FLmom

I’m with OO, Orlando wouldn’t be my first choice, but I would still choose it over Minneapolis in the winter. Just off the top of my head, in no particular order you could experience…
NASCAR, Daytona Beach
St Augustine
Silver Springs
Historic Suwannee River
NASA, Kennedy Space Center
South Beach, Miami
West Palm Beach
The Florida Keys
Busch Gardens Sea World, Universal, Disney and the like.
Bok Tower, Lake Wales
Arcadia Rodeo
Siesta Key Beach, one of many
The Everglades

And much more…

aileen679

Just to be a little practical here. Have you thought about the cost of getting winter clothes for Minneapolis? Warm boots? You are talking about a major expense for something that you will need just for a few months. However, if you can afford it, it would be something that you would certainly remember.

I think that the evening activities would bother me the most. While I would be willing to go out and stroll around in Florida in the late afternoons and evenings, I am sure that it would take a cattle prod to get me out of the house in the cold in Minneapolis.

taitai

I would pick Minneapolis for many reasons...it is a beautiful city with a thriving cultural scene (the Walker, the Guthrie, etc.), great restaurants, very friendly people, safe, reasonable cost of living AND, most importantly, it is perhaps the biggest departure from where you live now. If you only have 6 months, might as well try something very new. Yes, the weather will be cold but it really isn't that awful. Maybe there will be a week or so of really low temperatures but other than that it is very manageable. There is snow, and it is beautiful, but there has not been that much these last several years...we are suffering a bit of a drought just like many other regions...the huge fires along the Gunflint Trail this spring are testament to that.

Despite the cold, people do get out in the winter. They just put on a parka and go. It isn't that debilitating. People run outside, cross country ski, play hockey on our many,many lakes, downhill ski, etc. Even my kids in preschool go out every day unless the windchill is zero which is a rare occurence. Plus, if you are in a corporate apartment, you most likely will be downtown where everything is connected by the skyway system and you don't need to venture into the cold.

Try Minneapolis.

Good luck

Taitai

aileen679

I'll have to admit that living in a colder clime would be an experience that I would like to have once in my lifetime, but while I would love to see snow, try sking, do all those sorts of things, I know how totally miserable I get when our temperatures drop into the 40s or 50s. The few times we have gotten into the teens, were agony.

Still, it's a very tempting thing to go and experience something that you might never have another chance to do.

I sure would hate to have to make your decision!! Good Luck!
Aileen

coldkelly

Definitely go with Florida. If you want to experience snow etc. do it for a long weekend. That's quite long enough. You would have so much more fun in Florida.

jbass

I live in Minneapolis (born here). I would choose Florida at that time. No, the winters aren't THAT cold and we aren't a frigid ICE BOX, but why deal with the cold temperatures, and snow, and driving in it, etc. I think it would take time to acclimate to this climate and conditions. Go to Florida and visit Minnesota before you leave the US.

thurstonbb

Food for thought. I have a b&b named after a wealthy St. Paul, Minneapolis businessman from the late 1800's who had it built for him to escape the winter. Even he chose to come here for the winters starting in 1885!

tamaralea

Another native Minnesotan here, saying PICK FLORIDA. Minnesota is better in the long run, but not for those short months. My husband works for an Australian company here in the U.S.(BHP), and the new company president was killed in a winter driving accident within a month of arriving. His replacement used a chauffer.

GoTravel

FLORIDA!!!

South Florida is gorgeous December through May.

There is a ton of culture, arts, and diversity from Miami to Palm Beach.

NewbE

Having lived in both, I think Princess really needs to figure out where she would be in FL before making a decision: Orlando is a bit of a drive from beaches, and while there are lovely neighborhoods, the cultural scene does not compare to Minneapolis. Other cities in Florida have more going for them, IMO.

Minneapolis has it all over Florida in terms of museums, restaurants, bars, theater, youthful vibe; Florida has it all over Minneapolis in terms of weather, beaches, and theme parks. They're very very different places, and I would advise Princess to read up on both (check out their online daily newspapers, for example) before deciding.

hills27

Minneapolis has it over Florida in terms of youthful vibe...hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

TheWeasel

Florida's full of old people from Minnesota, especially in winter. I bet the average age difference between the 2 states in winter is at least 20 years.

thurstonbb

I beg to differ!!! We have lived just 5 miles north of downtown Orlando for over 16 years now. There are very few snow birds here, but mostly upscale professional folks in this area. We are 45 minutes from Cocoa Beach. If she did work in Orlando she could live east towards the beach if she wanted to, but it is certainly close enough here for a weekend beach day drive.

MikeT

Minneapolis, definitely. Minneapolis will give you a sense of what life in America is like. Florida, for all its "charms," is not reflective of America as much because of all the tourists, snow birds, retirees, etc. You won't get the same sense of community and what it's like to live in the U.S. in south Florida. Definitely visit for a vacation away from the snow, but you will soon see the difference.

repete

Wow, a lot of personal preferences coming out and not a lot of attention being paid to the OP's fabulous idea of wanting to experience something new.

As someone who has lived or spent a substantial amount of time in all three locations (and loved NSW), I'd say go with that instinct and try Minny.

Great city for culture and community, wonderful recreational activities year round, plenty of natural beauty along the Mississippi.

Sure it gets cold, but how you handle it is a state of mind thing.

As for the raging debate of old folks in Fla., yes, it's true -- all you have to do is drive there awhile ... or check the stats. Fla. is the old state in the nation and there's a substantial statistical difference over Minny.

All the partisans forget where you're coming from.

If you are truly attracted to something you can't find in NSW or Queensland (think the tackiest beach on the Gold Coast and multiply by 3), then forget the snow haters and weather weenies and head north.

travelbug014

I am a transplant from the tropics , now happily living in Minneapolis for 9 years. Only thing I hate about the winters here is driving, and I don't. I live & work in downtown and use the bus and train system. If you can live downtown/uptown, you can make use of the public transport system and don't have to drive. And last 3 winters we haven't had much snow so maybe driving is not that bad. South Minneapolis is covered by transit system , but not as much as downtown/uptown.
You are very adventurous for wanting to experience something way different. Way to go !! When I started working with winter (instead of avoiding it), I started enjoying more.

hills27

Unfortunately, working for an accounting firm, she'll be driving all over to get to clients' offices. And there's no way of knowing in advance where she'll be, so her commute could be horrendous at times.

megmarie412

As a young 20-something myself, I'd like to give you insight to both:

Florida is not as ridden with retirees and snow birds as it seems. I have lived in three different cities (Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa) and seen a number of other areas. No matter what city you live in, beaches are nearby as the center of the state are still only about 2 hours away from beaches. If you're looking for a fun town with art, night life, and a differnt culture, I believe Orlando and south Florida would offer all of these to you and more, especially during the months you will be living here. One of the best parts of living in Florida is seeing all the differnt people who vacation here... it's exciting to walk into a bar and hear several differnt languages but know that there are just as many, if not more, locals present.

Minneapolis is a great city... during the summer months. It's easy to get lost in the rich architecture of downtown St. Paul and experience the outdoor adventures that the serene rivers and lakes offer in nearby towns, however, the winters can be brutal!

While Minneapolis is a great place to visit during the summer, I would have to say go to Florida... it's nothing like Australia and you'll see more than Mickey Mouse, roller coasters and snow birds. Trust me.

megmarie412

And, yes, I can spell the word "different"... I'm not sure what happened to my editing skills in that last post. Oops...

GoTravel

If you are used to warm weather, you will be miserable in Minneapolis.

It is a lovely town but too cold December through May.