Are Hurricanes Stopping People From Moving To Florida?

Are hurricanes stopping people from moving to Florida? You would think that after seeing the devastating damage in Southwest Florida from Hurricane Ian that more people would be hesitant to migrate south. Well, think again. Redfin recently released migration trends from October 2022 that shows homebuyers are looking to move to the Sun Belt. Of the top 10 migration cities, 5 are here in Florida. We're not shocked to see that Tampa, Orlando, and Miami all made the list of top 10 metros. We are a little surprised to see that Cape Coral and North Port made the list despite rebuilding.

Even though the average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate was 6.9% (3.83 percentage points higher than 2021), people are still looking to buy homes. And while rates have come down slightly in November, they’re still significantly higher than they were last year. Despite the fact that Florida was hit with by one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history, people are still flocking to the Sunshine State. Why? Well mainly because it's relatively affordable to relocators compared to other metros. Homebuyers looked to leave big cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C. and Boston.

The simple and realistic answer is no. And why would it? For majority of the year we live in paradise. Even some of the people who were affected by Hurricane Ian still plan to stay in Florida, just maybe a little more north. Plus, many people from northern states are happy to trade in their snow boots for sandals.

[Source: Redfin]

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While you're dining out in Tampa Bay, be on the lookout for these Christmas-themed cocktails! Many bars and restaurants are getting in the holiday spirit and creating delicious festive cocktail menus. It seems like everywhere we go out there's at least 1 holiday specialty on the menu, don't skip it! For most places, these flavors are for a limited time only and shouldn't be taken advantage of.

What's a better way to celebrate the best time of the year than sipping on a specialty holiday cocktail with loved ones? If you're looking for a way to spice up date night during December, try going on a Christmas-themed bar-hopping adventure. There are plenty of spots in Tampa Bay serving Christmas-themed cocktails, but here are our top 5! Any that we missed? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.

Looking for other holiday activities in Tampa? Check out our must-see holiday event guide here. Want something to do that won't break the bank? (Cause let's be real, we'll be spending all of our money on presents and Christmas cocktails). Find out which Tampa Bay neighborhoods have the best Christmas lights display and drive around with your friends and family!

Some places didn't make our list but still deserve an honorable mention. Joy Bar is one of Tampa's best dive bars, and keeps their Christmas theme 365 days a year! They offer Christmas-themed shots and some of the cheapest drink prices in town including beer ($2.50), well drink ($3), Blantons ($8) High Noon ($3) plus many more deals.

Sonder Social Club in Dunedin is now Santa's Social Club for December! Be sure to try Santa's Spiked Cider Sip cocktail made with longbranch bourbon, apple juice, lemon juice, apple syrup, apple blossom bitters, caramel foam.

Barterhouse Ybor has officially transformed into Blitz Inn for the holidays! The entire restaurant turns into a winter wonderland complete with a themed food and drink menu. Our favorite is definitely the Yule Tide Old Fashioned: Cocoa Puffs, cinnamon, Santa’s syrup

Back and better than ever is Miracle at Mezzo at Intermezzo Coffee and Cocktails in St. Pete AND at Strandhill Public in Tampa. They brought back some of the more popular drinks from last year and added some new additions to the menu. The Christmas Cricket might be our favorite. Made with Blanco tequila, coco-pandan, heavy cream, vanilla liqueur, and fernet branca menta, and mole bitters.

One of the hidden gems along Water Street has turned into a Christmas pop up experience! Their festive cocktail lineup is: Sugar Cookie Martini, the Mistletoe Martini, the SG Eggnog, and the Boozy Iced Hot Chocolate

The pop-up Christmas bar, Sippin' Santa at The Ocean Hai patio at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is a must-see for anyone this holiday season. Transport to a tropical, festive paradise at this Polynesian restaurant in Downtown Clearwater. We recommend trying the Yule Mule, made with tequila, applejack, lime, maple-cranberry syrup.