 Visit Florida USAVisit Florida USA
Where to go and what to see
  Florida is a state located in the Southeastern United States. It borders Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. Much of the state's land mass is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Florida Straits and Caribbean to the south. Florida was admitted as the 27th U.S. state in 1845, after a three hundred year period of European rule.
With an area of 65,755 square miles (170,305 km2), Florida is ranked 22nd in size among the 50 U.S. states. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, encompassing approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km). Florida
state has four large urban areas, a number of smaller industrial cities, and many small towns.
 Florida is nicknamed the "Sunshine State" because of its generally warm climate—subtropical in the northern
Florida and central
Florida regions of the state, with a true tropical climate in the southern Florida
portion. Florida is one of two states containing an area with a tropical climate, the other being Hawaii which is wholly tropical. The United States Census Bureau confirmed that the Florida
state population was 18,801,310 on April 1, 2010, ranking Florida as the fourth most populous state in the
U.S. Tallahassee is the Florida
state capital, Jacksonville is the largest city, and the
South Florida metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area.
If you're planning a self-drive holiday in America or Canada, you should see this folder
Florida beaches are one of the most popular attractions, along with some of the world's best known theme parks, including
Disney
World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. However some of Florida's best secrets are in secluded locations away for tourist areas and well worth seeing. Regardless of preference Florida has something to offer for any kind of traveler.
Visit Florida By plane
- Miami International Airport - the biggest airport for travel in South
Florida, and the best option for trips to the
Everglades or Miami's beaches.
- Tampa International Airport-serves the Gulf Coast, namely the Tampa Bay area. Has a direct flight operated by British Airways to/from London Gatwick. Also international flights to Canada, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. Rated #1 US Airport overall.
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport - the fourth largest airport in Florida and another valid option with many domestic low fare carriers.
Other large airports in Florida can be found in: Jacksonville, Fort Myers,
Tallahassee, St.Petersburg/Clearwater, West Palm Beach, Sarasota, Key West, Gainesville, Melbourne, and Sanford. Be aware that there are many more airports throughout Florida that may get you closer to your ultimate destination; watch out for these smaller airports while researching your destination.
Visit Florida By train
- Amtrak Auto Train carries passengers and automobiles between Lorton,
Virginia and Sanford, Florida, effectively serving as a car-rail link to Florida from the
Washington, D.C. Metro Area.
- Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor (Trains 91-92 and 97-98 respectively) - both routes begin in
New York City and end in Miami Florida. While the two routes are slightly different, within the borders of the state of Florida, the routes are exactly the same. This option can get you from most Florida
East Coast cities to Miami, or many Florida cities in between.
Visit Florida By car
Three Interstate highways connect Florida with adjacent states
- Interstate 95 enters Florida from Georgia just north of Jacksonville and parallels the Atlantic coast (never more than 25 miles) until its southern terminus south of the Miami CBD. Interstate 95 provides the most convenient route for persons from the Atlantic Coast, New England, and the Canadian maritime provinces. Jacksonville,
Daytona Beach, and the Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area are all serviced by I-95, with access to Orlando provided via I-4
- Interstate 75 also enters Florida from Georgia and passes through the center of the state until the Tampa Bay area, after which it follows 10-20mi inland from the Gulf of Mexico until Naples, after which it heads due east to Ft.Lauderdale. Interstate 75 is most convenient for travelers arriving from Atlanta and the Midwest.
- Interstate 10 enters Florida from Alabama near Pensacola and passes through the center of the Panhandle and through northern Florida until its terminus in Jacksonville. Interstate 10 is most convenient for travelers from Louisiana, Texas, and areas further west.
Additional major highways entering Florida include,
- US 1 enters Florida north of Jacksonville and snakes along the east coast between Interstate 95 and the Intercoastal Waterway/Atlantic Ocean. Unlike I-95, US 1 continues past Miami and is routed over a series of bridges connecting the Florida Keys to its terminus at Key West.
- US 231 enters Florida from Alabama (where it connects with Interstate 65 in Montgomery) and crosses the Panhandle north-south to its southern terminus at Panama City. US 231 provides convenient access to the Panhandle from the Midwest (via I-65).
- US 98 enters Florida near Pensacola and remains close to the Gulf of Mexico coast until the base of the Florida peninsula("Big Bend" area). Unlike I-10 to the north ,which runs through the interior of the peninsula and away from the coast, US 98 provides convenient access to the coast and this section is very scenic. After the Panhandle, US 98 runs diagonally across the peninsula to West Palm Beach, running through primarily rural areas.
- US 27 enters Florida from western Georgia, provides access to the state capital, Tallahassee, before routing through mostly rural areas of the peninsula. Between the Florida Turnpike and Miami, US 27 is a primary trucking route through the center of the state and, while two or three lane and having high speed limits, this route can be a hassle dealing with trucks and large volumes of traffic through this section.
Visit Florida By boat
Florida is possibly the largest state for cruise ship embarkation in the United States.
Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Miami are all popular ports for embarkation, with cruises heading throughout the Caribbean. There are also many casino cruises that depart from
Pinellas County and South Florida.
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