TRAVELERS’ TIPS
KAYAKING FAMILY • SEMINOLE COUNTY
Travelers’ Tips
FOR FLORIDA BY KATHY WOLF
F
lorida, the Sunshine State, is big— 58,560 square miles, or a 14-hour drive from sultry Key West to breezy
Pensacola. More than half of Florida’s population of 18 million lives south of Orlando. To the north and west, rural countryside with small towns is the norm. In addition to VISIT FLORIDA® (visitflorida.com), the state’s offi-
cial tourism bureau, most of the 67 counties have their own tourism websites.
WEATHER Florida’s temperate weather makes it a top vacation destination. Spring and summer are prime time in the north, while South Florida offers its best in fall and winter. Mild winters can be punctuated with freezing temperatures, down to 20 F. Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures between 80 F and 95 F and evenings in the 70s. Afternoon thundershowers may occasionally bring lightning strikes. Hurricane season runs June 1–November 30. Tune into weather forecasts and be aware of hurricane evacuation routes. 22
2011 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
FLORIDA WATER PARK • VISIT FLORIDA®