Page 287 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

INTRODUCING FL ORID A  285

FLORIDA

For the majority of Florida’s 105 million annual visitors, the typical travel poster
images of Florida – sun, sea, sand, and Mickey Mouse – are reason enough to
jump on the next plane. The Sunshine State deserves its reputation as the
perfect family vacation spot, but Florida is much richer in its culture, landscape,
and character than its stereotypical image suggests.

Both climatically and culturally, Florida is a animal life, and where alligators and snakes
state divided – a bridge between temperate are living remin ders of the inhos pitable
North America and tropical Latin America place that Florida was not much more
and the Caribbean. In the north, roads are than 100 years ago.
lined with stately live oak trees and people
speak with a southern drawl, while, in the History
south, shade from the subtropical sun is cast Behind Florida’s modern veneer lies a long
by palm trees, and the inhabitants of Miami and rich past, molded by different nationalities
are as likely to speak Spanish as English. and cultures. Until the 16th century, Florida
For most visitors, Florida’s prime attractions supported a large indigenous population,
lie along the coasts, or in Central Florida’s whose complex political and religious
theme parks; the abundant beaches are systems demonstrated a high degree of social
varied enough to satisfy any visitor, and organization. However, colonization, warfare,
theme parks will entertain all ages. However, and disease reduced the Native American
great rewards await those who want to population by nearly 80 percent. In 1513,
explore farther. The lush forests and rolling the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León
hills of the north and central areas provide discovered Florida and named it after Pascua
some of the loveliest coun tryside in the Florida, the Feast of the Flowers (Easter).
state. Equally exciting are the so-called “wild For almost 200 years several Spanish
areas,” such as the Everglades, which harbor conquistadors attempted unsuccessfully
an extra ordinary diversity of plant and to search for gold and colonize the region.

Deerfield Beach, a quiet coastal resort within easy reach of Boca Raton
Aerial vista of Miami’s South Beach, Florida

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