Introducing Florida
Walt Disney was right: Florida is a place that captures the imagination. The landscape is exaggerated and invites exaggeration. Spanish explorers saw manatees and imagined they were mermaids; Ponce de León saw a crystal-clear spring and imagined it was a fountain of youth. Developers saw swamps and sold them as paradise, but if they are, there's plenty of the devil in them. In its history, Florida has inspired as much madness and murder as it has fantasies of a magical kingdom where dreams really do come true.
Advertisement
And that's OK. The vision of a seaside paradise can falter sometimes as growing numbers of high-rise Miami condos block the view, but the land – the watery, swampy, humid, shimmering, creature-filled peninsula – remains. In the end, it's this unstable, ever-shifting landscape that never fails to overwhelm, working its way under your skin, never to be forgotten. And it does so both in that grand, uplifting, aching-beauty-of-nature kind of way, and in that fetid, surreal, alligators-in-the-swamp-snakes-in-the-trees-get-me-outta-here kind of way.
Florida, more civilized than it once was, is still seductively and unnervingly fluid. Miami continues to be washed with wave after wave of Latin immigrants, and the city vibrates with energy and culture and change. The Deep South of northern Florida lovingly tends its memories, even as old ways fade or are simply paved over. The phantasmagorical theme parks continue to weave their mechanical magic. And just off the coast, another hurricane is always brewing.
So come for the beaches and Mickey Mouse, come for the people and the Everglades, come for the nightlife and the kayaking and the manatees and the gators. But make sure to come. Because Florida is always stranger than you imagine, and it never holds still.
Lonely Planet has teamed up with Lee County Tourism to produce an in-depth guide to the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel.
Last updated: Jun 28, 2011
Tips & articles
-
America’s legendary drives
6 February 2012
With over four million miles of highway, the USA offers more road trips than anyone could tackle in one lifetime....
-
50 best US presidential sites
1 February 2012
Presidents’ Day: that strategic February Monday holiday in the US that’s situated at arm’s length between George Washington’s birthday (February...
-
Zombicon: the ghouls descend on Florida’s Gulf Coast
5 November 2011
There are a lot of images and words people associate with Southwest Florida. Sun, sand, shelling. Calm waters that c...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
RE: Paypal
by aircanadasucks 14 September 2011
Never mind, I see thay are based in Florida. Maybe you guys should try thesource.ca (used be circuit city) I think they are now Canadian…
-
RE: ESTA Authorisation
by organist 14 September 2011
I'm talking about Thomson and Monarch airlines who carry many thousands of people a year to Orlando so I'm sure they're on the list of…
-
RE: Fall Foliage Road Trip from Florida to Maryland
by BubbaK 14 September 2011
I'm sure you realize that the closer to peak foliage colors, the more crowded the places will be, and advance reservations are necessary.…
Hotels & Hostels
Check out all our reviewed and recommended accommodation and book online.
Advertisement
Florida
Things to do
- All things to do (2,091)
- Activities (484)
- Entertainment (412)
- Restaurants (522)
- Shopping (237)
- Sights (436)
- Tours (0)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Florida
-
1 South Beach
Hottie-filled beaches and nightclubs with a pastel, art deco backdrop
-
2 10,000 Islands
Rugged and gorgeous, a kayaker’s paradise
-
3 Key West
A breezy, anything-goes island with a delicious Caribbean vibe
-
4 Fort Lauderdale
Stellar beaches, top-notch eateries and a renowned gay scene
-
5 Universal Studios Florida
Heads and mouse tails down the best theme park for its belly-flopping thrill rides
Fast Facts about Florida
- Capital Tallahassee
- Population 18.3 million
- Distance from Key West to Cuba 90 miles
- Visitors to Walt Disney World each year 47 million
- Number of alligators in Florida 1.25 million
- Number of federally listed endangered species 57
- Number of islands (over 10 acres) 4500
- Number of golf courses 1250
- Average winter temperature in Florida 68.5°F
- Highest elevation 345ft
- Miles of beaches 663
- Number of hotel rooms 370,000
Our favourite Florida Blogs (beta)
-
5 Fun Theme Parks in Orlando Besides Disney World
Blog: Pommie Travels - 24 January 2012
The first thing that springs to mind when I think of Orlando is Disney World. But what about all the [...]
-
Animals of the Everglades
Blog: Vagabond3 - 19 January 2012
I’m a little embarrassed to admit that, as a Florida resident, I’ve never been to the Everglades. I’ve traveled all around the state of Florida, especially when I was in undergrad, but I never made my way down to South Florida to experience this vast and incredible ecosystem- over 200 million acres. This area is home to hundreds of different plants and animals, including some of Florida and the United States...
-
Where to Stay – For Free Around the World
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 9 January 2012
We have saved thousands of dollars by seeking out free accommodation on our travels. These opportunities are easier to find than you'd think and have not only saved us money but led us off the beaten track, provided some of our most interesting travel experiences, enabled us to connect with local communities and been a refreshing break from the backpacker trail.
