favorite aspects of the weather that is not often spoken about is the lightning storms in the summer. There is nothing like sitting on your terrace in the sky and watching the light dance across the clouds.

No Taxes

Another top-noted feature of Florida life is the tax climate, or lack thereof. The absence of a state income tax has long been a draw for those moving down from the northeast (most notably New York and surrounding areas) and more recently there has been a mass exodus of Chicago natives setting up shop and laying roots in South Florida.

We do have taxes, there is sales tax and a tourist tax on purchases. Obviously we all pay property tax, but once you add up all of the taxes we do pay, the total is still markedly less than if we had a state income tax.

The Beach

We are by far the most beach-rich state in the nation. No questions asked. Florida is literally surrounded by beaches, 825 miles of sugar sand and salt water to be exact. There are public beaches, private beaches, kid-friendly beaches, pet-friendly beaches, beaches you can drive on, beaches you cannot drive on, nude beaches, beaches with sunrise views, beaches with sunset views, party beaches, serene beaches, even man-made beaches.

Mi Vida Es Una Movie

There is always something to do in Florida, and correct yourself if you think it will be anything less than amazing. The Miami area alone has nearly 10,000 restaurants with every type of cuisine and price point imaginable and you have not lived until you’ve tried a Publix sub (locals call them Pub Subs).

For family-oriented activities, Disney is just up the road, we have the Frost Science Museum, Miami Children’s Museum, the Miami Zoo and Santa’s Enchanted Forest. A leisurely ride on South Florida’s luxurious fast train, The Brightline can shuttle you as far as Orlando in no time flat. Along the way, you’ll see areas such as Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Palm Beach and all that surrounds each of these stops.

Don’t get trapped in the Demon Dome. This is a slang term that refers to getting trapped in the nightlife vibe of Miami and the next thing you know, it’s the next day and the party hasn’t even slowed down. This is an atmosphere where celebrities and sports stars walk amongst us, everyone decked out as though they were in a magazine, the possibilities are as endless as the tab at the end of the night. The Demon Dome is a Miami bucket list item for everyone.

If partying all night till the break of dawn is not your vibe, there are too many historical places of interest with everything from the well-known Vizcaya Museum and Gardens to the obscure Well of Ancient Mysteries in Brickell. If you are looking for a day trip, you could also jaunt up to St Augustine to visit Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth. If you are feeling romantic and mysterious, cruise south to the Coral Castle. This list could easily become a blog of its own, with daily posts, so I will quit while I’m ahead.

The Cultural Mix

You may notice that Spanish is used with English interchangeably in Miami. This only scratches the surface of the melting pot of different cultures represented in the 305. There is no other city in the nation with such thriving communities of Cubans, Venezuelans, Colombians, Brazilians, Mexicans, French, Turkish, Saudi, Chinese, Canadians, Russians, Bahamians, and I could keep going until practically every country in the world has been named. We plain white folks are sort of left in the mix of all of these spicy and vibrant cultures and I love it. Everyone is a little bit different and we all embrace our differences in Miami.

I Know A Guy…

We all know a guy. That guy knows a guy who knows a guy. No matter what you are speaking about, everyone in Miami has a connection or a friend of a friend who can help.

This rule of Miami goes for chisme too (gossip). Miami is the largest small town I’ve ever lived in. I have even randomly run into people that I know from Miami in Sao Paulo and Rio. The same thing happened in New York. It’s magical.

Florida Man

It is impossible to pay homage to The Sunshine State without recognizing Florida Man. We all have a bit of Florida Man in us, Florida is a wild place and Miami is the first one of all communities to go off-rails. This is both positive and something to watch out for.

If you have somehow gotten to this point without realizing what it means to be a Florida Man, cruise over to the @OnlyInDade Instagram account for a bird’s eye view of the good, the bad and the comical.

At this point, I am also becoming Florida Man. This blog post has taken on a life of its own, manic in ways and disorganized, but full of optimism and praise. I haven’t even gotten to our beautiful homes and condos yet, but we write about that every day. Stay tuned to see more amazing aspects of being a Floridian and more specifically, a Miamian. Dalé!