FLORIDA TRAVEL GUIDE
What attracts most visitors to Florida is its’ endless coastline of white sandy beaches, turquoise-colored ocean and of course the climate. It’s not known as the sunshine state for no reason!
Many visitors flock to Florida every year to enjoy the beaches and world class theme parks and resorts but there is more to Florida than just soaking up the rays. There are vibrant art communities, a melting pot of different cultures and along with it different cuisines to sample for foodies, and many wildlife viewing opportunities for nature lovers.
Explore Florida Destinations
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a string of tropical islands that begin on the southern coast of Florida fifteen miles south of Miami and connected by the Overseas Highway. The islands are considered the American Caribbean and feature world class fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The first island you will encounter is Key Largo where you will find John Pennekamp State Park.
Key West which is further south is famous for Duvall Street's many bars, Mallory Square's nightly sunset celebration, Ernest Hemingway's Home & Museum and especially for its pastel-hued conch style houses. Another must see destination in the Florida Keys is Dry Tortugas National Park which is noted for its abundant sea life.
Everglades National Park
The Everglades are the largest tropical wilderness in America and listed as a world heritage site providing important habitat for numerous endangered species including the Manatee, American crocodile and Florida panther. Visiting the Everglades National Park allows you to explore a vast diversity of flora and fauna in different ecosystems.
The northern section of the park is accessible via Miami and the southern area is accessible through Homestead. A quiet walk down one of the boardwalk trails, a tram ride through Shark Alley or a boat tour of Florida Bay or Ten Thousand Islands will let you experience the Everglades firsthand. You can organize Airboat tours of the Everglades which include transportation from Miami.
Miami
Miami is a vibrant city famed for its colorful art deco buildings, white sands, Cuban influence and glamourous South Beach with its stereotypical bikini clad crowds. Besides swimming, sunbathing and sipping cocktails there are plenty of other things to do here. Take a walk along Ocean drive and stop by the Art Deco Visitors Center where you can pick up information on self guided tours, shop at Lincoln mall or soak up the serenity at Key Biscayne.
The best attraction however would be Little Havana where Hispanic culture permeates. There are colorful murals, unique art galleries, Cuban cigar rollers and the ever present aroma of Cuban coffee all to a beating backdrop of traditional Cuban and Afro-Cuban music.
Disney World
Disney World is located 21 miles outside off Orlando and covers 27,258 acres encompassing 27 themed resort hotels, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and several golf courses. Magic Kingdom was the first built of the four theme parks and is divided into five distinct areas; Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Sqaure and Adventure Land.
Adventure Land has two of Magic Kingdoms most popular attractions - the Jungle Cruise and the Pirates of the Caribbean. In Frontierland visitors can re-live the American old west, explore the mysteries of the Rivers of America or ride classic attractions such as Splash Mountain or the Country Bear Jamboree. The most spectacular attraction though are the parades held daily and fireworks display.
Kennedy Space Center
The Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex is located forty five minutes east of Orlando and offers public tours of the center and Caper Canaveral Air Force station. There are a variety of exhibits, artifacts, displays and attractions on the history and future of human and robotic space flight.
The complex includes the separate Apollo/Saturn V Center and the USA Astronaut Hall of Fame. You can see launch pads 39A and 39B for the Shuttle, and to the south you can see the Air Force launch pads on Caper Canaveral Air Force Station. This place is well worth a visit and somewhere the kids can enjoy too.
Top Things To Do In Florida
Best Times To Visit
In South Florida peak season is December through March when it is typically the driest which means room rates will be more than double in price. If you ask me though, winters can be quite cool.
The hottest and wettest time is between June to October. However, if you don't mind daily rainstorms you could be saving a small fortune visiting at this time of year. Just bear in mind that hurricane season is also during these summer months and could impact your vacation.
Orlando is popular year round and in North Florida peak tourist season is in the summer.