Tallahassee

I moved to from Seattle to Tallahassee to attend FSU. I have lived in many places in this country and out of it. Like anywhere else, what you bring to a place is as important as what you find there.

It’s true that Tallahassee is a small, conservative southern town, really much more southern Georgia than Northern Florida. It’s also true, however, that this can be a very relaxing, regenerative place. I’ve met some of the most beautiful, loving people I’ve ever known here, and have had occasion to do things here I never would have had access to anywhere else.

Like anywhere, this place has it’s drawbacks (it’s in the ‘bible-belt’, summers are HOT, it’s flat and swampy in most places, more football fanatics around here than you can count, job market’s rough, not a whole lot of ‘city’ in this city) and it’s attractions (plentiful hiking, close to the Gulf of Mexico and barrier islands, some great people here, cheep place to live if you bother snooping around for deals, slow pace of life, good place to recharge), and like anyplace else you’ll probably get as much out of it as you’re willing to put in.

All that said, it’s a good place to live for a while, then leave for someplace more exciting. I can see coming back when I’m older and would like to settle down, and I won’t say a bad thing about this place after I go, but it is a bit quiet for a younger person and I kind of like the city life. Still, Tallahassee’s pretty great if you spend the energy to find its hidden gems.

The city of my birth. I don’t really like it all that much, but it was the first experience I had as a living being, so I can’t really hate it that much.

That being said, it’s a terrible little place. FSU is a terrible school full of drunken jocks and not much else, and the population of the city is generally made up of people either too stupid or too lazy to bother leaving.

More than just a college town. More than the state capitol. It is a beautiful old south town with a modern flair.

I lived here when I went to Florida State. If you don’t go to Florida State there is no reason to live here. If you don’t know anybody at Florida State there’s no reason to visit.

If you’re into jocks and sorostitutes, it may be the perfect place for you. But if you’re like me and are more likely to visit an art gallery than a football game, you might find that finding fun things to do is at times kind of straining. It’s great for the outdoorsy type, lots of trails, Appalachia National Forest and Wakulla springs right down the street, great places to camp, boat, etc. (In fact the more I stay in tally the more outdoorsy I become)
There is Waterworks, which has a cool lounge feel, and many young scenesters tend to flock to Big Daddy’s and Inn Between, but I don’t recommend going there if you’re over the age of 20.
Because it is a college town and there are people there from different areas, there is somewhat of diversity in the people there. No matter what kind of people you chill with, essentially house parties are the way to go.