RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Florida is a nice state, but not as nice as it once was. Oh yes I love the beaches, palm trees and tourist attractions but, it is becoming too commercialized and has lost some of it's natural beauty. Even so it is still a beautiful state.

Pensacola Beach. Nothing better than watching the sun rise as the waves hit the beach and the dolphins splash around. I went in June 2004, there is nothing to complain about the place, but there were alot of jellyfish (Made it difficult to swim, high chance of getting stung). The seagulls are fierce as well (I came under attack and they took my popcorn). Going there again in June 2008.

Feudalism is alive and well in FLA.

I am living in Pensacola, in the western part of The Panhandle. This area has great beaches, and the small city of Pensacola has both, good & bad. The good is that it has all the places people go to shop, from several Walmarts, 2 malls, all the retail companies, etc. The airport is easy to get in & out of, and people seem friendly enough.

The bad part is that parts of the city look rundown, has high crime & drugs. The east side seems nice and clean, but the west seems so dirty, poor, and crime ridden as to not want to drive through for fear of getting shot.

The area is very conservative, with about 80% republicans. There is a church on every corner, yet more sinners than could possibly fill the seats. Yet, people are quick to tell you how wrong others are, except themselves. They seem to want to push their rightiousness onto others. Therefore, this is not the most liberal places to live, so if you are more laid back, this might not be the perfect place to live.

However, if spending the day at the beach, listeniong to Jimmy Buffett, watching the sunset, and having a cool drink after a hard week of work with below national wages appeals to you, then you could fit it here. Just try to keep sane by not getting too upset about politics.

Lots of stuff to do here. Going on vacation here in December (again), should be fun.

Would give them 5 stars, but I have to take 1 star away because of the 2000 Election blunder/controversy.

Yeah, It's got heat, palmtrees ans beaches but ... there is so much to improve!...Most people there are either too old, too poor, too rich or too dumb...It can cost around 18$ to park near the beach on weekends...Between huge tacky condo towers where you get to sit on dregded sand...They have some of the worst education statistics in the country and it shows...It's also the "road rage" capital of America...Cops are shot regularly... A tradition of corrupt politicians make it a haven for criminals where pirate rule is still strong...Come and see it for yourself! It's home to Trump, Celine Dion and Tiger Woods and soooo many others VIPs, it can't be that bad... Come and see all the rich guys who wanna get a big place with a big boat to go with their big trucks to take their faked-boobed bimbo girlfriend on a joyride. Hee-Haw!

Nothing against Florida, but I don't like hurricanes.

Floridians are way inappropriately behaved! Hugging on the job should be made a federal felony punishable by 50 years imprisonment! Also, Florida needs to be restricted for top notch wealthy, rich, and famous people only!!! I was down in Tampa this past June and was ready to call the police when I saw hugging between a waitress and a male customer!!! From my point of view, waitresses and male customers should NEVER, EVER BE WITHIN LESS THAN 3 FEET OF EACH OTHER!!!

A little slice of heaven loaded with shiny see-through ocean shores and beautiful hotels! EXQUISITE dining!

best damn state ever

Florida has always been my favorite state to visit. I have had so many wonderful times there. I would love to live in someplace like Tampa, Miami, or Orlando someday. So many friendly people especially in south Florida, totally different than the midwest and northeast where 80% of the people are crabby miserable weirdos.

Love the place. Lived in Tampa, Jax, Stuart. All had their ups and downs, but the overall experience was great.

One minor problem, and this could just as easily be applied to any southern state: NO I'M NOT FROM NEW YORK, DAMMIT!

If you like hurricanes, high property taxes, high insurance rates, high real estate costs, the influx of non-English speaking people, a very high crime rate, a dead Anna Nichole Smith, OJ Simpson, Dangling Chads and now the possiblity of the highest sales tax in the NATION, then by all means you should live here (yes I live here and hate it and yes I'm in the process of relocating to the real USA). Florida IS truly the scum bag state.

this state has a serious problem -- too many people are migrating here and they arent properly planning for it and it's leading to serious problems such as overpriced housing, taxes skyrocketing, traffic jams, not enough schools, and high crime. the wind insurances are insanely high and have been going up astronomically since hurricane katrina hit fort myers a few years ago. the beaches are still worth visiting even though a lot of them are being overbuilt with highrise hotels and condos. the state needs to use smart growth and better urban planning as well as getting some high paying jobs into the equation. there are little to no high paying jobs. teachers, police officiers, and firefighters are all paid very poorly in comparison to the cost of living. used to be a great place to have a vacation home -- not anymore.

