Florida

Florida is the southernmost state of the continental United States, located on the peninsula of the same name. Comfortable tropical climate, long beaches on the Atlantic coast, luxurious nature of Florida attract hundreds of thousands of vacationers from other states of the country and travelers from all over the world. There is an excellent tourist infrastructure, focused on active recreation. Guests will find luxury resort hotels and inexpensive beach campgrounds, national wildlife refuges and world-class amusement parks.

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Video: Florida

Contents

Highlights

Florida is rightfully called the Sunshine State. It outpaces California in the number of clear days, and its ocean beaches, resorts and attractions attracted a record 137.6 million tourists in 2022. And sunny Florida is quite ready for such a flow of travelers. There are several large international airports, guests are welcomed by thousands of hotels. In Florida there is a complex of famous parks “Walt Disney World”, the flagship of the world entertainment industry, the world-famous spaceport at Cape Canaveral, national reserves that preserve the wonders of tropical nature.

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Those who wish can go diving or golfing, fish in the open ocean from a yacht, go on a cruise to tropical islands, devote time to exploring numerous museums, visit biosphere national parks.

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Of particular interest are marine treasure parks, established in the zone of coastal coral reefs. Here lie the wrecks of ancient ships that exported to Europe gold, silver, precious stones, looted in the Spanish colonies of the New World. Many valuable items have already been found, they decorate the showcases of local museums. But storms often bring gold coins to Florida beaches – evidence that not all underwater treasures have yet been discovered.

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Florida History

The oldest human settlement in Florida was discovered in the bed of the Aucilla River. From organic remains it was possible to determine the exact age of the cave site – 14,550 years. The distant descendants of these Paleo-Indians were the tribes of the Simenols, Calusa, Apalachee and Timucua, who lived on the Florida peninsula before the arrival of Europeans.

In the Easter days of April 1513, Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon brought his sailing ship to the east coast of the blooming peninsula and named the land Florida. In addition to conquering new lands to expand overseas colonies, the expedition had a secret purpose – to find the Fountain of Youth, about which the inhabitants of the Caribbean islands told. Descriptions of the legendary spring said that after bathing in its rejuvenating waters, the body is shiny, as if oiled, exuding a subtle fragrance of violets. Wading at random through the swamps of South Florida, a detachment of Spaniards encountered warriors of the Calusa tribe. In a skirmish with the Indians, de Leon was wounded by a poisoned arrow and soon died in Cuba.

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On August 28, 1565, the ships of Spanish Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Aviles approached the shores of Florida. The sailors set about erecting a stone fort. Since the feast of St. Augustine was celebrated that day, the settlement was named in his honor. The town of St. Augustine is the oldest European settlement in what is now the United States.

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In late July 1715, a tropical hurricane raged over Florida. The storm tossed a Spanish fleet of 11 galleons carrying gold and silver from the New World to the metropolis onto the coastal reefs. This event gave its name to a stretch of coastline in South Florida, Treasure Coast.

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In the following centuries, three kingdoms – Spain, England and France – fought for possession of Florida. Only in the first half of the XIX century, the European crowns gave up claims to the peninsula, and since March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States.

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Geography

The state of Florida is located on the peninsula of the same name in the southeastern United States. The state covers an area of 170,310 km² and is home to over 21 million people, making Florida one of the top three most populous regions in the country.

The northern limits of Florida are bordered by the states of Alabama and Georgia, the western shores are washed by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. The southern end of the peninsula is directed to the island of Cuba, between them lies the border Strait of Florida, through which the warm Gulf Stream current rushes into the Atlantic. The width of the strait at its narrowest point is 150 km, and its depth reaches 1800 meters. In the strait there is an archipelago of coral islands of the Florida Keys, they are connected to the mainland of Florida by a 10.93 km long highway bridge. The Florida Keys archipelago is one of the state’s main tourist destinations, with many resort hotels and entertainment centers built there.

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The capital of Florida is the city of Tallahassee, with a population approaching 200,000 residents. It is home to the state government, two prestigious universities, many museums and art galleries.

