The Sunshine State's Coasts, Parks and Pleasures
Florida is a peninsula state in the south-east of the United States, known as the Sunshine State for its beaches, theme parks, wildlife and year-round warmth. With more than 1,000 miles of coastline, it faces the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, so every visitor can choose between surf and lapping calm. Its attractions range from the Walt Disney World resort near Orlando and the Kennedy Space Center on the Space Coast to the Everglades, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
The state's personality shifts with each region. Miami's South Beach is famous for its pastel Art Deco hotels and ocean promenade, while Palm Beach is a long-established seaside retreat with elegant shopping. On the Gulf coast, Sanibel, Naples, Clearwater and Siesta Key are known for soft white sand and shell-strewn shores. St Augustine, founded by the Spanish in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States, with a fort and cobbled streets to match.
Keys, Cuisine and Central Florida Adventure
Florida's table reflects its position at the crossroads of the Americas. Key lime pie, stone crab, Cuban sandwiches in Miami's Little Havana, fresh Gulf grouper and Caribbean-inspired seafood all feature. The islands of the Keys stretch south along the Overseas Highway toward Key West, where sunsets are celebrated nightly. The Florida Keys reward a slow road trip, with snorkelling reefs, fishing charters and bayside restaurants along the way, and the Bahamas lie just across the water for guests who want to continue island-hopping.
Families head for Orlando and Central Florida, where theme parks, water parks and golf courses create an easy holiday formula. Beach lovers favour Fort Lauderdale, with its canals and yacht-lined waterways, and Daytona Beach, with its wide, firm sand and famous speedway. A tourist board can use this variety to speak to many audiences at once: golfers, divers, cruise guests, honeymooners and multi-generation families.
Read the full Florida guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitFlorida.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.