Overview
Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with visitors heading to ‘The Sunshine State' in search of fun, sun and thrills. Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park and Busch Gardens are just a few of the man-made attractions for which the state is famed. Orlando is the face of Florida that most people recognise, with its enormous number of theme parks, movie studios, water parks and entertainment facilities.
But there is more to Florida than Mickey Mouse and white-knuckle rides. Winding waterways, freshwater lakes, hills, forests, exciting cities, 13,560km (8,426 miles) of coastline, countless bays, inlets and islands, and a legendary climate make this one of the most popular states in the USA.
Florida is divided into eight geographical regions. Miami and Miami Beach have long been a haunt of the rich and famous. Palm Beach scores equally highly in the glamour stakes. Fort Lauderdale is a popular spot for families, offering a wide assortment of sports and recreational activities. To the south, the Florida Keys offers a tropical climate, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters.
The capital of Florida, Tallahassee, is geographically closer to Atlanta than Miami and is strictly Southern in tone.
Tampa and St Petersburg are the main cities in the Central West region. Sarasota is the cultural capital of the region, thanks to John Ringling and his wife who amassed an impressive art collection, displayed in their restored mansion. The southwestern region is home to Naples, a popular seaside retreat.
In the northeastern corner of Florida stands Jacksonville, named after General Andrew Jackson. Nearby St Augustine is known as ‘America's Oldest City'. Amelia Island, often called the ‘Isle of Eight Flags', is the only site in the country to have been governed by eight different countries during its history.
Key Facts
Time
Eastern: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November) in the Eastern part of Florida (which includes all the major towns and cities).
Central: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November) in the Western part of the Florida panhandle.
Population
18.3 million (official estimate 2007).
Population Density
107.2 per sq km.
Capital
Tallahassee.
Nickname
Sunshine State.
Going Out
Food and Drink
Miami/Miami Beach: There are more than 300 fine restaurants, and most hotels maintain excellent dining rooms. Some gourmet eateries are expensive but many popular restaurants have economy prices. Cuban, Mexican and Caribbean food is very popular in Miami, and because Florida is surrounded almost entirely by water, seafood is a state speciality. Fresh stone crabs are not available anywhere else in the USA.
Orlando: International Drive is the centre of a variety of restaurants that include Chinese, tapas, Cuban, Asian/Pacific rim and even fondue.
Tampa: There is a clear emphasis on Latin cuisine in Tampa but all tastes are catered for, with everything from international restaurants to fast food.
Regional specialities:
• Seafood.
• Key Lime pie (lime, egg and condensed milk dessert topped by meringue).
• Cuban sandwich (Cuban bread filled with cheese, ham, pickles and mustard).
Nightlife
Miami/Miami Beach: Nightclubs exist in most hotels and resorts. The Coconut Grove area, with its trendy nightclubs and cocktail bars, offers a swinging nightlife both inside the clubs and on the streets where many people just come for a stroll, in order to be where the action is. The most lavish and lively clubs are Cuban supper clubs. Glamorous South Beach pulses with salsa and techno music from trendy dance clubs, with the hip crowd spilling onto the streets and cruising the boulevards.
Orlando: Disney's Pleasure Island is a high-energy, night-time entertainment complex featuring seven themed nightclubs, stage shows and live concerts, plus a giant New Year's Eve celebration every night of the week.
Tampa: The best nightlife on the Gulf Coast can be found in Ybor City, which is Tampa's lively and historic Latin quarter. The action centres on Seventh Avenue, which closes to traffic at weekends to allow the party atmosphere to spill out on to the streets.
Shopping
Miami: The city's main shopping streets are Flagler Street, between Biscayne Bay and Miami Avenue; and Biscayne Boulevard, between Flagler Street and north to 16th Street. The Bayside Marketplace, along Miami's downtown waterfront, offers live entertainment as well as a mix of retail shops and art and craft stalls. Luxury and designer shops can be found at Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables, south of Miami.
Miami Beach: The principal shopping area is Lincoln Road Mall. Just north of Miami Beach is the Bal Harbour Shopping District.
Fort Lauderdale: The famous Sawgrass Mills Factory Outlet Mall is located on the northwest edge of the city and many boutiques can be found near the waterfront.
Tampa: The main shopping area is around Franklin Street Mall.
Orlando: Shoppers can take advantage of a huge range of retail outlets from factory outlet malls such as Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores to designer malls such as Orlando Premium Outlets and the Mall at Millenia.
Top Things To Do
• Cast out your line at the ‘World's Luckiest Fishing Village', Destin's East Pass, for the best selection of deep-sea fishing excursions on the northern Gulf Coast.