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The largest cities are Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa Bay. But they are surpassed by the agglomeration of Miami – a huge metropolis on the southeast coast of Florida, where more than 6 million people live. The urban area covers 3313 km², it is one of the most densely populated agglomerations on the planet. Greater Miami is divided into three counties: Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward. It is home to 4 ocean ports, among them the world’s largest passenger port, Miami.

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The Miami agglomeration is located on a plain between Everglades National Park to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east, the development stretches along the Atlantic Ocean for 160 kilometers. Here, the coast of South Florida is fringed by hundreds of offshore islands. On the largest of them, Miami Beach, built prestigious resorts and offices of commercial companies. The Miami region is called the Gold Coast, alluding to the luxurious lifestyle of most locals.

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Other regions of Florida have similar unofficial names. For example, the coast near the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral is widely known as the Space Coast, and the long beaches near Dayton Beach are called the Surf Coast.

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The fullest rivers on the peninsula are the St. Johns (500 km), St. Marys (203 km), and Indian (195 km). There are many more creeks and rivulets flowing through the peninsula, full of fish and carrying crystal clear waters filtered in limestone.

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There are several freshwater lakes on the Florida peninsula. The largest of these is Okeechobee with an area of 1,900 km². The body of water stretches 57.5 km from north to south, with a distance of 46.6 km between the western and eastern shores. Okeechobee is also known as the Florida Inland Sea and is one of the ten largest lakes in the United States. However, the depth of the body of water is shallow: from 2.7 to 4.2 meters. Okeechobee is fed by the Kissimmee River (216 km), and in its floodplain it forms the vast tropical Everglades wetlands, extending southward for 20,000 km². Part of the marsh plain is occupied by the Everglades National Park. This biosphere reserve has a rare diversity of tropical flora and fauna and is a World Heritage Site. The largest mangrove ecosystem in North America is located here. The park is home to 350 species of birds, 40 species of mammals and 50 species of reptiles. Here you can see in the natural environment creepy crocodiles and boa constrictors, good-natured manatees, endangered Florida panthers, as well as many other exotic animals. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the park each year.

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Climate and weather

North Florida is located in the humid subtropical belt with mild short winters and long summers. South of Lake Okeechobee, there is a monsoonal tropical climate. In winter on the plains of North Florida the air temperature drops to +4…+7 °С, and in the south in January-February it is rarely colder than +14…+16 °С.

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In summer in Florida it is hot: from +32 °С to +34 °С in the north and up to +37 °С in the south. However on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts the heat is softened by light sea breezes, and the coolest places are numerous beaches of the peninsula. Record heat was registered by the weather station of the city of Monticello in the last days of July 1931, then the mercury thermometer columns reached +43 ° C.

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The rainy season lasts from mid-June to September in Florida. During this period the air is hot and humid. Short rains are almost daily, often accompanied by gale force winds and hail. It happens that the rain falls over the ocean a kilometer from the coast, and beachgoers enjoy the bright sunshine. With the onset of summer also comes the six-month hurricane season that lasts until the end of November.

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Florida Attractions

Florida offers an endless list of attractions, each region of the state has its own unique twists. A tourist will not be able to visit everywhere even during the entire holiday season. The Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral should be added to the list of must-see sites. This is the main NASA spacecraft launch complex located on Merritt Island off the east coast of Florida. About 700 buildings and infrastructure of the spaceport are spread over an area of 580 km².

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The most notable structure is the 160-meter-high Vertical Rocket Assembly Facility, which is the largest single-story building in the world with four 139-meter-high gates. In 1966, the giant super-heavy Saturn-V rocket, which sent the first Apollo astronauts to the Moon, was assembled under its arches. In 2022, the shop completed assembly of an even more powerful launch vehicle designed to continue lunar exploration as part of the Artemis program.”

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The tour should start with a bus tour of the vast territory of the cosmodrome. Here tourists can walk among the rockets that have taken off from here over the past 50 years, inspect the launch sites. Of particular interest is a visit to the shuttle Atlantis. The spacecraft has a computer simulator of launch and flight, where you can experience the sensations of the shuttle crew. Visitors are invited to take the controls and land the space shuttle on the runway.

