Florida definitely isn’t part of the American South

It may be at the bottom of the US, but it’s not ‘Southern’ by any means


I have lived in Florida for 14 years and I have to admit, we do not have the Southern charm or mentality that other Southern states have.

I can say that areas in Northern Florida are more “Southern” – as odd as that sounds – but Central and South Florida are completely different.

The majority of people living in Central and Southern Florida were born out of the state

In Florida, 48% of the residents living here were born out of the state. Most residents come here to enjoy the weather, and most people who relocate to Florida originate from the Northeast region of the United States. This influx of non-native Floridians impacts the culture and mentality of the state.

With that said, and with such a high percentage of people coming from other places, Florida does not have the same Southern base that other states have. Most families bring traditions with them that don’t coalesce with the rest of the people living here. Therefore, this lack of unity impacts our sense of state and Southern pride.

Florida is more ‘tropical’ than ‘Southern’

Miami Beach

When I picture the South, I envision rolling hills and sprawling fields. The South is a place where you can ride horses on a trail that has a magnificent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have done this before in Tennessee and it is incredible.

Although Florida has the occasional hill and beautiful fields of wildflowers, the majority of the state is taken up by sandy beaches and the marshy Everglades. The beaches in Florida and the popularity of the Florida Keys give the state a tropical characteristic rather than a rustic, Southern feel.

Florida is a unique state – on one coast it is surrounded by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and on the other, the Atlantic Ocean. These beautiful beaches create a laid back mentality that consists of lounging on the beach and drinking margaritas. Instead of riding horses, Floridians ride wave runners in sparkling oceans. We don’t have backyard BBQs, we have parties on our boats.

The food in Florida is not typical Southern food

Living in South Florida, I have been surrounded by food that comes from different parts of the US and the world. We have authentic Cuban restaurants and places in the Everglades that serve fried gator. (I’ve heard it tastes like chicken, but I have never tasted it.)

coffee>>>>sweet tea

We don’t make foods like grits or hushpuppies, and the last time I had cornbread was from Trader Joe’s and it was pumpkin spice flavored. In Florida, sweet tea is not a thing. Everyone I know is always wired on coffee, and restaurants rarely offer any sweet tea. Also, any true Floridian knows that Key Lime Pie is yellow and not green.

There is no such thing as ‘Southern hospitality’ here

The idea of being warm and welcoming does not seem to resonate with Florida residents. I have never been welcomed with open arms into anyone’s home. I am not saying my neighbors avoid each other, but we also don’t go out of our way to give each other pies.

We like our privacy, but it’s nice to get together as a neighborhood every once in awhile. However, we don’t try to have a get-together every weekend. I know every family is different, but in my experience, I’ve never seen “Southern hospitality.”

We don’t use Southern slang

With the exception of “y’all,” I don’t hear much Southern slang in South Florida. The saying “bless your heart” means nothing to me. This seems to connect with the fact that most of the residents of Florida are not native to the South, so a lot of us never grew up with these slang words. Therefore, they’re pretty nonexistent.

We don’t use the word “yonder” and I have definitely never heard anyone begin their sentence with “it’s hotter than…” Most Southern slang goes right over my head.

We are a tourist state

Most importantly, we are a tourist state. We rely on people coming from all over the US and the world to help our economy. So, as a state, we try to incorporate people from everywhere into our communities. We welcome people into our beaches and amusement parks. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t see a dozen different license plates drive by.

This definitely has an impact on our culture in Florida. So maybe that’s our own way of having “Southern hospitality.”