Tammyjoy

We are planning to vacation at Pensacola beach this may, and in my research I keep seeing this area referred to as the red neck riviera. This is bothering me because I am not quite sure what this means. Red neck doesn't bring forth great images.
Can someone explain?

Tandoori_Girl

Tammyjoy, ya'll must not be from the South. We're quite fond of our rednecks down this neckothewoods.

This area is also called L.A. -- lower Alabama. You will find a lot of vacationing Southerners here, as well as people from other parts of the world. And you might just learn that despite the misgivings you've noted, that these people are just like people the world over. They just talk a little different, drawl a lot, and smile as if they've got something to smile about. They might engage you in conversation about something inane, and you might find yourself responding.

Not to worry -- they won't charge you extra if you're not one of them.

Tammyjoy

Thanks for your fast response Tandoori .
I am from way up north, and up here the term redneck is derogatory. Southerners that moved up here also don't like the term, and the dictionaly has an unflattering explanation of the term.
I love southern food and people, and have traveled through Alabama many times, and throughly enjoyed myself, but will admit this term scared me. Up here it means low class, and uneducated.

Tandoori_Girl

Tammyjoy, as you know, a word is all in how you perceive it. "Class" in the south has a lot to do with lineage, whereas in the north it connotes money. Redneck is a term that was first applied to farmers who would work plows. From its beginnings until the Civil War, farmers were among the most respected Americans -- now they are mocked.

I moved to the South from New Mexico, and I too had preconceptions. And it's been a lot of fun to throw them aside and find out how funny Southern language is, with its idiom and its dialect. I'll bet before you leave Pensacola, you'll be practicing a few choice Southern sayings. Try them out on your waitress or the hotel clerk. They will enjoy your Northern spirit and friendliness, something that is often lacking in Florida tourists.

nytraveler

Disagree that "class" in the north connotes money. Of course there are different income groups - but there are still distinctions between the 400 (old money) and nouveau riche. For me, I'm not sure why either your family or your income should matter at all - shouldn't it be just your heart and your character?

But for us at least "red neck" is not really class or money (obviously people can be poor and still well-bred) it is about lack of education (and celebration of that lack - education is for sissies), acceptance (even rejoicing) in violence, prejudice/hatred of anything not themslves (as a positive force) - sort of deliverance but not caught yet - distinctly prison material.

Don't tell me this is a predjudice - I'm well aware of that - and don't really think most southeners are like this. But we have come across numerous examples of this type of person/behavior in driving from New York to Florida - including a gas station that refused to sell us gas because the car had New York plates. (For some reason there seems to be a special hatred of New Yorkers - perhaps because we are perceived as the most "liberal" and so the most dangerous?)

So I would never call anyone a red neck even jokingly - IMO its just as ugly as any of the other racial epithets.

og719

And don't worry if anyone calls you a "Yankee". I work in Gulf Shores and one of the ladies I work with says a Yankee is "anyone north of I-10"...

Flyboy

The "Redneck Riveria" term has been around for a long time and I've always read it to mean a little something about affordability and a lot of middle-class ambiance, as compared to some destinations that are seem to be more upscale. That said, there are a lot of areas of the traditional Redneck Riveria that are becoming more gentrified and pricey. If I was choosing a place that would be a great example of what the Redneck Riveria is all about, I would say it is Panama City Beach, Florida. Over time, I expect that area will also undergo a transition in which modest, lower-end accommodations are replaced with higher-value properties that will cost more for people to make use of. I haven't spent much time in Pensacola, but nearby Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are very nice stretches of the Gulf Coast. I've always found the people to be friendly and easy to deal with. Depending on where you are from, you may notice that there are more country music radio stations and fundamentalist Christian television offerings on the local outlets. Besides seafood -- which can be excellent -- there is a lot of "stick-to-ribs-type" dining. It's a great area to visit and you're hitting it at a nice time; after spring break and before the summer masses. Temperature-wise, the weather should be about perfect for spending time at the beach. I think you'll have a great time.

Rosemary1

I live in Denver, Co. and about 5 years ago my husband and I moved to Pensacola for 15 months as my father-in-law was dying and we wanted to be there for him and his wife. It obviously wasn't a pleasent situation to begin with. We moved back to Denver 8 months after FIL's passing and will never live there again. The "redneck" issue was almost intolerable. The people are mostly kind, but in general seem to be extremely uneducated, nosy and beer-swilling annoyances. I don't mean to generalize but that was our experience. My husband had an interesting theory that the heat index might ultimately affect the I.Q. who knows? Let me say however it is a wonderful and beautiful place to spend a vacation. About a year ago we spent a week on the beach in Destin and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful "Emerald Coast". To quote a cliche; it's a great place to visit....
Jobs were a whole other story, if you're not military, a bartender or waitress or work in the "Travel Industry" forget about "living" there.
Go and enjoy the beautiful beaches, just know when to leave. Hope this is helpful!

milliebz

Rosemary1
OMG. I am really scared now. We are looking into opportunities around the Space Coast area. Is it the same? When I first read this post it conjured up visions of Myrtle Beach where there was a section of RVs flying the confederate flag along the beach. Nothing like Hilton Head though which was very nice. We also live in Colorado and right now while its cold Florida was sounding pretty good. Now its sounding nightmarish as I also read the thread about the public schools. Anyone else know about the Space Coast area?

BigRed

Let's rephrase the question to let people really see what they're saying here:

I am from Pensacola, Fl and I am considering a vacation to New York City and other areas in the Northeast. In my research I keep finding that the people in this area are rude and not friendly

...or I'm considering a trip to California and I've heard all the people have super egos, are blonde, and surf all day

...or I'm going to Texas and I don't own a cowboy hat. Will this affect my vacation.

there are stupid uncultured people in every region of this country (and unfortunately, the number is growing)....but there are also good people everywhere.

Don't let preconcieved notions stop you from enjoying any area of this great country. The different types of people are what makes it great.

GoTravel

Could you overgeneralize a bit more?

Redneck: Glorious lack of sophistication