Florida Hotels

Best known for its beaches and theme parks, Florida offers everything from the trendy sophistication of Miami's South Beach to some of the most remote natural habitats in the western hemisphere. A center for American tourism, you will have no difficulty finding a hotel in Florida that offers the amenities you are looking for. In fact, many Florida hotels offer discounts and free transportation to the area's major attractions.

We'll start our tour in the southern end of the state. 135 miles south of Miami, at the very end of US Highway 1, we find the delightful community of Key West. Perhaps best known as the haunt of Ernest Hemingway, the small island is a happy blend of Caribbean warmth, Florida tranquility, and artistic creativity. The drive to the mainland across the other keys provides plenty of opportunities for sight seeing along the way.

Our first view of the mainland is far different than anything we have seen in the keys. The thoroughly modern city of Miami, where tiny sailboats make their way through the shadows of massive skyscrapers, has been called the most important city in Latin America. Hispanic influence drives Miami's passions and its business interests. Sooner or later though everyone in Miami heads east to the beaches. Venerable Miami Beach stands just to the north (where else?) of South Beach. Home to supermodels, designers and celebrities from all parts of the entertainment world, South Beach is a non-stop party for the rich and beautiful.

Follow Miami's streets to the north and west and you will be surprised as how suddenly the congestion disappears. The only residents in much of southern Florida are alligators, herons and armadillos. The marshes and swamplands of the region are National Parks, protecting the endangered wildlife. The state of Florida is a veritable zoo. Even in the cities you will see an amazing diversity of birds and other wildlife. The gulf coast, particularly north of Tampa, is still relatively pristine - at least by Florida standards.

Central Florida is perhaps best known for its animal population. Of course, we refer to the mouse who plays host to the world there. Orlando is the amusement park capital of the universe. Disneyworld, Universal Studios and Sea World may be the "big three" but there are dozens of other vying for their parts of the tourist dollar as well. If you your Florida hotel happens to be in Orlando, you may not even need to rent an automobile during your stay. Free transportation is provided from all of the hotels in the region to the city's attractions.

An interesting day trip from Orlando (if not a vacation in itself) is the north central Atlantic coast of the state. The so-called "Space Coast" is home to NASA. Just a bit farther up the road is Daytona Beach - birthplace of the American traditions of Spring Break and stock car racing. History buffs will want to check out St. Augustine, the oldest town in the US for an interesting look into Spanish colonial life.