The best places to visit in Florida!
Number 10.
Destin
Destin is located in Okaloosa County on Florida's Emerald Coast.
It's recognized for its beaches of white sand and emerald green waters.
It started as a fishing village, but, nowadays, it's a popular tourist destination.
Destin's sand is some of the world's whitest - made of ground quartz crystals - and comes
from the Appalachian Mountains.
It's estimated that 80 percent of the 4.5 million people that travel to the Emerald
Coast every year are primarily interested in Destin.
Number 9.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine sits on Florida's northeastern Atlantic coast.
It's partly unique because it the oldest settlement of European origin within the continental
United States that has been continuously inhabited since it was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers.
Since it's been around for so long, there are numerous historical sites to visit within
city limits.
A couple of noteworthy structures are the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, the oldest of its
kind in the nation, and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the biggest and
oldest masonry fort within the continental US.
Ultimately, Florida became a US state in 1845.
This is only a small portion of St. Augustine's rich history, and the many landmarks throughout
the city prove it.
Number 8.
Fort Lauderdale
Speaking of history, this city - located 28 miles north of Miami - was inhabited by the
Tequesta Indians for over 2,000 years before Spanish explorers went ashore.
Due to new diseases from the Europeans and ongoing conflicts with other Native Americans,
there was only a handful of Tequesta left in Florida by 1763.
It wasn't until 1896 that the area saw any real development, and Fort Lauderdale was
incorporated as a city in 1911.
Nowadays, tourists from all over the world flock to Fort Lauderdale because of its beauty
and history, as well as its center for yachts.
The city is also recognized for its canal network, which encompasses a total of 165
miles.
Besides the historical sites, Fort Lauderdale is home to 7 miles of beaches.
Other tourist stops include the downtown Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District and the Fort
Lauderdale Swap Shop - an enormous flea market that also has the biggest drive-in movie theater
in the world with 14 screens.
Number 7.
Ten Thousand Islands
This chain of mangrove islets and islands is located off of Florida's southwest coast.
The northern section of the islands - between Everglades City and Cape Romano - is part
of the Ten Thousand Islands Wildlife Refuge.
For thousands of years, they were occupied by Native Americans, and the remains of their
homes can be found underneath up to 4 feet of water.
Today, nearly all of the islands are uninhabited.
There are some areas in the Ten Thousand Islands where people can camp, however, only experienced
kayakers and canoeists are recommended to venture out to these areas.
Some of the campsites are Turkey Key, Jewel Key, and Tiger Key.
Plus, Ten Thousand Islands is one of the best places for Milky Way astrophotography and
stargazing as one of the last "dark skies" locations in Southwest Florida.
Number 6.
Boca Raton
Also simply called "Boca," this is Palm Beach County's southernmost city.
When the Spanish arrived, they referred to the area now known as Biscayne Bay as "Boca
de Ratones" which literally means "mouth of mice" although the actual intended meaning
is debated.
Boca Raton used to be home to 2 amusement parks - Africa U.S.A and Ancient America.
The former was a wildlife park that offered "Jeep Safari Train" tours, and the latter
was constructed around a Native American burial mound.
Although those parks no longer exist, there are tons of attractions to visit in this city.
It's home to the Boca Raton Bowl annual football game and the Greek Festival hosted by the
St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church that hosted 15,000 people in 2018.
Boca Raton also has the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Town Center, and 2 miles of beaches,
including South Inlet Park and Red Reef Park.
Number 5.
Miami
Miami is South Florida's economic, financial, and cultural center.
Miami was incorporated in 1896, and it was originally named for the Mayaimi Native Americans
that lived around the lake of the same name.
Nowadays, this metropolis is home to a strong international business center.
Miami is also a big player in producing television shows, especially Spanish TV, and the UniMas
and Telemundo production companies are headquartered there.
PortMiami is in the city as well and is the world's largest cruise ship port.
Tourism is one of Miami's main industries, and some of the most popular stops in the
city are Downtown Miami, the Art Deco District, South Beach, and the Bayside Marketplace.
Some yearly events draw numerous visitors as well, including the South Beach Food and
Wine Festival and the Art Basel international fair.
Number 4.
Sarasota
Another city in Florida you should check out is Sarasota.
It's located on the state's southwestern coast and is well-known for various cultural amenities,
resorts, and beaches.
Tourism is a primary contributor to the town's economy, as well as some companies that are
based there, like Boar's Head - known for their deli meats, cheeses, and condiments.
Sarasota is also an important cultural center.
The Edward Theatre was built here in 1925, and several famous people performed there,
including Elvis Presley.
The theatre is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sarasota also has the Sarasota Opera, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota Orchestra, and the
Sarasota Ballet.
Other things you won't want to miss in this city are the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,
Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and the Mote Marine Laboratory.
Some other things that draw visitors are the Sarasota Chalk Festival and Pinecraft, which
is an Amish community where the TV series Breaking Amish: Brave New World was set.
Number 3.
Everglades National Park
Another must-see in the state of Florida is the Everglades National Park.
It protects 20% of the original southern Everglades.
It's the nation's biggest tropical wilderness, and it's the largest on the eastern side of
the Mississippi River.
About a million people travel to the park every year because of the park's beauty and
climate.
Animals in this ecosystem include herons, spoonbills, alligators, and eastern diamondback
rattlesnakes.
The tropical hardwood hammocks, which are closed canopy forests, shelter creatures like
green tree frogs, southern bald eagles, foxes, black bears, and the Florida panther, which
is critically endangered.
Number 2.
Walt Disney World
Who hasn't heard of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida?
This enormous complex opened in 1971.
It encompasses 4 theme parks - Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and
Epcot.
Walt Disney World also has 2 water parks, 9 normal hotels, 27 themed resort hotels,
a camping resort, golf courses, and the Disney Springs shopping center, among many other
things.
You can easily spend a week or more in Disney World exploring the various parks, shops,
events, and restaurants.
For the sports fans out there, the ESPN Wide World of Sports is located in Walt Disney
World as well.
Disney even makes things easy for their millions of yearly visitors with buses and monorails
that transport people throughout the parks and the Magical Express that picks guests
up from the Orlando International Airport.
Number 1.
Florida Keys
This coral cay archipelago is off Florida's southern coast and forms the country's southernmost
area and are a popular tourist destination.
The climate of the Keys is comparable to the Caribbean, and there are unique animals that
live there.
The American crocodile, Key Largo woodrat, and the Key deer call the Keys home, among
many other creatures.
These islands take up about 137 square miles, and many can be accessed via the Overseas
Highway, which spans 113 miles.
There's also plenty of places to visit like Smathers Beach, Old Town in Key West which
has Mallory Square, Duval Street, and the home of famous author Ernest Hemingway, and
the Dry Tortugas National Park which is 70 miles west of Key West.
Have you ever been to any of these places in Florida?
Are there any you'd like to see?