Home › The Guild Travel Library › United States › Florida
Florida
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated August 2026
The Sunshine State · Capital: Tallahassee · The South
The snowbird capital — theme parks, warm beaches and the Everglades.
Why go
What makes Florida worth the trip.
Endless warmth
Winter temperatures that draw Canadians by the planeful.
Theme-park capital
Walt Disney World and Universal anchor Orlando.
Two coasts
Atlantic surf on one side, Gulf calm on the other.
Florida on the map
The capital and the places worth building a trip around. Click a marker for a quick note and hotels.
Florida — State Facts
A short history
Florida's peninsula was home to the Calusa, Timucua and other Indigenous nations for thousands of years before Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed in 1513, naming it for the Easter season. St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city in the continental United States, and Florida passed between Spanish, British and briefly Confederate control before becoming a U.S. territory in 1821.
Florida achieved statehood in 1845 as the 27th state, but it remained sparsely populated and swampy until railroad and land-boom development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, led by figures like Henry Flagler, opened the peninsula to settlement and tourism. Cuban immigration reshaped Miami through the 20th century, giving the city its distinctive Latin American character.
Today Florida's economy runs on tourism, citrus, aerospace at Cape Canaveral, and a booming retirement and winter-sun population. Its landmarks span Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, the Everglades' river of grass, Miami's art-deco South Beach, and the Florida Keys' overseas highway, making it the most visited U.S. state by Canadians seeking winter sun.
St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the continental U.S. — it predates Jamestown and Plymouth by decades.
Where to go
The signature places to build a trip around.
Tallahassee
The Panhandle capital, with rolling hills, canopy roads and the historic Capitol complex.
Selected hotels
Orlando
Disney World, Universal and the theme-park heartland.
Selected hotels
Miami & the Beaches
Art-deco South Beach, Latin culture and nightlife.
Selected hotels
The Florida Keys
An overseas highway to Key West and coral reefs.
Selected hotels
Everglades National Park
Airboats, alligators and a river of grass.
Selected hotels
Skip the theme-park lines in July and go November through April instead — and for real Florida flavor, find a Cuban cafecito window in Miami's Little Havana rather than a hotel lobby coffee bar.
When to go
November–April is peak snowbird season; summers are hot, humid and stormy.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
peak snowbird season with warm, dry, comfortable days across the state; book accommodations early.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm and increasingly humid, with spring break crowds in March; a good shoulder-season value window. March is prime spring-break season, with students flocking to Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami's South Beach.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot, very humid and prone to daily thunderstorms and hurricane risk; theme parks stay busy despite the heat.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Hurricane season lingers into November, but late autumn brings drier air and returning winter-sun crowds.
Florida FAQ
What is the capital of Florida?
Tallahassee is the capital of Florida.
What is the largest city in Florida?
Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida.
When did Florida become a state?
Florida became the 27th U.S. state on March 3, 1845.
What is Florida known for?
Florida is known for the winter-sun capital — theme parks, warm beaches and the Everglades.
When is the best time to visit Florida?
November–April is peak winter-sun season; summers are hot, humid and stormy.
Plan your Florida trip
Browse hotels and flights through the Guild's travel partner, and explore more of the United States.
All of the USA The Travel Library