[Marcu]

It seems like every cold weather city has it's own Florida retiree/second home/time share/tourism destination. For example, South Florida (Miami, Boca Raton, Palm Beach) is filled with New Yorkers. The Sarasota/Ft. Myers area seems to be big for Chicago residents.

Is there a particular part of Florida residents from your city are drawn to?

[fredstrom]

Well, since Sioux Falls (my future home) is pretty small, we only have one direct flight to Florida, so most people just head to Orlando where the flight goes.

[JivecitySTL]

St. Louis Jews love Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.

[DeBaliviere]

St. Louis Jews love Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.

St. Louis gentiles like Destin and Naples. :)

[DallasTexan]

Buffalonians love Tampa.

[minneapolis03]

In my experiences, Minneapolitans and Minnesotans in general are all over Miami, South Beach, and Key West.

[rockyi]

I don't know where they go presently but Quad Citians (my family included) used to cluster around Bonita Springs and Bonita Beach in the 70's and 80's.

[satsuchan]

I think Hoosiers tend to gravitate toward the Tampa-Sarasota area.

[trvlr70]

Chicago's North Shore tends to congregate in Florida's Southwest Coast, which includes Captiva, Sanibel, Naples, and Ft. Myers. But, Palm Springs,CA and Scottsdale, AZ are also a popular destinations.

Also, so many North Shore residents have a second home in Snowmass, CO that is often referred to as "Winnekta West"...silly, but true.

I was recently in Aspen and heard that reference yet again. But, it makes sense, a Chicago family owns the Aspen/Snowmass Ski Company(Lester Crown).

Urban Chicago residents like the Southest coast, from Palm Beach to South Beach.

Residents of Schaumburg head straight to Orlando!

[Heatonator]

Arizona is fast becoming the new Florida.

[Marcu]

It would be interesting to see a stat ranking % of transplants in Florida cities (limited, of course, to cities of a certain size). We'd probably see some bordering 60 or 70%.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

It seems for the Dayton area the Gulf Coast is popular (from just north of the Tampa Bay area down to Ft Meyers and mabe Naples), followed by inland areas around Orlando/Lakeland.

Not too much interest in the Altantic coast it seems, nor the beaches out along the panhandle.

[Jeff_in_Dayton]

Chicago's North Shore tends to congregate in Florida's Southwest Coast, which includes Captiva, Sanibel, Naples, and Ft. Myers. But, Palm Springs,CA and Scottsdale, AZ are also a popular destinations.

This goes back pretty far. Back in the 1960's Marco Island was heavily promoted in the Chicago press.

[Wheelingman04]

Wheeling area people usually go to Fort Myers, Naples, Siesta Key, Sarasota, and Sanibel Island in the winter..

[DallasTexan]

I WISH I was in Florida NOW!!!

[OhioGuy]

I WISH I was in Florida NOW!!!

I was just in Florida last week and I wanna go back! At least until it warms up to normal temperatures for this time of year in Chicago (which is a high of 32). I can handle 30s and even 20s... but highs of 2 yesterday and 5 today is just pathetic!

[Evergrey]

Tallahassee

[DeBaliviere]

I WISH I was in Florida NOW!!!

Me too! I'll be in Boca Raton in a few weeks, and I cannot wait to get a little sun on my pasty Irish self.

[Avian001]

In my experiences, Minneapolitans and Minnesotans in general are all over Miami, South Beach, and Key West.

^Yes, I can't tell you how many times I've met people in Key West from the Cities. e.g., I was once at a restaurant off the beaten path and the people seated next to my group started talking about a cafe in my neighborhood. Another time I was shopping at the Publix there and started chatting with a woman who I later ran into in Minneapolis.

We could all probably relate similar stories. I think coincidences like this are far more common than we think.

[Drewcifer]

I don't know anybody who goes to Florida, usually it is Arizona, Mexico or the Carribean.

[Steely Dan]

from my friends, family members, former co-workers, etc. who have moved away from the big windy, arizona seems to be FAR more popular among ex-chicagoans than florida. and of the many people i know who've moved down to the valley of the sun, they say the whole place is literally filled with former chicagoans.

i don't really understand it, as arizona sounds like hell on earth to me, but i guess we chicagoans thive on our passion for extremes.

[Buckeye Native 001]

from my friends, family members, former co-workers, etc. who have moved away from the big windy, arizona seems to be FAR more popular among ex-chicagoans than florida. and of the many people i know who've moved down to the valley of the sun, they say the whole place is literally filled with former chicagoans.

Bingo. The majority of transplants in the Valley (Metro Phoenix) are from Chicago. Strangely enough, the majority of Ohioan transplants in Phoenix are from Cleveland. Seems like the rest of the state heads down to Florida.

[rockyi]

My folks are wintering in the Phoenix area as we speak. Now that I think about it, I think more people from here winter in Arizona as opposed to Florida anymore.

After they were married in 1957, my parents lived in Phoenix for a year. The city had around 45,000 residents at that time. Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe were all pretty insignificant then. My, my, my, how things change.

[Marcu]

As nice as the weather is in Arizona, I'd still prefer Florida. I just don't see a point in relocating to sit in a pool when I can relocate and sit in the ocean.

[LMich]

Vacation-wise South-Central Michigan's main winter destination seems to be Orlando from what I can tell.

[pdxtex]

Sarasota seems to be popular with the Chicago folks. Mine included.

[minneapolis03]

^Yes, I can't tell you how many times I've met people in Key West from the Cities. e.g., I was once at a restaurant off the beaten path and the people seated next to my group started talking about a cafe in my neighborhood. Another time I was shopping at the Publix there and started chatting with a woman who I later ran into in Minneapolis.

We could all probably relate similar stories. I think coincidences like this are far more common than we think.

Oh, I have many similar stories. I remember the first time I went; I was AMAZED at how many Minnesotans were down there. For instance, when the street performers would ask people where they're from I bet almost half would say "Minneapolis", or "Minnesota." I think I saw or met at least 7 or 8 families/parties from here just on that one trip and who knows how many others there were that we didn't know about.

Do you think it has to do with the fact that we are so far north that we look to go as far south in the country as possible? ;)

[BrightEyedGirl]

I work in travel in the STL area, and right now I am sending lots of people to the Jupiter area as Spring Training is approaching. While Destin, Ft. Meyers and Orlando are always popular, right now its all about Spring Training.