I love the theme parks and beaches. I also believe South Florida has the most attractive people in the nation. Where else can you see a hottie that leaves you like damn every 5 minutes or so?

Florida is really nice. I love every area of it from the keys to the panhandle, and yes I am a resident. In my opinion, anyone who complains about this state obviously hasn't seen alot worse states in the country

There are many problems with the state, but for the most part, I could forgive them for the fact that: the weather is beautiful almost all year 'round, there's loads of culture in certain areas (especially Miami area), beautiful beaches on both the gulf and the Atlantic ocean, the everglades, really hot women even in the most boring towns, disney world, and generally a more laid back feeling even in the biggest cities. The bad parts: there's of course lots of crime in certain areas, lots of boring needless gentrification, some parts look horribly run-down and ghetto, too much of an influx of old rich people, the fact that almost every part of the year is one of only 2 seasons (you at least really miss the fall when live here), lots of ignorant immigrants that think they own the state particularly in the most prominent Spanish-speaking communities, and definitely a lot of shitty drivers. I still think the state is 4 star worthy though, concidering I could probably use most of the same criticisms for a bunch of other states. I lived all my life in New Jersey, and I will tell you that if you complain about traffic, shithole ghettos, bad drivers and crime while you're here, I challenge you to come to New Jersey, particularly north Jersey. I think you'll be scarred for life if you try to take a drive through the Newark area. Overall Florida has it's problems, but no one can claim that any state in the US is perfect anyway. I can't comment about the job market in Florida, but I still say if you want to live here, I think it'd be a really nice place to live as long as you pick the right areas.

I stayed here for the entire summer in the Tampa area and I wasn't impressed. A lot of people in their late 20's/mid-30's who work underpaid jobs looking forward to 'happy hour' every week. The great thing about Florida is that it's not hard to get a job -- but it is hard to get a job that pays anything over 12 bucks an hour. The college grads here are servers and bartenders or they work in call centers. I also think my homestate AZ has horrible traffic but Florida is right up there with it. I see crazy people allover here running traffic lights like it's a green. The temperature feels like a wet blanket hovering over you and I showered 2-3 times daily when I was here. I went to the beaches and they were okay, but the restaurants were way overpriced. Food in Florida is expensive. You feel like you are in a giant dirty swamp. I stress, a lot of retirees. I wouldn't recommend living here but definitely take a look at it. Tons of stripe malls and not a lot to do past the tourist attractions. I mean, how many times can you go to Busch Gardens or Disney World?? Boring and expensive. In fact, every activity in this state is expensive. Try ordering a mixed-drink and you better have 7 bucks plus a tip ready. I know I was ready to jump on the plane when it was time to go.

Miami-2 stars. beautiful beach, crystal clear water, city is infested with drug pushers and violent criminals and residents are often rude.
Tampa/southern Gulf coast- 4 stars. Nice beaches here if you prefer to relax although there are few if any waves. Populated largely by midwesterners.
Panhandle- 5 stars. Very friendly people, some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Just watch out for the hurricanes.

This is truly a tourist state. People move down here with this false television-perception that they are going to live this beach life and make tons of friends along with a middle class salary. Middle class is to Florida what lower class is to most states. From an outsiders view, you may say, Well, how can it be an all-tourist state when people live there all-year? Everything caters around tourist and cost-of-living, salaries, and employment all fluctuates around tourism. The people keep moving down here, and the rent prices go up and the construction workers keep building. The people keep visiting, so the restaurants keep opening. Its a true pure capitalistic market meaning if you own a business or are doing construction, you are making a good living. However, if you are an average working man or a young kid fresh out of the university with a 4-year degree you are likely to suffer very low/poor wages and constantly being underpaid. Its difficult to gain job experience down here in a valued field, especially when there is such a large selection of job applicants. I know people that come down here with four-year degrees and end up working two jobs in restaurants/malls to get by because they cant find that 40k job that they went to school for. There are so many people wanting to live in Florida that there is a high supply of workers for employers. Therefore, they pay fewer dollars because someone will want that job and they know they can get away with pinching salaries. In other words, Florida is a nice place to visit and thats where it ends. If you arent doing some big project down here or running a restaurant/bar/etc., then you should probably go somewhere else unless you do not mind being underpaid and scratching out a living for something smaller. Truth is, when you live down here, you are lucky if you even get to the tourist-invaded beach once every two weeks. Thats if you can get a day off from your two underpaid jobs. Fair enough warning?

