there's nowhere quite like Florida in the
United States. So relax, explore and be inspired.
Key visitor facts
- Florida is in the Eastern Standard Time Zone, five hours behind GMT. The exception is part of northwest Florida, from just east of Panama City Beach
to Pensacola, which is in Central Standard Time, one hour earlier. - Visa requirements vary - so check with your local US embassy for visa, passport and health requirements.
- Electrical current is 110-120 volts, so you may need to bring a converter.
- Tipping is expected in Florida and is generally not included in the bill - but check your bill first as some restaurants do include it. Offer waiters, taxi drivers and room service around 15-20%; valets $2-$5; maids $5 a day
and porters $2-$3 a day. - The speed limit on most interstate freeways is 75 miles an hour, dropping
to 65 or 55 in metropolitan areas. The official speed limit in Florida is
55mph, with lower speed limits sign posted. - Each front-seat occupant must wear seat belts in a passenger car. Children under five must also be properly restrained.
Hotels, spas and resorts
Florida offers a wide choice of hotels to suit, whether you want to hang out on the beach or throw yourself into theme park thrills. Stay with a major chain or stretch your money further.
If you need a little pampering, check into one of Florida's plethora of spas. From a single day to a longer-term immersion experience, Florida will see you refreshed and revitalised.
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Food and wine
As you'd imagine, fresh fish and seafood are abundant all over Florida. You'll also find great ribs, steaks and burgers, the result of high quality produce of the state's many cattle farms. Alligator and frogs legs also appear on many menus.
Your choice of what to eat, however, is largely influenced by where you are. If it's the north, the food is hearty, with traditional southern dishes such as grits (cornmeal pancakes), cornbread and fried chicken. Go south and the cooking becomes increasingly tinged with the flavours of the Caribbean and Latin America.
But wherever you are, it's the seafood that excels. Conch is very popular - they're usually in chowders or deep fried as fritters.
Finally, don't forget to finish off your meal with a slice of Florida's famous Key Lime Pie.
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Golf and sport
Did someone mention golf? With over a thousand
golf courses - most of them world class - throughout the sunshine state, you'll be spoilt for choice.
Golfing enthusiasts flock to Florida, where you can play golf every day of the year if you feel like it. All levels of player are catered for, and if you go in low season (May to November), you'll find the courses wonderfully crowd-free.
Sport fishing and diving are also hugely popular.
Key Largo isn't known as the diving capital of the world without good reason.
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Families
Florida is synonymous with family holidays, with all its theme parks, beaches and water parks - not to mention awe-inspiring attractions like Kennedy Space Center and the Everglades.
Florida is a perfect family destination, with fun and adventure everywhere you turn. The sights and sounds of the big theme parks like Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida and Universal Orlando® Resort are as much fun for adults as for children - and very small children are well catered for too.
Visit at the right time and you might just get to watch a rocket launch at the Kennedy Space Center. Take a boat ride around the eerie waters of the Everglades and marvel at the extraordinary wildlife you'll see.
Dolphin and manatee-watching are other ways that families can uncover the secrets of Florida's natural world together. Or go snorkelling, kayaking or take a ride in a glass-bottomed boat.
And that's just for starters. Florida has activities and excitement to keep families occupied for however long you want to stay.
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Shopping and entertainment
Serious shopper alert. Florida's shopping malls are well known for having fantastic factory outlets for top name brands like Saks Fifth Avenue and Polo Ralph Lauren. Try Sawgrass Mills in Fort Lauderdale to start with.
Whether it's in the bars and restaurants of Las Olas, Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, watching the sunset in Key West, or hanging out on Ocean Drive, you'll find a reason for a party everywhere you go in Florida.
In Miami you'll find a cosmopolitan city with internationally renowned art galleries, like the Miami Art Museum, with its engaging art displays from the 1940s to the present day. And that's barely scratching the surface.
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Climate
Florida has two separate climatic zones - subtropical in the south and warm and temperate in the north - like the rest of the south eastern United States.
Whatever time you visit north of Orlando, there's good weather to enjoy. Winter is off-peak season but it is still pleasantly warm. Summertime in northern Florida brings a less intense version of the muggy summer days of the south.
The months between May and October can be unbearably humid in the south, relieved only by afternoon thunderstorms. The peak tourist season, from November to April, is pleasantly warm with low humidity.
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Fly drive
One of the best ways to explore the diverse landscape of the sunshine state is by car. Being so narrow, it takes no more than a few hours to cross between the east and west coasts. And with a car, those out of the way places you really want to explore become easily accessible.
A fly-drive deal from British Airways is the easy way to hire a car for the duration of your holiday. We've teamed up with the leading car rental companies to bring you a wide choice of vehicles, including
3-door hatch-backs, luxury convertibles and mini-vans.
More about fly-drive
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