- Florida is a great place to escape the winter doldrums.Florida state contour with Capital City against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
A mild climate and lots of sunshine make Florida the ideal location for a winter vacation. There are lots of outdoor activities and venues to enjoy while leaving the sleet and snow behind for a while. Some visitors take advantage of a long weekend for a getaway, and others, affectionately called snowbirds, come for the duration each year. - Visit the warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico.crystal waters 4, image by mdb from Fotolia.com
Although it is not in Florida's warmest zone, the Emerald Coast is a favorite vacation spot for many loyal winter visitors. The coastline, so named because of its emerald green waters, spans 24 miles of beach along Florida's Panhandle and includes the cities of Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City and Pensacola, among others. Because the area sits on the Gulf of Mexico, the waters are warmer than those of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors along the Emerald Coast enjoy the usual beach activities as well as golfing, parasailing and deep-sea fishing. Take an excursion to Shell Island from Panama City, visit the shopping outlets in Destin or relax poolside with a margarita and a good book. - Visit the theme parks in Orlando.Castle in the sky image by irum from Fotolia.com
Central Florida vacations provide the traveler with plenty of theme parks full of thrilling rides and interesting exhibits, the most notable of which are Disney World, Sea World, Epcot and Universal Studios. In addition to these headliners, Orlando also has outlet malls, water parks, sports complexes, and many smaller attractions such as Medieval Times, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum and Old Town. Just an hour's drive to the east on the Beachline Expressway (State Road 528) is Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral. Port Canaveral is home to Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney cruise lines, making it easy to add a cruise to the agenda. Another short hop eastward, this time on Interstate 4 from Orlando, takes visitors into Daytona Beach. If they venture westward from Orlando, they will find the exciting Busch Gardens and the serene botanical gardens of Bok Tower. - Spend some time in lovely Key West.key west style home image by Michael Wuelfrath from Fotolia.com
With the most tropical climate in the state, the Florida Keys are a very popular destination. The major Keys are Islamadora, Key Largo and Key West, but exciting vacations can be enjoyed on all the developed Keys. Visit Key West to see Hemingway's home and party at Sloppy Joe's. Take a bicycle tour of the area, or go on a deep-sea fishing charter. Go snorkeling to view the beautiful coral under the sea just off Islamadora. This key is known for its coral reefs, but the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is also a good choice. Visit one of the many nightspots or lie in a hammock sipping a pina colada.
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