Throughout my childhood, my family barely strayed from the parts of West Virginia’s Appalachia region where I was born and raised.
I spent college two hours away in Ohio, and during those years, I started traveling around the United States and to more distant places in Europe and Latin America.
I love exploring the world, so when it was time to graduate and start a life somewhere new, I applied to jobs all around the country.
I took the first one I could get, and it happened to be in Miami. I’d never been to Florida before, but I quickly found things in Dade County I enjoyed.
After nearly a decade of living here, there are three big things I love about living in Miami — and one thing I still miss about West Virginia.
Miami’s weather has completely won me over
A lot of people have opinions about this one, but as someone who grew up in a colder climate, I much prefer Miami weather.
Summer aside, most weeks are sunny and fairly comfortable with a lot of days between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters are pleasantly short, sunny, and warm.
I also struggle with depression, which can be impacted by the seasons, so having the ability to go outside and get some sunshine any time of the year is a major bonus for me.
Though summertime in Miami can be uncomfortably hot and humid and hurricane season is no joke, I still prefer the weather here to any place that experiences a harsher winter.
I love the city’s multicultural atmosphere
As a travel writer, I’m constantly booking trips and visiting new cities and countries. And when I’m not hopping on a plane or road tripping to a different part of Florida, I can still experience a variety of communities and cultures in Miami.
Most people know Miami for its Cuban influence, but the city is also home to a huge variety of expats from other parts of Latin America, like Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina.
There’s also a lot of diversity from other parts of the world, too. For example, Miami Beach has one of the largest Jewish populations outside of Israel, and there’s also a huge variety of Bahamian, Jamaican and other Caribbean cultures here.
Miami is constantly growing and changing, and I love that I can learn about so many different cultures without traveling too far.
I’ve found so many great travel deals out of South Florida
One of my favorite perks of living in Miami truly is how easy and convenient it is to travel from the city.
For starters, there are two major airports nearby — Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
Miami is also the cruise capital of the world, and there are constantly ships sailing from the ports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
I’m a budget traveler at heart, and I’ve scored some incredible travel deals from South Florida. I regularly find flights to Europe for less than $400 from these airports, and I can fly to many places around the US for less than $150.
Even though Miami’s great, I miss the Appalachian Mountains
Since I moved to Florida, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the beach. However, I still definitely miss the Appalachian Mountains.
They’re the oldest mountain range in the United States, and these rolling hills are the perfect place for exploring. My favorite time to visit West Virginia is in the late spring or early summer when the trees are at their fullest and brightest.
Palm trees are beautiful, but I definitely miss how serene and peaceful nature can be in West Virginia — especially when compared to how busy and chaotic Miami can feel sometimes.
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