Florida Travel Guide

2022 2022 Fodor’s Go List Destination

Fodor's Florida
Whether you want to snorkel in the Keys, relax on Miami Beach, or visit Walt Disney World,...

With its accessible and varied pleasures, Florida is a favorite of many. Drawn to the colonial charm of St. Augustine, Miami's pulsing nightlife, the glitz of Palm Beach, or the quiet expanse of the Everglades, almost all visitors find something to love here. From the powdery white beaches of the Panhandle to the vibrant coral reefs of the Florida Keys, the ocean is always calling—for sailing, fishing, diving, swimming, and other water sports. Stray off the path a few miles, and you might glimpse a bit of the Florida of old, including cigar makers and mermaids.

Fodor's Florida
Whether you want to snorkel in the Keys, relax on Miami Beach, or visit Walt Disney World,...

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The Best Hotels in the USA

The Chesterfield Palm Beach, Florida

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FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in the USA

The Chesterfield Palm Beach, Florida

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Miami

Almost a century after the art deco movement, Miami remains one of the world's trendiest and flashiest hot spots. Luckily for visitors, South...

Northeast Coast

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part...

Walt Disney World Orlando

Orlando vacations are events that often become part of family legend. Kids and parents swap Disney or Universal stories for years, fondly reliving...

The Tampa Bay Area

If you seek a destination that's no one-trick pony, the Tampa Bay region is a spot you can't miss. Encompassing an area from Tarpon Springs...

The Florida Keys

Your Keys experience begins on your 18-mile drive south on "The Stretch," a portion of U.S. 1 with a specially colored blue median that takes...

Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

A golden stretch of the Atlantic shore, the Palm Beach area resists categorization, and for good reason: the territory stretching south to Boca...

The Panhandle

The sugar-white sands of the Panhandle's beaches stretch 227 miles from Pensacola east to Apalachicola. Sprinkle in clear emerald waters, towering...

The Lower Gulf Coast

With its subtropical climate and beckoning family-friendly beaches known for their powdery sand, calm surf, and nary a freighter in sight, Southwest...

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

It was only a matter of time before the sun-soaked streets of Fort Lauderdale faced an identity crisis. What was once a hotbed of dive bars...

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami and 90 miles from Havana, this end-of-the-line community has never been like anywhere else. Even after it was...

The Emerald Coast

On U.S. 98, several towns are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island, their waters so strikingly green against...

Fort Lauderdale

Like most of southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. Despite wariness of overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a...

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive in the theme parks, where music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy...

St. Petersburg

Nicknamed the Sunshine City, St. Pete is much more than a mass of land between the airport and the beaches. In recent years it’s seen a fierce...

The Everglades

More than 1.5 million acres of South Florida's 4.3 million acres of subtropical, watery wilderness were given national park status and protection...

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would unruly neighbors: they are big and loud, but they keep a nice lawn (and are secretly...

St. Augustine

Along the banks of the shining Matanzas River lies St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city. It shows its age with charm, its history revealed...

Tampa

Tampa, the west coast's business-and-commercial hub, has a sprinkling of high-rises and heavy traffic. A concentration of restaurants, nightlife...

Naples

Poised between the Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades, Naples belies its wild setting with the trappings of wealth—neo-Mediterranean-style mansions...

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is an underrated vacation spot. It offers appealing downtown riverside areas, handsome residential neighborhoods, a thriving arts...

SeaWorld Orlando

Just as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are much more than just a single park, the same is true of SeaWorld. The original park—which...

Key Largo

The first of the Upper Keys reachable by car, 30-mile-long Key Largo is the largest island in the chain. Key Largo—named Cayo Largo ("Long Key...

Pensacola

Pensacola consists of four distinct districts—Seville, Palafox, East Hill, and North Hill—though they’re easy to explore as a unit. Stroll down...

Daytona Beach

Best known for the Daytona 500, Daytona has been the center of automobile racing since cars were first raced along the beach here in 1902. February...

Sarasota

Sarasota is a year-round destination and home to some of Florida's most affluent residents. Circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable...

Palm Beach

Most streets around major attractions and commercial zones have free parking as well as metered spaces. If you can stake out a place between...

Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel Island is famous as one of the world's best shelling grounds, a function of the unusual east–west orientation of the island's south...

Fort Myers

The city core lies inland along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, a half hour from the nearest beach. The town is best known as the winter...

Islamorada

Early settlers named this key after their schooner, Island Home, but to make it sound more romantic they translated it into Spanish: Isla...

West Palm Beach

Once considered Palm Beach’s less privileged sibling, West Palm Beach has come into its own. Its $30 million Centennial Square waterfront complex...

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s, Panama City Beach's ample 27...

Clearwater

In Clearwater, residential areas are a buffer between the commercial zone that centers on U.S. 19 and the beach, which is moderately quiet during...

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern capital spared in the Civil War, Tallahassee has preserved...

Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach

At the northeasternmost reach of Florida, Amelia Island has beautiful beaches with enormous sand dunes along its eastern flank, a state park...

Bradenton

In 1539 Hernando de Soto landed near this Manatee River city, which has some 20 miles of beaches. Bradenton is well situated for access to fishing...

Delray Beach

A onetime artists' retreat with a small settlement of Japanese farmers, Delray has grown into a sophisticated beach town. Delray’s current popularity...

Jacksonville Beaches

Perhaps because the Intracoastal Waterway isn't all that wide where it separates the mainland from the beaches, people here aren't likely to...

Vero Beach and Sebastian

Tranquil and picturesque, this upscale Indian River County town has a strong commitment to the environment and culture, and it's also home to...

Marathon

New Englanders founded this former fishing village in the early 1800s. The community on Vaca Key subsequently served as a base for pirates,...

Boca Raton

Less than an hour south of Palm Beach and anchoring the county's south end, upscale Boca Raton has much in common with its fabled cousin. Both...

Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) anchors this sprawling town. Visitors are mostly Gator football fans and parents of students, so the styles and...

Jupiter and Vicinity

Jupiter is one of the few towns in the region not fronted by an island but still quite close to the fantastic hotels, shopping, and dining of...

Stuart and Jensen Beach

The compact town of Stuart lies on a peninsula that juts out into the St. Lucie River off the Indian River and has a remarkable amount of shoreline...

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait connecting Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. The drive on Okaloosa...

Marco Island

High-rises dominate part of the shores of Marco Island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges. Yet because of its distance from...

Everglades National Park

Established in 1947 to protect the snaking sawgrass marshes, mangroves, hardwood hammocks, and many animals that call this wilderness home,...

Cocoa Beach

After crossing a long and high bridge just east of Cocoa Village, you drop down upon a barrier island. A few miles farther and you'll reach...

Estero/Bonita Springs

Towns below Fort Myers have started to flow seamlessly into one another since the opening of Florida Gulf Coast University in San Carlos Park...

Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island)

Crammed with motels, hotels, and restaurants, Estero Island is one of Fort Myers's more frenetic Gulf playgrounds. Dolphins frequently frolic...

