BALLAD OF SKIP WILEY

A recent study conducted by U.S. News revealed that the best state in the United States is Iowa followed by Minnesota and Utah, respectively. I firmly believe that this is an outrageous ranking and a travesty to not recognize a particular state as the best. No, I’m not going to rush to Georgia’s defense, but instead, am going to passionately defend my home land: Florida. Florida is unquestionably the best state in America (Georgia doesn’t even come close).

For starters, everyone wants to have weather like Florida. Studies have shown that January is the coldest month with an average temperature of only 61 degrees while Florida is at its hottest in July with an average temperature of 82 degrees. While people in states like Georgia have to transition from t-shirts and shorts to coats and jeans, Floridians get to wear their summer apparel year-round.

Secondly, Florida is a place of different cultures/landscapes. So many in fact, that you wouldn’t even have to leave the state to go on vacation. There’s Little Havana in Miami, Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, and the Florida Everglades. As I mentioned before Florida is home to Walt Disney World. That’s not all. Love Spiderman and Harry Potter? Then you could easily drive over to Universal Studios Orlando. Florida is also home to other popular theme parks such as Busch Gardens. Need I say more? I’m going to anyways. While everyone dreams of going to Disney World, us Floridians can go year-round with passes. Florida is also home to the Holy Land Experience which “takes you 7000 miles away and 2000 years back in time to the land of the Bible” according to their website. Oh, we also have LEGOLAND and Seaworld.

Everyone needs Vitamin C to survive. You should thank Florida because the state produces 70%  of the America’s oranges. Which, according to the Ag Marketing Resource Center, is important since America’s per-person consumption is higher than any other fruit.

  Lastly, can you name any other state that has billboards on their highway that include phrases such as: “Live Gators,” “Walt Disney World,” “Free Oranges,” and “Ron Jon Surf Shop” sometimes on one at the same time?