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The Center
Central West
Central
Central East
The South
Southwest
Southeast
The Florida Keys
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"Florida" is Spanish for flower. Like an open flower, Florida is a land of beauty with many shades and variations unsuspected by those who do not stop to enjoy its delights. For example, the northernmost lands sometimes see light blankets of winter snow. In Florida's southernmost extensions, any temperature extreme other than "warm" is regarded as unusual and unwelcome. And like variations in climate, the other differences which occur throughout the Sunshine State only help to magnify the reason visitors rarely forget the enchantment found across the state in every season. |
The winter is generally mild with high temperatures in the 60's. Hard freezes and snowfall are irregular and short-lived. Spring brings the reawakening of dormant trees, grasses, and flowers with the blossoms of dogwoods and redbuds coloring the woodlands. Summer is blessed with long sunny days and high temperatures rarely touching 90. The Fall is a short and pleasant evolution as the days cool toward evenings which demand a sweater or windbreaker.
The result is a dramatic visual feast.
In the northeast corner of the state, Jacksonville dominates business and recreational activities.
Along the Atlantic the 23 miles of flat white sands make the Daytona area a prime destination. South of Daytona and the Space Coast, the Treasure Coast features lots of swimming, sunning beaches and off-shore shipwrecks for divers.
North of Miami, the beach area from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Pierce is a mixture of permanent seaside homes, condominiums, and resorts. Inland and along the bays, boating and fishing activities are dominant. Farther inland truck farming separates the populated areas from The Everglades.
The Upper Keys are noted for scuba and snorkel diving. The Middle Keys are famous for back country and deep sea fishing. The Lower Keys and the island city Key West focus on providing super vacation destinations.
There are twelve million residents in Florida, although most swear that the number easily doubles during "The Season". But "The Season" varies from place to place. Summer is the busiest time throughout much of the State. Winter and Spring bring flocks of visitors to the southern coastal regions. The warm temperate climate and wonderful, high-quality "destination" facilities welcome guests from around the world - all year round.
© Copyright 1995 - 1997 by Destinations Florida Marketing, Inc., Naples Florida, USA
Weather
The climate features four distinct seasons.
Almost Forgotten and Worth Finding
The Panhandle region of the state has not yet received the attention enjoyed by the rest of the state. Extending roughly two hundred miles eastward from the Alabama border to the Suwannee River, the area is mostly gently rolling farms and woodlands.
The Glorious Beaches
Some of the highest-rated beaches in the world stand side-by-side along the coast of Florida's Panhandle. From Perdido Key which straddles the Alabama/ Florida border, to the miracle of Cape San Blas, the shallow, Emerald Green shoreline gives way to hundred fathom deep, blue sea waters. The white, sugary sand beaches extend miles along both east and west coasts.
The Start of it All
In 1565, St. Augustine was established on the Atlantic Coast as a Spanish settlement in order to protect Spain's claim in the New World. It has been occupied ever since.
Azaleas, Pecans, Ranches, and Mines
Cattle and agriculture command the congenial rolling landscape. The mild but noticeable seasonal changes create an environment perfect for frost-resistant plants and produce abundant grasses.
Weather
The middle of the state enjoys long periods of temperate weather marked by a few, usually short, periods of cold during the winter months. Summer high temperatures are consistent at around 90 degrees fahrenheit, rarely topping 95 degrees. Summers tend to see more rain than the rest of the year. Most showers occur as afternoon, localized downpours marked by spectacular lightning strikes.
Beaches, people, beaches, people...
The 400 miles of coastline in the Central West and the long white beaches attract thousands of people every day. Even in winter the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico are swimmable. And searching for seashells is an everyday activity.Cities Everywhere
In the mid-central area, the cities of Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Sarasota are home to more than two million people about equally divided between retired or semi-retired families and working-age individuals.
Magic in Every Turn
A quarter of a century ago almost no one had heard of Orlando or Kissimmee. Now millions of visitors make pilgrimages to this area to visit with cartoon characters, experience amazing rides, and watch animals do the extraordinary.
Oranges and Split Rail Fences
The growing of oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits is the significant industry in this part of the state along with phosphorous mining and cattle ranching. But the most exciting agrarian endeavor is undoubtedly the raising and training of thoroughbred horses.
The Thunder Coast
The Daytona Speedway thunders with the roar of race cars, but that is minuscule compared to the blast that propels tons of equipment into space at Cape Canaveral.
Weather
South of a line between Fort Myers and Fort Pierce the weather takes a decidedly tropical turn. The long days and great quantities of sunlight warm the coastal waters and produce numerous rain showers which dampen the land in quick localized cloudbursts. Winters bring perfect days that frequently warm into the middle 80's, cooling into the 50's at night. Summer highs are consistently right around 90 degrees fahrenheit, with evening lows close to 70.
Snowbirds, Stay-at-homes, and Hammocks
The Everglades, a very shallow, ninety mile wide river studded with low islands of land known as hammocks, dominates the southern land mass. On the west side of the "Glades" a band of dry land is home to thousands of permanent retired residents and an equal or greater number of "Snowbirds" or retirees who migrate each winter to southwestern Florida. The beaches are world class.
No-longer Swampland
Sugar cane is the dominant single crop in the area south of Lake Okeechobee, while truck farming utilizes most of the land.
Three District Regions
Miami is the driving force within the state. Almost a quarter of the state's population live in the extremely cosmopolitan Miami area.
Where ‘Style’ Really Means ‘Relaxed’
The Keys are a series of exposed coral reefs which extend south and west from the Miami area in the east to seventy-five miles south of Naples. The Overseas Highway connects these islands with each other and the Florida mainland.
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