As a reluctant resident, who has never been thrilled with the place, when I read articles like this, I always wonder what the attraction ever was.

My experience with people down here who like it is that they're from the north or northeast. I rarely meet anyone here who moved from the west, particularly the west coast. My theory is that people who don't like winter, but do like Atlantic beaches (the only kind with which they're familiar) think that this is heaven (at least in the winter). But that's because they've never lived any place that's actually nice, and they're indifferent to scenery.

It varies. I think migration patterns make more sense if you look first at migrants' personal and family connections. Some people are, as you suggest, transplants from northeastern blue states who don't know any better. Some people are northern transplants who do know better and come to Florida for its low taxes, decent business climate, warm weather and convenient air links back to the Northeast. Some people like Florida for fishing and/or water sports, for which, taking into account Florida's convenience to the rest of the USA and first-world amenities, there are few better places. Many people like Miami in particular because of its Latin culture, relative safety, and convenience to both Latin America and Europe. Personally, I prefer the Mountain West in a number of ways, but I don't like winter and most of my family is on the East Coast, so Florida was the obvious choice when I got sick of the Midwest. It seems that people tend to migrate to states that are 1) South of where they grew up and 2) have lower living and/or business costs. Florida has lost some of its cost appeal but it still looks pretty good if you're coming from NY, Conn. or Mass., just as Arizona still looks good to many people from Washington, Oregon and California.

But have you been to the Merritt Island Wildlife refuge, and Playalinda beach? It's pretty nice there.

But have you been to the Merritt Island Wildlife refuge, and Playalinda beach?

Yes.

It's pretty nice there.

Compare to what? Miami? Sure. But there's still no scenery--just woods, marshes and birds--and it's miserably sticky and hot in the summer. It's not California.

Having just read the WSJ piece, I should add that part of what's going on is that other states have been making themselves more attractive. That seems like a positive trend, even though it also seems clear that Florida has declined in some ways. But more people are going to read an article called "Is Florida Over?" than would read one titled "Competition Among Southern States Gives Migrants More Options."

I'd move to San Antonio in a heartbeat if it weren't so far from the D.C. area.

Florida? Naaahhhhh. Too hot, too humid, too many hurricanes.

Guess I'll stay in Virginia. :-D

I just got back from North Carolina. The weather was beautiful -- low humidity, the sun was warm instead of being a vast ball of deadly radiation, leaves were just starting to turn here and there. Of course, I've never been there in the winter -- or anywhere except Florida in the winter, because my parents were from up north (Tennessee and Washington DC, actually, but that's "north" to Floridians), and they moved to Miami so they would never have to see or feel another snowflake again.

Me? I'm planning to move up north. Probably to North Carolina.

I prefer the high country in Virginia and West Virginia myself. I never could stand flat land.

I grew up near some wonderful places to hike, my favorite being the AT on the southern Rim of Burkes Garden, VA. Burkes Garden was Vanderbuilt's first choice to site the Biltmore estate, Ashville, NC was his second. The local farmers would not sell him the land at any price.

There is a high altitude Spruce/Fir grove with a spagnum bog that constitutes a Wilderness Area on its northwest corner. Someday, I am going to venture to it. It is not easy to get into. I go up a couple thousand feet and I am, biologically speaking, in Maine. Can't do that in flat Flordia.

As someone with deep roots in Florida, it is sometimes hard to hear comments like the ones generated by the "Is Florida Over?" story.

I know a Florida with blue-eyed springs and cypress trees as grand as California's majestic sequoias. I know a Florida that struggles to preserve its wild and open places.

From the interstates, the view of Florida most know is broken by development, franchise and Disneyfication; its quality of life described by a seemingly never-ending stream of police reports and legislative failures, if not abject malfeasance. Florida's culture of convenience should have warning labels.

In result, its citizens have been reduced to a large extent to the role of hostage-defender, Florida being a large economic airplane that has been taken over by a very select and dangerous few. Those who have most damaged Florida in the modern era are being praised for their vision, just as the hucksters who preceded them were praised for their exploitation.

Can I turn Florida's quiet landscapes into the magical Sierras or the Tehachapis? No. But life has many forms and Florida has been treated as if it had none.

The West is better? Gimme a break--the Cali coast can't compare to Florida's, that icy dark water and lack of any native palm trees or vegetation is beautiful? And for those that are actually active and don't just get amused gawking at scenery as it passes out their car window, Florida can't be beat for its fishing, boating, diving, swimming, and jet-skiing. Nope I'll take the U.S. Caribbean over the desert West any time.

Gimme a break--the Cali coast can't compare to Florida's

You're right. Florida's is bland, flat, and has hardly any sand at the beach. The female scenery is far inferior as well. As is the surfing.

that icy dark water

"icy"? It's chilly, but hardly icy. A quarter mil wet suit works just fine, for those who want to go in the water. Me, I just like looking at the beautiful beach (and beachgoers), with its surrounding mountains, not going in the water.

and lack of any native palm trees

Who cares?

or vegetation is beautiful?

Yes, iceplant, and in the spring the mustard growing on the green grassy hillsides. Hillsides that one must drive hundreds of miles from Florida to see.

And for those that are actually active and don't just get amused gawking at scenery as it passes out their car window, Florida can't be beat for its fishing, boating, diving, swimming, and jet-skiing.

I'm active. I just don't care about water sports, other than diving (which isn't that great in Florida). For me, Florida sux.

Nope I'll take the U.S. Caribbean over the desert West any time.

We weren't talking about the Caribbean. The Caribbean actually does have scenery and mountains. This post was about Florida.