The Ultimate Florida Travel Guide
Florida: Beaches, cruises, theme parks, alligators, Florida has it all! Florida is one of those states in the US that you can visit throughout the year; even when other states are covered in snow, you can still enjoy the beach in Florida! Here is my Florida travel guide outlining major Florida attractions!
To make it easy for you to navigate the content, I have organized my Florida travel guide into two sections. (1) A brief introduction to Florida, a little history, some geography, commute, and weather. (2) Major Florida attractions, if you wish, you can skip the introduction and move on to the next section, Florida Attractions.
History: Florida joined the union as the 27th state on March 3, 1845. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, who led the first European expedition to Florida in 1513, named the state in tribute to Spain’s Easter celebration known as “Pascua Florida,” or Feast of Flowers. The state got its nickname, the Sunshine State because of the abundant sunshine that falls upon the state each year. Over the years, Florida has become a top-rated tourist destination because of the sun-soaked beaches and endless things you could see and do in Florida. Florida is also known for its oranges and grapefruits, and some 80 percent of US citrus is grown there.
Geography: Florida is the southeasternmost US state, with the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. It has hundreds of miles of beaches. Florida is bordered by Georgia and Alabama to the north. On west Florida is bordered by Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico and to the south and to the east, it’s surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.
Getting There
Flight: Based on your destination, you could fly to one of these airports in Florida – Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL), Daytona Beach Intl. Airport (DAB), Fort Myers – Southwest Florida Intl (RSW), Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) or Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Drive: If you live in any of the neighboring states, you could drive to Florida but know that you have to drive a lot within Florida to get to different attractions.
Train: Amtrak offers a couple of rail services (1) Silver Service / Palmetto connecting – New York, Washington, DC, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa / Miami and (2) Auto Train connecting – Lorton, VA (Washington, DC), Sanford, FL (Orlando).
Climate: The sunshine state, is the warmest in the US, with an average daily temperature of 70.7 °F and receives around 2800 hours of sunlight over the year. With average high temperatures in July – 90°F – 95°F and lowest average temperatures in January are in the 40°F – 45°F range. Snowfall is rare, but frost and fog are common in almost all parts of the state. Check current weather conditions in Florida.
Time zone: Eastern Daylight Time UTC-4, Central Daylight Time UTC-5
Getting around: I highly recommend renting a car, the only other option being Greyhound busses, which connects all major cities in Florida. I also recommend purchasing a multi-attraction discounted pass from CityPASS that would cover all major Tampa Bay attractions and using Big Bus Tours in Miami.
Best Places To Visit in Florida
Orlando, a city in central Florida, is home to more than a dozen theme parks and one of the world’s premier travel destinations, no visit to Florida is complete without visiting Orlando.
Is a US island city, part of the Florida Keys archipelago. It’s also Florida’s southernmost point, lying roughly 90 miles north of Cuba. The drive to Key West by itself is a one of a kind experience.
Daytona Beach city is known for the Daytona International Speedway, which hosts the iconic Daytona 500 NASCAR race. It’s also home to several beach resorts, boardwalk and Daytona Lagoon water park.
The City of Miami, is the cultural, economic and financial center of South Florida. The city covers an area of about 56 square miles between the Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east.
Everglades National Park, home to a very distinct and diverse ecosystem sheltering several species of plants & animals, is one of the most extraordinary National Park in the US.