Fort Walton Beach

This coastal town dates from the Civil War but had to wait more than 75 years to come into its own. Loyalists to the Confederate cause organized...

Tamiami Trail

There's a long stretch of U.S. 41 (originally known as the Tamiami Trail) that traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and...

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town of Miami-Dade County's mainland. This is the point where thousands of vehicles...

Hollywood

Hollywood has had several face-lifts to shed its old-school image, but there's still something delightfully retro about the city. New shops...

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. High-rises (other than an observation tower named...

Homestead

Homestead has established itself as a destination for tropical agritourism and ecotourism. At the confluence of Miami and the Keys, as well...

Apalachicola

Meaning "land of the friendly people" in the language of its original Native American inhabitants, Apalachicola—known in these parts as simply...

Citrus County

The coastal and western inland areas of Citrus County north of Tampa and St. Petersburg are sometimes called the Nature Coast, and aptly so...

New Smyrna Beach

The long, dune-lined beach of this small town abuts the Canaveral National Seashore. Behind the dunes sit beach houses, small motels, and an...

Little Torch Key

Little Torch Key and its neighbor islands, Ramrod Key and Summerland Key, are good jumping-off points for divers headed for Looe Key Reef. The...

Pompano Beach

As Route A1A enters this town directly north of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the high-rise scene resumes. Sportfishing is big in Pompano Beach, as...

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie

About an hour north of Palm Beach, Fort Pierce has a distinctive rural feel—but it has a surprising number of worthwhile attractions for a town...

Cape Coral, Pine Island, and North Fort Myers

Cape Coral is determinedly trying to move from its pigeonhole as a residential community by attracting tourism with its downtown reconfiguration...

Pensacola Beach

Connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, the island offers both a Gulf front and sound side for those seeking a calmer seaside experience...

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Just north of Fort Lauderdale proper, the low-rise family resort town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea boasts shoreline access that's rapidly disappearing...

Deerfield Beach

As posh Hillsboro Mile comes to an end, Route A1A spills out onto Deerfield Beach, Broward's northernmost oceanside community. ...

Palm Beach Gardens

About 15 minutes northwest of Palm Beach is this relaxed, upscale residential community known for its high-profile golf complex, the PGA National...

Big Pine Key

Welcome to the Keys’ most natural holdout, where wildlife refuges protect rare and endangered animals. Here you have left behind the commercialism...

Cocoa

Not to be confused with the seaside community of Cocoa Beach, the small town of Cocoa sits smack-dab on mainland Florida and faces the Intracoastal...

Grayton Beach

The South Walton area continues along Scenic Highway 30A, the route that hugs the coastline of eastern Walton County. Locals sometimes refer...

Cape Canaveral

The once-bustling commercial fishing area of Port Canaveral is still home to a small shrimping fleet, charter boats, and party fishing boats...

Titusville

...

Lake Okeechobee

Rimming the western edges of Palm Beach and Martin counties, the second-largest freshwater lake completely within the United States is girdled...

Seaside

...

Crystal River

Situated along the peaceful Nature Coast, this area is the low-key getaway spot in one of the most pristine and beautiful areas in the state...

Ocala National Forest

This breathtaking, 383,000-acre national forest off Route 40 has lakes, springs, rivers, hiking trails, campgrounds, and historic sites. It...

Lake Worth

For years, tourists looked here mainly for inexpensive lodging and easy access to Palm Beach, since a bridge leads from the mainland to a barrier...

Sandestin

Much of the Miramar Beach community is consumed by the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, which sprawls over 2,400 acres from the beach to the...

Singer Island

Across the inlet from the northern end of Palm Beach is Singer Island, which is actually a peninsula that’s big enough to pass for a barrier...

Big Cypress National Preserve

Through the early 1960s, the world's largest cypress-logging operation prospered in Big Cypress Swamp until nearly all the trees were cut down...

Melbourne

Despite its dependence on the high-tech space industry, this town is decidedly laid-back. Most of the city is on the mainland, but a small portion...

Venice

This small town is crisscrossed with canals like the city for which it was named. Venice beaches are good for shell collecting, but they're...

Biscayne National Park

Occupying 172,000 acres along the southern portion of Biscayne Bay, south of Miami and north of the Florida Keys, Biscayne National Park is...

Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo

The most utilized entrance to Everglades National Park is southwest of Homestead and Florida City. If you're traveling from Miami, take State...

Dania Beach

This town at the south edge of Fort Lauderdale is probably best known for its antiques dealers, but there are other attractions as well. ...

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to Southwest Florida were even talked about, wealthy northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The inn...

Lantana

Lantana—just a bit farther south from Palm Beach than Lake Worth—has inexpensive lodging and a bridge connecting the town to its own beach on...

Shark Valley

You won’t see sharks at Shark Valley. The name originates from the Shark River, also known as the River of Grass that flows through the area...

Homosassa Springs

A little more than an hour north of Clearwater, you’ll come upon this small and friendly hub for water lovers. Along with a phenomenal manatee...

Boynton Beach

In 1884 when fewer than 50 people lived in the area, Nathan Boynton, a Civil War veteran from Michigan, paid $25 for 500 acres with a mile-long...

Bahia Honda Key

All of Bahia Honda Key is devoted to its eponymous state park, which keeps it in a pristine state. Besides the park’s outdoor activities, it...

St. George Island

Cross the long bridge leading east out of Apalachicola and then look to your right for another lengthy span that takes you south to St. George...

Gulf Coast Entrance

The park's western gateway is the most convenient entrance for travelers coming from Southwest Florida. From Naples, take U.S./Highway 41 east...

Grassy Key

Local lore has it that this sleepy little key was named not for its vegetation—mostly native trees and shrubs—but for an early settler by the...

Fort George Island

One of the oldest inhabited areas of Florida, Fort George Island is lush with foliage, natural vegetation, and wildlife. A 4-mile nature and...

Dry Tortugas National Park

The Dry Tortugas lie in the central time zone. Key West Seaplane pilots like to tell their passengers that they land 15 minutes before they...

Mayport

Dating back more than 300 years, this fishing village has several excellent and very casual seafood restaurants and markets, as well as a commercial...

Juno Beach

This small town east of Palm Beach Gardens has 2 miles of shoreline that becomes home to thousands of sea turtle hatchlings each year, making...

Duck Key

Duck Key holds one of the region's nicest marina resorts, Hawks Cay, plus a boating-oriented residential community. ...

DeFuniak Springs

This scenic spot has a rather unusual claim to fame: at its center lies a nearly perfectly symmetrical spring-fed lake, one of only two such...

Long Key

...

Tarpon Springs

...

Miami

Almost a century after the art deco movement, Miami remains one of the world's trendiest and flashiest hot spots. Luckily for visitors, South...

Northeast Coast

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part...

Walt Disney World Orlando

Orlando vacations are events that often become part of family legend. Kids and parents swap Disney or Universal stories for years, fondly reliving...