The halls of the Museum of Cosmonautics exhibit manned spacecraft modules, spacesuits, equipment, samples of orbital satellites and interplanetary probes. There are robotic rovers exploring the Red Planet, as well as conceptual models of mobile laboratories preparing for a flight to Mars. The multimedia exposition “Hubble Space Telescope Theater” with mesmerizing images of the depths of the Universe leaves a vivid impression. There is also a memorial to fallen astronauts.

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In a separate building of the Space Center is arranged high-tech IMAX cinema, where spectacular films about the study of space, popular science films lasting 40-60 minutes are shown. The desire to visit the theater must be communicated in advance to reserve seats for a particular session.

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For visitors to the cosmodrome there is a Visitor Center. Here you can download a convenient application with tourist maps of the complex, descriptions of individual objects of the cosmodrome and museum exhibits, travel routes, and answers to questions of inquisitive guests. The app also reflects information about the work of local restaurants and souvenir stores, as well as the schedule of upcoming rocket launches with a summary of the purpose of each mission.

The space complex is open to tourists daily from 09:00 to 17:00. The ticket price is $75, and you have to pay $65 for a child from 3 to 11 years old. For elderly people aged 55+ a visit will cost $70.

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Near the town of Homestead, which is 50 kilometers south of Miami International Airport, is an attraction of a different kind. Here stands a bizarre castle built of multi-ton coral blocks. The estate is surrounded by abstract sculptural compositions, man-made landscape elements. This complex was erected by a talented self-taught engineer and amateur sculptor Edward Lidskalnin in the first half of the 20th century.

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Surprisingly, he built all the structures alone, and the secretive master took up the work only at night. The construction had been going on for many years, but none of the neighbors never saw Lidskalnin used any machinery. He himself claimed that his only device for handling and lifting multi-ton blocks was some kind of “perpetual motion holder.” Odd Ed said that he had solved the mystery of erecting ancient megaliths and Egyptian pyramids, based on the magnetic properties of stones. He assured: under certain conditions there is antigravity, unliftable blocks lose weight and easily move through the air.

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When asked how he managed to erect alone, Mr. Edward invariably replied that it wasn’t difficult at all, you just had to know how to build. Leedskalnin published several pamphlets outlining his mystical theory of magnetism, but no one has been able to replicate his achievement. All of this could be considered quackery, but there is an obvious fact: under the Florida sun, a megalithic castle stands unperturbed, which has become a local landmark steeped in legend. Since 1984, Coral Castle has been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

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Leedskalnin used to invite everyone on tours, charging visitors 10 cents each, but if a person didn’t have money, the castle owner would let them in for free. Now his creation has been turned into a museum. Guided tours are available Thursday through Sunday, from 09:00 to 18:00. You have to pay $18 for admission, children’s tickets are sold for $8. On the first Saturday of the month, psychic meetings are held here. Coral Castle Manor has a gift store where you can buy books about the mysterious castle, reprints of Leedskalnin’s own writings, a miniature model of the castle’s structures ($49.95), and t-shirts with prints ($19.99).

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Traveling in Florida, it is necessary to visit and amazing “Walt Disney World Resort” (Walt Disney World Resort), located southwest of the city of Orlando. The territory of the famous “Disney World” exceeds 100 km². It houses theme parks, water attractions, resort hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, eateries, stores, as well as futuristic solar power plants, transportation highways and other infrastructure.

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The centerpiece of the complex is the Magic Kingdom, the most famous and most visited theme park in the world, attracting over 21 million visitors annually. It is followed in the popularity rankings by Epcot, a conceptual city of the future, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, designed after Disney cartoons as well as other iconic movies and television series. Recognizable characters from the films walk the alleys of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and have fun games.

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Kids love Disney’s Animal Kingdom Zoo. It’s the most expansive park in the complex, with plenty of room for both animals and visitors. Nearby is a water park Blizzard Beach, designed in the form of melting under the sun ski resorts.

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A special place is the location of Disney Springs, oriented to adult travelers. Here the windows of boutiques of fashion brands shine, nightclubs and restaurants open in the evenings. A huge Typhoon Lagoon water park with extreme rides is lined up here.

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Peak periods of visitation to Florida Disney Parks are during American school vacations, when hundreds of thousands of parents with children come here. This is also the time when families from South America, mostly from Argentina and Brazil, come to the theme parks. Those wishing to avoid the mad rush of visitors should not visit Walt Disney World in mid-August and throughout February.

