What comes to mind when you first think of Florida …the warm weather, the best theme parks in the world and the endless, beautiful white sand beaches? Yes, to all of the above! But did you know that Florida is also home to some of the nation’s fastest growing cities? The growth-rate for these 3 cities are some of the fastest in the USA as well.

The natural environment and the variety of activities draw tourists by the millions every year to Florida’s cities. Many people are moving there for these reasons every year, but favorable tax rates and business-friendly climate Florida fosters is another very compelling draw as well. Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa Bay are the fastest-growing cities in the state primarily because they offer both this combination of natural beauty, a thriving business climate and infrastructure and ever-expanding commercial and residential real estate opportunities for new residents to enjoy.

Jacksonville

This city is the largest in the contiguous United States (by area), has the largest population of all other cities in Florida, currently ranked as the fastest-growing city in Florida and the top 15 fastest in the country. This is keeping the local movers in Jacksonville hopping, with a metropolitan area population of 1,626,611(as of 2019, 913,010 living within its city limits), and more moving in every day.

Jacksonville has a rich history and offers a wide variety of natural and cultural attractions for the visitor and new-arriving residents. Locally caught, fresh seafood will satisfy even the most discriminating food aficionado. Take in attractions like the Arboretum and Gardens and end the day with tours of the local craft beer breweries with The Jax Ale Trail and plan for the annual Jaxtoberfest Beer Festival. Or if art is more your thing, join the Art Walk and tour The Cummer Art and Gardens and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is conducted on the first Wednesday of every month.

But perhaps the main attraction is the beauty of the local beaches. The coastline in Jacksonville is larger than any other US city. You can get out on the water by renting a boat or learning to kayak and paddleboard, or simply take it easy and sunbathe on the beach.

Miami

The second-fastest growing city in Florida offers much of the same wonderful features of Jacksonville, but perhaps with more of a party atmosphere. Known sometimes as the “Magic City”, with more of a Cuban flavor in the music, cuisine, and culture. In the South Beach area, world-renowned night clubs will give you a reason to kick up your heels to the Cuban style music. Along with the music, you will experience also enjoy authentic Cuban food and drinks, as well as from other parts of the Caribbean and South America.

Apart from the natural attraction to the lively beach areas, you are not far away from discovering either of the two national parks that sit on each side of the city. There are the beautiful Everglades due west in which you could be viewing the wildlife, or take one it’s many hiking trails or taking a canoe trip to see it all up close and personal.

Tampa

In third-place sits Tampa, which actually can be thought to include four neighboring cities of Tampa, Brandon Clearwater and St. Petersburg. The region has numerous outdoor recreation in the 400 square miles of the open-water estuary (the largest one on the west coast of Florida).

Visitors have an excellent choice of theme parks, located very close to the center of the city. Busch Garden Tampa Bay is an exciting adventure park with some of the best roller coasters, but it also is where you can find Tampa’s largest zoo. The whole family will enjoy seeing the over 12,000 animals they have there.

There is also the Adventure Island water park. It covers 30 acres and has ten different tube slides, a drop slide that is 70 feet high called The Vanishing Point and a 17,00 square foot wave pool. But Tampa also has many museums such as Tampa’s Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), with a planetarium and the only domed IMAX screen in Florida and Dinosaur World which is just a short, 20-minute drive from the city center. It has fascinating authentic fossil beds in this real piece of an ancient, hands-on historic learning location.

Tampa is also known for its sports teams and events. It’s the home of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, Tampa Bay Lightning NHL hockey team and the Tampa Bay Storm Arena football team, the current holder of the record of most Arena Bowl wins.

These three cities offer the climate, activities, culture and just plain daily enjoyment for the growing list of new residents and visitors to these fast-moving Florida destinations. The positive attitudes that have made it the current business and tourism success story that they are, should continue steadily for many years to come.