Travel
to Florida
- by Jean
Pardue
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- Visit Florida
without Leaving Your Computer
- Florida, the 27th
state in the USA, is an exciting place to
visit with numerous locations and attractions
for the entire family. Finding facts about
Florida is essential, especially if you are
planning a vacation or considering making the
Sunshine State your home.
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Florida: A Brief
History
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Florida, which means
"full of flowers", was named by Spanish
explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, overwhelmed by
the bountiful flowers he saw when he landed
in NE Florida in 1513. Around this time,
written records about Florida actually began,
possibly near present-day St. Augustine.
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In 1565, the first
permanent European settlement was established
in St. Augustine by Spain and in 1821,
Florida became a U. S. Territory. Florida was
admitted as the 27th state of the United
States on March 3, 1845.
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Where is the
Sunshine State Located?
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The State of
Florida is located on a large peninsula
in the southeastern region of the
United States with the Gulf of Mexico
on its western shores and the Atlantic
Ocean bordering the east coast.
Northern Florida
touches the boundary lines of Georgia
and Alabama.
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- Florida's Major
Cities
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Major cities in Florida
are; Tallahassee, which is the state capital;
Fort Lauderdale; Miami; Tampa; St.
Petersburg; and, of course, includes
Jacksonville, Florida's largest city.
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These cities help to
make Florida the 4th most populated state in
the U.S. with an estimated population in 2006
of 18,089,888. It is the 22nd largest state
in the USA and the nation's third fastest
growing state.
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Interesting Facts
About Florida
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Florida's state
nickname, "The Sunshine State", was adopted
by the 1970 Legislature. Residents in Florida
are called Floridians. Religion is mostly
Protestant with a large Jewish community
residing in South Florida.
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The strength of
Florida's economy comes from tourism,
agriculture, international trade, space
industry, construction, software and
University research. Florida is ranked as a
low-tax state with a state sales tax of 6%
and no state income tax.
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Florida's state bird is
the Mockingbird, state flower is the Orange
Blossom, state motto is "In God We Trust",
state song is an old classic, "Swanee River"
(Old Folks at Home), state reptile is the
American Alligator, state animal is the
Florida Panther and the state fruit is the
orange.
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Rivers and Lakes
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Lake Okeechobee is the
second largest freshwater lake in the
continental U.S., second only to Lake
Michigan. It spans a whopping 730 square
miles in South Florida. But, even with its
massive circumference, this body of water is
an average of only nine feet deep!
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Lake George is another
of Florida's “great lakes” and
comes is just as impressive also spanning 730
square miles. This beautiful lake is located
in central Florida.
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St. Johns, St. Marys
and Suwannee make up the major rivers in
Florida.
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Florida Fun for the
Family
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While in Florida, there
are many points of interest for you and your
family to enjoy. These include Florida Keys,
NASA Kennedy Space Center, Everglades
National Park, Universal Studios, EPCOT
Center, Ormond-Daytona Beach, Walt Disney
World, Busch Gardens, Sea World, St.
Augustine and don't forget all the fun your
family can have at the other parks and
beaches awaiting you.
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Eating Out in
Florida
- You do not have to
worry about going hungry while in Florida, no
matter what type foods you like to eat. Here
you will find Cuban, Southern, Italian, Thai,
Filipino, Indian, Mediterranean, Greek
cuisine, not to mention a large number of
American chain restaurants. If you are
looking for something really delicious to
eat, check out the local seafood restaurants.
Remember, seafood is considered the king of
food in Florida.
- Relaxing in
Florida
- If you are a visitor
who just wants to sit back and relax, Florida
is the place to be. You'll find an astounding
1200 miles of beautiful sandy beaches and
more than 1250 golf courses makes Florida a
golfer's paradise. After a long day on the
beach or a day of golf, you have your choice
of more than 370,000 hotel rooms or 700
campgrounds. These accommodations range in
price and amenities so you can choose the
best one to suit your vacation budget.
- Getting
There
- If you are driving to
Florida, you'll find many interstates, U. S.
Highways and state highways available to
travel. On the other hand, if you don't care
to drive you still have many other options
which include airports, Amtrak or
transportation by bus.
- Whether you are
visiting Florida for business or pleasure,
once you arrive and need transportation for
getting around, available transport includes
buses, public transit, taxicabs, trains,
water taxis, ferries, limousines, shuttle
service, vehicle rentals and public
trolleys.
- What's the Weather
Like?
- While visiting
Florida, weather can be a factor. If you
enjoy long summers and mild winters, you will
love the sub-tropical climate found in
Florida. The weather is perfect all year for
strolls along the beaches and around the
beautiful cities and fun activities with your
family. The gentle breezes and showers are
welcomed during the long, hot summers.
- In North Florida, the
annual summer temperature is 80.5(F) and the
average winter temperature is 53.0(F). South
Florida's summer temperature averages 82.7(F)
and is around 68.5(F) for the winter. This
sub-tropical climate allowing year round
flowers and vegetation is what keeps
Florida's scenery beautiful all year long.
- Be aware of the
hurricane season in Florida which is from
June 1 - November 30.
- Even though it's
mostly snow flurries, it does snow somewhere
in Florida practically every year.
- Enjoy Your Florida
Visit
This article
about traveling is not all-inclusive and you
can always do a search online for more
information. But, now that you know a little
more about Florida travel, you'll feel right
at home when you visit the Sunshine State.
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Destinations
and Travel Spots in
Florida
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Travel
to Bonita Springs
FL
- This southwestern area of Florida
is not as well-known to travelers as
the east coast cities and towns so
you will want to check out this FL
travel guide for a quieter pace.
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One
Part of the Florida
Keys
- Traveling in southern Florida has
never been better. If you have not
visited the tip of the Sunshine
State you just need to get out and
vacation more!
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Jean
Pardue is a
professional travel writer located in the
Southeastern USA. Her work has been published
online and she travels with her stock
photographer husband, Bob
Pardue,
extensively around the US.
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