The Tampa Bay Area

If you seek a destination that's no one-trick pony, the Tampa Bay region is a spot you can't miss. Encompassing an area from Tarpon Springs...

The Florida Keys

Your Keys experience begins on your 18-mile drive south on "The Stretch," a portion of U.S. 1 with a specially colored blue median that takes...

Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

A golden stretch of the Atlantic shore, the Palm Beach area resists categorization, and for good reason: the territory stretching south to Boca...

The Panhandle

The sugar-white sands of the Panhandle's beaches stretch 227 miles from Pensacola east to Apalachicola. Sprinkle in clear emerald waters, towering...

The Lower Gulf Coast

With its subtropical climate and beckoning family-friendly beaches known for their powdery sand, calm surf, and nary a freighter in sight, Southwest...

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

It was only a matter of time before the sun-soaked streets of Fort Lauderdale faced an identity crisis. What was once a hotbed of dive bars...

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami and 90 miles from Havana, this end-of-the-line community has never been like anywhere else. Even after it was...

The Emerald Coast

On U.S. 98, several towns are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island, their waters so strikingly green against...

Fort Lauderdale

Like most of southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. Despite wariness of overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a...

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive in the theme parks, where music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy...

St. Petersburg

Nicknamed the Sunshine City, St. Pete is much more than a mass of land between the airport and the beaches. In recent years it’s seen a fierce...

The Everglades

More than 1.5 million acres of South Florida's 4.3 million acres of subtropical, watery wilderness were given national park status and protection...

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would unruly neighbors: they are big and loud, but they keep a nice lawn (and are secretly...

St. Augustine

Along the banks of the shining Matanzas River lies St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city. It shows its age with charm, its history revealed...

Tampa

Tampa, the west coast's business-and-commercial hub, has a sprinkling of high-rises and heavy traffic. A concentration of restaurants, nightlife...

Naples

Poised between the Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades, Naples belies its wild setting with the trappings of wealth—neo-Mediterranean-style mansions...

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is an underrated vacation spot. It offers appealing downtown riverside areas, handsome residential neighborhoods, a thriving arts...

SeaWorld Orlando

Just as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are much more than just a single park, the same is true of SeaWorld. The original park—which...

Key Largo

The first of the Upper Keys reachable by car, 30-mile-long Key Largo is the largest island in the chain. Key Largo—named Cayo Largo ("Long Key...

Pensacola

Pensacola consists of four distinct districts—Seville, Palafox, East Hill, and North Hill—though they’re easy to explore as a unit. Stroll down...

Daytona Beach

Best known for the Daytona 500, Daytona has been the center of automobile racing since cars were first raced along the beach here in 1902. February...

Sarasota

Sarasota is a year-round destination and home to some of Florida's most affluent residents. Circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable...

Palm Beach

Most streets around major attractions and commercial zones have free parking as well as metered spaces. If you can stake out a place between...

Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel Island is famous as one of the world's best shelling grounds, a function of the unusual east–west orientation of the island's south...

Fort Myers

The city core lies inland along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, a half hour from the nearest beach. The town is best known as the winter...

Islamorada

Early settlers named this key after their schooner, Island Home, but to make it sound more romantic they translated it into Spanish: Isla...

West Palm Beach

Once considered Palm Beach’s less privileged sibling, West Palm Beach has come into its own. Its $30 million Centennial Square waterfront complex...

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s, Panama City Beach's ample 27...

Clearwater

In Clearwater, residential areas are a buffer between the commercial zone that centers on U.S. 19 and the beach, which is moderately quiet during...

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern capital spared in the Civil War, Tallahassee has preserved...

Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach

At the northeasternmost reach of Florida, Amelia Island has beautiful beaches with enormous sand dunes along its eastern flank, a state park...

Bradenton

In 1539 Hernando de Soto landed near this Manatee River city, which has some 20 miles of beaches. Bradenton is well situated for access to fishing...

Delray Beach

A onetime artists' retreat with a small settlement of Japanese farmers, Delray has grown into a sophisticated beach town. Delray’s current popularity...

Jacksonville Beaches

Perhaps because the Intracoastal Waterway isn't all that wide where it separates the mainland from the beaches, people here aren't likely to...

Vero Beach and Sebastian

Tranquil and picturesque, this upscale Indian River County town has a strong commitment to the environment and culture, and it's also home to...

Marathon

New Englanders founded this former fishing village in the early 1800s. The community on Vaca Key subsequently served as a base for pirates,...

Boca Raton

Less than an hour south of Palm Beach and anchoring the county's south end, upscale Boca Raton has much in common with its fabled cousin. Both...

Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) anchors this sprawling town. Visitors are mostly Gator football fans and parents of students, so the styles and...

Jupiter and Vicinity

Jupiter is one of the few towns in the region not fronted by an island but still quite close to the fantastic hotels, shopping, and dining of...

Stuart and Jensen Beach

The compact town of Stuart lies on a peninsula that juts out into the St. Lucie River off the Indian River and has a remarkable amount of shoreline...

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait connecting Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. The drive on Okaloosa...

Marco Island

High-rises dominate part of the shores of Marco Island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges. Yet because of its distance from...

Everglades National Park

Established in 1947 to protect the snaking sawgrass marshes, mangroves, hardwood hammocks, and many animals that call this wilderness home,...

Cocoa Beach

After crossing a long and high bridge just east of Cocoa Village, you drop down upon a barrier island. A few miles farther and you'll reach...

Estero/Bonita Springs

Towns below Fort Myers have started to flow seamlessly into one another since the opening of Florida Gulf Coast University in San Carlos Park...

Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island)

Crammed with motels, hotels, and restaurants, Estero Island is one of Fort Myers's more frenetic Gulf playgrounds. Dolphins frequently frolic...

Fort Walton Beach

This coastal town dates from the Civil War but had to wait more than 75 years to come into its own. Loyalists to the Confederate cause organized...

Tamiami Trail

There's a long stretch of U.S. 41 (originally known as the Tamiami Trail) that traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and...

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town of Miami-Dade County's mainland. This is the point where thousands of vehicles...

Hollywood

Hollywood has had several face-lifts to shed its old-school image, but there's still something delightfully retro about the city. New shops...

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. High-rises (other than an observation tower named...

Homestead

Homestead has established itself as a destination for tropical agritourism and ecotourism. At the confluence of Miami and the Keys, as well...

Apalachicola

Meaning "land of the friendly people" in the language of its original Native American inhabitants, Apalachicola—known in these parts as simply...

Citrus County

The coastal and western inland areas of Citrus County north of Tampa and St. Petersburg are sometimes called the Nature Coast, and aptly so...

New Smyrna Beach

The long, dune-lined beach of this small town abuts the Canaveral National Seashore. Behind the dunes sit beach houses, small motels, and an...

Little Torch Key

Little Torch Key and its neighbor islands, Ramrod Key and Summerland Key, are good jumping-off points for divers headed for Looe Key Reef. The...

