By now you know ev and I moved from NYC to Florida back in June. In today's post I'll be debunking/dispelling myths about Florida based on my experience living here so far.

Florida Man

We all know the "Florida Man" stories, the reason they exist is because of Florida's public record laws or as they are known down here, Sunshine Laws. These laws require arrests and police report information to be made publicly accessible immediately after they are filed. So the point is, this is why we hear so many crazy stories coming out of Florida.

The Food

Coming from NYC I didn't expect this but I think the food is better down here. At least where I'm at in Boca Raton. My recent day trip to Miami also resulted in eating amazing food as well. Another thing about food I noticed is that despite what you would think, delivery is actually a lot faster down here.

The Summer

One thing I hear a lot of people talk about is the summer being unbearable. I spent my first summer here and while there were certainly days that felt like being in a NYC subway station in the middle of July, you're not typically outside for long periods of time. You move from one air conditioned place to the next.

The Tech Scene

"There's no tech scene in Florida" – that may have been true(r) in the past but the scene down here has been growing at an incredible clip. I've even written pretty extensively about it.

Here's some of my recent coverage (if you're interested):

Synapse Summit 2021 puts the spotlight on innovators

The Seaworthy Collective plans to save the world's oceans

Fuel Fairies magically fills up your tank

The best resources for Florida entrepreneurs

The Pace

One thing I was unsure about was the change of pace. NYC is fast, it's go go go! That's how I lived my entire life and that's what I was used to, but when I moved down here, the pace changed. It became slower, calmer, a lot more chill and I appreciate it so much. You don't need to be in a rush to get everywhere. Take some time to sit back, relax, and enjoy life.

The Beaches

Florida beaches > New York beaches. This is a true statement. The sand is better, the water is bluer and they run across both coasts of the state. They just seem so much more plentiful down here. In fact, they're so much better down here that I'm now an official beach bum.

Mask Wearing

Despite popular belief, many people down here (at least around me) wear masks while out and about. Of course there are uninformed idiots but those exist everywhere.

Are there any other myths or things that need debunking? Let me know in the comments!