For the jet-setting tourist, the essential stop is cosmopolitan, Latin-flavored Miami - the busy city that rocks. Take things a bit slower as you head south to the Florida Keys, a hundred-mile string of islands known for sports fishing, coral-reef diving, and the sultry town of Key West, legendary for its sunsets and anything-goes attitude. North from Miami, is the Florida east coast - the home to many miles of sandy beaches and Atlantic ocean views. Further north, you'll find the ever popular "Winter Break" and "Spring Break" destination called Daytona Beach. Daytona is more than Racing and Biker Bars - the beach here is world famous. History buffs will appreciate a visit to historical

St Augustine - the longest continuous settlement in the US.

In central Florida the terrain turns green, though it's no rural idyll: this is where you'll find Orlando and Walt Disney World Resort, one of the world's leading tourist destinations. From here it's just a skip north to the forests of the Panhandle, Florida's link with the Deep South, or to the towns and beaches of the west coast. To the south, and also easily accessible from Miami, stretches the Everglades, a swampy sawgrass plain filled with camera-friendly (but otherwise unfriendly) alligators.

In at least one way, it makes little difference when you visit: warm sunshine and blue skies are almost always a fact of life. Florida does, however, split into two climatic zones: subtropical here on Marco Island, and warm temperate in the north. Orlando and points south have very mild winters (October to April), with warm temperatures and low humidity. This is the peak tourist season, when prices are at their highest. The southern summer (May to September), on the other hand, brings high humidity and afternoon storms - the rewards for braving the mugginess are lower prices and fewer tourists. Winter is the off-peak period north of Orlando; while snow has been known to fall in the Panhandle, daytime temperatures are generally comfortably warm. During the northern Florida summer, the crowds arrive, and the days - and the nights - get hot and sticky. Read more about Florida and the wonderous vacation opportunities available.