Florida

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Introduction

Miami Beach, Florida - USA

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Regions

Florida is divided into four main holiday areas as follows:

Orlando

Located in Central Florida, Orlando is the busiest region in the state. The reason for this is undoubtedly the theme parks, and in particular, Walt Disney. With more than a dozen of different parks, Orlando is the place to have fun in family.

Miami

Divided into two parts, Mainland and South Beach, Miami is one of the most visited destinations in the USA. The busiest part of the city is the Art-Deco district, in South Beach, fully loaded with night-clubs and restaurants; the beach opposite this area is also very popular amongst tourists. In the Key Biscayne area, tourists are offered the chance to visit some celebrities' houses. Shopping lovers would find in Miami a wide variety of shopping malls, such as Bayside, Coco Walk, the Dolphin mall, amongst others. In the end, Miami is the place to be!

The Florida Keys

The The Florida Keys are the most southern point of North America, bordering almost with Cuba. Not only they are quite famous for the beaches and wildlife parks, but also for the nature reserves and architecture. The night life is also another good reason to go to the 'keys'. Key West is the most popular island and therefore the most visited one of the string. From Miami, it takes a good five hours by car to get there, crossing by dozens of bridges.

The Coasts

With exciting cities to visit, such as Sarasota, Tampa and Clearwater, and the world-wide famous Everglades National Park, the Gulf Coast is a hidden treasure in Florida.

On the other side of the peninsula, the Gold Coast extends itself over sixty miles long on the Atlantic Coast. Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Springs, Boca Raton and many other cities offer an endless variety of entertainment, culture, nightlife and restaurants. The ride in car is a must over the A1A.

Geography

Florida is the USA's most southeasterly state, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Straits of Florida on the south and the Gulf of Mexico on the west. It also shares a border with Alabama and Georgia.

Cities

Tampa, FL - USA

© All Rights Reserved airwolf09

Miami

Miami boasts a tropical climate, fine beaches and a vibrant Latin community, three factors which continue to make it a popular holiday destination for Americans and overseas travellers.

Other cities

• Tampa
• Jacksonville is the state's largest city.
• Orlando
• Tallahassee
• St. Petersburg
• Hialeah
• Fort Lauderdale
• Cape Coral
• Pembroke Pines
• St. Augustine
• Key West

Other significant cities in the state include Naples, Hollywood, Port St. Lucie, Coral Springs, Gainesville, Miramar, Clearwater and Pompano Beach.

Sights and Activities

• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Biscayne National Park

Events and Festivals

Weather

Florida is the warmest state of mainland USA. Only Hawaii has comparable weather.
Temperatures are usually between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius for most of the year, a bit warmer from June to September and cooler from November to March. The north is rather colder though during winter, when winds from the north occasionally bring frost and possible snowfall, but this is rather rare.
Conditions are hot and sticky for most of the year in the southern area.
June to November is the rainy season and hurricanes are a possibility for most of the state during this time.

Getting There

By Plane

Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) is the state's main airport and is one of the United States' largest airports. There are non-stop routes from and to over 70 cities worldwide, including destinations throughout North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. Miami International Airport is also the largest international gateway for American Airlines.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is also located nearby.

By Train

The Autotrain travels between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida.
The Silver Service/Palmetto travels between New York and Tampa and Miami, stopping in Washington, D.C., Charleston and Jacksonville, among many other places.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Discovery Cruise Line operates a daily ferry between Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Freeport on Grand Bahama. It leaves at 8am from Fort Lauderdale and returns from Freeport and 10pm.

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep