Florida for Idiots: Summer 2010
A beginner's guide to all things Florida
So you're going to Florida but have no idea of what to really expect, how to get about, where to eat and drink and how to cope with their weather? Read on...
You can follow the mini-guides in this web-site by selecting from the left hand menu in a logical manner. This covers what to do before you get to the USA, how to get the best of it whilst you are there, and even a couple of things to think about for your return trip.

Or you can skip and jump around the site dipping your computer toe into the Florida waters from the comfort of your keyboard!

In an nutshell, Florida offers you and your family everything from Disney and Universal theme parks, water parks you can only dream of, quality food in portions that even teenagers have trouble finishing and easily-reached state nature parks for a more relaxing (part of your) holiday.

Cocoa BeachDriving in Florida is pretty laid back - perhaps because everyone is on holiday. It's certainly nothing like the aggressive New York mayhem you see on TV. Florida has wide open roads that lend themselves to reaching out to places you would think were too far away but can be reached within an hour or so.

If you're driving in Florida Read my tips on driving in Florida including what size car you should consider, the hidden extras they don't tell you about, and the infamous Florida Ice.

Of course driving is not mandatory, and many tourist choose not to hire a car, either to avoid the cost, the potential stress or both. I'll tell you lots about the public transport system in and around Orlando / Kissimmee that would make your local bus company executive green with envy.

Now, read on by selecting a menu link from the left hand side of this page...

 
Information
Florida was the 27th state to join the United States. It happened on 3rd March 1845.

Florida has a sales tax of 6%. That means every price you see, every meal on a menu, every ticket will have sales tax added at the point of sale.

There are 17 million people living in Florida. That compares to the UK's 58 million.

The total land mass of Florida is 58,000 square miles. Britain (i.e the UK without Northern Ireland) has 88,500 square miles. England has 50,000 sq. miles so Florida is bigger than England and has only 17 million inhabitants (although I'm betting there's another 3 million illegal immigrants hiding in there somewhere).

Sometimes I wish I was one of them...