Pompano Beach

As Route A1A enters this town directly north of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the high-rise scene resumes. Sportfishing is big in Pompano Beach, as...

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie

About an hour north of Palm Beach, Fort Pierce has a distinctive rural feel—but it has a surprising number of worthwhile attractions for a town...

Cape Coral, Pine Island, and North Fort Myers

Cape Coral is determinedly trying to move from its pigeonhole as a residential community by attracting tourism with its downtown reconfiguration...

Pensacola Beach

Connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, the island offers both a Gulf front and sound side for those seeking a calmer seaside experience...

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Just north of Fort Lauderdale proper, the low-rise family resort town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea boasts shoreline access that's rapidly disappearing...

Deerfield Beach

As posh Hillsboro Mile comes to an end, Route A1A spills out onto Deerfield Beach, Broward's northernmost oceanside community. ...

Palm Beach Gardens

About 15 minutes northwest of Palm Beach is this relaxed, upscale residential community known for its high-profile golf complex, the PGA National...

Big Pine Key

Welcome to the Keys’ most natural holdout, where wildlife refuges protect rare and endangered animals. Here you have left behind the commercialism...

Cocoa

Not to be confused with the seaside community of Cocoa Beach, the small town of Cocoa sits smack-dab on mainland Florida and faces the Intracoastal...

Grayton Beach

The South Walton area continues along Scenic Highway 30A, the route that hugs the coastline of eastern Walton County. Locals sometimes refer...

Cape Canaveral

The once-bustling commercial fishing area of Port Canaveral is still home to a small shrimping fleet, charter boats, and party fishing boats...

Titusville

...

Lake Okeechobee

Rimming the western edges of Palm Beach and Martin counties, the second-largest freshwater lake completely within the United States is girdled...

Seaside

...

Crystal River

Situated along the peaceful Nature Coast, this area is the low-key getaway spot in one of the most pristine and beautiful areas in the state...

Ocala National Forest

This breathtaking, 383,000-acre national forest off Route 40 has lakes, springs, rivers, hiking trails, campgrounds, and historic sites. It...

Lake Worth

For years, tourists looked here mainly for inexpensive lodging and easy access to Palm Beach, since a bridge leads from the mainland to a barrier...

Sandestin

Much of the Miramar Beach community is consumed by the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, which sprawls over 2,400 acres from the beach to the...

Singer Island

Across the inlet from the northern end of Palm Beach is Singer Island, which is actually a peninsula that’s big enough to pass for a barrier...

Big Cypress National Preserve

Through the early 1960s, the world's largest cypress-logging operation prospered in Big Cypress Swamp until nearly all the trees were cut down...

Melbourne

Despite its dependence on the high-tech space industry, this town is decidedly laid-back. Most of the city is on the mainland, but a small portion...

Venice

This small town is crisscrossed with canals like the city for which it was named. Venice beaches are good for shell collecting, but they're...

Biscayne National Park

Occupying 172,000 acres along the southern portion of Biscayne Bay, south of Miami and north of the Florida Keys, Biscayne National Park is...

Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo

The most utilized entrance to Everglades National Park is southwest of Homestead and Florida City. If you're traveling from Miami, take State...

Dania Beach

This town at the south edge of Fort Lauderdale is probably best known for its antiques dealers, but there are other attractions as well. ...

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to Southwest Florida were even talked about, wealthy northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The inn...

Lantana

Lantana—just a bit farther south from Palm Beach than Lake Worth—has inexpensive lodging and a bridge connecting the town to its own beach on...

Shark Valley

You won’t see sharks at Shark Valley. The name originates from the Shark River, also known as the River of Grass that flows through the area...

Homosassa Springs

A little more than an hour north of Clearwater, you’ll come upon this small and friendly hub for water lovers. Along with a phenomenal manatee...

Boynton Beach

In 1884 when fewer than 50 people lived in the area, Nathan Boynton, a Civil War veteran from Michigan, paid $25 for 500 acres with a mile-long...

Bahia Honda Key

All of Bahia Honda Key is devoted to its eponymous state park, which keeps it in a pristine state. Besides the park’s outdoor activities, it...

St. George Island

Cross the long bridge leading east out of Apalachicola and then look to your right for another lengthy span that takes you south to St. George...

Gulf Coast Entrance

The park's western gateway is the most convenient entrance for travelers coming from Southwest Florida. From Naples, take U.S./Highway 41 east...

Grassy Key

Local lore has it that this sleepy little key was named not for its vegetation—mostly native trees and shrubs—but for an early settler by the...

Fort George Island

One of the oldest inhabited areas of Florida, Fort George Island is lush with foliage, natural vegetation, and wildlife. A 4-mile nature and...

Dry Tortugas National Park

The Dry Tortugas lie in the central time zone. Key West Seaplane pilots like to tell their passengers that they land 15 minutes before they...

Mayport

Dating back more than 300 years, this fishing village has several excellent and very casual seafood restaurants and markets, as well as a commercial...

Juno Beach

This small town east of Palm Beach Gardens has 2 miles of shoreline that becomes home to thousands of sea turtle hatchlings each year, making...

Duck Key

Duck Key holds one of the region's nicest marina resorts, Hawks Cay, plus a boating-oriented residential community. ...

DeFuniak Springs

This scenic spot has a rather unusual claim to fame: at its center lies a nearly perfectly symmetrical spring-fed lake, one of only two such...

Falling Waters State Park

...

Cabbage Key

Cabbage Key is the ultimate island-hopping escape in these parts. Some say Jimmy Buffett was inspired to write "Cheeseburger in Paradise" after...

Wekiwa Springs State Park

...

Florida Caverns State Park

...

Palm Harbor

...

Conch Key

...

Long Key

...

Tarpon Springs

...

Miami

Almost a century after the art deco movement, Miami remains one of the world's trendiest and flashiest hot spots. Luckily for visitors, South...

Walt Disney World Orlando

Orlando vacations are events that often become part of family legend. Kids and parents swap Disney or Universal stories for years, fondly reliving...

Fort Lauderdale

Like most of southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. Despite wariness of overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a...

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive in the theme parks, where music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy...

St. Petersburg

Nicknamed the Sunshine City, St. Pete is much more than a mass of land between the airport and the beaches. In recent years it’s seen a fierce...

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would unruly neighbors: they are big and loud, but they keep a nice lawn (and are secretly...

St. Augustine

Along the banks of the shining Matanzas River lies St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city. It shows its age with charm, its history revealed...

Tampa

Tampa, the west coast's business-and-commercial hub, has a sprinkling of high-rises and heavy traffic. A concentration of restaurants, nightlife...

Naples

Poised between the Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades, Naples belies its wild setting with the trappings of wealth—neo-Mediterranean-style mansions...

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is an underrated vacation spot. It offers appealing downtown riverside areas, handsome residential neighborhoods, a thriving arts...

SeaWorld Orlando

Just as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are much more than just a single park, the same is true of SeaWorld. The original park—which...

