9 reasons to live in a "Top 10 Best State."
With 65,758 square miles of land, the state offers property ranging from beachfront homes and resort-like accommodations to urban, rural, and tropical residences. Florida boasts a variety of attractions, outdoor recreation, and lifestyle options. Florida even ranked number 13 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of "Best States to Live In."
Florida has a diverse cultural population of snowbirds, retirees, hipsters, families, and singles of all backgrounds. Not to mention, the unique menagerie of flora and fauna. Where else can you share the sidewalk with a stork, an ibis, or a chicken? Then, there’s the iguanas, alligators, manatees, dolphins, and pelicans! The tropical climate lends itself to palm trees, royal poinciana, bougainvillea, hibiscus, banana trees, coconuts, succulents, and cacti.
Year-Round Sunshine and Warm Weather
Pensacola Beach, Courtesy of Sandy Allen
It’s not called the Sunshine State for nothing! Florida averages more than 200 days of sunny weather a year. It rarely, if ever, snows. Yes, summers can be hot and humid (with that afternoon rain shower), but the rest of the seasons offer warm temperatures. If you happen to be along the coast (which equals more than 1,000 miles), you can enjoy ocean breezes.
Beautiful Beaches From Sunrise to Sunset
With the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, there’s no shortage of sand and surf. Want to ride the waves? Grab a surfboard and head to Cocoa Beach. Like a small slice of sand and a palm tree? Head for The Keys. Prefer long and wide strands of sand? Spend the day at Siesta Beach in Sarasota. For nightlife and attractions, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or Clearwater Beach are great choices. Our point is that Florida has a stretch of sand for every type of beach bum.
Local Discounts to Top Attractions
Courtesy of Sandy Allen
Florida sees many tourists every year. As a resident, you can enjoy discounts at local attractions such as Walt Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld, and Kennedy Space Center. Several cities—including Orlando, Pensacola, and the Florida Keys—offer Florida resident discounts at hotels, restaurants, and bars.
No State Income Tax
Florida is one of 17 states that doesn’t collect state income tax. While the cost of living is slightly higher (due to higher sales and property taxes) than the national average, the overall tax burden is the fifth-lowest in the U.S. (about 6.82%).
Spectator Sports Aplenty
From college and pro football to basketball and baseball, to hockey and stock car racing, Florida offers a team for every type of sports fan. To name just a few: the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Orlando Magic, the Miami Marlins, and the Florida Panthers as well as two NASCAR tracks, Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Fabulous Foodie Scene
From Miami and Tampa’s eclectic Cuban and international cuisine to the seafood and Floribbean options of the Keys, Florida’s farms, waterways, citrus orchards, and local produce offer a diverse menu of recipes. Items to try: Key lime pie, hogfish sandwiches, tropical cocktails, Gulf Coast seafood, Florida stone crab, Apalachicola oysters, gator, conch fritters, Cedar Key clams, and the Greek specialties of Tarpon Springs.
Vacation Where You Live
Cape Florida Lighthouse, Courtesy of Sandy Allen
From north to south and east to west, Florida has so many vacation destinations you’ll never need to leave the state. Choose theme parks, space stations, sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, cultural locations, world-class museums, national and state parks, and offshore fishing charters.
If you’re based in the Panhandle, you have easy access to the Alabama coast and the gorgeous emerald beaches of Pensacola, Destin, and Panama City. The Florida Keys and Key West are as close to the Caribbean as you can get without a passport. Additionally, you can hop on a ferry and head to Bimini, Bahamas, in about two hours. How cool is that?
A Boatload of Outdoor Activities and Recreation
Whether it’s water-based activities like boating, diving, fishing, and snorkeling or land-centered recreation like hiking, biking, and camping, you’ll find it in Florida. The state has three national parks and 175 state parks. Visit the Everglades, Biscayne National Park, or board a ferry and travel about 70 miles west of Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park. There are also more golf courses than anywhere in the world.
Get Your Culture On
From St. Augustine to Sarasota, Orlando, and St. Petersburg, fans of art, culture, and history will find a wide array of museums and attractions to occupy their weekends and share with all those visiting friends (you’ll have lots of visiting friends when you live in Florida). Check out the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, the Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Museum in Fort Myers, the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum, Clearwater Marine Aquarium (home of Winter the dolphin), and the Orlando Museum of Art.
Do you have a favorite city in Florida? What’s your favorite thing to do? Let us know in the comments.