Last year, the website Thrillist created a “definitive” ranking of all 50 states. I can still remember how shocked I was when I saw Florida ranked #50, dead last. They claimed the list was determined by things like each state’s contributions to the country, natural beauty, and food. However, they weren’t very specific about what supposedly made Florida the worst state in the country, merely citing the frequent craziness of Florida’s news stories and nothing else.

Let’s talk a little bit about why this “definitive” ranking is totally bogus:

First of all, how can you say Florida doesn't have natural beauty? Let's take a look at some of the finest beaches in the country...
Flickr/David Reber
...crystal-clear springs...
Flickr/anoldent
...and the only coral reef in the continental U.S.
Flickr/eutrophication&hypoxia
I wonder what our 161 state parks are for, then?
People travel from all over the world to visit our attractions...
Flickr/Joe Penniston
But there are even cooler ones that no one knows about.
Flickr/Sam Howzit
So everyone wants to vacation in the worst state in the country? That makes sense.
Oh yeah, and we actually have amazing food...
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
Flickr/Sam Howzit
...and incredible breweries.
Flickr/Alex Winner

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Obviously, they have never actually eaten fresh Florida seafood. And they've definitely never tasted anything from Tampa's Cigar City Brewing, Boca Raton's Funky Buddha Brewery or Gainesville's Swamp Head Brewery.
We have our own tropical paradise, and we can drive to it. Let's look at some photos of the Florida Keys, shall we?
Flickr/Andrés García
Flickr/Patrick Emerson
Flickr/Evangelio Gonzalez
Flickr/SNORKELINGDIVES.COM
But Florida has no natural beauty, right?
We have plenty of art...
Flickr/Matthew Paulson
...history...
Flickr/Doug Kerr
...and culture.
Flickr/Kari Nousiainen
Florida has lots of museums, historic landmarks and plenty of influence from world cultures as well as our own unique local cultures.
Lastly, we have our own way of life that you might just not understand.
Flickr/Emilio Labrador
That's fine with us, though. It just means more room on the beach for us.

Florida will always be #1 on our list.

What do you think of Florida’s place on the list? What do you love most about our state?

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