Miami

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

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

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami, 90 miles from Havana, and an immeasurable distance from sanity, this end-of-the-line community has never been

Fort Lauderdale

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

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would an unruly neighbor: it's big and loud, but it keeps a nice lawn (and they secretly

South Beach

The hub of Miami Beach is South Beach (better known as SoBe), with its energetic Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue. Here life

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive on property. Mood music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy, subtle

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

Magic Kingdom

Whether you arrive at the Magic Kingdom via monorail, boat, or bus, it's hard to escape that surge of excitement or suppress that smile upon

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

Tampa

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

Epcot

Walt Disney said that Epcot would "take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American

Old Town

The heart of Key West, the historic Old Town area runs from White Street to the waterfront. Beginning in 1822, wharves, warehouses, chandleries

Jacksonville

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

Naples

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

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

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

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

Islamorada

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

Clearwater

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

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

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

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road, the so-called Miracle Strip, is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s

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

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

Disney's Animal Kingdom

If you're thinking, "Oh, it's just another zoo, let's skip it," think again. Walt Disney World's fourth theme park, opened in 1998, takes its

West Palm Beach

Long considered Palm Beach’s less privileged stepsister, West Palm Beach has come into its own over the past 35 years, and just in this millennium

Disney's Hollywood Studios

The first thing you notice when you pass through the Hollywood Studios turnstiles is the laid-back California attitude. Palm-lined Hollywood

Downtown Miami

Downtown Miami dazzles from a distance. America’s third-largest skyline is fluid, thanks to the sheer number of sparkling glass high-rises between

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

Disney Springs

East of Epcot and close to Interstate 4 along a large lake, this shopping, dining, and entertainment complex soon to be known as Disney Springs

Central Orlando

There's more to Orlando than theme parks: a thriving Downtown with ample opportunity to stay, eat, and play. Internationally recognized cultural

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

Universal Studios

Inspired by the California original and opened in Orlando in 1990 (when the city assumed it would become "Hollywood East"), Universal Studios

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

Coral Gables

You can easily spot Coral Gables from the window of a Miami-bound jetliner—just look for the massive orange tower of the Biltmore Hotel rising

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is Florida with a Southern accent. It maintains a tranquillity quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern

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

Islands of Adventure

More so than just about any other theme park, Islands of Adventure has gone all out to create settings and attractions that transport you from

SeaWorld

Just as you wouldn't expect to arrive at Disney and see nothing but Mickey Mouse, don't expect to arrive at SeaWorld and see only Shamu. Only

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

Gainesville

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

North Beach

Though often referred to collectively as "North Beach," there are several neighborhoods above Mid-Beach before reaching the Dade-Broward border

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

Hollywood

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

Coconut Grove

A former haven for writers and artists, Coconut Grove has never quite outgrown its image as a small village. You can still feel the bohemian

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

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait that connects Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. Destin takes its

Mid-Beach

Where does South Beach end and Mid-Beach begin? With the massive amount of money being spent on former 1950s pleasure palaces like the Fontainebleau

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

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

Universal CityWalk

With an attitude that's distinctly non-Disney, Universal has created nightlife for adults who want to party. The epicenter is CityWalk, a 30

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

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

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

Fort Walton Beach

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

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town on the Miami-Dade County mainland, spilling thousands of vehicles onto U.S. 1

Everglades National Park

If you're heading across South Florida on U.S. 41 from Miami to Naples, you'll breeze right through the Everglades. Also known as Tamiami Trail

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. No high-rises (other than an observation tower

Aquatica

Just across International Drive from SeaWorld, Aquatica is the 60-acre water park that does a wonderful job angling water-park lovers away from

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

North of Fort Lauderdale's Birch Recreation Area, Route A1A edges away from the beach through a stretch known as Galt Ocean Mile, and a succession

Typhoon Lagoon

The beauty of Disney's water parks is that you can make either experience fit your mood. Like crowds? Head for the lounge chairs along the Surf

Homestead

Since recovering from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Homestead has redefined itself as a destination for tropical agro- and ecotourism. At a crossroads

Little Havana

First settled en masse by Cubans in the early 1960s, after Cuba's Communist revolution, Little Havana is a predominantly working-class area

Wynwood

North of Downtown, the formerly downtrodden Wynwood neighborhood has arrived, with an impressive mix of one-of-a-kind shops and art galleries

