Florida Tourist Attractions : Where To Go & When To Go

Where To Go

Heat-induced lethargy is no excuse not to get out and explore the different facets of Florida, as the state is compact enough to be toured easily and quickly. The Essential Stop is Miami, whose addictive, cosmopolitan vibe is enriched by its large Hispanic population, and where the much-photographed Art Deco district of South Beach provides an unmistakable backdrop for the state’s liveliest nightclubs.

For Miami, a simple journey south brings you to the Florida Keys, a hundred-mile string of islands of which each has something to call its own, be it sport fishing, coral-reef diving, or a unique species of dwarf deer. The single road spanning the Kets comes to a halt at Key West, a blob of land that’s legendary for its sunsets and anything-goes attitude. North from Miami, much of the southeast coast is a disappointingly urbanized strip - commuter territory better suited for living in rather than visiting. Alongside the busy towns, however, beaches flow for many unbroken miles and finally escape the residential stranglehold along the northeast coast, where communities are often subservient to the sands that flank them.

When you’re tired of beach life and ocean views, make a short hop inland, where the verdant terrain features cattle farms, grassy hillsides, and isolated villages beside expansive lakes. The sole but rather dramatic disruption to this rural idyll are the theme parks around Orlando, notably Walt Disney World, which practices tourism on the scale of the infinite.

If you’re in the mood, you can indulge in its ingenious fix of escapist fun; if not, the upfront commercialism may well encourage you to skip north to the deep forest of the Panhandle, Florida’s link with the Deep South - or to the art-rich towns and sunset0kissed beaches of the northwest and southwest coasts.

Explore these at your leisure as you progress steadily south to the Everglades, a massive, alligator-filled swathe of saw-grass plain, mangrove islands, and cypress swamp, which provides as definitive a statement of Florida’s natural beauty as you’ll encounter.

When To Go

You’ll have to take into account Florida’s climate - and, of course, what your goals are - when deciding on the best time for a visit. Florida is split into 2 climatic zones: subtropical in the south and warm temperate - like the rest of the southeastern US - in the north. These 2 zones determine the state’s tourist seasons and can affect costs accordingly.

Anywhere south of Orlando experiences very mid winters (NOV TO APRIL), with pleasantly warm temperatures and a low level of humidity. This is the peak period for tourist activity, with prices at their highest and crowds at their thickest. It also marks the best time to visit the inland parks and swamps.

The southern summer (MAY TO OCT) seems hotter than it really is because of the extremely high humidity, relieved only by afternoon thunderstorms and sometimes even hurricanes; at this time of year you’ll be lucky to see a blue sky. Lower prices and fewer tourist are the rewards for braving the mugginess, though mosquitoes can render the natural areas off-limits.

Winter is the off-peak period north of Orlando; in all probability, the only chill you’ll detect is a slight nip in the evening air, though it’s worth bearing in mind that at this time of year the sea is really too cold for swimming, and snow has been known to fall in the Panhandle. The Northern Florida summer is when the crowds arrive, and when the days and the nights can be almost as hot and sticky as southern Florida.

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