Pensacola

Pensacola consists of four distinct districts—Seville, Palafox, East Hill, and North Hill—though they’re easy to explore as a unit. Stroll down...

Daytona Beach

Best known for the Daytona 500, Daytona has been the center of automobile racing since cars were first raced along the beach here in 1902. February...

Palm Beach

Most streets around major attractions and commercial zones have free parking as well as metered spaces. If you can stake out a place between...

Sarasota

Sarasota is a year-round destination and home to some of Florida's most affluent residents. Circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable...

Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel Island is famous as one of the world's best shelling grounds, a function of the unusual east–west orientation of the island's south...

Fort Myers

The city core lies inland along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, a half hour from the nearest beach. The town is best known as the winter...

West Palm Beach

Once considered Palm Beach’s less privileged sibling, West Palm Beach has come into its own. Its $30 million Centennial Square waterfront complex...

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s, Panama City Beach's ample 27...

Clearwater

In Clearwater, residential areas are a buffer between the commercial zone that centers on U.S. 19 and the beach, which is moderately quiet during...

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern capital spared in the Civil War, Tallahassee has preserved...

Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach

At the northeasternmost reach of Florida, Amelia Island has beautiful beaches with enormous sand dunes along its eastern flank, a state park...

Delray Beach

A onetime artists' retreat with a small settlement of Japanese farmers, Delray has grown into a sophisticated beach town. Delray’s current popularity...

Bradenton

In 1539 Hernando de Soto landed near this Manatee River city, which has some 20 miles of beaches. Bradenton is well situated for access to fishing...

Jacksonville Beaches

Perhaps because the Intracoastal Waterway isn't all that wide where it separates the mainland from the beaches, people here aren't likely to...

Vero Beach and Sebastian

Tranquil and picturesque, this upscale Indian River County town has a strong commitment to the environment and culture, and it's also home to...

Jupiter and Vicinity

Jupiter is one of the few towns in the region not fronted by an island but still quite close to the fantastic hotels, shopping, and dining of...

Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) anchors this sprawling town. Visitors are mostly Gator football fans and parents of students, so the styles and...

Boca Raton

Less than an hour south of Palm Beach and anchoring the county's south end, upscale Boca Raton has much in common with its fabled cousin. Both...

Stuart and Jensen Beach

The compact town of Stuart lies on a peninsula that juts out into the St. Lucie River off the Indian River and has a remarkable amount of shoreline...

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait connecting Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. The drive on Okaloosa...

Marco Island

High-rises dominate part of the shores of Marco Island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges. Yet because of its distance from...

Cocoa Beach

After crossing a long and high bridge just east of Cocoa Village, you drop down upon a barrier island. A few miles farther and you'll reach...

Estero/Bonita Springs

Towns below Fort Myers have started to flow seamlessly into one another since the opening of Florida Gulf Coast University in San Carlos Park...

Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island)

Crammed with motels, hotels, and restaurants, Estero Island is one of Fort Myers's more frenetic Gulf playgrounds. Dolphins frequently frolic...

Hollywood

Hollywood has had several face-lifts to shed its old-school image, but there's still something delightfully retro about the city. New shops...

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. High-rises (other than an observation tower named...

Tamiami Trail

There's a long stretch of U.S. 41 (originally known as the Tamiami Trail) that traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and...

Fort Walton Beach

This coastal town dates from the Civil War but had to wait more than 75 years to come into its own. Loyalists to the Confederate cause organized...

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town of Miami-Dade County's mainland. This is the point where thousands of vehicles...

New Smyrna Beach

The long, dune-lined beach of this small town abuts the Canaveral National Seashore. Behind the dunes sit beach houses, small motels, and an...

Homestead

Homestead has established itself as a destination for tropical agritourism and ecotourism. At the confluence of Miami and the Keys, as well...

Apalachicola

Meaning "land of the friendly people" in the language of its original Native American inhabitants, Apalachicola—known in these parts as simply...

Cape Coral, Pine Island, and North Fort Myers

Cape Coral is determinedly trying to move from its pigeonhole as a residential community by attracting tourism with its downtown reconfiguration...

Pensacola Beach

Connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, the island offers both a Gulf front and sound side for those seeking a calmer seaside experience...

Pompano Beach

As Route A1A enters this town directly north of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the high-rise scene resumes. Sportfishing is big in Pompano Beach, as...

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie

About an hour north of Palm Beach, Fort Pierce has a distinctive rural feel—but it has a surprising number of worthwhile attractions for a town...

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Just north of Fort Lauderdale proper, the low-rise family resort town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea boasts shoreline access that's rapidly disappearing...

Deerfield Beach

As posh Hillsboro Mile comes to an end, Route A1A spills out onto Deerfield Beach, Broward's northernmost oceanside community. ...

Palm Beach Gardens

About 15 minutes northwest of Palm Beach is this relaxed, upscale residential community known for its high-profile golf complex, the PGA National...

Cocoa

Not to be confused with the seaside community of Cocoa Beach, the small town of Cocoa sits smack-dab on mainland Florida and faces the Intracoastal...

Cape Canaveral

The once-bustling commercial fishing area of Port Canaveral is still home to a small shrimping fleet, charter boats, and party fishing boats...

Grayton Beach

The South Walton area continues along Scenic Highway 30A, the route that hugs the coastline of eastern Walton County. Locals sometimes refer...

Titusville

...

Lake Okeechobee

Rimming the western edges of Palm Beach and Martin counties, the second-largest freshwater lake completely within the United States is girdled...

Seaside

...

South Walton

Between Destin and Panama City Beach is what many consider Florida's best-kept secret: South Walton County (or, SoWal, if you want to sound...

Lake Worth

For years, tourists looked here mainly for inexpensive lodging and easy access to Palm Beach, since a bridge leads from the mainland to a barrier...

Ocala National Forest

This breathtaking, 383,000-acre national forest off Route 40 has lakes, springs, rivers, hiking trails, campgrounds, and historic sites. It...

Singer Island

Across the inlet from the northern end of Palm Beach is Singer Island, which is actually a peninsula that’s big enough to pass for a barrier...

Crystal River

Situated along the peaceful Nature Coast, this area is the low-key getaway spot in one of the most pristine and beautiful areas in the state...

Sandestin

Much of the Miramar Beach community is consumed by the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, which sprawls over 2,400 acres from the beach to the...

Melbourne

Despite its dependence on the high-tech space industry, this town is decidedly laid-back. Most of the city is on the mainland, but a small portion...

Venice

This small town is crisscrossed with canals like the city for which it was named. Venice beaches are good for shell collecting, but they're...

Dania Beach

This town at the south edge of Fort Lauderdale is probably best known for its antiques dealers, but there are other attractions as well. ...

Homosassa Springs

A little more than an hour north of Clearwater, you’ll come upon this small and friendly hub for water lovers. Along with a phenomenal manatee...

Lantana

Lantana—just a bit farther south from Palm Beach than Lake Worth—has inexpensive lodging and a bridge connecting the town to its own beach on...