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You can time your trip to Disney World to coincide with special holidays. The Magic Kingdom hosts Halloween parties in September and October, and grand festivities are held at Christmas (December). From March through May, the parks host the Festival of Colors, and in October and November, Epcot Park invites you to the International Food and Wine Festival. Tickets for the holiday parties cost up to $100.

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Visiting the Disney parks is an expensive experience. Ticket prices vary depending on the season and the number of days purchased. A one-time ticket for 1 day costs $99. Various passes are offered, providing solid discounts. For example, a 10-day pass costs $440, in which case a visit costs $44 per day. Tickets to water parks sell for $62, children’s tickets for $56. Parking at Disney World is $25, but if you are staying at one of the hotels in the complex, there is no parking fee.

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The coast of the Florida peninsula is surrounded by 11 underwater sanctuaries where scuba divers view shipwrecks and picturesque coral reefs inhabited by myriad marine life. The parks are open to the public year-round at no charge. Motorboat rides, sailing catamarans, and canoe trips are available to visitors. Diving center offices are open for renting diving equipment, here you can refill cylinders with special air mixtures. At the moorings there are fuel stations for boats and yachts, grocery stores and restaurants.

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In 100 meters from the Atlantic coast of the national park “Jack Island” in a shallow depth lie the remains of the Spanish galleon Urca de Lima, one of the ships of the famous “treasure fleet”, which was lost in a hurricane in 1715. Several ancient sailing ships have been discovered off the coast of the Florida Keys archipelago. Here the centerpiece is the galleon San Pedro, which struck a reef during a storm in 1833. On the bottom lie huge anchors, algae-covered bronze cannons.

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All valuable finds of underwater archaeologists are kept in local museums. One such curious collection of artifacts is on the barrier island of North Hutchinson in Indiana River County. It is home to the private McLarty Treasure Museum, which displays jewelry and coins that were part of the cargo of Spanish ships lost in the 1615 storm. Interactive displays, models of galleons, portraits and documents complete the exhibit. The museum has a restaurant with an outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean.

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A staggering amount of gold and silverware is on display at the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum. In 1985, this legendary underwater artifact hunter discovered the remains of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha and Santa Margarita galleons off the east coast of Florida, literally stuffed with jewelry. The museum has a store selling authentic antique coins, crosses and jewelry. In the summer of 2023 here you could buy an elegant pendant in the form of a wind rose with a Colombian emerald ($ 930), vintage gold pendants with diamonds, decorated with a relief image of a shark ($ 3640) and swordfish ($ 3550). Among the works of modern jewelers stand out collections of baroque jewelry with inserts of rare Spanish gold coins minted in the late XVI – early XVIII centuries, and semi-precious stones mined in the mines of South America. The cost of such pendants and rings – from $ 8600 to $ 19 700. All jewelry is accompanied by a certified certificate of authenticity.

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In the south of Florida is the largest in the U.S. tropical park Everglades, spread over 6106 km². More than 1 million visitors come here each year. There is a fleet of hovercrafts capable of gliding over the swamps to explore the vast wetlands and observe their inhabitants. A group tour on such a vessel will cost $79 per person, the duration of the trip – 2 hours.

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There are many opportunities for active recreation. For example, it is interesting to travel along the route of the Florida Trail, also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail. It begins in the south, in the Big Cypress Preserve, and stretches for 2,400 kilometers, ending in the northern limits of the state, off the Gulf Coast. The trail can be traveled on foot or by bicycle. Campgrounds and hotels await tourists along the entire route, and there are stores and eateries in the villages. The trail is laid in sparsely populated areas, but is planned so that from any of its sections to the nearest town is not more than an hour walk. Volunteers are on duty along the trail, providing hikers with detailed maps and free smartphone apps, and medical assistance if needed.

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Beaches

The length of the coastline of the state of Florida is about 2000 kilometers, not including the islands. There are areas of upscale resorts, lively public beaches, and completely wild protected shores where you can refresh yourself in the ocean and sunbathe away from the crowds.

