Confused when people refer to “The North”

[Michael 61]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?

[manaboutown]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?

I usually just say "I am going back to New Mexico." (where I was raised). Sometimes they look at me kind of funny and tell me my English is quite good for a foreigner. lol. New Mexico is "the forgotten state". When I lived in the mid-Atlantic area people I knew well would ask me what it was like living in Arizona even though I had told them I was from New Mexico.

[Carla B]

I say "West" if going back to Wyoming. Then people say, "Oh, I've never met anyone from there." But I left there as a young adult because I couldn't tolerate the winter weather.

[MrFlorida]

I would guess up north is referring to northern states.

[manaboutown]

What still throws me is many folks in Florida referring to the West Coast mean the West Coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, not the the states such as California bordering the Pacific Ocean.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

North is anywhere north of FL east of the Mississippi. West is anywhere west of the Mississippi.

very clearly stated, but all very relative interpretation, and an absolute interpretation will be confusing.

[Michael 61]

What still throws me is many folks in Florida referring to the West Coast mean the West Coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, not the the states such as California bordering the Pacific Ocean.

That throws me too, something I will have to get used, as being born, raised, and spending my early adult years in California, the West Coast always referred to the Pacific states. The Villages is definitely East-coast centric. When I say I am from the West, people seemed surprised.

[Pairadocs]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?

You'll probably receive a variety of answers but seems pretty standard that Floridians (for the most part....LOL !) go NORTH before they go East or West.... it might just be as simple as a colloquial thing to say "north". Come to think of it, last time we went to NOLA I'm sure I said we were "heading north" for a week, when in reality we were driving north and THEN heading WEST... LOL ! Local habit more than precise accuracy probably !

[npwalters]

North is anywhere north of FL east of the Mississippi. West is anywhere west of the Mississippi.

very clearly stated, but all very relative interpretation, and an absolute interpretation will be confusing.

Yep

[Laker14]

Often around TV it refers to anyplace north of 466A.

[Garywt]

When people complain a lot many just figure they are from New York thus the go back north term developed.

[bowlingal]

I would think that "up North" refers to anywhere where it gets snow and cold temps. Physically, your state and others west of the Mississippi is really west. But, clumped together all states are north of Florida.

[Nucky]

It could also be north or SR44? Maybe.

[Kelevision]

What still throws me is many folks in Florida referring to the West Coast mean the West Coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, not the the states such as California bordering the Pacific Ocean.

It’s definitely weird and definitely a real thing. I was born and raised here and until I moved to the actual west coast, it seemed normal to say. :a20: Now, I say the west coast of Florida. Or the Gulf coast.

[b0bd0herty]

Anything South of Game of Throne's Ice Wall is "South." I think it's appropriate!

[Black Beauty]

Florida is 'south of south'

[Wondering]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?
You have to get a hobby or read a good book!

[Byte1]

I find it confusing when folks say they are confused about folks saying they are going up North.

[Nucky]

You have to get a hobby or read a good book!

I think he is asking all the correct questions. I remember when I was new here. Don’t be discouraged, keep asking questions.

[mkjelenbaas]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?
This is a topic you should spend a lot of time on this subject!! Come on - you have too much time kn your hands!!!

[Worldseries27]

so, i’m brand new to florida, coming from colorado. I hear lots of people in tv refer to “the north”, or going back home to “the north”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-atlantic, new england or the mid west. Technically, colorado is north of florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to colorado as “north”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than florida as “north”. Do those of you from pacific and rocky mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?
you are where this says you are 🧭.
Bill parcells said it best your record is what your record shows

[La lamy]

This is a topic you should spend a lot of time on this subject!! Come on - you have too much time kn your hands!!!

WHO DOESN'T AS A RETIREE?!!! OP there is an IGNORE option for posters that have "too much time" to be negative.

[jmpate]

I couldn't agree more w/ur observation about the lack of knowledge about New Mexico. It's common in not only in most areas of the country, newscasters, and in particular those that report on the weather. NM often has extensive wild fires w/thousand of acres burning but who gets the reporting but CA with 50% less fire. It's like there's not even a state b/w Texas & Arizona! Consider the source a d their lack of education in geography!

To be fair, the greatest # of people who settle in the Villages are from the east coast, w/24% from NY in particular.

I'm from Maryland but have lived in several states & Europe, so it doesn't bother me to hear the reference to "North." I refer to wherever I'm going when going out of town.


