Florida (USA)

Florida Information

Overview

Things to do

Country Info (USA)

Brochure images of tanning flesh and Mickey Mouse give an inaccurate and incomplete picture of Florida. Although the aptly nicknamed "Sunshine State" is indeed devoted to the tourist trade, it's also among the least-understood parts of the US. Away from its overexposed resorts lie forests and rivers, deserted strands filled with wildlife, vibrant cities and primeval swamps.

Millions of pleasure-seekers can't be wrong! Florida is North America's favourite holiday destination and draws hordes of tourists all year round. The reason for the state's popularity as a vacation station is its sunny climate and situation. Consisting of a peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of the United States, Florida's uneven coastline is indented with estuaries, bays, inlets, lagoons and rivers, creating ideal enclaves for the location of holiday resorts. The Intracoastal Waterway and the Barrier Islands, Florida (Ft. Meyers, Cape Coral, Sanibel Island, Captiva, North Captiva, Cayo Costa Island, Boco Grande, Pine Island) offer 100's of islands to explore - white sandy beaches for as far as the eye can see. Enter a world of tropical wildlife and sensational sunsets over sparkling waters. Right in the south the peninsula ends in an arc of islands resting on coral reefs, known as the Florida Keys, today joined and accessed via a highway ending in Key West, the southernmost point of the United States.

The state's biggest city, Miami, echoes the vibrancy of the rest of this holiday Mecca, with its soft white sandy beaches vying for attention with the city's numerous attractions and colourful neighbourhoods. Its famous Art Deco district and Latin American quarter are constantly thronged with visitors, many of them passengers from the hundreds of cruise ships that come and go in the bustling port. Within easy access from Miami are the Everglades, a marshy grass plain resonating with wildlife and filled with alligators.

Aptly named the 'Sunshine State', Florida can offer anything anyone seeks in a holiday, whether it be fine wining and dining, learning about space exploration, discovering endangered wildlife, riding a roller coaster or bronzing on one of its famous beaches.

In central Florida the terrain turns green, though it's no rural idyll: this is where you'll find Orlando and Walt Disney World , one of the world's leading tourist destinations.

Finally, although Florida has struggled with its reputation for crimes against (and even murders of) tourists, the state's been very successful in reducing such attacks. It's definitely no longer the den of "Miami Vice" it once was, but, as when visiting all big cities, it pays to be wary.

Suggest a change to the Florida Overview section (click to dropdown)

Ocean Drive, Miami - South Beach's finest Art Deco showpiece with cosmopolitan cafés, flashy vintage cars and wannabe models.

Mangrove Mama's , Sugarloaf Key - Quintessential Florida Keys food joint, serving super-fresh conch fritters and Key Lime pie.

Little Havana, Miami - Lunch on Cuban specialties and café con leche in this Hispanic enclave.

Key West - Funky, anything-goes town, which feels like it's at the end of the world.

St Augustine - Sixteenth century Spanish town packed with historic interest and a handful of lovely beaches.

Walt Disney World, Orlando - Pure entertainment, planned down to the last detail, yet irresistible all the same. With a multitude of theme parks matching every interest, Walt Disney Resort stakes a claim as the world best family entertainment destination.

Universal Studios Resort, Orlando - Universal Studios and it's next door neighbour Islands of Adventure provide the complete family theme park destination. The evening can be speant enjoying the many restaurants and bars within the Citi Walk complex that sits just outsode the parks.

Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral - Experience something a little bit different to anything you'll have seen before in this education style theme park. If you're lucky enough, you may get to view a live launch.

Everglades National Park - Bike or hike through the vast sawgrass plains of the legendary Everglades, or canoe through alligator-filled mangrove swamps.

Florida Beaches - The East & West coasts of Florida have no shortage of idyllic beaches. Clearwater Beach & St Pete Beach tend to lead the popularity race, but there are more than can be mentioned, awaiting to be discovered.

Suggest a change to the Florida Things to do section (click to dropdown)

Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.