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In a country as big and diverse as the USA, and with limited time to see it, every travel option must be carefully weighed up by visitors from ‘down under’.
So, should the State of Florida figure in one’s travel plans? Well, if you’re up for some fun in the sun, this is absolutely your jam. Known locally as the Sunshine State, Florida is the USA’s top destination for domestic travellers and within the top three destinations with international visitors. That largely comes down to the region’s amazing beaches and wide variety of outdoor activities, and because it hosts one of the USA’s most popular attractions: Disney World. If you want to build sandcastles and see a castle, Florida is a must-visit!
Here are eight great reasons to visit Florida on your next USA trip.
1. You can get some sun
Florida occupies a long narrow peninsula off the south eastern corner of the USA and is this Northern Hemisphere country’s upside-down answer to our own Queensland. They share the same natty nickname (the Sunshine State) and both are justly renowned for their stunning beaches — in Florida’s case, 1,400 kilometres of them. We’re talking fine golden sand and crystal clear, relatively calm water (especially on the peninsula’s western side and below the ‘panhandle’). Some of the most famous stretches of sand include South Beach in Miami, Palm Beach, Hollywood Beach, Panama City Beach, Siesta Key in Sarasota, and Clearwater Beach.
Like Queensland, Florida gets very humid in the heat of summer — but it’s nothing a quick dip can’t fix. While less prevalent than in Australian waters, box jellyfish do lurk off the Floridian coast. Keep an eye out for safety signs and pay them heed!
2. You can visit Miami
Immortalised in popular culture in the 1980s by the wisecracking Golden Girls and pastel-clad undercover detectives in Miami Vice, Miami is Florida’s second largest city and its economic powerhouse. It’s a destination that knows no bounds in terms of the experiences on offer to visitors, and whatever your interests you’ll find something here to match. Join the throng of hedonistic sun worshippers on iconic South Beach, admire the trove of Art Deco architecture in the Miami Beach Architectural District, visit world-class museums and galleries (the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens shouldn’t be missed), investigate the intricacies of ‘Floribbean’ cuisine (which encompasses the flavours of Cuba and the Caribbean, Mexico, and even Argentina and Peru), do a day trip to the incomparable Everglades (more on that shortly), and shop till you drop at the city’s mega malls and outdoor market places. You’ll need a week here to really do it justice.
3. You can splash down in the Florida Keys
Key Largo; Key West; Big Pine Key; they’re names you’ve probably heard numerous times, but may have no actual idea what or where they are. The Florida Keys are a chain of coral small islands jutting out from the bottom of the mainland and curving southwest into the Gulf of Mexico. Linked by a series of more than 40 bridges, the keys offer access to gorgeous palm-fringed beaches, amazing snorkelling, wondrous marine-life spotting opportunities, and all-round cosmopolitan living.
Key West is the largest of the islands and lies at the far end of the chain — roughly four hours from Miami by car or one hour by air. It’s also the most popular with holidaymakers and Key West vacation rentals are always in hot demand. Book well ahead to get the best deal on your accommodation.
4. You can go to Disney World
In the era of social media, memes, video games, and reality TV, you might imagine that Cinderella is having something of an existential crisis. Not so, if the number of visitors to Magic Kingdom at Disney World in the city of Orlando is anything to go by. It’s ranked as the world’s top theme park — attracting just over 17 million visitors annually. Disney World is located about 15 minutes’ drive south of Orlando and is made up of six different theme parks and a retail, dining and entertainment hub. It’s a vast operation covering 25,000 acres. Bamboozling is the word that springs to mind, but let’s just zero in on one aspect: ticket prices. Disney clearly recognises the inner child in all of us — and prices entry accordingly. A single park day ticket will set you back about $100 USD + tax depending on the time of year, and the price is almost identical for both adults and children. One of the park’s most popular add-ons is its character dining opportunities — so if you want to chow down with Mickey or Minnie, book well in advance!
5. You can explore the Everglades
Florida has eleven national parks of varying sizes, but it’s the 1.5-million-acre subtropical saw-grass Everglades that capture the imagination of most visitors. Coating much of the peninsula’s southern extremity, this pristine wetland boasts an array of wildlife species — and no one comes to the state without wanting to skim across the landscape on an airboat tour. You’ll spot alligators, snakes, and a huge variety of water birds, and likely learn a motza from your guide about this extraordinary ecosystem.
The Everglades can be easily accessed on a package tour from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, or under your own steam through the park’s main entrance in Homestead (where you’ll find the excellent Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center). If you really want to get amongst it there are lots of accommodation options inside the park, including lodges, glamping sites, and regular campgrounds. You’ll need to purchase a park pass online prior to your visit.
6. You can do a cruise
Given its location within cooee of the Caribbean, Florida is a cruise lover’s paradise. From weekend and three-day trips to the Bahamas, to itineraries of varying lengths through the Caribbean Sea, along the Panama Canal, down to South America, and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe, there will be something that floats your boat. The state has several major cruise ports, and any line you can name almost certainly has a base here. It’s also very competitive, meaning that prices are always good value — given your meals, accommodation, and of course, transport are all included in the fare. If you’re happy to fly by the seat of your pants and have some flexibility with dates, there are endless websites devoted to selling last-minute cruises from Florida. Bon voyage!
7. You can step back in time in St Augustine
There are towns and cities right across Florida that are well worth visiting, including Jacksonville (the state’s most populous urban centre), Fort Lauderdale (known for its beautiful boating canals), cultural hub Tampa, golfing mecca Naples, and capital Tallahassee — home to the restored Historic Capitol Museum. History lovers will want to visit St Augustine, which is said to be the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. Founded in 1565, St Augustine is situated 45 minutes’ drive south of Jacksonville on the state’s east coast. While it sounds kitsch, the Old Town Trolley Tour is a great way to see more than one hundred heritage points of interest (including the Old Jail, ornate Flagler College, and the Castillo and Spanish Colonial neighbourhoods). Commentary is provided, and ticket holders also gain entry to Florida Heritage Museum.
8. You can meet the manatees
West Indian manatees — widely known as sea cows — are a close cousin of the dugong and can be found grazing on sea grasses and other aquatic vegetation in the Gulf of Mexico. Listed as a threatened species, in the cooler months hundreds of these large herbivorous marine mammals congregate in Kings Bay in the Crystal River — midway down Florida’s western flank. They’re easily spotted and visitors flock here to do exactly that. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge operates as a protected zone for the manatees from mid-November to late March. The Visitors Center is your best starting point and provides context for seeing the manatees in situ. Various accredited tour companies run trips on the water into the refuge. Look but don’t touch; interacting with a manatee can cause undue stress on this contented underwater wanderer.
This post was published thanks to Vacation Homes Key West.
Browse our range of Florida tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of great reasons to visit Florida in the USA? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Depositphotos, Bigstock, and Envato
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