• Venture to Busch Gardens (website: www.buschgardens.com), a huge amusement park in Tampa Bay featuring African wildlife. Giraffes, zebras and antelope roam freely through the park's 24-hectare (60-acre) plain, next to thrilling rides such as the Kumba.
• Experience the terrifying attack of a great white shark on the Jaws Ride at Universal Studios, Orlando (website: www.universalorlando.com).
• Take the family to Walt Disney World Resort (website: www.disney.go.com), the biggest amusement park in the world. Visit Magic Kingdom; explore science at the Epcot Center; take a safari adventure through Animal Kingdom; see the world of movies at Disney MGM Studios.
• Meet Shamu and his pod of fellow killer whales at SeaWorld Orlando (website: www.seaworld.com), southwest of Orlando (journey time - 20 minutes) and one of the country's largest marine parks featuring whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals and otters.
• Swim at New Smyrna Beach (website: www.nsbfla.com), billed as the ‘World's Safest Bathing Beach' and ‘Best Beach in Florida'. Enjoy backwater fishing, fresh seafood, historical sites and museums, and long seasons of sunshine.
• Get away to Fort Myers Beach, ideal for family holidays with its safe, gently sloping shoreline and numerous activities.
• Tee off at one of southwest Florida's beautiful golf courses, where there are more golf holes per capita than any other destination in the USA.
• Relax in Naples (website: www.naples-florida.com), a charming city of understated elegance, cosy beach cottages and 5-star resorts. Naples is also known for its pristine shoreline and abundant wildlife.
• Dive in and experience the different watersports offered at Miami Beach (website: www.miamiandbeaches.com), including kayaking, windsurfing, boogie-boarding and scuba-diving.
• Join sportfishermen and anglers in The Keys (website: www.fla-keys.com) for some of the best fishing off America's coast. Compete with world records for catches of sailfish, marlin, kingfish, snapper, barracuda and grouper.
• Swim with the dolphins in Key Largo or sign on for Dolphin Camp (website: www.dolphinsplus.com) and learn about these amazing mammals from a resident marine biologist and trainers.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
Top Things To See
• Tour St Augustine (website: www.historicstaugustine.com), the USA's oldest city, originally settled by the Spanish. The town is a time capsule capturing nearly 500 years of fascinating history.
• Visit St Petersburg, home to world-class museums, including the Salvador Dali Museum (website: www.salvadordalimuseum.org), which contains the world's most comprehensive collection by this famous Spanish surrealist.
• Explore the Florida International Museum (website: www.floridamuseum.org), home to the largest private collection of John F Kennedy memorabilia, including a recreation of JFK's Oval Office.
• Drive down Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road in Miami's South Beach past over 800 candy-coloured art deco buildings in the Art Deco Historic District (website: www.visitsouthbeachonline.com).
• Walk through the Florida Holocaust Museum (website: www.flholocaustmuseum.com) in St Petersburg, one of the largest museums in the country and dedicated to the memory of millions of innocent Jews who died or suffered in the Holocaust.
• See the Ringling Museum Complex (website: www.ringling.org), the official State Museum of Florida. It is a major attraction with superb old masterpieces and a fine contemporary art collection.
• Catch an air show at Wings Over Miami (website: www.wingsovermiami.com), a museum with an extensive collection of military and classic aircraft on display.
• Thrill to the sounds of thunder at Daytona International Speedway (website: www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com), which hosts the famous Daytona 500 race each February and the Pepsi 400 NASCAR Winston Cup series in summer.
• Coincide a visit to Cape Canaveral with one of NASA's space shuttle launches from the Kennedy Space Center. See launchpads, astronaut training centres, museums and exhibits (website: www.kennedyspacecenter.com). IMAX presentations give visitors the illusion of space travel.
• Explore Marco Island (website: www.marco-island-florida.com), an area of stunning beauty and a retreat for the wealthy on the Gulf Coast. The exclusive island is nearly nestled among the Ten Thousand Islands, a maze of mangrove isles that stretch from Naples to the Florida Keys.
• Venture into the tangled wildness and sweeping sawgrass prairies of Florida's subtropical Everglades National Park (website: www.nps.gov/ever) by airboat tours, nature trails and safari vans. The Everglades is the USA's third-largest national park.
• Take a glass-bottomed boat ride through mangroves and islands and out to tropical coral reefs rising 8m (25ft) in Biscayne National Park (website: www.nps.gov/bisc).
• Cruise Fort Lauderdale's canals and the Intracoastal Waterway by local water taxi past luxurious homes of the rich and famous. Discover the city's Riverwalk (website: www.goriverwalk.com), a linear park linking hotels, restaurants and attractions along the banks of the New River.