i lived in florida for a year (not a tourist):
rising housing costs, rising housing taxes, rising insurance rates, and another massive new century urban sprawl going on in tampa and miami. people are literally moving down 1000 a day. you hear great things about florida's job market but those are only minimum wage jobs (even with a degree). if you dont get into construction (building houses) or owning a business you have to live inside a major city to find a decent 40k/year paying job. and if you dont live inside the city, you will be sitting in traffic 3-4 hours a day driving to your job (unless you want to pay unbelievable rent costs). they are building up the inland like crazy so traffic is only getting worse. education is horrible and they dont pay the teachers a reasonable wage (barely enough to afford a small apartment and a cheap car payment after all your bills).

hurricanes are not that big of a deal. you go inland for 2 days and hope your house doesn't get knocked down. you can see them coming unlike earthquakes.

lots of areas in FLA are trashy and people dont cut their grass. buildings are ripped down and lots of people that dont keep up their places and it comes off as really scruby and dirty. the drivers are horrible when you have tourists, residents, and older people all mixing in. crackheads are common here in most areas and they walk around with their shirts off begging for money on the corners of highway 19 and other major roads. this place is famous for child-molesters and crooks. the majority of kids here dress like thugs, 40% of florida's residents can't read, and the education system continues to fail. a lot of the kids dress like "gangstas" here and it seems to be the florida way. the crime rate is really high (cars get broken into, apartments get robbed, lots of people carry guns) the gulf is famous for shark attacks. it's filled with retirees (not using this as a negative, but just letting people know). housing costs have TRIPLED in the last ten years here.

the plus is that it's warm all year and you have tourist attractions (but what good are these tourist attractions if you have no money to use them?)

florida could have been great, but it was ruined by dirty/trashy people, greedy developers, and an overpopulation of people that there seems to be no stop in sight.

dont get "taken in" on your yearly vacation and move here, visit the inland and areas where the jobs are at before you jump onto the florida bandwagon that's quickly heading for overpopulation and inaffordablity.

It certainly is Heaven's waiting room. . .and one of my least favorite states. . .tourist-havens do not a state make- Florida is almost dead last when it comes to education and culture. . .outside of affordibility and an occassional visit to a colleague, I would blink of the whole state was washed into the Gulf of Mexico. . .American beaches are somewhat overrated anyways. . .

About Miami...great place to visit but not to live. I imagine people reading RateItAll are not from Miami and want the real deal so here it is--relative to the high standards you're use to seeing in other American cities for quality of life and convenience. The city is very overrated when it comes to year-round living. Pull back the party-time veneer and the city holds very little substance. If you're wealthy, retired with time on your hands, or have a high salary, you'll get by ok. The cost of living is rising faster than the rest of the country yet salaries are not keeping pace--depressed wages/salaries rule here, stuff employers could never get away with in cities with less immigration. They take advantage of immigrants and those degree holders desperate for green card sponsorship. I have worked with people who are shocked at the amount of money they make once away from this Latin philosphy of low pay. This is why so many adults still live at home--they simply don't make a decent salary that allows them to live as independent adults. Culture aside, you can't tell me a 30 year old still wants to live with Mommie and Daddy. Anyway...now, the truth about the climate...it's shockingly hot and humid, and ocean breezes are rare. During winter, the humidity still hovers. It's so darn uncomfortable. The six month hurricane season speaks for itself. Finally, the traffic...poor urban planning has made traffic very inconvenient and a sprawling region of a mess rather than a city. There's a reason why the area is referred to as South Florida--get ready to drive EVERYWHERE. Move here, uninformed, and you're in for an unnerving reality check. The amazing lack of skilled drivers leads me to think they simply give away Florida drivers licenses. And, hit and runs...as common here as a sunny day. Unbelievable. Living here is an exercise in frustration. I wasn't prepared for it and I believe in preparation to handle expectations and make for an easy transition. Hopefully, if you're reading this, you will be prepared and can take it all in stride once you start to see the annoyances. I stress, I am talking about living here, not vacationing.

