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4 cities
State · Flórida
Flórida
Florida combines the parks of Orlando, the beaches of Miami and the Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades and the road over the sea to Key West.
In the photo: Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The state
Get to know Flórida
Florida is the peninsula in the southeastern United States between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, and the state most visited by Brazilians in the country. The capital is Tallahassee in the north; the cities that attract tourists are in the central and southern parts, with warm weather almost all year round.
Orlando is the city of theme parks: Walt Disney World, between Orlando and Kissimmee, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. Winter Haven has Legoland, Winter Park is a city of lakes and museums adjacent to Orlando, and Titusville is near the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, where rockets are launched.
In the southeast, Miami brings together the Brickell downtown, Cuban Little Havana and the Wynwood murals, and Miami Beach has South Beach and the art déco buildings. Fort Lauderdale is crossed by canals, and Homestead is the gateway to Everglades National Park, an area of swamps and mangroves and a UNESCO site, home to alligators and water birds.
To the south, the Overseas Highway links the Florida Keys by bridges over the sea: Key Largo, with diving on coral reefs, Islamorada, Marathon and Key West, the southernmost city of the contiguous United States. On the Gulf Coast, Tampa has Busch Gardens, Clearwater has white-sand beaches and St. Petersburg has the Dalí Museum.
On the table: the Cuban sandwich, stone crab and key lime pie. English shares space with Spanish, and in Orlando and Miami it is common to hear Portuguese.
Destinations
3 destinations in Flórida
Cities
13 cities in Flórida in the guide
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Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale combines canals, marinas and a long Atlantic shoreline. The Bonnet House preserves a historic estate with gardens, while the Riverwalk shows the downtown relationship with the river; the beach is located in a different part of Downtown.
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Homestead
Homestead is a base in the southern Miami region for Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. The town lets you start early on the Royal Palm routes or organize bay navigation without crossing all of Miami on the way.
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Islamorada
Islamorada occupies a central stretch of the Upper Keys between Key Largo and Marathon. The History of Diving Museum helps to understand diving, and Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park displays ancient reefs exposed in rock.
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Key Largo
Key Largo is the first major base in the Keys for those coming from Miami. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park brings visitors close to the mangroves and reefs with on-water activities, with options that depend on sea conditions.
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Key West
Key West caps the Overseas Highway with an old town of wooden houses and walkable streets. The Hemingway Home and Mallory Square are in Old Town; the town is also the departure base for Dry Tortugas, which requires a full day to reach.
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Kissimmee
Kissimmee sits on the north shore of Lake Tohopekaliga and serves as a base for the Disney area of the Orlando region. Kissimmee Lakefront Park offers an outdoor break between park days without needing admission to a large complex.
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Marathon
Marathon is an intermediate base in the Keys, close to the bridges and parks of the central part of the archipelago. Crane Point offers nature trails and Bahia Honda State Park allows a beach stop west of town.
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Miami
Miami brings together Vizcaya, the Wynwood murals and the culture of Little Havana on the mainland side of the bay. The neighborhoods are spread out and each requires its own walk; the beach most associated with the trip is in the neighboring city of Miami Beach.
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Miami Beach
Miami Beach occupies a stretch of islands between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic. South Beach and the Art Deco Historic District let you combine sand, the boardwalk and architecture without changing areas; the façades on Ocean Drive are part of the urban ensemble.
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Orlando
Orlando is the base for a parks trip that spreads across neighboring municipalities. Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe are located in the tourist sector; SeaWorld, Aquatica and Discovery Cove add roller-coaster and water experiences.
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Titusville
Titusville sits on the Indian River Lagoon, facing the Kennedy Space Center area. It serves as a base to spend the day with the vehicles and exhibitions of space exploration, with a land route to the visitor complex on Merritt Island.
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Winter Haven
Winter Haven is in a lake region of central Florida and hosts LEGOLAND Florida, its water park, Peppa Pig Theme Park and SEA LIFE Florida. The city is included in trips from Orlando as a stop aimed mainly at families with children.
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Winter Park
Winter Park has a walkable core around Park Avenue, gardens and lakes north of Orlando. The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art houses the Louis Comfort Tiffany collection and provides a cultural break between the theme parks.
When to go
From November to April is usually the dry season, with hot days and cooler nights, the most popular time for beaches and parks. From June to September the heat is strong, with afternoon downpours. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with higher risk between August and October. Orlando parks tend to be crowded in July, at Christmas and at Easter.
Getting there
The main airports are Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Tampa (TPA). Connections with Brazil may be direct or with a stopover, depending on the season and the airline. Check before you buy. Between Miami and Orlando it's about 380 km, via the Brightline train or Florida's Turnpike highway. Key West has its own airport (EYW) and is about 260 km from Miami via the Overseas Highway.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Flórida
Which city to choose as a base for the Orlando parks?
The parks are between Orlando and Kissimmee. The Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee area is closer to Disney; International Drive is closer to Universal and SeaWorld. In any case, a rental car or hotel shuttle services help getting around.
Can you do Miami and Orlando on the same trip?
Yes, and it is the most common combination. It's about three and a half hours by car or train between the two cities. Many travelers allocate most of their days to the parks and leave three or four for Miami.
How to visit the Everglades from Miami?
The nearest entrance is past Homestead and leads to the Ernest F. Coe visitor center and the Anhinga trail, where it's common to see alligators and birds. airboat rides depart from areas on the park's edge. Entrance fees are charged separately: check the current schedule.
Do you need a car in Florida?
To travel between cities, yes: public transport is limited outside downtown Miami. In Orlando, a car makes it easier to go from one park to another and to shopping, and the drive to the Keys via the Overseas Highway is one of the state's best-known road trips.
How does travel look during hurricane season?
The official season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30; the months of greatest risk are usually August, September and October. Travelers during that period should follow weather forecasts and choose insurance that covers cancellations.