• Drive south of Miami to the Florida Keys, a long chain of coral reef islands linked by highway US-1 from Key Largo (website: www.fla-keys.com/keylargo) to Key West (website: www.fla-keys/com/keywest). The keys offer diving, fishing, swimming with dolphins, eco-tours and birdwatching.
• Explore Key West, the jewel of Florida's keys. Visit Ernest Hemingway's home (website: www.hemingwayhome.com), tour museums, art galleries, restaurants and quaint bed & breakfasts. Indulge in a variety of water-based activities.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
Getting There
Approximate Flight Times
From London to Miami is 8 hours 10 minutes, and from New York is 2 hours 40 minutes. From London to Orlando is 9 hours, and from New York is 2 hours 30 minutes.
Main Airports
Miami International Airport (MIA) (website: www.miami-airport.com) is 9km (6 miles) west of Miami (journey time - 25 minutes). To/from airport: There is a 24-hour shuttle service to the central bus station and hotels on request. Public buses are also available to the city. Taxi, van and limousine services are also available; fares are fixed. Greyhound (tel: 1 800 231 2222, in the USA only; website: www.greyhound.com) runs daily services throughout the Florida Keys and to destinations in the north. Facilities: ATMs, car hire and currency exchange.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) (website: www.tampaairport.com) is 8km (5 miles) northwest of Tampa (journey time - 15 minutes). To/from the airport: A bus service runs into the city; limousine and taxi services are also available. Facilities: ATMs, car hire and currency exchange.
Orlando International (OIA) (website: www.state.fl.us/goaa) is 15km (9 miles) south of Orlando (journey time - 15 minutes). To/from the airport: There is a 24-hour shuttle service available to any hotel in Orlando. Coach, bus, taxi and limousine services are available. Facilities: ATMs, car hire and currency exchange.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) (website: www.fll.net) is 8km (5 miles) from Fort Lauderdale (journey time - 10 minutes). To/from to airport: Limousines, taxis and bus services are available, with rail connections to the surrounding counties. Facilities: ATMs, car hire and currency exchange.
St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) (website: www.fly2pie.com). To/from to airport: Limousines, taxis and bus services are available. Facilities: ATMs and car hire.
Getting There by Water
Main ports: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, Port of Palm Beach, St Petersburg and Tampa. Information can be found at www.flaports.org.
The port of Miami has been called the ‘Cruise Capital of the World' and offers ocean liners for business meetings, weekend getaways and extended luxury cruises. The port of Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, is the second most important cruise port in Florida. Other cruise ports on the east coast include Port Canaveral and Port of Palm Beach. The main west coast cruise ports include St Petersburg and Tampa. Numerous major cruise lines call at Florida's ports.
Getting There by Rail
Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245, in the USA only; website: www.amtrak.com) is the rail service provider. Amtrak's Miami Station is 11km (7 miles) northwest of the city centre. It is the southernmost point on the network, marking the southern end of the main east coast line from New York (and ultimately Boston). Amtrak also serves Jacksonville, with services running through Orlando to Tampa (a branch line terminates at Sarasota, a few miles south of Tampa on the Gulf of Mexico), and west through Pensacola.
Note
Getting There by Road
The best major routes through Florida are: Daytona Beach to St Petersburg (I-4), Jacksonville to the Alabama border (I-10), St Petersburg to Tampa (I-275), the lower West Coast to Fort Lauderdale (I-75), the North-South highway (I-95) or (I-75) and the East-West cross-state highway from Clearwater to Vero Beach (State 60). Florida's Turnpike is a 723km (449 mile) system of limited-access toll highways, which passes through 11 counties from north Miami to a junction with I-75 in north central Florida. Most roads are excellent throughout the state.
Approximate driving times:
From Orlando to Fort Lauderdale is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Key West is 8 hours 45 minutes, and to St Petersburg is 2 hours 30 minutes. All times are based on non-stop driving at or below the applicable speed limits.
Approximate Greyhound travel times:
From Miami to Jacksonville is 11 hours 15 minutes, to Tampa is 8 hours 15 minutes, and to Tallahassee is 14 hours.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Miami's transport system includes an elevated Metrorail system running a north-south route through the city (website: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit/metrorail.asp). The Downtown Metromover combines the fun of a theme park with the convenience of above-street-level travel. Metrobuses operate frequently through most areas of Greater Miami. Fares are moderate and transfers are available. Taxis can be expensive in the Miami area; you can usually hail them but delays may be encountered at rush hours. Taxis can also be booked by telephone.
