Being the most visited state in the US, Florida packs a lot of punch with regard to holiday activities. Florida has something for everyone: families, nature lovers, cruise ship travellers, party animals and sun worshippers.

Orlando is a great destination for families as it is the theme park capital of the world. The main draw is, of course, Walt Disney World Resort, the largest and the gold standard of theme parks in the world. Other major theme parks in the city are Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios) and SeaWorld Adventure Park Orlando.

With more than 150 state parks spanning the state from north to south, Florida is popular with wilderness backpackers. The most famous of these parks is, of course, the Everglades National Park. Florida’s largest lake, Lake Okeechobee, can also be visited and offers lots of wilderness activities.

Being geographically located close to the Caribbean, the south of Florida is a popular embarkation point for cruises, many of which depart from Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa in the southern part of the state.

Also in the south, the exciting cities of Miami and Miami Beach lure visitors from far and wide with great beaches, fantastic surfing and a variety of resorts, from cheap rentals to high-end luxury. Miami is also renowned the world over for its Art Deco architecture and nightclubs along Lincoln Road and Collins Avenue.

Other great beach cities in Florida include West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach, the latter being famous among speed junkies for the Daytona International Speedway, home of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR.

One of the best-known landmarks in Florida is the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. The centre is an installation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and has been the launching point of all US manned missions to space. Visitors can head to the Visitors’ Complex to get a glimpse of this historic facility.

The charming city of St. Augustine, on the east coast of Florida, is another famous landmark. Considered to be the oldest settlement the Europeans erected in the continental US, the city draws in visitors with its colonial architecture and old world romance.

Such fascination for architecture on the part of the inhabitants extends to Florida Lighthouses, a number of which span the state from north to south. They represent Florida’s maritime past and have been preserved as travel destinations, with many included along heritage trails. Some of the most visited include those at Cape Canaveral, Cape St George and Key West. 

Nature lovers will find themselves in awe of Florida’s natural wonders in the Everglades National Park. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this national park located in southern Florida spans a total of 1.5 million acres, with a diverse landscape ranging from swampland to pine forests. The classic and best way to see the Everglades is aboard an airboat, which takes visitors whooshing past the swampy areas of the park.

Another prominent natural wonder in Florida is the Florida Keys, a group of coral islands which stretch south, southwest and west from the Florida peninsula, starting just 24kms from Miami and with the tip of the westernmost island only 140kms from Cuba. Scuba diving on the pristine coral reefs of the Florida Keys is an activity that is not to be missed while here.

liveliest and most swinging entertainment spots in the world. This is especially the case in Miami and its South Beach area, where the party scene has gained notoriety because of the film and the television shows set here.

The loud nightclubs and happening cocktail bars in South Beach, some of which are the size of warehouses, attract party-goers looking for salsa dancing and electro music. To get into a club, you need to dress to impress. Such glamour in districts like Coconut Grove has drawn in Hollywood celebrities, and star sightings are not uncommon here.

The theme park capital of Orlando is also a good place to enjoy Florida’s nightlife as even the family-oriented theme parks themselves provide adults with some much-needed adult time at night after the kids have been tucked into bed. Disney Pleasure Island and Universal City Walk are two places worth checking out for their live music, stage shows and dance clubs. Those looking to get to know where and how the Orlando locals unwind at night can head to Church Street Station in downtown Orlando.

When in Tampa, you can experience the night scene in the very lively Latin Quarter. Nightclubs line Seventh Avenue, and every weekend the street is closed to traffic as the party often explodes out onto the street.

Finally, the beach cities of Daytona Beach and Panama City are popular with the young crowd as the party atmosphere here erupts into frenzy during Spring Break.

Florida’s diverse ethnic make-up has given it a rich culinary culture unlike anywhere else in the US. The northern parts of the state have more traditional southern food while the southern parts have been largely influenced by the rich Latin flavours of the Caribbean.

Southern ’pit’ barbecue is almost always a good culinary choice in this part of the US as even local Floridians like to cook their big marinated hunks of chicken, pork or beef in open brick pits, or sometimes large metal drums. The meats are then seasoned with the sweet, tangy sauce which the south is famous for.

The more adventurous eaters can sample a Florida native, the alligator.

The meat is often prepared by deep frying, and most people who try it say it tastes like chicken. Another Florida native worth tasting is the conch (pronounced like ’konk’), a large shellfish often found in the Caribbean and which can be eaten raw, mixed with salad, or deep fried into fritters.

Local Cuban specialities such as Cuban sandwiches and the ropa vieja (old clothes), a dish consisting of tender beef flanks eaten with black beans and yellow rice, have also become staples in Southern Florida. As for drinks, Cuba libre and mojitos are always good choices.

It is only natural that with the presence of luxury resorts in the beachside cities of Florida come world-class chefs transforming local ingredients into sophisticated gastronomic experiences. Miami is especially known for its fine dining scene, particularly upmarket Latin food or Caribbean fusion food. Top restaurants include Tantra and the Pearl Restaurant & Champagne Lounge, both in Miami Beach.