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to Southwest Florida were even talked about, wealthy northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The inn...

Boynton Beach

In 1884 when fewer than 50 people lived in the area, Nathan Boynton, a Civil War veteran from Michigan, paid $25 for 500 acres with a mile-long...

St. George Island

Cross the long bridge leading east out of Apalachicola and then look to your right for another lengthy span that takes you south to St. George...

Fort George Island

One of the oldest inhabited areas of Florida, Fort George Island is lush with foliage, natural vegetation, and wildlife. A 4-mile nature and...

Duck Key

Duck Key holds one of the region's nicest marina resorts, Hawks Cay, plus a boating-oriented residential community. ...

Mayport

Dating back more than 300 years, this fishing village has several excellent and very casual seafood restaurants and markets, as well as a commercial...

Juno Beach

This small town east of Palm Beach Gardens has 2 miles of shoreline that becomes home to thousands of sea turtle hatchlings each year, making...

DeFuniak Springs

This scenic spot has a rather unusual claim to fame: at its center lies a nearly perfectly symmetrical spring-fed lake, one of only two such...

Cabbage Key

Cabbage Key is the ultimate island-hopping escape in these parts. Some say Jimmy Buffett was inspired to write "Cheeseburger in Paradise" after...

Palm Harbor

...

Conch Key

...

Tarpon Springs

...

Miami

Almost a century after the art deco movement, Miami remains one of the world's trendiest and flashiest hot spots. Luckily for visitors, South...

Walt Disney World Orlando

Orlando vacations are events that often become part of family legend. Kids and parents swap Disney or Universal stories for years, fondly reliving...

Fort Lauderdale

Like most of southeast Florida, Fort Lauderdale has long been revitalizing. Despite wariness of overdevelopment, city leaders have allowed a...

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive in the theme parks, where music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy...

St. Petersburg

Nicknamed the Sunshine City, St. Pete is much more than a mass of land between the airport and the beaches. In recent years it’s seen a fierce...

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would unruly neighbors: they are big and loud, but they keep a nice lawn (and are secretly...

St. Augustine

Along the banks of the shining Matanzas River lies St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city. It shows its age with charm, its history revealed...

Tampa

Tampa, the west coast's business-and-commercial hub, has a sprinkling of high-rises and heavy traffic. A concentration of restaurants, nightlife...

Naples

Poised between the Gulf of Mexico and the Everglades, Naples belies its wild setting with the trappings of wealth—neo-Mediterranean-style mansions...

Jacksonville

Jacksonville is an underrated vacation spot. It offers appealing downtown riverside areas, handsome residential neighborhoods, a thriving arts...

SeaWorld Orlando

Just as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are much more than just a single park, the same is true of SeaWorld. The original park—which...

Pensacola

Pensacola consists of four distinct districts—Seville, Palafox, East Hill, and North Hill—though they’re easy to explore as a unit. Stroll down...

Daytona Beach

Best known for the Daytona 500, Daytona has been the center of automobile racing since cars were first raced along the beach here in 1902. February...

Palm Beach

Most streets around major attractions and commercial zones have free parking as well as metered spaces. If you can stake out a place between...

Sarasota

Sarasota is a year-round destination and home to some of Florida's most affluent residents. Circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable...

Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel Island is famous as one of the world's best shelling grounds, a function of the unusual east–west orientation of the island's south...

Fort Myers

The city core lies inland along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, a half hour from the nearest beach. The town is best known as the winter...

West Palm Beach

Once considered Palm Beach’s less privileged sibling, West Palm Beach has come into its own. Its $30 million Centennial Square waterfront complex...

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s, Panama City Beach's ample 27...

Clearwater

In Clearwater, residential areas are a buffer between the commercial zone that centers on U.S. 19 and the beach, which is moderately quiet during...

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern capital spared in the Civil War, Tallahassee has preserved...

Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach

At the northeasternmost reach of Florida, Amelia Island has beautiful beaches with enormous sand dunes along its eastern flank, a state park...

Delray Beach

A onetime artists' retreat with a small settlement of Japanese farmers, Delray has grown into a sophisticated beach town. Delray’s current popularity...

Bradenton

In 1539 Hernando de Soto landed near this Manatee River city, which has some 20 miles of beaches. Bradenton is well situated for access to fishing...

Jacksonville Beaches

Perhaps because the Intracoastal Waterway isn't all that wide where it separates the mainland from the beaches, people here aren't likely to...

Vero Beach and Sebastian

Tranquil and picturesque, this upscale Indian River County town has a strong commitment to the environment and culture, and it's also home to...

Jupiter and Vicinity

Jupiter is one of the few towns in the region not fronted by an island but still quite close to the fantastic hotels, shopping, and dining of...

Gainesville

The University of Florida (UF) anchors this sprawling town. Visitors are mostly Gator football fans and parents of students, so the styles and...

Boca Raton

Less than an hour south of Palm Beach and anchoring the county's south end, upscale Boca Raton has much in common with its fabled cousin. Both...

Stuart and Jensen Beach

The compact town of Stuart lies on a peninsula that juts out into the St. Lucie River off the Indian River and has a remarkable amount of shoreline...

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait connecting Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. The drive on Okaloosa...

Marco Island

High-rises dominate part of the shores of Marco Island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges. Yet because of its distance from...

Cocoa Beach

After crossing a long and high bridge just east of Cocoa Village, you drop down upon a barrier island. A few miles farther and you'll reach...

Estero/Bonita Springs

Towns below Fort Myers have started to flow seamlessly into one another since the opening of Florida Gulf Coast University in San Carlos Park...

Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island)

Crammed with motels, hotels, and restaurants, Estero Island is one of Fort Myers's more frenetic Gulf playgrounds. Dolphins frequently frolic...

Hollywood

Hollywood has had several face-lifts to shed its old-school image, but there's still something delightfully retro about the city. New shops...

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. High-rises (other than an observation tower named...

Tamiami Trail

There's a long stretch of U.S. 41 (originally known as the Tamiami Trail) that traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and...

Fort Walton Beach

This coastal town dates from the Civil War but had to wait more than 75 years to come into its own. Loyalists to the Confederate cause organized...

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town of Miami-Dade County's mainland. This is the point where thousands of vehicles...

New Smyrna Beach

The long, dune-lined beach of this small town abuts the Canaveral National Seashore. Behind the dunes sit beach houses, small motels, and an...

Homestead

Homestead has established itself as a destination for tropical agritourism and ecotourism. At the confluence of Miami and the Keys, as well...

Apalachicola

Meaning "land of the friendly people" in the language of its original Native American inhabitants, Apalachicola—known in these parts as simply...

Cape Coral, Pine Island, and North Fort Myers

Cape Coral is determinedly trying to move from its pigeonhole as a residential community by attracting tourism with its downtown reconfiguration...

Pensacola Beach

Connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, the island offers both a Gulf front and sound side for those seeking a calmer seaside experience...