I've lived here for almost 10 years, and quite frankly, have wanted to leave the summer we arrived. It caters to nothing but tourists, so anyone under the age of 50, really has nothing to do. The teens and college-agers end up getting into loads of trouble, because they have nothing better to do with their time. Crime rates are atrocious, especially with drugs and child molesters; seems they all run here (just watch America's Most Wanted). The education system is terrible, as well. I remember being in review for 4 years when I moved here from NE Texas in '96. Drop-out rates continue to climb, and it seems the state is doing nothing but worsening the entire situation. I rated it a 2, because it may actually be of interest to people who are only stopping here for a short while. It's great for tourists, but with the crime, schools, over-crowding, lack of decent employment etc; it's certainly not a place for the average family to earn a decent living. The only people who can really afford most areas are retired, or are in fields such as medical or tourism (which are really the only fields worth the effort here). It's a big tourist trap and the state has absolutely no interest in helping it's year-long residents. As long as the tourists keep coming, they think that nothing is wrong. I'm not a tourist, and things are definitely wrong here. The second I get the chance, I'm out.

I used to live in Florida, and let me tell you, I got out quickly!! The drivers here are the worst drivers I've ever seen. The crime rate is enormous and is still escalating, as are the house prices. You also have to worry about hurricanes for six months of the year. Also, it seems to be overrun with homeless people. Of course, not everywhere is perfect, but to me, Florida isn't worth living in.

I love to visit Florida. Especially Anna Maria Island. Yes there are a lot of snow birds and you do hear a lot of bad press regarding crime and child molestation. But that stuff happens everywhere. Florida is a unique part of the USA. It is nice to be able to go there and feel like you are on a tropical island. I have been to Aruba, and while it was wonderful, I felt AMI is the closest thing to being somewhere tropical without leaving the states.

Lots of trashy people, weirdos, drugs, and soon to be very overpopulated. You've been warned. The weather is also too humid for a warm place.

Please don't fall for the pretty crane and white sandy beach filled travel booklets like I did when coming to Florida. I came here to buy a house last May and boy was that a mistake! Florida is nothing but a big headache! 8 out of 12 months of the year you have hurricanes to be worried about which leave you wondering whether will have a house the next day. The people here are almost like savages, illegals are everywhere, and everything is spoken in Spanish before english! The native southerners are very mean and way too proud. People in Florida can't drive! Crime and poverty is rampant everywhere! None of the banks are connected to other states, leaving that feeling like I am in another country! Real estate has become an overpriced game of the freemasons & condo flippers and the weather here in the summmer is so horrible that you can't breath it in, for it is like thick soup. I worked at Disney World and I must say if Walt was alive today he would be turning over in his grave at what the money hungry vixens have done to his dream.

