We moved here in 1984 - very different from your entry. Still so very different from ‘84 till now.

But you just told everyone on the world wide web haha.

@@caryn9561 No, I did not tell my favorite places or beaches. I told of some Nice places to go. My favorite beaches and fishing spot won’t come up on any google search. You just have to know or find them while exploring.

I feel as you do and I came here hoping not to see my area of FL. Unfortunately it won't be long everything is growing so fast in FL.

@@immar1075 Yeah, over a million people a year moving here now from socially failed states. Unfortunately, it is almost for certain they will destroy Florida too. Makes me cringe when I look at California. I visited there back in the 80s. It wasn’t Florida, but it was nice. Now half my neighbors here are from California, escaping social deterioration. Keaton Beach area is filling up with New Yorkers escaping Social deterioration there. Folks from PA come here in droves too. Went down to a great fishing cove and natural beach the other day. It is down a winding, bumpy seven mile dirt road that after a storm requires a four wheel drive. The cove had several out of state mud boats just running back and forth thru the fishing area. They had twenty or so people on the beach drinking, being loud and arguing at times. Their 4 wheel drive truck had tore the beach all up trying to launch their boats (no boat ramp there) and there wasn’t a fish to be caught in the cove. A glimpse of the future ai suppose.

@@Captkid1 I remember places like that. You could fish all day and not see another person. We better enjoy what we have while we have it.

Delray is only about 10 miles away so I've gone there to eat a few times but parking is all commercialized & it became too easy to get ticketed for the downtown area. morikami *is* a fairly cool place to visit at least once even if I thought it was in boca

Siesta Key is my favorite beach in Florida!

I Live by siesta Key and hate it.

​@@TheRusschannelYOU SHOULD MOVE THEN!!

@@TheRusschannel Maybe try move on the key. I would not want to live by siesta too

Siesta Key has been a favorite for 35 about years.

Which is why most southerners don’t claim Florida as southern anymore. Very few Floridians. North Georgia (my home) is becoming the same way.

I’m 65 and a 4th generation Floridian. My family was one of the first to settle in the Panhandle. We now have 6 generations!

Old Floridian family member here. My family helped settle Kenansville, Fl. At the time St. Cloud, Fl didn't exist. My ancestors helped to settle St. Cloud and Kissimmee, too. The old cemetary in Kenansville belonged to my great great grandfather (...I think. I'm not exactly sure how many generations back.). He sold it to the county for $1 to give back to the communnity and they used it as a cemetary. Morbidly, I have a grave with my name on it because my family pays a very reduced fee to be buried there. If anyone is familiar with Saint Cloud, Fl (a not so small town now and I miss the old days of course) there's a neighboorhood there called Stevens' Plantation. That property belonged to my Great Aunt. She sold it off a few years before she died to a developer. In some ways it's a shame she sold it, but it was hers to do with as she wished. They called it Stevens' Plantation in honor of the family. I have no idea how many generations back we go as native Floridians, but it's quite a bit. I'm positive of at least seven generations including the current ones, but I know we go further back than that. One of my cousins paid for ancestory work. I need to meet up with her to discuss it. Life's just so busy! Old Floridian families are a dying breed. Many don't like how big our small towns have become. I'm thinking of moving myself. Partially because I've never lived outside of Florida but mostly because of how overcrowded it is. The cities and counties sell so much land to developers without making sure there's infrastructure to support that many people. Now traffic is horrible. Everything is crowded. It's a mess! I'm from St. Cloud, past tense. I lived there well into adulthood and I've watched it go from a city with two restaurants, one stop light, and the downtown area to a city that is almost unrecognizable as the place I grew up. I love the Ocala area, to be more accurate the area outside Ocala, but I think it's only a matter of time before it becomes over populated here as well. It's beautiful, though. I love my home state. There are so many things we have here that can be taken for granted but that can make for an amazing life. I don't begrudge the people who have decided to move here. I only wish the cities and counties would provide more infrastructure instead of just chasing the almighty dollar. Sorry for such a long comment. Apparently I had things to say. lol

@@DM-95 we have a saying. Florida becomes more Southern the further North you travel. lol Not always the case, but the saying caught on for a reason.

I grew up in St. Cloud in the 60's and just recently moved back. Sure, a lot has changed but a lot has stayed the same. Downtown has the same buildings when I was a kid with only a very few changes. Yes the town has changed but so have I. Without change things just stagnate, the trick is to embrace it and turn it to your advantage.@@geekasauruswreks8789

even Key West water is freezing in January. Only the Norwegians got in.

Life-long Floridian....but you're only 18 years old 😂😂😂

I totally almost included New Smyrna! Only reason I I didn’t is because it’s a little close to Cocoa Beach and I wanted to spread them out a bit. 😃

@@SunshineStateInsiderpeople who live in Cocoa Beach go to New Smyrna. Cocoa Beach is where the Orlando crazies go.

