Florida Travelers Recommend

Day 1: Key West Characters When you’re talking Key West, the name Hemingway is bound to crop up. The author lived on there for more than a decade, in Old Town. This is also where President Harry S. Truman chose a getaway on Key West. Eisenhower and Kennedy also stayed at the house at 111 Front Street, which is open for guided tours. Day 2: Conch tours and mansions Jump aboard the Conch Train, a hit since 1958. The 90-minute train ride begins on Front Street and loops through Old Town Key West. Bone up on the island’s conch history at Heritage House, browse the Pirate Museum, and see treasures from the deep at the Shipwreck Museum. Day 3: Dip your toe in the water If you can’t decide where to start, the full-day Power Adventure combines a catamaran sail across the Gulf of Mexico, kayaking in the mangroves, parasailing, kayaking and snorkeling. Go for a cruise and view Key West from the water, or drink champagne on a romantic sail into the sunset.

For those who want a beach getaway, Miami is a top destination option. Home to more than 15 beaches, you’ll have plenty of options for where to soak in some sun. That being said, with so many choices it can be difficult to pick where to go. To help, here are some recommendations for Miami’s best beaches. For those who want to get away from the resorts and tourist attractions, 85th Street Beach is a top pick. Located along Collins Avenue, it’s a great swimming beach and features soft white sand, life-guards on duty and virtually no crowds. This is also a top choice for families due to its gentle surf. It’s also very close to another worthwhile beach -- Bal Harbour Beach on 96th Street -- which is great for shell hunting, fishing and jogging. Of course, no trip to Miami would be complete without a visit to the iconic South Beach (Lummus Park Beach). This is the coastline you see in postcards and on television, full of soft white sand, beautiful people and adventurous surfers.

If you’re in Saint Augustine you’re obviously ready to step into the past. Take the trolley tour and find out about the history, sights and attractions from a well-informed trolley conductor. Check out Saint Augustine’s oldest house; the old jail – definitely haunted; the Fountain of Youth; Lighter Museum; and the magnificent 17th century fortification, Castillo de San Marcos. Wander through the old colonial Spanish neighbourhoods, and sit in an old-time café and imagine it’s two, three, even four hundred years ago. To get a wider perspective, take a helicopter tour. Check out Saint Augustine, Porpoise Point and Old Downtown from a bird’s point of view. Or fly high over Saint Augustine Beach, perhaps even include neighbouring Viliano Beach, Conch Island, Bird Island, San Jose Forest and Fort Matanzas and Saint Augustine Lighthouse on a long ride through the skies.

Nothing says "all-American family vacation" like a trip to down to sunny Orlando, Florida. I don't think the kids will give you much of a choice here. They want Mickey, and they want him now. Don't worry though, there is more than enough excitement to go around. Go visit Nemo at The Seas with Nemo & Friends aquarium or check out the futuristic flight simulator Mission: Space. The other must-see theme park in Orlando, the excitement continues at Universal Studios with the Terminator 2: 3-D Show, Shrek 4-D,Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast, and the kid-friendly Curious George Goes to Town. If Day 3 happens to be your last, there is no better way to enjoy it out than with Disney's Magic Kingdom. If there is one park that can make you feel like a child again, this is it. If you get a Fastpass, you can zip through the lines at Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, or the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

TheThe Atlantic port of Fort Lauderdale takes in a Venetian network of canals dotted with yachts and lined with marinas. Budding swimmers can paddle safely at the International Swimming Hall of Fame on the Fort Lauderdale beach, with an on-site museum and swim school aquatic complex. Browse the world’s largest indoor and outdoor trash and treasure market, complete with funfair rides and drive-in movies, at the 14-screen Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop and outdoor theatre. View the area’s over-the-top millionaires’ mansions from the water on a sightseeing cruise of the port and yacht marina. If there’s one must-do in Fort Lauderdale it’s a dinner cruise aboard the fun and fabulous Jungle Queen Riverboat, for revue entertainment and a nonstop. Make the most of Miami, just down the road, with the Go Miami Card, packed with Miami, Everglades and Fort Lauderdale tours, attractions and museums. Swamp safaris to visit the traditional home of the Seminole Indians.

