Sanford

At one time Sanford was the heart of Central Florida—a vital vacation spot and transportation hub on the St. John's River. But that was before vacationers focused on Orlando. In an attempt to turn things around, Sanford has been slowly rebuilding its picturesque downtown overlooking Lake Monroe and steadily increasing the size of its airport (Orlando-Sanford International), which is favored by flights from the United Kingdom. But the main reason most folks make the 30-mile, traffic-choked haul northeast of downtown Orlando (about 45 minutes) is Flea World, which claims to be America's largest flea market under one roof. The town also has the Orlando area's only zoo.