East Coast? Bah... HumbugUmidity and Palmetto Bugs! Florida means high humidity & bugs. Come to the desert. Learn to be a cowperson! Learn to yell yeeeehah! Strum your guitar and sing Yippi Yih Kiohhh! Curse in Spanish and none of the gringos will understand! Horses, trail rides, saddles and bridles! Equestrian! Then drop down to Mexico for a Marguarita (or 4), shopping, cursing lessons and an ocean swim. 4 hours drive! Too uncivilized? San Diego! 6 hours drive or a 35 minute flight. Tijuana by train (more cursing lessons) or surfing in the Pacific. Don't care about oceans! Las Vegas is 4 hours by car or 30 minutes in the plane. Skiing? 2 1/2 hours to Flagstaff or 3 hours to The White Mountains. This place has it all in spades! you will never look back at Florida and the rednecks and trashy individuals... unless you just like slumming.
These links give you an idea of how close everything really is... go-arizona.com, raftingthegrandcanyon.com, visitlasvegas.com, durango.org