The Struggles of Playing Pokemon Go in Florida

With the release of the augmented reality mobile game Pokemon Go, ‘90’s kids are once again trying to catch ‘em all, and not with trading cards, but with their smart phones. The latest mobile digital delight sweeping the nation, Pokemon Go offers players to go outside and discover locations where they can ‘catch’ different types of Pokemon, collect items at Poke Stops, and even battle other Pokemon at gyms.

Sounds like fun, right?

Well we live in Florida, and whenever something drags us outside, we have to prepare. So when it comes to spending hours on end searching for fictional creatures that aren’t really there, us Floridians must be cautious of our surroundings, make just-in-case weather arrangements and more. It’s hard for a trainer out here in the Sunshine State, and here are some reasons why:

1. Is That Charmander Worth The Heat Stroke?

The most obvious struggle of playing Pokemon Go in Florida is the over bearing heat that you must endure if you want to find a wide variety of Pokemon. Walking around for hours in the afternoon will leave you sweating and sunburned so you must ask yourself: Is that charmander worth the heat stroke and inevitable sunburn?

 

2. You Look Like a Lost Tourist While Searching for Pokemon

On Florida roadways you can always see who has no idea where they are going. The driver or passenger is usually on their phone’s GPS trying to navigate around an unfamiliar area all while looking completely lost. Well guess what, you look exactly like that when driving around playing Pokemon Go.

 

 

3. While Catching Pokemon, You Might Get Caught In The Rain

Another struggle in the quest for finding new Pokemon in Florida is the unpredictable weather. It’s always hot, but often the weather does become bi-polar and can unexpectedly change in a moments notice. One second it can be a beautiful, sunny, Pokemon filled day, and the next second you’re facing the latest tropical storm.

 

4. It’s A Risky Distraction From Florida’s Environment

The creators of the game always say to stay aware of your surroundings while engaged in Pokemon Go. This goes for Florida especially. There already have been some reports of teens getting hit by cars while looking at their phones crossing the street. Another player in South Florida ended up getting lost in a swamp marsh as he was focused on reaching a Poke Stop a few miles away.

 

5. While Looking For Fictional Animals, Be Aware Of The Real Ones

This one goes right along with number four. When you are trekking out into Florida’s vast hiking trails or national parks in search of Pikachu and Squirtle, keep an eye out for Florida’s real alligators and real turtles. Alligators, spiders, and other wildlife may not have special powers to battle in gyms, but they can still be dangerous.

 

 

As the latest addicting mobile game, Pokemon Go brings back that nostalgic drive to try and collect every Pokemon we come across. But Florida will be Florida so whenever you are out on your own Poké journey going from Poke Stop to PokeStop be prepared for whatever Florida may have in store!