I grew up in Florida and used to want to live anywhere else. Now that I'm older, I wouldn't dream of leaving

• I grew up in Miami and didn't think I'd end up staying in Florida for long.
• As an adult who's traveled around the US, I've grown to appreciate living in Florida.
• I love our culture and our cuisine — and I really like living so close to a beach. 

I grew up in sunny — and very hot — Miami. When I was younger, I dreamed of living anywhere else in the country that had four seasons instead of year-round heat.

Now that I'm an adult, and I've traveled all around the state and country, I've grown to appreciate where I'm from. I also get why people are moving to Florida in record numbers.

I spent the first 24 years of my life in Miami, and now live in a smaller Central Florida town off of the Space Coast. Although I wouldn't live in Miami again, I'll happily keep a quaint old Florida town near the beach as my forever home.

Here's why I wouldn't want to live anywhere else but Florida.

For half of the year, Florida is set to the perfect temperature

As a kid, I fantasized about living where it snowed and having to get bundled up in a coat, boots, hat, and gloves.

I thought those things were so stylish, but now that I've actually experienced having to pack on layers on cold vacations, I'll take a hard pass on having to do that for months every year.

Fortunately, I'd say it's really only brutally hot in Florida for three months out of the year, from July through September.

From November to April, the weather is perfect — the outside feels like I've set my AC to the ideal temperature. As an adult, I understand the appeal — and privilege — of being able to toss on a light sweater when it gets chilly instead of having to bust out puffer coats.

As much as I enjoy a trip to see fall foliage or a snowy getaway, I now know that I enjoy them on a temporary basis. Eventually, I always want to come home to Florida's warm weather.

Living near a beach is important to me

I'm embarrassed to admit that I used to take the beach for granted. Now, I think of visiting the beach as having a therapy session and I try to make it there at least every other week.

I like hiking up and down the shore, collecting shells, admiring the surfers, and birdwatching. I couldn't ever live far from the beach and I love living just 20 minutes from one.

Even at the center of the state, the closest beach is about two hours away at most. And if you live anywhere along the coast like I do, you'll often be no more than 45 minutes away from the nearest beach.

Florida cuisine is great — it combines seafood, Southern influences, and international flavor

I've lived in Central Florida for over 10 years, but I grew up in Miami. Fortunately, no matter where you go in Florida, you're going to find a wide variety of delicious food.

You'll find dishes with Southern influences from our neighboring states and cuisine with international flavors, as the Sunshine States attracts people from all over the world. We also have some pretty great seafood.

Although I've learned how to cook many of my favorite local comfort foods myself, dining out is one of my favorite things to do, and I've yet to find any other place where it's as pleasing to do as it is in Florida.

I've developed an affinity for our widely misunderstood culture

There are many misperceptions and preconceived ideas about Florida. Some say it's only home to snowbirds, who live here for just a few months a year to avoid their cold home states.

Others reference the "Florida Man" meme, which seems to suggest the people here are more likely to act strangely and do wild things. Some outsiders think going to Disney World is the only thing worth doing in Florida.

I used to hate the way other people thought of Florida, but I have actually come to like knowing that my state is far from what other people imagine it to be.

For starters, many don't even know about Florida's rich history — it's home to St. Augustine, which is considered the oldest city in America. Plus, the famous writer Ernest Hemingway wrote some of his best novels when he lived in Key West!

Florida is not for everyone, but between our swamp gators and intense hurricane season, you've got to be tough to tough it out here. And I'm proud of that.