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

Jacksonville Beach

This family-friendly beach community has blossomed in recent years and remains busy during the spring and summer. The municipal Seawalk Pavilion

Blizzard Beach

With its oxymoronic name, Blizzard Beach promises the seemingly impossible—a seaside playground with an alpine theme. As with its older cousin

Tamiami Trail

An 80-mile stretch of U.S. 41 (known as the Tamiami Trail) traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve

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

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

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

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

Discovery Cove

If you were pleasantly surprised by the pace at SeaWorld, believe it or not, you’ll find it’s even slower at Discovery Cove. Here your mission

Pensacola Beach

One of the longest barrier islands in the world, Pensacola Beach offers a low-key, family-friendly feel with many local hangouts, fishing galore

Apalachicola

It feels like a long haul between Panama City Beach and here. Add an odd name and a town's below-the-radar reputation to that long drive and

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

Bal Harbour

At 96th Street, the town of Bal Harbour takes over Collins Avenue from Miami Beach. Bal Harbour is famous for its outdoor high-end shops; and

Cape Canaveral

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

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

Design District

North of Midtown, from about Northeast 38th to Northeast 42nd streets and across the other side of Interstate 195, the Design District ( www

Grayton Beach

Inland, pine forests and hardwoods surround the area's 14 dune lakes, giving anglers ample spots to drop a line and kayakers a peaceful refuge

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

Deerfield Beach

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

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

Seaside

This thriving planned community with old-fashioned Victorian architecture, brick streets, restaurants, retail stores, and a surfeit of art galleries

New Town

The Overseas Highway splits as it enters Key West, the two forks rejoining to encircle New Town, the area east of White Street to Cow Key Channel

Key Biscayne

Once upon a time, the two barrier islands that make up the village of Key Biscayne (Key Biscayne itself and Virginia Key) were outposts for

Kissimmee

Although Kissimmee is primarily known as the gateway to Disney (technically, the vast Disney property of theme parks and resorts lies in both

Ocala National Forest

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

Lake Okeechobee

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

Aventura

West of Sunny Isles Beach and on the mainland are the high-rises of Aventura. This city is the heart and soul of South Florida’s Jewish community

Winter Park

This peaceful, upscale community may be just outside the hustle and bustle of Orlando, but it feels like a different country. The town's name

Titusville

It's unusual that such a small, easily overlooked community could accommodate what it does, namely the magnificent Merritt Island National Wildlife

Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo

The most utilized access to Everglades National Park is via the park headquarters entrance southwest of Homestead and Florida City. If you're

Sandestin

The resort community of Sandestin offers a one-stop shop for a family or quiet getaway offering everything from stunning golf courses to exceptional

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

Ponte Vedra Beach

Although this upscale coastal community 18 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville is primarily known for its golf courses and swanky homes

Atlantic Beach

Beautiful sand and plentiful activities keep tourists coming back to this relatively tranquil, mostly residential, beach community. You can

International Drive Area

Big Cypress National Preserve

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Shark Valley

You won’t see sharks at Shark Valley. The name comes from the Shark River, also called the River of Grass, flowing through the area. Several

Neptune Beach

One of the quieter and less crowded beach towns in the area is a great destination if you want to escape for the day from the more crowded sands

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to the Lower Gulf Coast were even talked about, wealthy Northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The

Boynton Beach

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

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

Little Haiti

Once a small farming community, Little Haiti is the heart and soul of Haitian society in the United States. In fact, Miami's Little Haiti is

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

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

Sunny Isles Beach

Beyond Haulover Beach (and on the same barrier island) is the town of Sunny Isles Beach. Once over the bridge, Collins Avenue bypasses several

Midtown

Northeast of Wynwood, Midtown ( www.midtownmiami.com ) lies between Northeast 29th and 36th streets, from North Miami Avenue to Northeast 2nd

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

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

St. George Island

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

Gulf Coast Entrance

To reach the park's western gateway, take U.S. 41 west from Miami for 77 miles, turn left (south) onto Route 29, and travel another 3 miles

Fisher and Belle Islands

A private island community near the southern tip of South Beach, Fisher Island is accessible only by the island’s ferry service. The island

Sanford

Wet 'n Wild

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.