I usually just say "I am going back to New Mexico." (where I was raised). Sometimes they look at me kind of funny and tell me my English is quite good for a foreigner. lol. New Mexico is "the forgotten state". When I lived in the mid-Atlantic area people I knew well would ask me what it was like living in Arizona even though I had told them I was from New Mexico.

[Romad]

Often around TV it refers to anyplace north of 466A.

I was going to say 466, but with so many "down south" it probably is 466A now.

[dennisgavin]

I live in Mallory and when I golf in the Fenney area this time of year I tell them I'm from "up north" and
that it was snowing when I left in my cart. They usually just ignore me....;o)

[Annie66]

My sense is when people use the term, "Up North", they mentally are saying it in a derogatory manner...... more like with a sneer. I automatically turn those people off as being close minded and lacking the ability to articulate their thoughts clearly.

[Rheinl271]

People from the South north of us say they’re going “down North” when they come to Florida. Lol.

[Regorp]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?. .
Being from CT, I just say "up in New England"!!

[Ski Bum]

Don't get me started on the "mid-west".... that should be Nevada...

[Boffin]

North is the other side of the Mason Dixon line.

[bjtraut52]

We snowbird from Alaska and are 5000 miles northwest from the villages more west than north

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I consider anything north of Gainesville to be, "The Frozen Tundra".

[DonnaNi4os]

If they say they’re going “up north” they are likely from NJ

[PugMom]

I would guess up north is referring to northern states.

yes, i use the term 'up north' when referring to Ct., aka former homestate

[Miekies]

I say "West" if going back to Wyoming. Then people say, "Oh, I've never met anyone from there." But I left there as a young adult because I couldn't tolerate the winter weather.


Where in Wyoming are you from? I'm from Cheyenne. Left when I was 18 because I wanted big city life, lol. We've been here a year in Florida

[VM32162]

I would guess up north is referring to northern states.
We are driving “up north “ for Christmas in Ohio. My “home home” where I grew up is way up north to the northern point of MN.

[Michael G.]

In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”.

Well, realistically you can't go too far south, east, or west in Florida and call it home
unless you live on a boat.
Traveling north in Florida is the flood gates to the U.S.

[NoelleandRichard]

Hi Michael, we are snowflakes from Colorado! I always say we are going back to Colorado...but I was born and raised in Michigan. I had a bad habit of asking people if they were going "up north" when they were going to the mountains Here! To me it represented a vacation in norther Michigan....or a vacation in the mtns of Colorado! LOL

[cjrjck]

I think most native Floridians would consider "North" to be anywhere in the east north of Dixie. Maryland and Pennsylvania for instance. The upper Midwest would be included such as Illinois and Michigan. Anything west of the Mississippi is "West". Most southerners would call people from California, Oregon, and Washington "left coasters".

[Laker14]

I was going to say 466, but with so many "down south" it probably is 466A now.

Maybe even 44.

[ElDiabloJoe]

North is the other side of the Mason Dixon line.

And for those unaware, the Mason-Dixon Line is a geographic divider created by men named Mason and Dixon. Essentially it is Maryland's upper border and Pennsylvania's lower border. While Maryland is, technically, in "The South" it is usually considered a northern state because it was a "free" state in the Civil War era. Washington D.C., Baltimore, and alllll of Virginia are below the Mason-Dixon Line. Take it from a guy raised 30 miles south of that line in the City of Spires.

[Bobro44]

It’s All Relative. We’re from the Detroit area and, like most friends here from Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin, etc, we refer to back home as North or Up North. In Michigan when heading up into the northern part of the Lower Peninsula for summer cottages and winter skiing, we always said we were going Up North. Even more nuanced, a Detroit newspaper once polled readers and found the term most accurately applied to north of Clare, MI, a town in the middle of the state regarded as the lower range of Michigan’s snow belt.

[jayteadunn]

I was standing in a country grocery store in Vermont listening to two old timers talk about flatlanders. One man said to the other that he moved from the Colorado mountains to Vermont 20 years prior and was still considered a flatlander.

[JMintzer]

Being from MD, I always found it odd that people from New England consider us "Southerners" and people from the South consider us "Northerners"...

