I moved to Florida at the end of 2006. Soon after settling in I started asking people I met when the last time was that they went to the beach, or Busch Gardens, or any of the many places Florida is so well known for as a vacation destination. Very few if any of the people I asked could tell me the last time they’d done something that one of our many tourists come here for.
I decided back then that I if I was going to live here I was going to live like a tourist. I can get to the beach in under 30 minutes and to a beach bar in about 20. Why would I not? Strangely this is a vow that requires a little more effort than one might think. Between work, family, and other daily obligations it can be very easy to stay in more and more often and to forget the fact that we Floridians are lucky to live in vacation-land.
I’ve didn’t think I would but I’ve got used to alligators and and cranes in the neighborhood, distilleries and wineries being everywhere, and watching dolphins while at a concert in the park. Fortunately I haven’t stopped being amazed by any of them and I still feel the need to stop and watch the dolphins swim by.