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You can swim year-round on the beaches of South Florida, washed by the warm Gulf Stream. The beach season peaks between December and May. In winter, there is no rain and strong winds, ocean waves lazily lapping on sandy shores. The region is particularly famous for the beaches at the Fort Zachary Taylor Historic Preserve, as well as the resort beaches in the Florida Keys (Key Largo, Islamorada).

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In the Florida Pandahl region, head to the long stretch of Miramar Beach, where coastal paths lead to quiet corners of the coast.

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Brevard County is home to Cocoa Beach, lined with light brown sand. This place has been called the “Surfer Capital” where you can meet famous athletes from around the world.

In the area of Vero Beach is located Treasure Coast. Local reefs keep the secrets of lost ships. It is home to one of Florida’s underwater archaeological parks, attracting diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Wild beaches can be found a little further north at Pelican Island Nature Preserve.

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Spend a relaxing day on the ocean at one of Juno Beach Park’s beaches. You can rent a table under an umbrella for a picnic here, but you’ll need to bring your own food. Nearby is the Loggerhead Marine Life Center, which is dedicated to sea turtle conservation. These cute animals are often spotted on the beach.

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Miami Beach has a well-equipped public beach called Lummus Park. Here is created all the necessary infrastructure for recreation – changing rooms, toilets, shower stalls. Prices for renting beach accessories are quite high. Rental of a chaise longue in high season will cost 10-20 $, umbrella – 15-25 $. If you stay in a resort hotel with its own beach, the use of beach infrastructure will be included in the cost of the room. If you are traveling along the coast by car, it is worth buying a beach umbrella. This accessory will cost about $20 in the store.

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Cruises

The Port of Miami is the largest cruise harbor in the United States. In 2023, cruise companies have announced 536 Caribbean itineraries with island visits and sailings in the Gulf of Mexico.

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The cost of a vacation aboard a luxury floating hotel starts at $399 for a 3-day trip and increases depending on the number of days of travel, cabin comfort and type of liner.

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Shopping

In any city in Florida, travelers will find shopping malls with a wide range of goods from American and foreign manufacturers. The largest malls are located in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa. Disney World entertainment parks include large Disney Springs and Flamingo Crossings malls, art galleries, and dozens of gift stores.

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In downtown Miami, by the yacht marina on Biscayne Bay is the Bayside Marketplace, one of the city’s popular attractions. More than 200 stores are open from 10:00 to 22:00, offering a wide variety of goods: clothing and footwear for tropical climates, collections of swimwear and stylish beachwear, electronics, perfumes, jewelry. On the piers there are fish rows with fresh seafood. Stores offering goods for sports and fishing can arrange the rental of a boat or yacht moored in the marina. The marketplace offers bars, eateries and restaurants with ocean-facing verandas. Bayside Marketplace offers plenty of entertainment. There are dance shows and concerts by famous musicians, as well as amusement rides, including a Ferris wheel.

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Local cuisine

Florida’s vibrant cuisine incorporates the flavors of Spain and France, the flavors of tropical Caribbean islands, and Creole culinary traditions. Prices in resort restaurants are noticeably higher than in neighboring regions of the United States. In middle-class establishments the cost of a three-course dinner for 2 persons will be from 60 to 130$. A hearty snack can be had at numerous fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A, where the average check is $9.

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Foodies can enjoy the delicacies of Michelin-starred restaurants. Such establishments in the state of Florida about two dozen, most of them are located in large tourist centers. Starred restaurants include Surf Club Restaurant and Los Felix (Miami), Soseki and Knife & Spoon (Orlando), and Koya and Rocca Restaurant (Tampa).

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Most tourists spend a few days at the World of Disney theme parks, where there are many restaurants and cafes. A standard lunch is inexpensive, ranging from $7 to $16. The exceptions are a few dozen specialty restaurants. For example, in the luxurious dining room of “Cinderella’s Castle” daily theatrical feasts “At the royal table” are arranged. Despite the wide variety of dishes, the price of the meal is fixed at $54 per person. The price also includes a photo shoot with Princess Cinderella and her entourage.

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Be Our Guest is a popular restaurant located in the Enchanted Forest, inhabited by characters from Charles Perrault’s fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”. In the evenings, fairy tale characters serve haute French cuisine in the Gothic Room, one of the few places at Disney World where the food is accompanied by wine, and very fine wine at that.

