Lake
Buena Vista
For those who live in frostbitten lands, Florida takes on
a mythical stature. Long before they first visit the state,
travelers are regaled with tales of its warm sun, exotic creatures
and golden beaches.
Once they actually visit Florida, visitors tend to find that
these ideas are oversimplified. Golden sand there is, but
there are also mangrove thickets, barren coral islands and
reedy estuaries.
Reality matches the myths in many ways,
though. In the middle of the state, Orlando stands as the
undisputed capital of the theme park. Along the Atlantic
coast, Miami simmers with Caribbean and Latin American flair,
and sights such as alligators in the Everglades and the
space shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center allow you to enjoyably
combine education with vacation. And should you become convinced
that all of Florida was constructed after 1970, sites like
St. Augustine are living proof that Florida's historical
roots are some of the deepest in the U.S. On the Gulf coast,
a stop in Tampa/St. Petersburg will provide all the comfort
and entertainment that a booming modern metro area can provide.
A few hours down the highway, on Sanibel Island, you can
tour a piece of wild Florida that has not changed in centuries.
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