A view from a South Florida resident-->>>> South Florida is a tough place to make a living for the average working folk; jobs don't pay proportionally to the cost of living which is becoming very very expensive here; median house price is over $400K; job market is hot and unemployment is low but on average they are low paying jobs; due to the high cost of living, companies are finding it hard to recruit people here; (beach and warm weather isn't much good if you can't afford a house); spotty job market that reigns high in service work but little else; companies who want people to move here but won't offer a competitive wage or relocate you, often toss your resume in the trash because they are not willng to accept locals who don't meet their criteria 100%; overcrowded schools and poor teachers wages = bad idea to move here with kids if you want a quality education; traffic is really getting bad, I-95 is a parking lot and constant construction is a daily event; overdevelopment is pushing what's left of common areas to the brink of extinction; crime is on the rise due to poverty and lack of good jobs and a poor education system; insurance rates are going through the roof due to 4 Hurricanes in the past year and a half, auto insurance is insane as well; % of people who don't work here is very inbalanced noting Florida is a retirement state doesn't mean you will see old people, nope expect to see people of a working age say late teens and up hanging out at Barnes & Noble in the middle of the afternoon dressed like they are going to the beach or Soccer Mom's parading around the Mall with their 3 kids in tow; if your very wealthy or a trust funder with a big ole wad of cash you will fit in nicely here and you will have no worries other then keeping up with all the competition here because that's the name of the game. Expect stores, restaurants and malls to be crowded on a daily basis all hours of the day, along with finding it hard sometimes to locate items on store shelves (as someone else mentioned) this is due to the high population density and the large disposable income of Baby Boomers who are moving here in boatloads. Gov. Bush and Palm Beach County is preaching "Scripps Research Institute" as the Panacea for Florida on a whole, but red tape and constant indeceiveness is putting that big dream out to the pasture, even if it does come it's too little too late and will not benefit residents unless they have the appropiate degree to get a job there. Yes nice weather but hard to Live and I mean live the American Dream and if I was rich, I wouldn't be saying anything negative but I'm not......

Florida has so many great vacations spots, you can't possibly patronize them all. A few of my old (snowbird) friends have moved there, it seems ok to them. My in-laws moved there for the winters, first owning a condo, then their own house. It was great to have a place to take the kids and visit for a week, the state is much larger and more diverse than it appears from "up north". To rate the state low and call all its residents bigots because of a law that affects less than 1 percent of its population seems out of focus to me. Society evolves, it doesn't change on a dime. There is a deliberative process that usually must be followed to change laws. Is that so horrible and backward? We used to call it democracy.

Sorry. Can't rate more than 2 stars for a state that explicitly bars homosexuals from adopting children. I can look beyond the humidity, but not the biggotry.

my husband and I are moving to the Pensacola area. We can't wait to get away from the snow here in Maine!!!!

I live in the Clearwater metropolitan area. Overall, Florida is a so-so state, but don't expect paradise if you decide to move here. The Southern part of the state (Miami metropolitan area) is unaffordable to live in a small house, full of traffic jams, full of low-paying jobs, and full of trendy people. South Beach and Hollywood, FL is probably the best two beaches. The Southern part of the state is full of illegal immigrants and retirees. The Tampa/Clearwater western part of the state is full of traffic jams, low-paying jobs, and crazy people (yes, Jerry Springer types is accurate). There is not much room to advance yourself on the West Gulf Coast. If you plan a career, probably not a good place to be. Clearwater Beach is worth checking out and is one of the best beaches in the world in my opinion. The water is 90 degrees for much of the summer and feels like bath water. The East part of the state is a little younger than the West. The beaches, however, don't compare to Clearwater Beach or any other beaches on the West Gulf. The East side has better waves for surfing, but you're not going to find any Pacific Ocean type waves here. Orlando is crowded and full of rising housing costs. The entertainment is there, but it's land-locked so there's no access to water. Northern Florida is a beautiful area, and is widely considered the Old South above Gainesville. Speaking of Gainesville, it's a nice place to watch a football game but it's decked out with heavy traffic and if you aren't affiliated with the University, it's very difficult to find a good paying job. Tallahassee is more like a Georgia/Alabama city, and it's full of rolling hills and very diverse. The city is very Southern compared to most of Florida and gas is very expensive. Pensacola is a small laid-back community with beautiful beaches. There's not a whole lot to do here but it's nice if you want a very quiet place. Northern Floridians are very nice, friendly, non-trendy people. However, a lot of them are very uneducated and can't read or write. About 30 miles below the Ocala area, the state is filled with New Yorkers, Michiganders, and Northeasterners. The state is very difficult to achieve the American dream but I love the climate. If you don't like a lot of older people and want to own a huge house, you probably want to move on. But if you like a warm climate 3/4 of the year, and a mild climate 1/4 of the year, Florida is a great place to be. Depending on which area of the state you are in, the people and culture varies heavily. I hear a lot of people complain about the summers being hot, which they are, but I love swimming in warm water and sitting in the hot tub. We have a lot of crazy people down here and a lot of crime but the tradeoffs are the beautiful weather, beautiful people, and sunshine. Overall, Florida is an okay state, but it is far from paradise.