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The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, a classic Western saloon in the style of the Wild West era, is also worth a visit. In the evening there are colorful musical shows. An order at the saloon costs $33, but if you don’t get enough of the generous cowboy lunch, you can eat whatever you like for a refill.

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The full palette of Florida cuisine is on display at the annual wine and food festivals. The most famous culinary celebration is held in November in Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. Restaurants host parties, charity lunches and dinners, fine wine tastings, and wine auctions. Tallahassee Wine and Food Festival is accompanied by rock celebrity concerts, fireworks, golf tournaments, and sporting events.

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But foodies do not have to wait for the festival all year long. In Miami for tourists are organized gastronomic tours with visits to several restaurants and bars. The duration of the hike through culinary establishments – 2 hours and 30 minutes, the cost – from $ 69 per person.

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Where to stay

There are more than 3,000 hotels in Florida cities to suit every taste. Almost all international hotel chains are represented in the Sunshine State, there are beach resort complexes and a lot of small private hotels, cheap motels (from $69 per day). You can stay in condominiums, offering cozy apartments with 2-3 bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms and services (from 199 $ per day). Guests of all hotels enjoy free high-speed internet.

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In Miami, Acqualina Resort & Residences On The Beach 5* is called the #1 resort. The hotel has several pools and restaurants, stores, and a car rental office. Each residence has two bathrooms, a veranda overlooking the ocean, and a fireplace in the living room. The room also has a kitchenette, a large TV, a private refrigerator with a variety of drinks. A personal butler is available. The price range is $781-1156.

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Among the luxury resort hotels, The Ritz-Carlton 5* luxury complexes stand out. They are waiting for guests in Sarasota, Naples, Miami, as well as on the islands of Emilia Island and Bal Harbour. Accommodation in the hotels of this chain costs $635-1021. In the resort city of Orlando there was recently erected a building of Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress 4* hotel for 779 rooms. From here it is not far from the entertainment centers of Walt Disney World. Rooms rent for $229-$374.

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Disney World theme parks near Orlando have 34 hotels of their own, the most luxurious of which is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa 5*, built in Victorian style. The hotel is known for its impeccable service, exquisite cuisine of its restaurants, and recovery spa procedures. The daily rate for a stay will range from $552 to $813. It is cheaper to rent a room in the hotel Walt Disney World Swan 4*, it is located in the theme park “Epcot” (270-392 $). In the resort area of Disney parks there are also quite inexpensive hotels, for example, Holiday Inn Orlando 3* (147-201 $) or Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites 3*, located a stone’s throw from the water park (137-217 $). Democratic prices are set in Clarion Inn & Suites Orlando Resort – 88-115 $ per room. The hotel is within walking distance of the entrance to the Universal Studios Florida theme park.

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Transportation

Florida has a network of railroads and excellent highways (some of which are toll roads), and many regional airports. On the coasts operate cargo, passenger and cruise ocean harbors, yacht marinas, where pleasure boats depart.

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An example of the development of urban transportation can serve as an agglomeration of Miami in South Florida. The city center is served by Metromover automated public transportation cars. Fare on Metromover cars is free, and stops are arranged every two blocks. Municipal buses and cabs also run along the streets. Metrorail lines run along overpasses, and Tri-Rail commuter trains depart from the stations, connecting Miami with three neighboring counties.

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You can travel through the expansive grounds of Disney World by vintage stagecoach or monorail car, horse-drawn phaeton, motorboat, and even fire truck. There is a railroad on the perimeter of the Disney property, a train with an authentic 19th century steam locomotive runs there, and colonial era wheeled 4-deck steamboats ply the Seven Seas Lagoon. The Disney parks are connected to nearby resorts by bus routes and river cabs.

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How to get there

The state of Florida has several international airports that receive airliners from all over the world. The largest of these are located in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale. All large airports are connected to coastal resorts by a dense network of bus and train lines. Cabs are also available, but many visitors to the Sunshine State prefer to rent a car right at the arrival terminal. In addition, the U.S. has a well-developed air cab service. A small private airplane or helicopter can quickly get to any city or town in Florida.

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