The south-eastern state of Florida is easily one of
the most popular in America as it offers plenty of beaches and
cities to go along with its excellent weather. Florida is
basically a large a peninsula that sits between the Gulf of
Mexico on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, which
combine for about 1,200 miles of coastline. The state consists
of four main urban centers along with smaller cities and towns.
The capital is Tallahassee and its largest city is Jacksonville.
Other popular areas include Miami Beach, Tampa, Orlando, Palm
Beach, St. Petersburg, Hollywood, Daytona Beach, Clearwater,
Fort Lauderdale, and Pensacola. It’s the fourth-largest state in
population as it’s home to about 19 million people. It became
the 27th state to be admitted to the Union back in 1845.
Florida isn’t known as the Sunshine State for
nothing as it enjoys a wonderful climate that keeps it warm most
of the year round, especially in the south and it very rarely
snows down there. This of course is one of the main reasons it
attracts so many visitors, but there are quite a few others.
It’s believed the region was inhabited for
thousands of years by Native Americans before the European
settlers discovered it in 1513. It was then settled by the
French and Spanish until the United Kingdom gained control in
1763. The city of St. Augustine is the oldest in America as it
was established by Spain in 1565. The state saw some turbulent
times in the past and it left the Union in 1861 before the
American Civil War and returned to it in 1868. Florida still has
a large Hispanic and European influence today and many residents
speak Spanish as well as English.
The state is home to numerous national parks and
monuments, such as the Everglades, Crandon Park, Big Cypress
National Preserve, Canaveral National Seashore, Biscayne
National Park, De Soto National Memorial, Dry Tortugas National
Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fort Caroline National
Memorial, Fort Matanzas National Monument, and the Timucuan
Ecological and Historic Preserve. There are also many forest
reserves including, the Apalachicola, Choctawhatchee, Ocala, and
Osceola National Forests.
Another major attraction to the state is the
wide variety of wildlife it features such as alligators, deer,
rare birds, dolphins, whales, crocodiles, snakes, tortoises, sea
turtles, panthers, bobcats, bears, and armadillos. The
landscapes are just as varied as they feature limestone,
bedrock, sinkholes, underwater caves, springs, rivers, swamps,
and lakes.
Amusement parks are also popular with visitors
as there are quite a few of them to enjoy. Some of the most
popular are Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld,
and Busch Gardens. Disney world, with its 20 hotels, is the
largest amusement resort in the world. So between the beaches
and amusement parks you know there’s always something for the
kids to do.
You can get some great southern-style and
Caribbean food in Florida, including a wide variety of seafood,
along with fresh fruit and vegetables. There are tons of
restaurants that serve local dishes as well as international and
the accommodations range from low-budget to luxury resorts.
Getting around the state is fairly easy due to
an excellent highway and regional road system. You can also
travel around by hopping on the intercity rail system as well as
Amtrak. For those who like to fly, there are major airports in
Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, and Tampa. There are
also literally hundreds of smaller airports and airstrips spread
around the state. You’ll also find a lot of cruise ships making
a stop in Florida.
When it comes to sports, there are several major
league teams in Florida. These include two ice hockey teams, two
baseball teams, two basketball teams, and three football
franchises. Motorsports are also popular at the Daytona
International Speedway with tennis and golf also high on the
list. Florida also has several minor league and collegiate teams
and is the home to Major League Baseball’s spring training for
most franchises.
From historical sites to museums and national
parks to beaches, the world class cities of Florida and its
countryside has something exciting to offer people of all ages.
About Florida