I just spent a few weeks traveling around Florida, and I’ve gotta say: this place completely exceeded my expectations. I’ve been all over Europe, Central and South-East Asia—seen a bunch of different countries—but Florida just hits differently. Here’s what stood out:

1. The People Are Incredibly Friendly

• Seriously, everyone we met was warm, chatty, and super helpful.
• Even random strangers on the street would strike up a conversation like it was no big deal—something you don’t always get in Europe.

2. Enormous Food Portions & Great Service

• The serving sizes are massive. I’m talking about meals that could feed you twice.
• Service? Out of this world. Waitstaff genuinely want to make sure you’re happy (though remember, tipping about 20% is standard).

3. Theme Parks That Are on Another Level

• Universal Studios, Disney World, and all the Orlando parks are just insane.
• I’ve never seen anything quite like it in Europe—everything is bigger, brighter, and crazier.
• We went to Universal for one day and couldn’t get through it all. It was still awesome, though.

4. Kennedy Space Center & Rocket Launches

• If you’re a space nerd (or even if you’re not), the Kennedy Space Center is mind-blowing.
• We got lucky and caught a night launch from the west beach. Watching the rocket light up the sky in an orange glow was unbelievable. (see photos even the quality is not so good you can feel this vibe)
• I’ve seen launches on TV before, but in real life, it’s a whole different level of epic. The roar hits you a few minutes later, and it just gives you chills, amazing :)

5. Wild Nature & Weird Critters

• Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles chill in the same habitat. We were lucky enough to meet both of them in Everglades! (see photos)
• Went kayaking in spots like Crystal River and Silver Springs—manatees, turtles, alligators, deers, even monkeys just hanging out.
• The Everglades, the Keys… Florida’s got a crazy variety of landscapes that kept me constantly in awe.

6. Big Cars & Cheap Gas

• Pickup trucks and SUVs everywhere. Coming from Europe, it’s wild to see that many giant vehicles.
• Gas is so much cheaper compared to places like Germany, Italy. Switzerland—it totally changes how you plan a road trip. We usually pay around ~2 USD for 1 liter of petrol, whereas in Florida we paid only ~0.75 USD.

7. Smooth Car Rental Experience

• No weird extra fees or “surprise” charges. They literally just looked at the fuel gauge and refunded our deposit right away.
• In Europe, I’m used to them checking every inch of the car for the tiniest scratch, so this was a welcome change. Rental car companies always trying to sell their own car insurance that 2 times higher that the rental itself otherwise they are trying at the end charge you for a random thing.

Overall, Florida has this awesome vibe that I didn’t expect. The mix of friendly people, epic theme parks, unique wildlife, and that unforgettable rocket launch made it a trip I’ll never forget. If you’re on the fence about going, trust me—it’s absolutely worth it.

Thanks, Florida, for the amazing memories! If anyone else has been there, I’d love to hear what blew you away the most.