Pompano Beach

As Route A1A enters this town directly north of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the high-rise scene resumes. Sportfishing is big in Pompano Beach, as...

Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie

About an hour north of Palm Beach, Fort Pierce has a distinctive rural feel—but it has a surprising number of worthwhile attractions for a town...

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Just north of Fort Lauderdale proper, the low-rise family resort town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea boasts shoreline access that's rapidly disappearing...

Deerfield Beach

As posh Hillsboro Mile comes to an end, Route A1A spills out onto Deerfield Beach, Broward's northernmost oceanside community. ...

Palm Beach Gardens

About 15 minutes northwest of Palm Beach is this relaxed, upscale residential community known for its high-profile golf complex, the PGA National...

Cocoa

Not to be confused with the seaside community of Cocoa Beach, the small town of Cocoa sits smack-dab on mainland Florida and faces the Intracoastal...

Cape Canaveral

The once-bustling commercial fishing area of Port Canaveral is still home to a small shrimping fleet, charter boats, and party fishing boats...

Grayton Beach

The South Walton area continues along Scenic Highway 30A, the route that hugs the coastline of eastern Walton County. Locals sometimes refer...

Titusville

...

Lake Okeechobee

Rimming the western edges of Palm Beach and Martin counties, the second-largest freshwater lake completely within the United States is girdled...

Seaside

...

South Walton

Between Destin and Panama City Beach is what many consider Florida's best-kept secret: South Walton County (or, SoWal, if you want to sound...

Lake Worth

For years, tourists looked here mainly for inexpensive lodging and easy access to Palm Beach, since a bridge leads from the mainland to a barrier...

Ocala National Forest

This breathtaking, 383,000-acre national forest off Route 40 has lakes, springs, rivers, hiking trails, campgrounds, and historic sites. It...

Singer Island

Across the inlet from the northern end of Palm Beach is Singer Island, which is actually a peninsula that’s big enough to pass for a barrier...

Crystal River

Situated along the peaceful Nature Coast, this area is the low-key getaway spot in one of the most pristine and beautiful areas in the state...

Sandestin

Much of the Miramar Beach community is consumed by the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, which sprawls over 2,400 acres from the beach to the...

Melbourne

Despite its dependence on the high-tech space industry, this town is decidedly laid-back. Most of the city is on the mainland, but a small portion...

Venice

This small town is crisscrossed with canals like the city for which it was named. Venice beaches are good for shell collecting, but they're...

Dania Beach

This town at the south edge of Fort Lauderdale is probably best known for its antiques dealers, but there are other attractions as well. ...

Homosassa Springs

A little more than an hour north of Clearwater, you’ll come upon this small and friendly hub for water lovers. Along with a phenomenal manatee...

Lantana

Lantana—just a bit farther south from Palm Beach than Lake Worth—has inexpensive lodging and a bridge connecting the town to its own beach on...

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to Southwest Florida were even talked about, wealthy northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The inn...

Boynton Beach

In 1884 when fewer than 50 people lived in the area, Nathan Boynton, a Civil War veteran from Michigan, paid $25 for 500 acres with a mile-long...

St. George Island

Cross the long bridge leading east out of Apalachicola and then look to your right for another lengthy span that takes you south to St. George...

Fort George Island

One of the oldest inhabited areas of Florida, Fort George Island is lush with foliage, natural vegetation, and wildlife. A 4-mile nature and...

Duck Key

Duck Key holds one of the region's nicest marina resorts, Hawks Cay, plus a boating-oriented residential community. ...

Mayport

Dating back more than 300 years, this fishing village has several excellent and very casual seafood restaurants and markets, as well as a commercial...

Juno Beach

This small town east of Palm Beach Gardens has 2 miles of shoreline that becomes home to thousands of sea turtle hatchlings each year, making...

DeFuniak Springs

This scenic spot has a rather unusual claim to fame: at its center lies a nearly perfectly symmetrical spring-fed lake, one of only two such...

Cabbage Key

Cabbage Key is the ultimate island-hopping escape in these parts. Some say Jimmy Buffett was inspired to write "Cheeseburger in Paradise" after...

Palm Harbor

...

Conch Key

...

Tarpon Springs

...

Northeast Coast

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part...

The Tampa Bay Area

If you seek a destination that's no one-trick pony, the Tampa Bay region is a spot you can't miss. Encompassing an area from Tarpon Springs...

The Florida Keys

Your Keys experience begins on your 18-mile drive south on "The Stretch," a portion of U.S. 1 with a specially colored blue median that takes...

Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

A golden stretch of the Atlantic shore, the Palm Beach area resists categorization, and for good reason: the territory stretching south to Boca...

The Panhandle

The sugar-white sands of the Panhandle's beaches stretch 227 miles from Pensacola east to Apalachicola. Sprinkle in clear emerald waters, towering...

The Lower Gulf Coast

With its subtropical climate and beckoning family-friendly beaches known for their powdery sand, calm surf, and nary a freighter in sight, Southwest...

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

It was only a matter of time before the sun-soaked streets of Fort Lauderdale faced an identity crisis. What was once a hotbed of dive bars...

The Emerald Coast

On U.S. 98, several towns are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island, their waters so strikingly green against...

The Everglades

More than 1.5 million acres of South Florida's 4.3 million acres of subtropical, watery wilderness were given national park status and protection...

Citrus County

The coastal and western inland areas of Citrus County north of Tampa and St. Petersburg are sometimes called the Nature Coast, and aptly so...

Northeast Coast

For many travelers, Florida is about fantasy, thanks in no small part to Central Florida's make-believe kingdoms. But the northeastern part...

The Tampa Bay Area

If you seek a destination that's no one-trick pony, the Tampa Bay region is a spot you can't miss. Encompassing an area from Tarpon Springs...

The Florida Keys

Your Keys experience begins on your 18-mile drive south on "The Stretch," a portion of U.S. 1 with a specially colored blue median that takes...

Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

A golden stretch of the Atlantic shore, the Palm Beach area resists categorization, and for good reason: the territory stretching south to Boca...

The Panhandle

The sugar-white sands of the Panhandle's beaches stretch 227 miles from Pensacola east to Apalachicola. Sprinkle in clear emerald waters, towering...

The Lower Gulf Coast

With its subtropical climate and beckoning family-friendly beaches known for their powdery sand, calm surf, and nary a freighter in sight, Southwest...

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

It was only a matter of time before the sun-soaked streets of Fort Lauderdale faced an identity crisis. What was once a hotbed of dive bars...

The Emerald Coast

On U.S. 98, several towns are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island, their waters so strikingly green against...

The Everglades

More than 1.5 million acres of South Florida's 4.3 million acres of subtropical, watery wilderness were given national park status and protection...

Citrus County

The coastal and western inland areas of Citrus County north of Tampa and St. Petersburg are sometimes called the Nature Coast, and aptly so...

Everglades National Park

Established in 1947 to protect the snaking sawgrass marshes, mangroves, hardwood hammocks, and many animals that call this wilderness home,...

