The world’s most visited travel destination dangles with its 660 miles of sandy beaches, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida has its own set of tropical islands, the Keys, and the nation’s only living coral reef system.
The Sunshine State also is home to 14 deep-water ports, more first magnitude blue springs than any other state, and 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways. Florida is second only to Alaska, in its number of islands greater than 10 acres, and about 1,700 of Florida’s 4,500 islands lie within the turquoise waters of the Keys.
But those desirable features are only part of what makes Florida popular – home to thrilling theme parks, exquisite architecture, rich culture and the nation’s foremost space launch site. Rugged individualists and visionary leaders, including Henry Flagler, John Ringling, Addison Mizner, John Audubon, Wernher Von Braun and Walt Disney, helped tame, shape and preserve this singular peninsula.
Early History of the Sunshine State
The brutal beginnings of Florida’s early exploration by Ponce de Leon and other conquistadors led to a slow pioneering of the fierce mosquito-ridden land, where only the strong and determined could survive the heat to herd cows, grow sugar cane and citrus, cut lumber and harvest pine resin. The advent of steamboats and then Flagler’s railroad finally opened the Florida coast up to tourism and a land boom.
The cannon-ball-scarred, bullet-pocked, coquina walls of St. Augustine’s Castillo de San Marco are testament to the state’s bloody beginnings. Thanks to the passion of Paul Kroegel, and other naturalists, Pelican Island, was designated as the first national wildlife refuge in 1903, and a number of natural areas have been preserved since that time.
Florida has its share of Greek Revival style homes from its antebellum past, but it’s the Mediterranean-style architecture of Addison Mizner and other early 20th Century architects that’s a signature for many of the state’s most affluent communities, including Boca Raton, Palm Beach and Coral Gables.
Florida's Modern Attractions
Walt Disney, and his contemporary Wernher Von Braun inspired the rapid transformation of Central Florida, with the creation of Walt Disney World and Kennedy Space Center. The synergy of the theme parks and the space program continues today, with breakthroughs in virtual reality and other technologies both for entertainment and exploration.
Mixed with cutting edge and historic aspects is Florida’s laid-back and wacky side. Classic family friendly destinations, such as Marineland and Gatorland are still going strong, and a new classic, Kissimmee's Old Town, offers kitschy, old-fashioned fun. In addition, there are numerous roadside oddities not to be missed, including the Coral Castle, built rock-by-rock over a period of 28 years, by a man driven by unrequited love.
Florida, South Florida in particular, continues to see an influx of Latino and Caribbean immigrants, which has brought spice and variety to the state’s culture, music and food. If you want a Spanish language immersion experience you need only visit Little Havana in Miami.
And for a bit of Southern flavor there’s North Florida. As the saying goes, the farther north you go in Florida, the more Southern it gets.
Fortunately, VISIT FLORIDA offers a plethora of great deals for those who want to make the most of their Florida vacation dollar, no matter what their budget. Consumers can search "featured deals" for discounts currently being offered by Florida hotels, resorts, restaurants, attractions, etc. The deal search engine will even allow you to search such various interests such as "boating," "nature," or "music."
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