NEGATIVES -->>>> Overcrowded, no jobs, poor paying jobs, bad traffic, Jersey Guidos, New Yorkers, high cost of living, insane home prices, high insurance rates, old people, illegal aliens with no driver's license or insurance, insane rental rates, condo conversions making apartments nearly impossible to find, keeping up with the jones' mentallity, rich snobs & South American playboys, restaurants always packed, grocery stores other retail shops sold out of items/empty shelves....... POSITIVES->>>> Nice weather during Winter months, too hot and humid during the summer months but the positive is less old people, south americans and rich playboys to contend with. Animal, Plant Life, Beaches and the Ocean if you no where to go to avoid the resident morons who think Florida is Long Island. Some good historic sites/areas if you know where to look. Everglades the last place in South Florida you can escape malls, restaurants and crowds, won't be long till it's all paved over for the sake of the thousands of New Yorkers and Jersey Guido Baby Boomers looking to move here! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Living here you will either be a Have or a Have not. $31/Hour Part-Time sounds like a joke to me, unless you bought a house 10-15 years ago, that level of salary won't buy you squat in this day and age, especially if you r paying your own Health Insurance. Try qualifying for a mortage for a $400K house on $60K/year unless you have a wad of cash to lay down they will laugh at you.

For all you people complaining about Florida and talking crap about it move or don't visit again! It's simple don't move here or visit and stay the hell out of this state! I have lived here all my live in Miami and love it. Funny im a RN and I make 31 dollars a hour and only work part time and I am making it great down here!!! So people stay out if you don't like it. Theres a reason why we are one of the most visited state in the u.s. hmmmmmmm.

Hmmm where to start. I lived in Florida for 5 years and here is what I think. People are jerks, drive like jerks, and are down right stupid. Too many Rednecks, Cubans, and Mexicans. I lived all over the Tampa area. Went to all the theme parks, beaches, etc. It has to be one of the worst places I ever went. No jobs, HIGH crime rate...My car was broken into 2x's and i lived in a really nice part of Valrico. Whatever you do...visit..don't move there. it down right sucks. People suck, jobs suck, and the weather sucks. Too many people and tourists. Bugs are bad all year round. Try going to Georgia or North Carolina instead. Hell California is better then Florida.

I moved here from ct. 5 months ago, can't find work in my field all the mexicans have them and will work for peanuts.property is going through the roof,gas is as expensive as anywhere.roads are terrible,people are very unfriendly,summers are too hot.my wife had to drive an hour to work 12 hrs. and get home at 8:00p.m. 6 days aweek. they work you like a slave here!I don't see how people can afford a house making $8.00 to 10.00 bucks an hour. this place is an outrage, as much as I hate snow, theres no place like home and the new england patriots!

