According to US News, Florida is ranked tenth among America’s best states to live in, and each year more and more people from the United States and across the globe choose to call it their new home. We asked two somewhat recent Floridians to share their very different experiences and what exactly drew them to start a new life in the Sunshine State.

Jelaina, 22, lives in Vero Beach

I’m originally from Chicago. I grew up about an hour outside of the city and lived there for the first 18 years of my life. I’ve dreamt of becoming a commercial pilot for the longest time, and I was already flying while living in Illinois — so when it was time to choose college, my choice of destination was partially influenced by the presence of a good flight school.

Another factor in choosing which part of the country I would end up in was the weather. Growing up in Chicago, I was desperately craving warm weather and being able to get outside more. Now I live ten minutes away from the beach, and this is exactly what sealed the deal for me when choosing where to go for school.

I moved about 4 years ago and did it myself, the good old “pack your entire life in your car and drive across the country” way. When I first moved, I lived in my college dorm, but now I rent a one-bedroom apartment in a nice part of town. I love it here, although my rent is pretty steep — I could comfortably rent a 3-bedroom house in another part of the country. And yet I prefer my life here in Florida, and I’ve had a great experience here so far.

Since moving, my lifestyle has changed quite a bit — I’m much more outdoors than I’ve ever been before. I’m always doing something outdoors, whether it’s swimming, hiking, or going to a theme park. I just got my first Disney pass! Trying to go there as much as I can, although it’s a bit of a drive, about an hour and a half one-way.

The advantage of moving away for college is that there’s plenty of opportunity to make friends and truly start fresh. I have met wonderful people here, both at school and at work. I’m also a part of the sorority which has been a very positive experience for me. I’m well aware of how sororities are typically presented in popular culture but ours is a tight-knit and almost feels like a sisterhood, without any toxicity or intolerance of any kind.

For anyone moving to the state, the first thing I’d recommend considering is hurricanes. The East Coast, specifically the northeastern Florida, is typically less likely to be hit by a natural disaster. This is one of the reasons why the NASA facilities, including the Kennedy Space Center, are located near Orlando on the East Coast.

Overall, my decision to move to Florida was indeed the right one, and I’m very grateful for having this experience in my life. I enjoy it here a lot, and it is most certainly a step up from my life in Chicago.

Sergey, 39, lives in Tampa

I was born and grew up in a small village of about 5,000 residents in Russia’s far eastern region. For the majority of my life, I lived in the region’s major city before moving to China for two years. I also celebrated the new year of 2015 in New York City, back then as a tourist. These experiences instilled a sense of adventure in me for traveling, relocation, and big changes in general.

Then, in 2016, I won the green card lottery, leading my wife, our kids, and myself to settle amongst the sunny landscapes of Florida. The whole process of applying for and obtaining a green card took us nearly two years, and we relocated to Tampa in late 2018. Tampa was our first and only home in America, and we had plenty of time to do our research before settling on a destination.

Not going to lie, moving across the world with small children was hard. We were lucky to have already experienced this on a smaller scale when relocating to China, and yet China was surprisingly less of a culture shock because my wife and I both grew up in very close proximity to the country and its culture. On the other hand, America was easier regarding a language barrier — my wife speaks fluent English, and I had no choice but to learn it, too eventually.

This is how we settled down. Since then, we traveled across the States and visited plenty of other cities — Seattle, Washington DC, and Nashville, to name a few — but nothing compares to our life in Tampa. Certainly, there is a big difference between traveling and actually living somewhere, and yet I stick to my original choice to this day.

The most obvious advantage of living in Florida is its weather. Back where I’m from, winters can be brutally cold reaching negative Fahrenheit temperatures. Besides, who doesn’t love the year-round summer? Another big advantage is the state’s tax policy. I own a business back in my home country, and all of my income still comes from what I’ve been doing in Russia for years. Thankfully, we can afford to live comfortably here, partially due to Florida’s lower tax rates compared to other states.

Moving countries can be an isolating experience. Luckily, we had a friend of a friend who moved to Tampa a few years prior. Six years later, we actually have a group of friends with whom we semi-regularly hang out. We’re not very close but it still brings a sense of community and fills a need to socialize that both my wife and I share. We currently live in an apartment complex with all the amenities one can think of — we have a gym, communal pool, and outdoor dining area with grills and picnic tables. We’re planning to rent for the foreseeable future, although rent prices get higher every year (and they weren’t low to begin with!).

The biggest advice I’d give to someone moving to Florida — watch out on the roads! Local and out-of-state drivers alike can be quite unpredictable, particularly during the winter influx of the elderly population, the so-called “snowbirds”. Also, be nice to everyone, as you never know who’s exercising their right to concealed carry.