New Smyrna is a top surfing destination.

Please don’t add some of these. I’m not a native, but I’ve been here decades. I’m in Flagler, and there are already enough entitled tourists that flood into here. Not just the regular tourists, who are very welcome. There are a lot of tourists who come in, heavy drinking, road rage, trashing quiet beaches and parks, and insult/belligerent locals. I’ve seen nasty behavior at the beach that seems to get worse. I just wish tourists and newer locals would read a few of the rules….like no harassing manatees or letting dogs loose in areas they’re not permitted. We should all be respectful of where we visit.

sharks!!

Unfortunately it doesn’t pay a living wage. Especially living in Florida.

Florida has been in rapid decline since the 80s. Orlando was already a rat race by 88.

Doesn’t that area have an issue with red tide and what about the pesticide spill in Tampa Bay? I always wonder where the cleanest water (and skies) are in Florida. I’ve been in FTL for two years and I’m not feeling “at home”.

I am 55 and still love jumping off the little bridge. Been here since 74

And it’s just as much of a Tourist Trap as Panama City Beach & 30A etc, only it’s going to cost you an arm & a leg !!! Bring a TON of Money, you’re going to need it. Millionaires all live on 3O A !!!

Not a secret in Louisiana either!

Shhhhhhhh

I really recommend not going out far swimming at pass a grille -- especially near the jetty. That current rips pretty hard.

@@justinbartlett4711 thanks very much for the info it’s much appreciated

The Keys are so crowded during the tourist season (Nov-April) it is unreal now. Bumper to bumper traffic at 50 mph from key Largo all the way to KW(takes 2 hours to go100 miles). I can't tell you how many times I hear tourist say the beaches are nasty and there is nothing for kids to do in KW. Odd that they don't research a little before coming down here.

The cajun prime rib is great.

Sounds like my hometown... Starts with an A, ends with an a? ;)

I had roots in Dunedin. Visited my uncle there often. Raised spending summers with my grands in StPetersburg. I was there from 1958 on. Miss it so much. My spirit home. Can't afford it now. It has been about 15 years since I have been back.

Just like the rest of florida 😢

When I was a kid we would have Hobie Cat races a couple times a year. We would race from St. Pete Beach to Anna Maria Island. Sleep on the Beach, have a big bon fire party. Then race back the next day. It was a blast. Florida will never be like that again unless we preserve it.

I've been wanting to go there, but yeah, the secret is out.

Why did you say this??? Wtf it completely sucks. Noseeums and sand fleas always biting and way too expensive.

@@macjrc I said day trip dang! I like going for the 4th.. Give it a break!😩

My sis is in Tallahassee. Shout out tally. I love chubbies. Destin beach was dope

The one in Hudson is Sam's it is a restaurant / bar right on the intracoastal waterway. there is a small but quaint beach there...No waves...it is the gulf coast so there are none.Excellent food and fair prices and a hotel right across the street. Also in Crystal River on Fort Island Trail at the end is a nice beach with restroom and water accommodations and a public boat ramp to boot.

??

Don’t tell them. Let’s keep them secret.

Totally understood! 😉

Is it ST GEORGE ISLAND, FL? ;) We were voted #1 BEACH by Dr. Beach in 2023! Most unique beach town in Florida... My family has been here for over 100 years!

@@KristaMiller Spread out, it's a big world.

Yes....

😂👍

I'll bet I have you beat in bottle caps.

It sounds a joke 🤨

Hahaha… Yeah. That really is the best places for tourist. Seriously, you may be joking, but I used to tell people about a nice secluded beach. White clean sand , clean water, pavilions, grills, showers & indoor bathrooms and hardly any people. But it is inside a state park and you CAN NOT drink on the beach, so very few tourist will go there. And it is in a dry county, so no bars or liquors stores either. I love it there. Half the time when I go, I have two miles of beautiful beach to myself. I don’t drink, so it isn’t an inconvenience to me. I suppose tourist have this mental anticipation of needing to drink while laying in the sun. I don’t know why, but tourist seem to be happiest on the “vacation” manicured beaches. Maybe because they want alcohol and seafood brought to them while they lay near the beach???

I live in northern palm Beach County. It’s changed so much. I have friends in Venice and we’re considering moving there this summer. I miss the small town vibes. I’m looking for a nice place to raise my kiddos.

Sshhhhh...

We live in Navarre, 24 miles west of Destin. So much more laid back but we have been becoming more popular in the last few years.

Commercialized

Tourist trap

Fun to party there tho!

So you want more tourist to make your spot crowded, I'm glad he didn't mention our location.

Glad he didn't, it is crowded beyond belief now and the non locals try to go 80 in a 50 all the way to KW down US1. There are head on collisions almost every week from people trying to pass. Most tourist stop coming around Easter then start again around Thanksgiving.