Southern Byways

Let’s Celebrate: National Tourism Week with the State of Florida’s Icons

by Apryl on July 23rd, 2008

If you have been following this particular thread, we have made it to the end!

The Doctor is Always Right: They say that no matter where you are in Florida, you are about 60 miles away from a beach, unless, of course, you’re already on the coast. In fact, the Sunshine State’s beaches account for 1,000 miles of the state’s 1,800 miles of coastline. The beaches themselves are as diverse as the state. What you’ll discover along the Panhandle is quite different from what you’ll find in Cocoa Beach. That beach is different from what’s in the Keys and so on. You know, I don’t think there has been a year where a Florida beach hasn’t been on “Dr. Beach’s” Top Beaches list. And you’ve always been told to listen to a doctor, right?

A World Within Itself: Florida is known for its natural beauty with its many state parks, lakes and rivers. However, there is one of the state’s natural resource that stands out from the others.  The Everglades is fascinating. As one of the largest wetlands in the world, it’s rich in an array of animal and plant life. The ‘Glades are  home to the Florida panther, the West Indian manatee, the American crocodile and alligators, just to name a few.  On the planet side, there’s orchids, cypress and ferns.

Now the Everglades isn’t limited to the South Florida area. The region actually begins in Orlando and ends near the Florida Keys. In between, there are a number of Everglades Trails to explore, such as Shingle Creek in Orlando, Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Okeechobee and Biscayne National Park in Homestead. The Everglades National Park is has four separate visitors center: Homestead, Flamingo, Shark Valley and Everglades City.

Photo credits (top left) Florida Beach, flickr, creative commons by jjosh; (top right) Florida Everglades, flickr, creative commons by Jesse Michael Nix

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POSTED IN: Beaches, Eco-Tourism, Eco-friendly travel, Icons, Let's Celebrate, National Parks, Nature, Southern Byways, Things to See in Florida, Vacation, Weekend Trip, Wild Life, road trip