While the rest of the country is slipping on their cozy sweaters and sipping their Pumpkin Spice Lattes, South Florida is still in the middle of some blistering heat. While a great deal of us are discontent with out lack of "sweater weather", there are some pretty splendid things that we should be thankful for.
7. Shopping
South Florida does not have any shortage of shopping options. Wellington Mall (about a thirty minute drive from FAU's Boca campus), Dolphin mall (about a forty-five minute drive from FAU Boca), even the Swap Shop in Fort Lauderdale for all the thrifty folks out there (thirty minute drive from FAU Boca) has just about everything a savvy shopper could want. Whatever your tastes may be, you're guaranteed to find it somewhere within a 30 mile radius (which is not that bad, considering a lot of people in the country would extend that to a 50 mile radius).
6. Festivals
Ahh, sunny South Florida. There is always somewhere to go. While you may not realize it, South Florida has some pretty great festivals that we should be proud of. The Renaissance Festival at Quiet Waters Park and the Hatsume Festival at Morikami are local underground favorites. Although we don't have Coachella, Miami is known worldwide for Ultra Music Festival, plus 2016 saw the debut of the Okechobee Music & Arts Festival. While this season's Oktoberfests are coming to a close, we still have Art Basel Miami 2016, plus the brand new Riptide Music & Arts Festival washing ashore on Fort Lauderdale Beach this December.
5. Public College Education
College is expensive. Like, really expensive. But if you are a Florida resident attending a public university in this state, you have it pretty good compared to a lot of students across the country.
For a student who lives at home and commutes (which let's face it, over 90% of students from both FAU and FIU are commuters), average tuition per semester is around $3,500, compared with about $6,500 in various public universities across the United States. In Florida, we also have the lovely gift for hardworking students called the Bright Futures Scholarship, and while it may not be a lot of money, it surely helps a great deal.
4. Cultural Diversity
Yes yes, places like New York and Los Angeles are far more diverse. However, we've got a pretty special melting pot here ourselves, and it really is quite lovely. As mentioned above, there's plenty of festivals to attend year round, including cultural festivals. There is Miami's infamous Calle Ocho, in addition to various Greek, Italian, and Asian festivals, just to name a few. While these are great places to learn and experiences bits of new and different cultures, it also helps local business showcase their products. You might spend a day at the Asian Festival and suddenly discover an awesome Thai restaurant that is only 10 minutes away from you. That is one of the most beautiful things about South Florida: unlike New York and L.A., each culture does not need to sit in its own little neighborhood. You can have a few great Latin places in one plaza, with a Chinese take out and a Greek eatery right next door.
3. Beautiful Parks
There are some lovely sights to behold around South Florida. If you are really into nature, South Florida has some beautiful, serene parks to spend an afternoon biking around or having a picnic in. The Fruit & Spice Park in Homestead showcases dozens of different types of produce from around the world, and while you're on the tour, you get to sample everything for free. Boca Raton has Gumbo Limbo, where you can go learn about Sea life and ocean preservation. Fort Lauderdale has Birch State Park, located right on A1A, which is perfect for picnics and bike rides. In Coconut Creek, there's Quiet Waters Park which offers campgrounds. Morikami Museum and Gardens in Delray has splendid zen gardens, perfect for students to ease their minds in. For those of us who are interested in history, places like Vizcaya Museum and Gardens offers a look into South Florida's vibrant past.
2. Theme Parks
Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens...we have some amazing theme parks in our backyard. Sure, since we're in South Florida, it can be anywhere from a three to four hour drive to Orlando, but it's worth it. One of the most glorious things about living in this state? Florida residents get massive discounts at these theme parks. People come from all over the world to go to Walt Disney World, and it is pretty expensive. Florida residents can get Magic Kingdom tickets for as low as $110, while everyone else has to pay somehwere around $200.
1. The Beach
We really do live where so many people vacation. As much of a cliche as it is, those folks up north do not take their vacations for granted. When a family comes from Minnesota taking a holiday away from their 46 degree weather, the warm, 88 degree sunshine on our soft, sandy beaches feels like absolute Heaven to them. We might complain about not having autumn leaves, but we do have endless amounts of sunshine that draws millions of tourists to South Florida annually.
