Every day there's a Florida man that makes headlines, and now a Florida man series is coming to Netflix next month.
Here in Florida, you can't underestimate the Florida man. Especially in recent years, Florida man has become a viral sensation, known for his outrageous and often bizarre antics. He rides a manatee, throws hot dogs at deputies and gets arrested to check it off his bucket list. Florida man has captured the hearts and minds of internet users worldwide. He's here, there and everywhere causing shenanigans at every curve. Between the memes and the headlines, there's no shortage of entertainment.
Well, Netflix has taken it one step further and announced a new series called Florida Man. Jason Bateman's production company, Aggregate Films, is behind the show. The series follows a recovering gambling addict from Florida who returned to the state after a mob boss sent him to find his missing girlfriend. You can tell from that short description that there's a lot going on. I love reading the headlines, so I can't wait to check this out.
Creator and showrunner Donald Todd was born and raised in Florida and told Netflix, "A ‘Florida man’ is someone who’s proudly independent and doesn’t live by your code, which means he doesn’t live by any code.”
Florida Man is set to hit Netflix on April 13th.
Fort Myers Named One Of The Coolest Small Cities In America
Fort Myers has been named one of the coolest small cities in America.
I grew up right between Chicago and Milwaukee, so big city life is something I'm very familiar with. It was definitely a bit of change for me when I first moved to Fort Myers, but for me, the pros definitely outweigh any cons. "Cold" is anything below 70. While traffic isn't non-existent, it's relatively easy to get around. Rent isn't astronomical. And you can find a beer in a local bar for $5, not $15. Yes, you might have to travel to a larger city like Tampa or Miami to catch a big artist in concert or go to a Michelin star restaurant. But small cities have a charm about them too.
With Hurricane Ian devastating the area in September, we've got a long road ahead for rebuilding. A lot of people fear that as Fort Myers Beach rebuilds that it will be overrun by high rises and chain hotels. The reality of that remains to be seen, but I really can't wait for the beach to thrive once again.
So what defines a "small city"? The Demographic Research Unit of the Department of Finance qualifies a small city as an incorporated area that has a population of 100,000 of less.
Thrillist put together a list of the coolest small cities in America and Fort Myers made the list! To me, I feel like sometimes people forget about Fort Myers with some of the larger cities in Florida. Many people from out of town hear Florida and think Miami, Orlando, Tampa. But there's so many small towns, especially coastal small towns, that are so gorgeous and have so much to offer. And for us that live here, they may only be 3-4 hours away, so they make for a great little weekend getaway too.
Coolest Small Cities in America:
Bloomington, Indiana
A Midwest college town that is home to Indiana University-Bloomington that has some small town charm but with some perks of a large city like headlining live music acts, global cuisine, breweries, wineries and distilleries.
Merced, California
Just an hour from Yosemite, you'll find a variety of vintage eras from old western saloons, 1920s art deco architecture and 1950s neon signs and vinyl and cassette tape shops.
Juneau, Alaska
Alaska’s capital city where you can enjoy nature in amazing way by scaling glaciers, watching whales play, hiking trails and kayaking.
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is home to baseball spring traning, excellent bars and restaurants and miles of beautiful beaches are just a few of the things we love about our coastal community.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs has miles of gorgeous mountain trails to explore, museums like the Gangster Museum of America and the Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum, Lake Catherine and Lake Ouachita State Parks.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
A great vacation destination, but the variety of attractions, diverse bars and restaurants, pro golf courses, and amazing scenery along 60 miles of shoreline would make for a great place to live as well.
Kahului, Hawaii
Hawaii is paradise and in this small city you'll find bars and restaurants, shopping districts, art, and cultural museums and of course, the beach.
Ithaca, New York
Yes, Ithaca is home to three universities, but you'll also find farm-to-table restaurants, theatrical performances, outdoor concerts, shopping and cute historic neighborhoods.
Flagstaff, Arizona
If cacti, dust and heat come to mind when you think Arizona, Flagstaff offers much more than that. The city is home to a 1.8 million acre pine forest, an almost 7,000-foot tall mountain at Humphreys Peak, and the state’s largest ski resort.
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a ski town also known for white-water rafting, floating down the Deschutes River and ranch life.
Greenville, South Carolina
Just under two hours from Asheville, in Greenville you'll find an active arts community, a great culinary scene, and some great nature that includes Falls Park on the Reedy.
Bozeman, Montana
Home to Montana State University, you’ll find a mix of a laid-back college town with Western small-town charm in a mountain setting.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Rock Fest and Country Jam are two huge festivals that happen every summer in Eau Claire, and if live music isn't your thing there's a great Chippewa River waterfront for plenty of swimming, tubing and canoeing.
Portland, Maine
Downtown is very walkable and filled with dog-friendly breweries, boutique wineries, fancy donuts, industrial-chic restaurants, and food trucks. A must-visit is Duckfat, one of the best sandwich shops in the country.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Hangout Music Festival takes place annually in Gulf Shores which also rates regularly as one of the most affordable beach towns in the country.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington features everything you'd expect from a town in Vermont: brick roads, chill lifestyle, paddle boarding near Leddy Park and biking the beautiful lakefront path.