With guaranteed sun, glorious beaches and sparkling sea, Florida continues to top the ‘favourite destination’ list for British visitors to the USA. But while some return year after year to the same places and same attractions, many want to try new things and see new places. The good news is that the increased and competitively priced airlift from the UK into the Sunshine State makes getting there easier and cheaper than ever before.
BEAUTIFUL BEACHES
Florida is number one in beautiful US beaches says Dr Stephen Leatherman, an environmental expert known as ‘Dr Beach’. In 2016, three Florida beaches made his Top Ten list – Siesta Key Beach (near Sarasota); Grayton Beach State Park in the Panhandle; and Caladesi Island State Park (near Clearwater).
Some of the best swathes of sandy shoreline are protected under the state park system. For example, only 30 minutes’ north of glitzy Palm Beach, John D MacArthur Beach State Park – on a barrier island facing the Atlantic Ocean – offers two miles of unspoiled coastline, with swimming, snorkelling, kayak rentals and bird watching.
Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel, just off Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast, is a must for shell hunters. Amidst the pristine sand are sand dollars, kitten’s paws, shark’s eyes and Venus clams. If you cannot tell one from another, head for the Bailey- Matthews National Shell Museum which offers guided walks for beginners in the art of shell collecting.
The most romantic way to enjoy a beach? Try sunrise, sunset or in the moonlight. Not on foot, but in the saddle. On Amelia Island, on Florida’s north-east coast, you can walk, trot and canter down the long, firm sands. Debbie Manser has been taking visitors on rides for 24 years – and, not surprisingly, is used to watching marriage proposals on horseback
FAMILY FUN
Florida, families and fun – that is a recipe for a holiday to remember. Parents like the child-friendly accommodation and the value for money; kids love the theme parks. Disney’s four separate parks cater for everyone, while Universal scores with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Stay nearby in Kissimmee and you can spend time at both, as well as splash out in your accommodation’s pool. Rent a self-catering villa or book into Reunion Resort, with its own water park, restaurants and three outstanding golf courses.
FOOD & DRINK
Tampa: the 150-yearold suburb of Ybor City retains its Cuban heritage, from food to cigar making
When it comes to tasty treats, Florida offers a lot. Sign up for a tour and you can munch, ask questions and learn from locals. In Fort Lauderdale, the three-hour Las Olas Food Adventure reflects the pot pourri that is the community – a bit of Greek and Italian, some wine and cheese, even ice cream. In Tampa, on the Gulf side of the state, the historic neighbourhood of Ybor City sashays to a Cuban beat. On a Cuban Sandwich Tour, you not only sample the city’s signature dish, you also learn about the cigar factories that made the community wealthy in the 19th century. For traditional American, head out to Cabbage Key in Pine Island Sound, near Fort Myers – this small island inspired Jimmy Buffett’s song Cheeseburger in Paradise – or so the story goes. After the day-trippers have gone home, stay at the Cabbage Key Inn, sip a Cabbage Creeper, a piña colada with coffee liqueur, and order … what else but a cheeseburger?
GORGEOUS GARDENS
Florida stretches 450 miles from north to south, so conditions for gardeners vary dramatically. Bang in the middle of the peninsula is Lake Wales, where 90-year-old Bok Tower Gardens stands on a high point in the state – about 300 feet above sea level! Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (who created New York’s Central Park), the grounds are ablaze with 150 varieties of azaleas and camellias in March. But, year-round, the highlight is the carillon in the Singing Tower, played daily at 1pm and 3pm.
A relative newcomer to Florida’s horticultural world is Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach. For more than 60 years, this open-air lab has tested species to see what grows best in the subtropical climate. Check the ‘what’s in bloom’ list on the website www.mounts.org. March, for example, brings a real stunner, the golden bouquet tree, followed by the yellow blooms of the delightfully-named mousetrap tree.
