In 1513, Juan Ponce de León came to the Sunshine Coast in search
of the mythical fountain of youth, and named it Florida.
In the 1980's, it seemed that everyone in America over the age of
sixty were trying to do the same.
Ponce de León thought that he had discovered a large island, when
in fact it is a narrow peninsular pointing a finger at Cuba.
Go to Key West and bold red letters tell you just how close you are to
Castro's Island.
It wasn't until 1565 that Spanish forces returned, under Pedro
Menéndez de Aviles, to oust the French Huguenots and found St. Augustine; the oldest
permanent European settlement in the United States.
It is disrespectful of Europeans to think that they found America when
the Timucua, Apalachee, Calusa, and the stronger Seminole were already there.
Florida changed hands again after the Seven Years' War in 1763, when
Great Britain took control of the territory until after the War of Independence
(1775-1783).
The Americans, the Spaniards, and the British would all continue to
squabble over the glorified swamp. What must the Seminoles have thought?
Now it appears to be in the hands of Latin Americans and Disney.
Don't get me wrong, I love Little Havana, but I'm grateful that I have
no children crying out for fun with Mickey.
The warm, sunny climate attracts millions of tourists to Florida each
year.
Online Sunshine:
The official guide to the State of Florida legislature.
Apart from the popcorn culture of the themeparks, and the half-naked
bodies on Miami Beach, there are some other places of interest.
Tallahassee is the state capital, although Jacksonville is the largest
city.
With many lakes and a very long coastline, Florida is an excellent
spot for fishing. Many head to the Keys to hire a boat and go deep-sea fishing Hemingway
style.
Diving Florida Keys:
Experienced scuba divers can explore two purposely sunk Coast Guard Cutters that
serve as artificial reefs.
For Sports Fans Who Prefer to Watch
The Orange Bowl, in Miami,
hosts a major end of season college football game, and the Daytona 500 is held at Daytona
Beach every February.
Miami Dolphins:
Touchdown at the Dolphin's Endzone.
The Castillo de San Marcos,
at St Augustine dates from the 1670's and is the oldest masonry fortress of the
continental United States.
See Also
Fort Matanzas National
Monument near St Augustine; the historic district at Pensacola; and the De Soto National Memorial near Bradenton.
By Michel.
Related Links
Americana:
The forming of the United States - American Civil War, and African American Heritage.
Driving Distances:
Interactive Distances between major U.S. cities, in miles or kilometres.
Florida Travel Notes:
Find out more about Florida @ Travel Notes.
Art Deco
Hotels:
Not all of the hotels are in the deco style, but they are in the deco district of Miami
Beach.
Daytona Beach:
Get the big picture from the official guide to planning your stay in the Daytona Beach
area.
I-95 Exit Information
Guide:
The I-95 runs from Maine to Florida. If you're going to travel this route you won't take a
wrong turn here.
Miami Herald:
The news from the region on your desktop.
Tampa Bay:
Things to see and do in the Tampa Bay area from Keith West's eGO Travel Guides to the US.
Weather
Warnings:
This page provides immediate access to all available warnings for the United States;
refreshes every 60 seconds. Don't say you didn't see it coming.
Regional Directory - Search
The Web.
|
