Florida is Florida, you say? It isn’t, I reply. It’s so diverse I don’t even think it’s fair to write about it in one single post. So I won’t. At least not in detail. And since I haven’t been to the northern region yet, I’ll write only about the Panhandle, outsourcing the highlights into individual posts. Because I think they deserve it. All of them.
South Florida
The south is the only tropical region of the continental USA. Mostly famous for Miami and Miami Beach, the Florida Keys with Key West and the Everglades.
Central Florida
Located in the northern part of the Panhandle, this region is renowned for Daytona Beach, Orlando, the Tampa Bay Area and Cape Canaveral.
When to visit
Considering the high temperatures, almost unbearable humidity and the amount of rainy days, it’s not recommendable to visit Florida from June to September. Unless it’s exactly what you like best – then do it. But keep the hurricane season in mind (August and September).
You can’t do much wrong between November and April. Even if it’s sometimes a little bit colder in December and January (and windy), you should be fine most of the time. I’ve spent a few weeks here in January and had perfect weather conditions most of the time. Unfortunately, I had to cancel a trip to the Everglades because of a stormy and rainy weather. Hence it is important to have a flexible, adaptable schedule that allows you to quickly change your activities according to uncontrollable factors.
What's so special?
For me, it’s the diversity, among others. I am a big fan of diversity and cultural influences that lead to a somehow new, incomparable cultural experience. And you get a lot of it in Florida. Whether it is the cuisine, music, arts or architecture – the more you get around, the more variety you will experience.
And Manatees! I don’t know if there is any other animal that is so strange, curious and cute at the same time as the Manatee is. It’s probably the most perfectly fitting state animal in the US. This gentle, friendly and calm creature resembles the feeling you get while wandering around the Sunshine State. Visit them, for example at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, particularly in the winter time.
How long to stay, where to go, what to do and what to see
You should allow yourself at least 20 days to be able to grasp even just a small part of this beautiful state. You can do it in 2 weeks if necessary but you will have to miss out. It’s sheer impossible to rush through Florida without getting the feeling doing something very, very wrong. Relax and inhale the calm atmosphere, fresh air and colorful culture. It is worth to invest time here. You won’t regret it.
On where to go, what to see and what to do please visit my specific blog posts.
Opportunity
Since you’re already in the area, you should think about visiting the neighbors. Unless you don’t wanna think about great ideas you have no time for, that is. But if you happen to have time and money, you could visit the Bahamas. It’s less then an hour from Miami (or Fort Lauderdale for that matter) to Nassau and return tickets are available for under 200 USD all year long. If you’re from far away, you probably won’t go to the Bahamas on purpose, so maybe it’s a good idea to take the opportunity while you’re just round the corner.