Biscayne National Park

Occupying 172,000 acres along the southern portion of Biscayne Bay, south of Miami and north of the Florida Keys, Biscayne National Park is...

Big Cypress National Preserve

Through the early 1960s, the world's largest cypress-logging operation prospered in Big Cypress Swamp until nearly all the trees were cut down...

Dry Tortugas National Park

The Dry Tortugas lie in the central time zone. Key West Seaplane pilots like to tell their passengers that they land 15 minutes before they...

Florida Caverns State Park

...

Falling Waters State Park

...

Wekiwa Springs State Park

...

Everglades National Park

Established in 1947 to protect the snaking sawgrass marshes, mangroves, hardwood hammocks, and many animals that call this wilderness home,...

Biscayne National Park

Occupying 172,000 acres along the southern portion of Biscayne Bay, south of Miami and north of the Florida Keys, Biscayne National Park is...

Big Cypress National Preserve

Through the early 1960s, the world's largest cypress-logging operation prospered in Big Cypress Swamp until nearly all the trees were cut down...

Dry Tortugas National Park

The Dry Tortugas lie in the central time zone. Key West Seaplane pilots like to tell their passengers that they land 15 minutes before they...

Florida Caverns State Park

...

Falling Waters State Park

...

Wekiwa Springs State Park

...

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami and 90 miles from Havana, this end-of-the-line community has never been like anywhere else. Even after it was...

Key Largo

The first of the Upper Keys reachable by car, 30-mile-long Key Largo is the largest island in the chain. Key Largo—named Cayo Largo ("Long Key...

Islamorada

Early settlers named this key after their schooner, Island Home, but to make it sound more romantic they translated it into Spanish: Isla...

Marathon

New Englanders founded this former fishing village in the early 1800s. The community on Vaca Key subsequently served as a base for pirates,...

Little Torch Key

Little Torch Key and its neighbor islands, Ramrod Key and Summerland Key, are good jumping-off points for divers headed for Looe Key Reef. The...

Big Pine Key

Welcome to the Keys’ most natural holdout, where wildlife refuges protect rare and endangered animals. Here you have left behind the commercialism...

Bahia Honda Key

All of Bahia Honda Key is devoted to its eponymous state park, which keeps it in a pristine state. Besides the park’s outdoor activities, it...

Grassy Key

Local lore has it that this sleepy little key was named not for its vegetation—mostly native trees and shrubs—but for an early settler by the...

Long Key

...

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami and 90 miles from Havana, this end-of-the-line community has never been like anywhere else. Even after it was...

Key Largo

The first of the Upper Keys reachable by car, 30-mile-long Key Largo is the largest island in the chain. Key Largo—named Cayo Largo ("Long Key...

Islamorada

Early settlers named this key after their schooner, Island Home, but to make it sound more romantic they translated it into Spanish: Isla...

Marathon

New Englanders founded this former fishing village in the early 1800s. The community on Vaca Key subsequently served as a base for pirates,...

Little Torch Key

Little Torch Key and its neighbor islands, Ramrod Key and Summerland Key, are good jumping-off points for divers headed for Looe Key Reef. The...

Big Pine Key

Welcome to the Keys’ most natural holdout, where wildlife refuges protect rare and endangered animals. Here you have left behind the commercialism...

Bahia Honda Key

All of Bahia Honda Key is devoted to its eponymous state park, which keeps it in a pristine state. Besides the park’s outdoor activities, it...

Grassy Key

Local lore has it that this sleepy little key was named not for its vegetation—mostly native trees and shrubs—but for an early settler by the...

Long Key

...

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Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

Miami

Northeast Coast

Orlando

Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

SeaWorld Orlando

The Everglades

The Florida Keys

The Lower Gulf Coast

The Panhandle

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The 7 Most Relaxing Hotels in Key Largo

Jill Martin

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Hotels That Serve Up the Best Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys

Jill Martin

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Forget the Amusement Parks. Head to 10 of Florida’s Most Under-the-Radar Tourist Attractions

Tarah Chieffi

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25 Ultimate Things to Do at Walt Disney World

Deanne Revel

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No, You Can’t Attend Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. But You Can Still See the Balloons in Person

Deanne Revel

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Meet the Baby Animals Who Live at Walt Disney World

Tarah Chieffi

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Christmas at Walt Disney World Will Look VERY Different This Year

Deanne Revel

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10 Things You MUST Do If You’re Going to Disney World or Universal Orlando During COVID

Tarah Chieffi

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48 Hours Under $48: How to Explore Miami on a Budget

Lauren Monitz

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10 Disney World Hiding Spots for Toddlers (or Even Adults) to Catch a Quick Nap

Erin Hueffner

Erin Hueffner

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Do You Need to Be Afraid of Flesh-Eating Bacteria on Florida Beaches?

Audrey Farnsworth

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The 12 Best Beaches in Miami

Samantha Shea

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EPCOT Is in the Midst of a Major Overhaul. These Are the New ‘Can’t Miss’ Experiences

Tarah Chieffi

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This Is What a Disney World Wedding Is REALLY Like (and How Much It REALLY Costs)

Deanne Revel

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A Genius of the South: The Zora Neale Hurston Museum Explores the Brilliant Writer

Penny Musco

Coronavirus

Thinking About a Post-Pandemic Disney World Trip? You Should Expect a Lot of Changes

Tarah Chieffi

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Here’s How Walt Disney World Is Honoring Black History Month

Tarah Chieffi

Coronavirus

Dear Non-Residents, Cancel Your Vaccine Vacation to Florida

Apeksha Bhateja

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It Will Be Way Easier to Get to Walt Disney World in 2022

Deanne Revel

Coronavirus

The 3 Pros and 3 Cons of Going to Universal Orlando Right Now

Dan Renzi

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The Perfect Weekend Getway: The Palm Beaches From Tampa

Terry Ward

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COVID Has Already Complicated Walt Disney World, but Is the NBA Bubble Making It Worse?

Julie Tremaine

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Secret Florida: 9 Places You Never Knew You Needed to See

Audrey Farnsworth

Coronavirus

This Is What Disney World Is Like Right Now: It’s Open but Not All Are Following the Rules

Deanne Revel

Where to Weekend

The Perfect Weekend Getaway: The Emerald Coast From Atlanta

Kayla Becker

Where to Weekend

The Perfect Weekend Getaway: St. Augustine From Atlanta

Kaelin Dodge

Beaches

The Best Florida Beaches You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Kayla Becker

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This Florida Town Is the Real-Life ‘Truman Show’

Kayla Becker

Arts & Culture

Here’s Another Reason to Be Afraid of Florida

Audrey Farnsworth

Cameron Quincy Todd

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Fodor's Florida
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Whether you want to snorkel in the Keys, relax on Miami Beach, or tour the Everglades, the...

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Fodor's The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the USA: All 63 parks from Maine to American Samoa
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Fodor's Best Weekend Road Trips
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Fodor's Walt Disney World: with Universal & the Best of Orlando
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