Those of us Boomers in Florida knew it was bound to happen after this past long hard winter. After all, the snow in Boston Harbor did not melt until mid summer!
According to the Sun Sentinel, July 30, 2015, Florida is still the nation’s top destination for retirees. Here is what the author, Nicholas Nehamas, said:
“In a survey of 1,000 relocating retirees conducted by Where to Retire Magazine, about 54 percent chose the Sunshine State as the perfect spot for their post-work years. Rounding out the top five were North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona and Texas. “Generations of retirees have sought after Florida’s abundant sunshine and plethora of outdoor activities geared toward active adults,” Where to Retire editor Annette Fuller said in a statement.” Older Folks: Florida welcomes you.”
From a long time Boomer Grandma of South Florida, here are seven reasons why you should not retire to Florida.
Number One: Florida is the coldest state in the United States
Everyone up north complains of the cold. Well, we in Florida also complain of the cold. Air conditioning blasts everywhere. You cannot leave your home without a sweater. You need an eight cylinder car which has more powerful air conditioning. We Floridians look to buy cars that cool in sixty seconds after sitting in the hot sun.
Number Two: Early Bird Bargains Mean One Eats An Early Dinner
There is a joke that everyone retired in Florida eats an early dinner and goes to bed when everyone elsewhere is about to sit down to dinner. We have beautiful weather to enjoy, wonderful outside activities, world class restaurants, and by evening, we just want a light bite. The bargains for early dinner abound at prices that make it cheaper than eating home. Who would not take advantage of them? Besides, we are exhausted from all of the outdoor enjoyment that Florida provides for us, so we need to bed early.
Number Three: Tourist Destination
Florida roads are dangerous. Florida has one of the highest rates of pedestrian deaths. When the tourists drive, watch out. They do not know where they are going. Yes, it is crowded “in Season,” which is from sometime before Thanksgiving to after Spring Break. It is hard to get into the restaurants or find a parking spot anywhere. But, being a tourist destination means we have wonderful restaurants, great shopping and entertainment, ample cultural activities, and lots and lots to do.
Number Four: Summers and Hurricanes
Summers are hot, but not if you stay close to the ocean on the barrier islands. That is where the early Floridians, pre air conditioning, lived. Hearing summer temperatures up north, we wonder if we are just not cooler in Florida in the summer. Yes, we must fear and prepare for hurricanes, but we have warning. More warning than those worried about tornadoes or earthquakes! We natives crave the quiet of the summer, the lack of crowds and being able to get into any restaurant. We do not want you to know that after 5 pm is beautiful and we need a sweater to walk along the beautiful and then quiet ocean in mid summer.
Number Five: Looking Good
We Boomer Floridians do not consider ourselves “old folks.” We are forever young and active. We Floridians spend most of our time out of doors in the beautiful sunshine. We do not wear heavy coats and hibernate most of the year like you do, so we make it our business to look good in light weight clothing year round. Maybe it is the combination of the extra exercise being outdoors or the joy of the sunny days, but be prepared to be better prepared about your appearance.
Number Six: Hoards Coming to Visit
Once you live in Florida, everyone comes to visit. Be prepared to have an extra bedroom and bathroom, at least one of each. Your grandchildren will drool over Disney, Lego Land, Universal, Sea World and Busch Gardens. Save your money to retire here to be able to take your grandchildren all over Florida. Pretty soon you will find that the entire family decides to move to Florida and you will be cooking weekly family dinners as you did before you left the north.
Number Seven: Cost of Living
Yes, we do not need as many clothes and the cost of living is lower is Florida. We have so many options for over 55 communities that are like year round summer camps with every activity you can imagine. Google “The Villages” near Orlando and see EVERYTHING we have to offer. We Boomers must be educated about STDs in Florida. Yes, we have no state income tax. Yes, cruise bargains abound from our Florida ports. Yes, Florida resident specials are our secret everywhere in the state. We have all this partially by being a tourist destination where we welcome visitors from around the world with open arms.
No, we do not want you to move here. Visit often and leave your money, but go back home elsewhere. More Boomers here means more of my long time Floridian Boomer friends are considering retiring to North Carolina! Join them there where there is less population and less to do.
From this long time Boomer Grandma of South Florida, I can promise you that living in Florida is joyful at every age. We do not want to permanently share the
Joy,
Mema
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