Destination Spotlight - Gulf Coast - Florida USA

Florida is known as the "Sunshine State", famed for its warm year-round climate, its exciting theme parks and sandy beaches.  The State has promoted itself to tourists since the mid 19th century but it was the development of Walt Disney World in the mid 1960s that confirmed Florida as a top international tourist destination.  Whilst many of the thousands that visit Florida each year get no further than the attractions and entertainments of Orlando, both the gulf and gold coasts of the State are growing in popularity amongst Europeans and are developing their tourist trade.

Florida’s Gulf Coast, bordered by the warm Gulf waters, offers a welcome respite from the brashness of Orlando.  Here you will find lively towns and quiet villages alongside long sandy beaches, small islands and expanses of hidden swampland. Some of the southern coastline is still fairly undeveloped and many visitors come simply to kick back and chill out.

A quick tour of the Gulf Coast

Tampa is the largest city along the Gulf Coast, offering a thriving business community, a collection of fine museums and a buzzing nightlife. Having begun life as a small community supporting a US Army base, Tampa flourished thanks to a thriving port and cigar rolling production. The latter attracted a large Cuban population which contributes to the cultural diversity and atmosphere of the city today. A range of tourist attractions can be found in and around the city. The Florida Aquarium can be found at the dockside offering shark tanks, dive shows and a catamaran tour around the bay. A minimum of 4 hours is recommended to take in Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry - an ideal family day out; here you will find dinosaur exhibitions, IMAX theatre shows, planetarium shows and a butterfly garden. You can also experience a hurricane or a jet plane flight and there’s a specially designed interactive science centre for children aged 12 and under.

Just outside Tampa is Ybor City. Once home to a busy Cuban cigar-making community which declined in the post-depression era, the city is now undergoing something of a revival and tourists are regularly drawn to the lively nightlife whilst the old cigar factory has been renovated to house a variety of trendy shops and restaurants.

Busch Gardens, near Tampa, is one of Florida's most popular theme parks offering a variety of exhilarating rides including "Gwazi", a large wooden rollercoaster and "SheiKra", the first dive coaster to incorporate an Immelmann loop, a water feature, and a second drop through an underground tunnel. The park also offers one of the country's foremost zoos with over 2,700 animals, live shows, restaurants and shops – more than enough to keep the whole family happy!

Across Tampa Bay, you will find the Pinellas Peninsula, home to the resorts of St Petersburg and Clearwater.

St Petersburg calls itself "the city of the arts" and boasts 6 local museums including the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Florida International Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Salvador Dali Museum. The latter holds a permanent and comprehensive collection of Dali’s work including 96 oil paintings. Guided tours, including child-friendly family tours on a Saturday are available. The Sunken Gardens botanical attraction is over 100 years old and home to some of the region's oldest tropical plants. Here you will also find a popular interactive museum for children "Great Explorations". Downtown, the Pier has been revitalized by year-round entertainment and events including "PierFest" and the Children's Fishing Tournament.

Head west to the coast and you’ll find some of Florida’s busiest beaches. Pinellas Peninsula’s white-sand beaches stretch for over 35 miles along a collection of barrier islands. Fort De Soto beach, at the tip of the peninsula, is one of the most popular, voted “The Best Beach in America 2005”. The Fort de Soto Park is a popular recreation area with boat launch facilities, camp sites, picnic areas and a playground. Other beaches in the St Petersburg/Clearwater area include St Pete Beach, Redington Shores, Redington Beach, Sunshine Shores and Sunset Shores. Outdoor activities here are plentiful including sailing, fishing, cycling and bird-watching. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary can be found on the beach at Indian Shores, offering visitors the chance to see birds such as the brown pelican and white egret.

Travelling to the USA this year? Don't forget Car Hire 3000 offer discounted car hire in locations throughout the USA including car hire in Miami, Orlando, Orlando Airport, car hire New York, Las Vegas car hire and in many other USA locations and over 6,000 worldwide.