This is one giant melting pot for losers, scammers, and people waiting to die. First off, the West Gulf (Gulf of Mexico - Tampa/Clearwater Area) is hot, sticky, dirty, and full of crime and famous for child molesters. The West coast is one giant episode of Jerry Springer. Half of the people can't read, and the other half are busy working their minimum wage jobs or looking for a quick scam (i.e. ripping off old people) to make a dollar. There is a large number of single moms who appear to have popped out their first two children before the age of 18 to get their welfare checks. The West Coast along with the South part of the state is infested with New Yorkers who can't seem to leave the "old sod" in the past. They all talk about how great it was in New York, root against Florida teams when they play their old teams from NY, and raise up all the property values. Funny how they had it "so great" in New York that they are living down here bragging. The West Coast and the South Coasts are loaded with people age 65 and older. It's like they are down here because "it's the thing to do" when you get old and are waiting to die or their families don't want them. Highway 19 is one giant Pawn Shop full of people that cannot drive. Some people are old timers with the huge sunglasses that drive 10 MPH under the speed limit, and then you have the jackoffs from NY that drive 10 MPH over the speed-limit, and then you have the tourists who don't have any clue where they are going. As a result, there are cars going in 8 different directions and to top it off there are several mindless pedestrians who think they can cross a 10-lane highway during rush hour. The Central part of the state is full of hillbillies who look like they came fresh out of a truck stop. The Southern part of the state is overcrowded, overpriced, and full of illegal immigrants. Tampa is always in the Top 5 in crime along with it's brother Miami. Orlando is full of uptight yuppies that think they are in the North. The beaches on the East are garbage compared to the beaches on the West. Daytona and Cocoa Beach are dirty run-down beaches that you can drive your pickup truck on there. The beaches on the West are nicer, however, they don't even clean the weeds out of the water and you might get bite by a snake or a jellyfish. There are tons of shark attacks in the Gulf, and not to mention the Red Tide. The Red Tide is a disease-infested tide that kills all the fish and makes people ill for 2-4 weeks that are affected by it yet people continue to swim in it as the dead fish and seaturtles floating are upside down beside them. Panama City Beach is the most overrated Spring Break resort in the country. When it's not under construction from getting hit 2-3 times annually from hurricanes, it is full of people from March to May looking for the time of their lives. However, it looks like a run-down piece of trash from an old Wild West movie. Not to mention the overpriced hotels full of roaches. What they call "seasonal rates," or "ripping off the Northerners" they raise the prices and rent. Funny cause when it's 100 degrees in Florida and the snowbirds all go North, they don't raise the rates for the people flocking out of the state. Oh yeah, and make sure you don't flip off the asshole that cuts you off when you are driving because under the new law that just went into effect, they can legally shoot you if they feel "threatened." That pretty much sums up Florida, did I miss anything?

Good state. It produced the best band ever (Lynyrd Skynyrd) SO it gets a 5.

The only time I went there was in February and it was 80 degrees and incredibly muggy. Also very expensive, even outside of the resort areas. I don't care much for it one way or the other, but I think Florida (like Texas, New York and California) is one of the states everyone should see at least once.

Moved here because I love it! Only problem is that it is only HOT for about 4 months, then it is just beautiful. Yes, there ARE seasons here, just none of that snow crap.

With the reality of climate change becoming all the more a reality, it might be best to reconsider moving to Florida. Firstly it is not cheap in the most 'livable' areas. It is very difficult too find affordable housing in Miami, Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, and even Orlando- very pricey, considering the low paying jobs. Crime is high, and there are other 'quality of life' issues that make Florida undesirable. Beware of future cyclonic weather, sea rise, flooding, and climate born diseases.

Wish i could give this state 0 stars! Full of yuppies and rednecks. Tampa is a sh++hole and Miami is a playground for loser yuppies. The most overrated state by far, avoid.

All you people bashing Florida....DON'T COME BACK! It'll be less traffic with all you idiotic tourists clogging the roads. And may you all eat yellow snow. GOOD RIDDANCE! We LOVE FLORIDA. PERIOD.

I've been to Florida and my mom grew up there. Freaks that she knew growing up aside, I have positive things to say about almost everything there. They need to ditch some of the retired folks, but we in Arizona have the same affliction.

Say what you want about the weather, that's a matter of opinion. But to say that the people in Florida suck and that many of them are rednecks or yuppies shows a real lack of insight. I live in Florida and I am neither a redneck or a yuppie, just a middle class guy trying to keep eveything together and there's a lot more people like me than you believe. (I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say there's more people like me than you saw when you were here) But I think you're going out on a limb (and I really resent it) when you attempt to give the impression that you know me better than I know myself because you are willing to pass judgment on me and give me a label when I'll bet that you haven't even bothered to read 25 of my RIA posts. It also seems that you did not seek out the finer attractions in Florida, or visit any of their historical sights, or make a geunine effort to see those things that are good, modern, and enjoyable. Sure, there are rednecks and yes, there are yuppies but just because someone has a southern accent doesn't automatically mean that they have a front yard littered with junk cars or their washing machine is located on the front porch. (by the way, I do not have a southern accent. I am an ex New Yorker) Be careful my friend, your intellectual dishonesty is showing.

Hands down the most overrated state in the USA!! Too hot and humid for me and the people suck, lots of rednecks and yuppies (esp. in south Fla) who think they are so cool, i'd rather live anywhere but this God awful state!!!