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Being from MD, I always found it od that people from New England consider us "Southerners" and people from the South consider us "Northerners"...

caught in the middle. . .

mid atlantickers just doesn't roll up the tongue well

[jrzeis@tampabay.rr.com]

I moved north to TV from Tampa

[nhtexasrn]

Anything South of Game of Throne's Ice Wall is "South." I think it's appropriate!
When we tell people we're from Texas, they kind of look at us funny. It gets cold in Texas too! LOL

[LuvNH]

I heard on the weather this morning, a weather man refer to the West Coast as North West and the East Coast as North East. Easy peezy.

[bark4me]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?
Well you're clearly not going west of TV as that would be the Gulf coast of Florida. Colorado is northwest of TV so why not just say that? Seems easy enough.

[ldj1938]

The Gulf coast is the "left" coast.

[RICH1]

It’s a term of Endearment! …. Like a “ snowbird”. If everyone stayed here for the summer, this place would run out of fun!

[Milo's mom]

West

[Cgawerec]

I too am from Colorado and I say when we go home, going out west. Will always be west . Not north 💕

[ron32162]

How about the Mason- Dixon line. Most people were taught that in the 5th grade

[AlfaWard]

Growing up in "the North" we were taught the Civil War definitions of "the North vs the South". Wasn't until I moved to The South that the Civil War was not called that "here in the South". Rather it was defined as "the war of Northern aggression" and many in NC, SC, and GA still use that connotation. Odd they DO NOT include Florida in that list. haaa.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Growing up in "the North" we were taught the Civil War definitions of "the North vs the South". Wasn't until I moved to The South that the Civil War was not called that "here in the South". Rather it was defined as "the war of Northern aggression" and many in NC, SC, and GA still use that connotation. Odd they DO NOT include Florida in that list. haaa.

Funny you point that out. I spent a few years in a place, and my best friend from HS lived there a few years - a town in Maryland called Sharpsburg. The site of a large battle. Most people refer to it as Antietam, since that is what the winning side (north) called it. We still refer to it as the Battle of Sharpsburg.

[daniel200]

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?

Some historical context: Back during the American revolution King George III sent a scout to the northern territories.
The scout returned and rushed to the King to deliver his report.
"Your Grace, the northerners are revolting!"

To which King George III replied, "I do know that they don't take a bath that often, but isn't it a bit too rude to call them that?"

[Villages Kahuna]

For me “up north” is Chicago. But my heritage of several generations is as a Yooper (the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). But if I want to go back even further, a lot of my ancestors lived in the far north of Finland, near the Arctic Circle!

[sasman29]

Since Key West is the Southernmost point in the continental United States... Everything is North of Florida :-) :pepper2:

[CoachKandSportsguy]

the OP's confusion is easily explained by the difference between direction versus colloquial description of the region, or the region in that direction. .

time to get back to family time

[lindaelane]

This is how I think most people use it, though usage can vary, and I cannot guarantee I am right about the most common usage.

When I hear "the North" I think that means any state north of the Mason-Dixon Line. These states are east of the Mississippi or bordering the Mississippi.

I generally do not think people mean such places as Montana, Oregon, etc., but I know they could mean that because the semantics of the term are different for different people.

But I think saying "The Northwest" or just naming the state is more common than saying "the North" for northwestern states.

[GmaLisaG]

Very few were born and raised in Florida. I'm from Fort Lauderdale. Where are you from?

[NewRealms]

Michael, as a Floridian and having grown up in Miami almost everything is north. Unless you're from the Keys and we know why you're down there.

[Carla B]

Where in Wyoming are you from? I'm from Cheyenne. Left when I was 18 because I wanted big city life, lol. We've been here a year in Florida

Hi Miekies, I'm from Cheyenne, also. My dad homesteaded with siblings in Niobrara County near Lusk before moving to Cheyenne. I also left for life in the big city. Many people end up in Denver, but it wasn't warm enough. Houston was, however, very warm! And big.

Where are you from in Texas?

[Billy1]

I grew up south of Tampa and I moved up north to the Villages.

[runkcrun]

I say "up north" when referring to the other side of 466. 🤣

[coffeebean]

My sense is when people use the term, "Up North", they mentally are saying it in a derogatory manner...... more like with a sneer. I automatically turn those people off as being close minded and lacking the ability to articulate their thoughts clearly.

I'm originally from New York and also lived in New Jersey many years. I refer to my old home as "up north" because...............wait for it...............that is where it is in relation to where I live now. LOL.

[coffeebean]

People from the South north of us say they’re going “down North” when they come to Florida. Lol.

Huh???? Never heard that one.