Florida: everyone’s spring break destination and vacation hotspot. Home to endless beaches, exotic wildlife, cover-worthy beauty, and a textbook summer that never ends. Also home to third-degree sunburns, the ever-impending doom of said exotic wildlife, and a day-to-day existence that often feels like a fever dream. Yep, that’s what it is like living in Florida!

Official travel data shows 137.6 million people visited the Sunshine State in 2022. And nearly 444,500 people moved to Florida according to last year’s U.S. Census.

I was also one of those eager travelers not too long ago. Feeling inspired by the idea of self-reflection via exploration, I packed my things in a storage unit in small-town Mississippi, let my apartment lease go, and said “hello” to greener pastures…erhm…or bluer waters.

After about 12 hours of driving and making equally enough pit stops, my orange Kia Forte skirted (more like carefully pulled up) to the front door of what would kickstart the most refreshing and wild chapter of my story thus far.

Welcome to Florida.

After claiming permanent residency along Florida’s east coast for a year, I’ve lived the dream long enough to tell the tale, so listen up.

East vs. West Coast Florida

Your experience of what it is like to live in Florida boils down to which side of the state you call home. The Gulf of Mexico borders Florida on the east coastline, and the Atlantic Ocean borders the west coastline. Let’s paint a picture of both sides:

East

Warm bath-water ocean laps against sandy beaches. The ocean is tranquil all year long, attracting manatees and aquatic life that favors a warm sea. Locals and tourists flock to Destin, Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers.

Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater are THE places to be for young adults. As a young person, you’ll spend much of your time enjoying the nightlife, food scene, coffee culture, and many outdoor activities, including walking the pier at Clearwater Beach or strolling downtown St. Pete.

West

Cool frothy ocean hurls itself against sandy beaches. The sea is NOT tranquil, and the waves roar during peak surfing season, attracting surfers from all over to practice their skills on the Atlantic. Locals and tourists flock to St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Miami, and the Space Coast (primarily Coca Beach, Port Canaveral, and Melbourne).

The vibe is laid back – save for Miami and Daytona – which means the west coastline attracts a lot of families, older couples, and individuals involved in aerospace. If you’re in Miami, you’ll experience the city’s vibrancy, food scene, club scene, and white beaches. For the rest of the west coastline, you’ll either catch a cruise from Port Canaveral, visit a space center on the Space Coast, or explore the diverse landscape and have off-the-beaten-path adventures.

Beware the Spring Breakers

If you love chaos and increased traffic, then there is no other place like Florida during March and April. The beaches and central cities, such as Orlando and Tampa, bring in thousands of spring breakers yearly. And when I say thousands, I mean thousands.

• 2.7 million people traveled through MCO (Orlando International Airport) in the first two weeks of spring break in 2023.
  • The full estimate is 7.3 million passengers over the entire period.
• Orlando was named the top spring break travel destination in Florida, pulling nearly a million overnight visitors and generating $1 billion in tourist revenue.

While the spring break boom is great for the state’s economy, it does put a visible strain on locals due to the increased traffic, noise, resource tension, and general disruption that comes from larger crowds. Those pictures of jam-packed beaches are real. Trying to visit the beach during March might cause a few curse words to slip out.

However, it’s not all bad. It feels like there is a burst of energy in the air, and it opens doors to connect with people from all over the globe. I always find it fascinating to see the influx of out-of-state car tags and notice population diversity.

Florida Man Is Real

Beware the Florida man. Legend has it, he appears out of nowhere when you least expect it to cause neutral chaos. This Netflix article simultaneously shares the inspiration behind their series Florida Man and reveals how the meme came to life.

Sometimes living in Florida feels like a fever dream, and most people associate the nearly expected unhinged behavior with the heat. The American Psychiatric Association does highlight a link between extreme heat and symptoms of depression, irritability, delusion, and anger. As temperatures begin to climb for the summer, I can’t help but wonder where Florida Man will show up next.

No, We Don’t Have Seasons

Unless you count the few days in “winter” when temperatures dip into the 50s at night, there are only two seasons year-round: hot and warm. This is just a fact of what living in Florida is really like. It’s hot from June to September, and it’s warm from October to May.

Most people choose to move to the Sunshine State because of the year-round pleasant temperatures, and “snowbirds” flock to the coastline before the first snowflake falls in the North each year. (As a side note, if it ever snows in Florida, we have more to worry about than choosing between Orlando vs. Miami for vacation.)

Don’t get me wrong, the heat and humidity suck, but living in Florida from October to May is honestly paradise. You get the best of both worlds: warm days perfect for the pool or beach and cool mornings and evenings where relaxing outside is tolerable.

Yes, It’s Always a Vacation

Though I’ve hit my year mark as a Florida resident, it still feels like a vacation. When everyone around you is actually on vacation and your apartment is 15 minutes from the ocean, it’s hard not to catch the vibe. However, it is what you make of it, and I choose to make it a vibe.

If you’re reading this because you’re considering moving to Florida, ask yourself if the pros outweigh the cons. Can you endure the heat to have access to the best beaches in the country? Will you feel at peace living an outdoorsy lifestyle? Does being on an endless vacation matter?

Regardless of the pros and cons, moving to Florida was the best decision for my mental and physical health, and I’m so glad I made it happen.