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Florida is the perfect vacation destination for the entire family.
From its sandy beaches and breathtaking parks to
vibrant city centers and fun-filled theme
parks, Florida is the ideal choice for any vacation, with
everything on offer from national historical landmarks to
the hottest attractions, events and festivities. BEACHES: While the kids romp in the surf on one of thousands of beaches, mom and dad can relax nearby on the famous sugar-white sands of Florida. In fact, sandy beaches account for 1,350 miles of The Sunshine State's varied coastline. Vegetation, population, dunes formation, sand composition, wave action, and other natural and social influences serve up Florida's beaches in many flavors. In his annual rating of America’s Best Beaches, "Dr. Beach" recognised three of Florida’s beaches including the number one Fort DeSoto Park, number four Caladesi Island State Park, near Clearwater, and number eight Cape Florida State Park, near Miami. PARKS AND WILDLIFE: If you're seeking to explore the outdoors, Florida has many great destinations apart from the beaches like the only subtropical preserve in North America, Everglades National Park – nature’s playground with its luscious wetlands and more than 150 miles of canoeing and walking trails. And there are plenty of other opportunities for canoeing, walking and hiking in the Sunshine State - opportunities too to observe the wildlife. In fact, with more than 1,200 kinds of animals, Florida ranks third in the nation in wildlife diversity, and with a record number of parks, preserves, and refuges, it is no wonder that the Florida State Parks organization was again awarded the National Recreation and Parks Association’s Gold Medal Award, honoring Florida as having the “Nation’s Best State Park Service” making Florida the first two-time winner. FISHING: Florida is also a mecca for fishing enthusiasts from all over the world - no surprise since, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida boasts more than 700 world record fish catches. GOLFING: Still outdoors, and with more golf courses than any other state, Florida is the perfect destination of golf addicts. Indeed, Golf Digest magazine ranks Punta Gorda 3rd for the “Best in America” for quality of life and golf options. Naples claims to be the “Golf Capitol of the World” with more holes per capita than any other community, and with more than 160 golf courses, Palm Beach County has more golf courses than any other county in the US Florida is also home to the World Golf Hall of Fame and the Tournament Player Course, which is the site of the annual PGA Player Championship. SHOPPING: While the partner is out on the links, the golf widows and widowers can head indoors to enjoy another favorite Florida sport : shopping. One of the top attractions of the state Florida is the wealth of enticing stores, from high-end boutiques and design shops such as those on Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive in South Beach to factory outlets and vibrant flea markets. THEME PARKS: And if the family can’t decide between swanky shopping, golf courses, national landmarks, beautiful beaches, historical highlights or wildlife at its best, combine them all with a visit to any one of hundreds of theme parks across the Sunshine State. Several are centred in the Greater Orlando Area which is known as the home of Disney World and the EPCOT Center, Universal Orlando Resort and Seaworld Orlando. Other theme parks like Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, and Adventure Island in Key West, and waterparks and zoos are scattered across Florida with access from any of the major cities. CITIES: Five of the top six most hospitable cities in the nation are in Florida, according to Verizon superpages.com and those cities are Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. All of the cities of the sunshine state have their own flavours and eccentricities, from varied cultures and neighborhoods, to upscale nightlife and world-class museums. MUSEUMS: Some of those museums are The Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee which is home to the largest collection of Spanish-colonial gold and silver, the Kennedy Space Center, and the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola where you can learn lessons from naval pilots, astronauts, and pioneers. TravelTidingsFlorida.com has hundreds of pages of information on all the aspects of a trip to Florida, from beaches and national parks, to cities and theme parks. |