The Everglades, covering much of the southeastern tip of Florida, is more than a big swamp full of alligators. True, you will see alligators - lots of them - but this unique subtropical wilderness also supports such creatures as American crocodiles, bottlenose dolphins, manatees, snowy egrets, bald eagles and ospreys. And amid the mangroves, cypress, hardwood hammocks and miles of sawgrass, there are endless opportunities for hiking, bicycling, canoeing, kayaking, or taking an airboat ride. Spot alligators on a day-trip along the Tamiami Trail or take a two-hour tram tour in Shark Valley. The visitor center at Big Cypress National Preserve has great exhibits for kids and an outdoor, water-filled ditch popular with alligators. When hunger pangs set it, stop in Everglades City for a plate of gator nuggets and frog’s legs. The best time to visit is during dry season – from December to April – when the weather is mild and pleasant and the wildlife is out in abundance.

Once nicknamed "God's Waiting Room" because of the many octogenarians eking out their last moments by the pool, modern day Miami is a glittering jewel of the south. Cradled by the Everglades, the Florida Keys, and that ever-present Gulf, it might be wise to pick up a Go Miami Card to fully explore what options lie in store for you. Alternatively, you could ease into things with a Miami City Tour, which includes a relaxing and informative cruise on Biscayne Bay. Splash down into the bay on a Miami Duck Tour or fly over the famous beaches, Art Deco district and downtown on a Grand Miami Air Tour. The view up here is even better as the sun goes down on a Miami Sunset Air Tour - especially when it's a romantic champagne flight. Miami is all about playing outdoors in the sun. Ride an airboat in the Everglades and come face-to-face with killer whales at the Miami Seaquarium, or mix with the wildlife on Jungle Island.

The Everglades National Park, a 1.5 million acre area that stretches over the southern part of Florida, is unique in many ways. Take the Tamiami Trail, a two-lane road that used to be the area’s only access to the Everglades to Shark Valley. Be sure to stop at a few of the roadside attractions (boat rides, alligator farms, 1950s style gift shops) to fully appreciate the history of the area. Walk, bike or take the tram along the Tram Road and stop at the Observation Tower for an aerial view. Everglades City is another entrance to the Everglades National Park; stop into the Gulf Coast Visitor Center to get your bearings, today is going to be spent on the water, exploring the Ten Thousand Islands and Chokoloskee Bay; the best way to do this is by boat. Sign up for a guided eco-tour led by naturalists or rent a kayak or a canoe and paddle at your own pace.

Key West: The one-time home of Hemingway, the southernmost point in the United States – popular for world-renowned snorkeling, scuba-diving, offshore fishing, white sand beaches, crystal clear water, a raging and eccentric nightlife, and only a quick jaunt down from Miami. Here the Caribbean atmosphere, street artists, outdoor cafes and restaurants are just waiting to enchant you. Once you arrive, you’ll have the leisure to explore the sights of Key West at your own pace. Consider visiting the southern-most point in the continental US, Hemingway's house, or Mallory Square. If you prefer to spend your time in the ocean, go to Key West and take part in some excellent snorkeling, an adventure the whole family can enjoy. Aboard a 9 meter catamaran, you’ll enjoy light refreshment and professional snorkeling instruction, before heading off in to the only live coral reef in the United States, and the third largest reef in the world.

For magnificent subtropical wilderness and lots of it, take time out to explore the Florida Everglades. The 100-mile, 60-mile-wide (160 by 96 km) “river of grass” is protected by the third-largest national park in the US, and a huge restoration program is currently under way to restore the unique habitat with its incredibly varied biodiversity. The source of the Everglades wetlands is the Kissimmee River near Orlando, whose overflow creeps across the land to reach Florida Bay. Sawgrass marshlands are a particular feature of the Everglades, along with cypress swamps, estuarine mangrove and tropical hardwood forests. This lovely natural area is a haven for kayaking, canoeing, boating and hiking, but there are some must-dos to bone up on before you visit: bring plenty of insect repellent, don’t provoke the alligators, and wear long thick socks and lace-up boots if you’re hiking.

Tampa is a great destination for a relaxed family holiday. Its excellent beaches, theme parks, and opportunities to experience wildlife first-hand mean it's popular with adults and kids alike. Tampa has several popular theme parks that’ll keep the whole family entertained. Take your pick from the Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The Florida Aquarium is known for its unique glass architecture and has over 20,000 species of aquatic plants and animals. The deep-water port of Tampa Bay is home to over 400 bottlenose dolphins and is one of the best places in Florida to view birds and native fish. Enjoy a leisurely cruise of the bay that includes a long lunch or a spot of cruise-ship dancing , or go dolphin spotting on a 72 foot catamaran. Spend a day at the incredible Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit educational sanctuary devoted to rescuing and housing abandoned or abused exotic cats.