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

WDW Resorts

Mayport

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

West Miami-Dade

Miami’s inland communities offer a glimpse into South Florida residential life. In West Miami-Dade, it’s more about golf courses, sports venues

North Miami Beach

Don’t let the name fool you. North Miami Beach actually isn’t on the beach, but its southeastern end does abut Biscayne Bay. Beyond the popular

Florida Caverns State Park

A short drive from the center of Marianna, a cute and pristine community, you can see what's behind or—more accurately—what's beneath it all.

North Miami

This suburban city, north of Miami proper, is comprised predominantly of older homes in its western reaches—many derelict—but also some snazzy

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

Bok Tower Gardens

Celebration

Falling Waters State Park

This site of a Civil War–era whiskey distillery and, later, an exotic plant nursery (some species still thrive in the wild) is best known for

Long Key

Conch Key

Legoland

Palm Harbor

Maitland

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Mount Dora

Tarpon Springs

Miami

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

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 pretentious overdevelopment, city leaders have

Orlando

Most Orlando locals look at the theme parks as they would an unruly neighbor: it's big and loud, but it keeps a nice lawn (and they secretly

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando’s personality is revealed the moment you arrive on property. Mood music, cartoonish architecture, abundant eye candy, subtle

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

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

Tampa

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

Jacksonville

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

Naples

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

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

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

Clearwater

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

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

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

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

Panama City Beach

Although Front Beach Road, the so-called Miracle Strip, is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s

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

West Palm Beach

Long considered Palm Beach’s less privileged stepsister, West Palm Beach has come into its own over the past 35 years, and just in this millennium

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

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

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

Tallahassee

Tallahassee is Florida with a Southern accent. It maintains a tranquillity quite different from the sun-and-surf coastal towns. The only Southern

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

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

Gainesville

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

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

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

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

Hollywood

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

Destin

Fort Walton Beach's "neighbor" lies on the other side of the strait that connects Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. Destin takes its

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

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

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

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

Everglades City

Aside from a chain gas station or two, Everglades City retains its Old Florida authenticity. No high-rises (other than an observation tower

Florida City

Florida's Turnpike ends in Florida City, the southernmost town on the Miami-Dade County mainland, spilling thousands of vehicles onto U.S. 1

Fort Walton Beach

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

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

North of Fort Lauderdale's Birch Recreation Area, Route A1A edges away from the beach through a stretch known as Galt Ocean Mile, and a succession

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

Since recovering from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Homestead has redefined itself as a destination for tropical agro- and ecotourism. At a crossroads

Tamiami Trail

An 80-mile stretch of U.S. 41 (known as the Tamiami Trail) traverses the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve

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

Apalachicola

It feels like a long haul between Panama City Beach and here. Add an odd name and a town's below-the-radar reputation to that long drive and

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

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

Pensacola Beach

One of the longest barrier islands in the world, Pensacola Beach offers a low-key, family-friendly feel with many local hangouts, fishing galore

Cape Canaveral

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

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

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

Deerfield Beach

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

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

Seaside

This thriving planned community with old-fashioned Victorian architecture, brick streets, restaurants, retail stores, and a surfeit of art galleries

Grayton Beach

Inland, pine forests and hardwoods surround the area's 14 dune lakes, giving anglers ample spots to drop a line and kayakers a peaceful refuge

Ocala National Forest

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

Lake Okeechobee

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

Titusville

It's unusual that such a small, easily overlooked community could accommodate what it does, namely the magnificent Merritt Island National Wildlife

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

Sandestin

The resort community of Sandestin offers a one-stop shop for a family or quiet getaway offering everything from stunning golf courses to exceptional

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

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

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

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.

Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande)

Before roads to the Lower Gulf Coast were even talked about, wealthy Northerners came by train to spend the winter at the Gasparilla Inn. The

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

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

Boynton Beach

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

St. George Island

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

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

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

Mayport

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

Duck Key

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

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 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

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

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 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, the

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

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, each with its own personality, are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island. The

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

If you're heading across South Florida on U.S. 41 from Miami to Naples, you'll breeze right through the Everglades. Also known as Tamiami Trail

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 industry 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

A short drive from the center of Marianna, a cute and pristine community, you can see what's behind or—more accurately—what's beneath it all.

Falling Waters State Park

This site of a Civil War–era whiskey distillery and, later, an exotic plant nursery (some species still thrive in the wild) is best known for

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Key West

Situated 150 miles from Miami, 90 miles from Havana, and an immeasurable distance from sanity, this end-of-the-line community has never been

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