Cities and information for florida

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

ALL ABOUT FLORIDA

If youve believed up until now that Washington State was the most soaked spot in the United States, think again. The actual winner is Florida, a place that does its fair share of battening down the hatches between June and November and bracing for severe coastal hurricanes. In most peoples minds, of course, its a leisure destination thats as popular with the college crowd on spring break as it is with retirees who want to live out their golden years from the comfort of a chaise lounge.

The fashion police clearly have no jurisdiction here, especially in party havens like South Beach and Gainesville. Nor are there any limits imposed on the amount of family fun you can have in such venues as Walt Disney World/EPCOT, Universal Studios, Gatorland, Sea World, Medieval Times, Circus World andwell, you get the picture. Alligator Crossing signs are not an uncommon sight throughout the Everglades. Nor is it unusual to read about the ongoing influx of refugees from Cuba, Haiti and Nicaraguaunited by the common dream to make better lives for themselves on American shores.

Florida is home to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and to the oldest existing European community that settled in North America: St. Augustine. The worlds largest port for cruise ships can be found in Miami, along with the 7th largest port in the U.S. (Tampa). Radio evangelists first broke onto the Florida airwaves in the 1930s; 60 years later, a different kind of soundcourtesy of Orlandobegan to dominate the stations; specifically the music of N Sync and the Backstreet Boys.

What many people assume about the Florida lifestyle, of course, is what theyve gleaned from television shows: Major Tony Nelson and his sexy genie-in-a-bottle lived in the suburbs of Cocoa Beach, Dave Barry (a native son) penned wacky columns about his family on Daves World, The Golden Girls became housemates, and a pair of Miami Vice detectives showed us it was really hip to wear turquoise and pink and shoes without socks. Theres even a Flipper memorial at Grassy Key where you can pay homage to the famous dolphin (whose gender was actually female and whose real name was Mitzi).

Heres some more about The Sunshine State to help you plan your first visit:

Jacksonville, named after Andrew Jackson, is the states largest city. Ironically, it had to rebuild itself from scratch in 1901 when a fire swept through and burned most of it down. Winn-Dixie grocery stores are plentiful here, as are restaurants that serve copious amounts of fried chicken, hominy grits, and enormous catfish that look as if they just swam in and made a beeline for your dinner plate. Some of the best spots for photography are the Tree Hill Nature Center, Amelia Island Plantation, and a lazy stretch of riverwalk that runs parallel to the St. Johns River.

The gaiety of South Beachboth literally and figurativelywas well captured in the Robin Williams comedy, The Birdcage. Art Deco and neon are in Technicolor proliferation here, as is a Mardi Gras ambiance that seems to run 24/7. If you have inquisitive children in your group, they may ask you why so many adults are strolling around in thongs (and were not referring to shoes, here).

Ready to shop until you drop? Rest up if you plan a visit to Aventura Mall in Miami. Fortunately, there are plenty of eateries to recharge your batteries, take a load off your feet, and start all over again. If books are your bag, try to schedule your vacation for November so that you can catch the Miami Book Fair. And for those who want to experience a farmers market with a little something extra, Little Haitis Caribbean Fair is the place for exotic souvenirs.

Tallahassee, the state capitol, will be a hit with any antique car buffs in the family. This is where youll find the Antique Car Museum, an expansive showcase of Model Ts, Packards, Stanley Steamers, Desotos, and all manner of spiffy convertibles to get your motor racing. Open daily, the museum also features sports memorabilia, motorcycles, and antique toy collectibles.

During the Spanish American War, Tampa was a jumping off place to Cuba for Teddy Roosevelt and his intrepid volunteer Roughriders. What a lot of people dont realize is that the wars progress was covered at the time by a British journalist who was visiting the city. His name? Winston Churchill. Tampa is also the landing place every February for the Gasparilla Invasion. Whats that, you say? Youve never heard of it? Well, Matey, youre in for a silly treat as costumed pirates steer their ship up the Hillsborough River and promptly take over downtown for the day. Its not quite Pirates of the Caribbean but they do have a swashbuckling good time in recruiting fellow revelers to party with them.

Orlando has long had a reputation of being a sleepy community. How exactly they can sleep in proximity to some of the most popular theme parks in the world is a mystery, of course. With close to 45 million tourists descending on it every year from all corners of the planet, its made their hotels, restaurants and retail shops an enclave of happy campers. The nearby Winter Park suburbs are a popular draw for those who love the performing arts, museums and libraries. Orlando is also the undisputed buckle on Floridas citrus belt so theres no excuse to turn down a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice or stray from your diet with half a grapefruit.