Most major car hire and camper van hire firms have offices at the airport or in central Miami. Many provide a drop-off service in other parts of the state. Major hotels can often arrange immediate car hire. Road signs marked with an orange sun on a blue background indicate routes to major tourist attractions.
Climate
Summers throughout the state are long, warm and fairly humid. Winters are mild with periodic invasions of cool to occasionally cold air. Coastal areas in all sections of Florida average slightly warmer temperatures in winter and cooler ones in summer.
Required Clothing
Lightweight cotton and sun hats are recommended for summer. Light jackets are fine for cooler evenings and winter.
The “O” in Orlando stands for “Oh Wow” because that’s what you’ll hear yourself say after you’ve experienced just a few hours in the thrill capital of the world. Orlando spells fun, fun and more fun, with incredible thrills not just for the kids but for all the family. Its home to the best Theme Parks ever built and the best thing is, they are only a very short ride away from your hotel. At Tour America, we don’t just organize flights, accommodation & car hire! No sir, we’ll organize your tickets to all the great theme parks and even a Tour America rep that will meet you at the airport and help you with any queries for the duration of your holiday!
Attractions
Well, the only problem you will have in this department is where to begin!
With the Orlando FlexTicket enjoy 14 days of unlimited admission to Universal’s Islands of Adventure®, Universal Studios®, SeaWorld® Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild® Orlando and Aquatica®, Florida’s newest waterpark.
If you can handle even more excitement then there’s the Orlando FlexTicket Plus. It includes all the thrills of the Orlando FlexTicket, plus admission to the African themed adventure park Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay.
With two amazing theme parks, non-stop nightlife, and world-class on-site hotels, Universal Orlando® Resort is where the extraordinary happens every day.
Where else can you get up-close to amazing marine life, be inspired by sensational shows and experience thrilling rides...all in one place? At SeaWorld® Orlando, there are a whole host of adventures that await you. Enjoy Believe®, the all-new Shamu® show, with a stunning 3-storey set and state-of-the-art technology.
Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay is a 335 acre African themed adventure park, where you’ll travel across exotic terrain to explore wildlife, wild rides and wondrous live shows.Visit unique animal habitats, including Myombe Reserve®, where you can see gorillas up close. Experience worldclass coasters, like Gwazi®, Kumba®, Montu® and the now floorless SheiKra®. When you’re feet are back on the ground, there’s the stunning Broadway style show KaTonga®. These are all adventures you just can’t get anywhere else.
A day at Discovery Cove® is a one-of-a-kind tropical experience that gives you more to do in one day than many people do in a lifetime. Here you can swim with an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, snorkel with tropical fish in the Coral Reef, glide with rays, hand-feed exotic birds in the Free-Flight Aviary, and leave your worries behind. Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive, reservations-only experience.
Or why not check out the Kennedy Space Center where an admission badge (from €29) gives you access to all the fascinating experiences the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has to offer, including the Saturn V Centre, the LC39 Observatory Gantry and the amazing IMAX Magnificent Desolation 3D and Space Station 3D.
Restaurants
Whether you are looking for the ultimate in fast food or a more sophisticated experience Orlando really caters for all. With over 4000 restaurants within the theme park capital of the world you will not go hungry! From Italian, Chinese, Spanish and Continental to Japanese, Cuban and Mexican Orlando offers a diverse menu card. For families on a budget you can avail of the amazing all you can eat breakfast /lunch/dinner buffets located all along International Drive. There are also plenty of Renowned American favourites such as Ponderosa Steakhouses, Chilli’s and Red Lobsters that are all easy on the pocket. If you are looking for a nicer experience you could try Bahama Breeze, a unique Caribbean Dining Experience where you can enjoy the fun atmosphere combined with delicious food. Another favourite in Orlando is the dinner show – sit back and enjoy an all singing all dancing extravaganza while being served at your table.
Shopping
From Souvenir shops to high end boutiques and everything in between Orlando really is a Mecca for shoppers! With the dollar at an all time high there are some unbelievable bargains to be had. The Orlando premium outlets are home to the ultimate in Designer gear – at a fraction of the price. These are very popular with Irish travellers as you can get all the well known brands such as Gap, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Guess along with all the sporting brands such as Nike and Adidas. However if you are looking for more variety the Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia offer a huge variety of stores all under one roof.
Weather
Orlando lies in the heart of the Sunshine State, meaning good weather practically all year round. Florida’s climate has long been one of its best attractions and almost every evening you can toast to another glorious day in Orlando. Summers in Orlando are generally hot and humid. The winters are mild, and dryer than the summer months, with only the occasional cool day.