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The Quarter at Ybor
Ybor City |
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With nearly 1,200 miles of coastline,
literally hundreds of beaches, and an enviable climate, Florida's
appeal as the nation's sun-and-fun capital can't be denied.
It's a fast-growing, dynamic state that offers matchless recreation
opportunities, incomparable family attractions, fine dining,
great shopping, and much more. If you haven't been to Florida
lately, maybe it's time to schedule a trip! American Airlines
and American Eagle serve cities all over Florida. For reservations,
call 800-433-7300 or book online at www.aa.com.
Panhandle/Northwest
The northwestern region of the state offers all the things
that come to mind when you think of Florida - and many that
don't. Of course there are perfect beaches and plenty to do
in and around the water. But there are also quaint fishing
villages. Wildlife sanctuaries. Windswept dunes and lighthouses.
And lots of magnolia-scented, old-time Southern charm. It's
been said that this part of Florida more closely resembles
the state's neighbors to the north than the rest of the state,
but it has a personality all its own. In fact, this region
enjoys a peak summer season while South Florida winds down
during the summer months.
Cozied up to the state's border with Alabama,
Pensacola is Florida's westernmost big city. Spanish colonists
arrived in 1559, making it the site of the first European
settlement in North America, and Pensacola has been attracting
visitors and new residents ever since. It's a town rich in
history and diverse architecture, graced with a gorgeous coastline.
Today's travelers can take a walking tour of the Seville Historic
District, visit the home base of the U.S. Navy's flying Blue
Angels, or escape to the seclusion of nearby Gulf Islands
National Seashore, with its pristine beaches and dunes and
the ruins of a Civil War fort.
Pensacola is also the gateway to the Emerald
Coast, a 100-mile stretch of incredibly scenic coastline,
with wide beaches sparkling with powdery white sand and water
that changes from emerald green to a very deep blue. The resort
towns of Destin and Seaside offer some of the finest family
vacation opportunities in the state. Deep-sea fishing doesn't
get any better than off the coast in Destin, known as the
"world's luckiest fishing village" and host to an
annual Fishing Rodeo and Seafood Festival. For accommodations,
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is practically a town unto
itself, everything from cottages and condos to hotel rooms,
all with a view, and all in a spectacular 2,400-acre setting
with four golf courses, swimming pools, tennis, and more.
Fairfield Communities, one of the nation's
largest vacation ownership companies, markets vacation properties
throughout the country, and has three properties in Destin
- Fairfield Destin at Bay Club, Club Destin, and Majestic
Sun. Members of the company's vacation ownership plans can
enjoy these or locations elsewhere in Florida at Fort Lauderdale/Pompano
Beach, Daytona Beach, and Orlando, as well as other top resort
areas nationwide.
Turn inland from this coastal paradise and
you'll be rewarded with a glimpse of the Old South. Florida's
capital city of Tallahassee is home to several spectacular
"canopy roads," gorgeous drives lined with huge
trees hanging with Spanish moss. Several antebellum plantation
homes are open for tours, including Goodwood, a magnificent
former cotton plantation featuring a recently restored mansion
and extensive gardens that date back to the 1830s.
Central Gulf Coast
Follow the western coast of Florida south, and the marshy,
laid-back "Nature Coast" gives way to a strip of
bustling resort towns and major urban centers along the Central
Gulf Coast. Florida's twin cities - Tampa and St. Petersburg
- spread inland around Tampa Bay, while neighboring Tampa
and St. Pete Beach occupy the area's prime coastline. The
region boasts 360 days of sunshine a year, and the 35-mile
strip of barrier islands that buffer the cities against the
Gulf is known as "Florida's Beach" - in other words,
it's a favorite among those who really know their beaches.
If you're planning a trip to the area, see http://www.floridasbeach.com,
the official Web site of the St. Petersburg/ Tampa Convention
and Visitors Bureau.
A favorite destination of celebrities in
the 1920s and '30s, the island of St. Pete Beach, at the southern
end of the area's barrier islands, is home to the historic
Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa, a pink palace built in 1928.
Recently restored to its former glory, "the Don"
is a retro delight and a popular beachfront destination.
While there is plenty of sunshine and leisure
activity on Florida's Central Gulf Coast, the reality is that
wherever there are large numbers of older residents, there
is also a need for top-notch health care. Tampa is home
to one of the world's most renowned neurological specialists,
Dr. William Hammesfahr, M.D., of the Hammesfahr Neurological
Institute. Dr. Hammesfahr is a Nobel Prize nominee and treats
stroke patients from all over the world at the Institute,
which is considered the last - and best - hope for many stroke
patients. The Institute's success rate speaks for itself:
82 percent of stroke patients respond to treatment with major
improvement.
The city of St. Petersburg is Tampa's low-key,
artsy neighbor. The city's cultural attractions cluster near
the Pier, a hub of activity in itself, with shopping, fishing,
dining, a children's museum, and more. Nearby, the Museum
of Fine Arts exhibits the works of traditional American and
European artists in its galleries and sculpture garden. The
most surprising aspect of St. Petersburg's cultural scene
is an entire museum dedicated to the Spanish surrealist artist
Salvador Dali.
The former "cigar capital of the world,"
Tampa now boasts a reputation as a vital, multi-dimensional
city. Home to some of the region's top attractions - like
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and the Florida Aquarium - Tampa has
a rich history and a bright future. For a taste of the city's
multicultural character, visit the historic Cuban quarter,
Ybor City. |
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