The United States first president, George Washington, would have many reasons to relocate to Florida. Below are some of the reasons I believe many of us would share his thoughts in why it is great to call Florida home, especially Central Florida. Central Florida may boast great theme parks but it is much more than that.
1. Before he became a general and The President of the United States, George Washington was a land surveyor. With the economy and residential building picking back up, George would have ample opportunity finding a surveying job right here in Central Florida.
2. The average annual low temperature in Washington D.C. is a balmy 46.6 degrees Fahrenheit. In Central Florida the average low is 64.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Who really wants to have to bundle up so many months out of the year? The fact that we can wear shorts in Florida practically year round makes living here attractive to just about anyone, including good ol’ George.
3. George Washington’s favorite sport was horseshoes. If he moved to Central Florida he would have a hard time choosing horseshoes over our sporting events. From the new Major League Soccer team, Orlando City Lions to our NBA Basketball team, the Orlando Magic to College Football Bowl Games in January (shameless plug for the UCF KNIGHTS who dominated in the Fiesta Bowl and an undefeated season) and of course spring training for major league baseball, he'll definitely have a hard time choosing horseshoes with all Central Florida has to offer.
4. Some of the world’s best beaches are in Florida. If George wanted to catch some waves (or some rays) at the beach he would be within two hours of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean in either direction. Since he had fair skin though, SPF 50 would be a must!
5. Cost is always a factor when moving. George would benefit from Central Florida’s low cost of living. Consumer prices, including rent in Washington, DC are 48% higher than Orlando, FL. George would certainly get more bang for his buck here (pun intended)!
6. George Washington preferred simple meals over fancy ones which is why he'd love a night out at the Food Truck Bazaars, one of Central Florida's most popular events among residents and visitors. We know he’d enjoy meeting different people who come out for the food & fun as well as an occasional cherry indulgence from our friends at the Yum Yum Cupcake Truck.
7. You know education was a top priority for George seeing as Columbian College of Washington D.C. was renamed in his honor in 1904 to George Washington University. If George lived in Central Florida he would be able to attend the nation’s second largest university, UCF, who has awarded over 255,000 degrees to students in 211 different Bachelor, Master, Doctoral, Specialist and Medicinal programs.
8. By the age of 21, George Washington owned more than 1,500 acres of land. With Florida once being miles and miles of cow pastures and orange groves, he would have surely loved owning a piece of property here. If he owned that land in Central Florida his land value would surely have appreciated over time.
9. While he probably never did his own fishing, George Washington would have loved to fish from one of Central Florida’s championship fishing lakes. We've got world renowned Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho for short) in Osceola County or the great Lake Okeechobee, Florida's largest fresh water lake and the country's seventh largest.
10. And finally, since it's not all about what George wants, his wife Martha needs something to do right? We know she loved to shop since their estate has many priceless antiques. If he lived in Central Florida he would be able to buy his next find at some of the nation’s busiest outlet malls that currently attract 57 million visitors a year according to Visit Orlando.
Whether you are relocating for work, retirement or a better quality of life, Central Florida has it all... well, except cherry trees... which could be reason #11.
