when most people think of Florida they think of sunshine theme parks orange
juice and alligators but this former Spanish colony which became the 27th
state to enter the union is much more than that bordered by the Atlantic Ocean
on one side in the Gulf of Mexico on the other it has mile upon mile of white
sand beaches it's moderate climate makes it a popular tourist destination all
year round and overview of the best places to visit in Florida
Naples may have had rustic beginnings but today the skull of Mexico City is
one of the wealthiest cities in the United States with houses selling for
more than forty million dollars as on Sanibel and Captiva islands development
along the shoreline has been kept residential it got its name because the
bates located on was said to be prettier than the Bay of Naples in Italy besides
its beautiful City Beach the nearby wildlife refuges make it a popular
tourist destination these include Everglades National Park
Florida National Wildlife Reserve and corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary that has a 2.5
mile long boardwalk meandering through it the city also has vibrant arts and
shopping districts Panama City Beach on the Florida Panhandle offers 27 miles 43
kilometres of white sand beaches on the Emerald Coast the beach is a popular
destination for residents of the southern United States as well as tens
of thousands of high school and college students on spring break besides having
fun in the Sun and the emerald green waters this town of just over 12,000
permanent residents offers sports fishing on the Gulf plenty of golfing
marine parks including one for alligators amusement and water parks in
short something for everyone in the family
no longer the spring great destination of popular imagination Fort Lauderdale
is today a sophisticated cultural center with an increasingly upmarket social
scene located on the Atlantic Ocean about 23 miles north of Miami Beach it
is also known as the Venice of America due to its expansive canal system the
city has an impressive tourist infrastructure with plenty of hotels
golf courses marinas and museums the city's port everglades is one of the
busiest cruise ship ports in the world with mega ships departing daily for the
Caribbean Mexico and beyond the most popular section of the city Beach is
called the strip with eating and drinking establishments that run along
the land side of the Bistro
Sanibel Island is located just off Fort Myers of the Gulf of Mexico it is
connected to the mainland by a causeway it is known as a quiet natural travel
destination well-suited for families wildlife refuges take up more than half
of this slum narrow island whose beaches are also popular as places to hunt for
shelves this silent of less than 7,000 permanent residents may have harbored
pirates and the days of your if local legends are to be believed
aside from beach combing and looking for wildlife attractions include a highly
rated Historical Museum of atonic cool garden a lighthouse at an Arts Center
one of Florida's best natural treasures the Everglades feature a unique
combination of ecosystems that include swamps sub tropical jungles Sawgrass
prairies and the largest mangrove complex in the Western Hemisphere much
of the Everglades are protected within the Everglades National Park and
provides shelter to a wide variety of birds fish and reptiles including
endangered species like the American crocodile and the Florida panther from
the Gulf Coast visitor center visitors can arrange both tours to the 10,000
Islands a labyrinth of mangrove islets other visitor centers offer Ranger led
tours and programs an airball tour is one of the most exciting ways to
experience the Everglades
boasting miles of white sandy beaches Clearwater Beach is separated by the
city of Clearwater by the Intracoastal Waterway USA today readers in 2013 named
at Florida's best beach town beside playing and the white sand and swimming
in the Clearwater there are also many activities offered such as fishing
sailing kayaking and dolphin tours Clearwater Beach is also a happening
place with a variety of events taking place
throughout the year the Philadelphia Phillies hold their spring training camp
here the Clearwater Jazz Festival takes place in October or visitors can take to
the weekly Sun setting festival at pier 60 a sports fishing pier
Orlando is theme park city having more theme parks than anyplace else in the
world dot this Walt Disney World Epcot Center Universal Studios SeaWorld and
Gator park to name a few all of which bring 51 million visitors a
year to this Central Florida city of 2 million people
the Sunbelt city doesn't get hit by hurricanes as much as other parts of the
state which makes it a popular place to visit in Florida one of Americans most
visited cities Orlando is also home to the University of Central Florida which
has the second largest college enrollment in the United States
the Tampa Bay Area on the Gulf of Mexico includes Tampa Bay a large natural
harbor and several popular cities including Tampa and Street Petersburg
Tampa is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers family-oriented activities
include Busch Gardens a theme park said to have Florida's best rollercoaster
rides as well as a zoo dedicated to animals from Africa's Serengeti Plain as
for beachcombing Street Pete Beach can't be beat it was
named the best beach in the United States and fifth in the world by
TripAdvisor readers in 2012 because of its white sand beaches and clear water
the Florida Keys are 120 mile long chain of tropical islands curving around the
face of the Florida peninsula connected to the mainland by a series of bridges
the most spectacular bridge the seven mile bridge the Lower Keys has been
frequently used as the location for films including through lies and fast to
furious u.s. highway 1 the overseas highway runs
from Key Largo is the Medora marathon glower peace and filing to Key West the
most distant and most famous of the Florida Keys in addition to the beach is
diving and snorkeling the Florida Keys offer Botanical Gardens a variety of
museums family attractions like the theatre of the sea and several
outstanding state and national parks where tourists can enjoy a wide variety
of outdoor recreation and wildlife viewing
one of the most vibrant cities in the USA
Miami is best known for its Loudon culture and sizzling nightlife located
in south eastern Florida off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean
Miami is also a major port city managing the world's largest number of passenger
cruise ships attracting tourists from all over the planet Miami is a melting
pot of ethnic cultures with a wide array of exciting attractions and activities
one of Miami's main draws as it's sunny beaches that range from family friendly
to party seeds across the bay from Miami on a barrier rod and is Miami Beach
known for its Art Deco architecture and glamorous South Beach
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