So, it’s coming up on Spring Break Vacation, you’re siked to get out for a week or so, and you definitely want to get out of the old mundane scenery you’re so used to. There are a variety of places you can go, but you really don’t want to miss Florida, where the sun is always hot, the water cool and salty, and fresh breezes or spring rain to cool off after the mid-day. If that’s got your attention, then let me redirect you to a pinpoint location: Panama City Beach in the Panhandle of Florida. Twenty-seven miles of granite white sand beaches, extending east to west, large enough for the entire state to come and relax without being too crowded. Now that I’ve tossed my line, have you taken the bait?

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If you haven’t seen the Space Shuttle launch before, then you shouldn’t wait any longer. NASA has been ordered to end the Space Shuttle program, thus the next five missions for the Space Shuttle teams will be their last, making it the priority of sub contractors and other third party space exploration companies to find a new way to shuttle people back and forth to and from the International Space Station.

Launch dates change frequently, be sure to check the Cape Canaveral Launch Schedule for launch updates and information.

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Fort Lauderdale captures the essence of all that is Florida. It’s not as snobby as Palm Beach and not as trendy as South Beach Miami, what it represents is all the best of old Florida and how far we’ve progressed. Fort Lauderdale was once thought of as a spring break party town but it has really grown up. They have a fabulous art district and host many festivals throughout the year including the largest in water boat show in the world. They have a busy port that sails many cargo and cruse ships and the nearby Everglades National Park is a must see. The weather in Fort Lauderdale is great too it’s tropical with hot, humid summers and dry, warm winters which make the beach a great place to spend a day year round.

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I-95 runs 1,917 miles along the length of the east coast with over 300 miles of it in Florida. Starting near Jacksonville, running to Miami with main thoroughfares such as I-10 to I-4 intersecting with it. If you’re going anywhere along the east coast in Florida chances are some point you’ll be on I-95.

Known as the “East Coast’s Main Street” I-95 serves the entire Northeast as well because it is an important factor in commerce and tourism, linking New England and the southern part of America. I-95 passes through more states than any other Interstate Highway system.

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Fort Lauderdale has it all, food, fun, sun, the arts, shopping, yachting as well as a rich culture and history. Here you can see a play, enjoy both modern and classical dance or hear a lecture or enjoy many other things to do in Fort Lauderdale. Whether you’re in the mood to relax or party, be wild and crazy or take in a little bit of art Fort Lauderdale has just what you’re in the mood for.

Gone are the old days of Fort Lauderdale being synonymous with the Spring Break. These days Fort Lauderdale means a lot more, it’s matured and become more upscale. You can however still have a good time and party here. The ’strip’ is still a popular night spot and of course, the beach and all the many waterways in and around the city are still a major draw. Now, in addition to all of that, Fort Lauderdale has several theaters many shops and you can find a restaurant to satisfy any appetite, they also host a huge art show and Music festival each year, normally in March.

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When I was 16, it was June and we had just moved to Florida. I was so excited I could picture that golden tan I was going to get. I remember distinctly my father’s words as we headed off to the beach with our towels and radio in search of the perfect tan. “Be careful the sun at Florida beaches is stronger than you’re used to, you need to have something on with at least an SPF of 15 at all times, 30 is better but I’ll be realistic, and reapply it often.” We rolled our eyes as we left but took the bottle he held out to us. Guess what; it turns out he was right. The first time I was ever consciously aware of the heat from the Florida sun was years later. Fast forward to ten summers; I was on a plane heading home to Central Florida from New York, sitting in a window seat with my arm resting on the window ’sill’. I was wondering how much longer to Orlando when the pilot came on telling us to look out the window to see Cape Canaveral, it was also at that moment I noticed that my arm, still on the sill, had gotten considerably warmer. The truth is that much of Florida’s climate is considered sub tropic so the sun is stronger here than the rest of America.

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We have our own little tropical paradise known as the Florida Keys. The Keys are made up of many small islands and chains of island and are set at the tip of Florida so they lie in the Atlantic Ocean on one side and in the Gulf of Mexico on the other. Key Largo is the top and considered the first Key. Key Largo is the one made famous by the movie staring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and the song. The waters around the Keys are warm and crystal clear this attracts many divers and snorkelers which lends to Key Largo having the popular moniker of the “Diving Capital of the World”.

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Beautiful Tampa and Tampa Bay are located on the west coast of Florida and about an hour and a half from Orlando. If you’re looking for things to do in Tampa, you won’t be disappointed on that front either. Everyone knows Tampa is home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This city takes their team VERY seriously, you can take a pirate ship cruise on any night of the week and there are as many pirate flags as there are stars and stripe flying around the city, all in good fun mind you.

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On a recent trip to St. Petersburg I was amazed at how truly beautiful the city is and how very much there is to do and see there. The city its self has a great skyline with dramatic new buildings rising up from it and the old standards like The Pier in St. Petersburg, which is an eye catching inverted pyramid. I say it’s an old standard because The Pier has been a fixture of the downtown area, in its current form since 1973 and in some form since 1889. Local festivals are still held there and for a long time community were dances too. You can fish, shop, dine there’s even a small patch of beach to have fun on and an aquarium but the best part is; it’s in the middle of downtown so it’s fun and convenient.

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Fort Myers is not only a city steeped in history it is also a great example of ‘Old Florida’. By ‘Old Florida’, I mean the neighborhoods have many of the typical Florida style one level homes with the hurricane shutters on them and the streets are lined with trees covered in Spanish Moss hanging almost to the blacktop in some places. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford where so taken with Fort Myers that they both built elaborate winter homes here along with work shops that are today, along with the grounds are open to the public as a museum. There are also several award winning beaches nearby including Sanibel island, which is famous for it’s fantastic shelling opportunities, Fort Myers Beach just a short drive across the bridge and Lover’s Key a few mile to the south.

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