The Southern Region / Miami

The southern tip of Florida is semi-tropical with no real winter and boasts a diverse set of habitats. Its most southerly tip, Key West is a mere 90 miles (145 km) from Cuba and 62 miles (100 km) from the Tropic of Cancer.

Fort Lauderdale

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Fort Lauderdale is just north of Miami and is likened to Venice because of its 170 miles (274 km) of canals. It was once the mecca for spring breakers letting their hair down during semester week in March but in recent years the authorities have clamped down on a number of their activities!! Nowadays many of them head for Daytona Beach instead.

Both Fort Lauderdale and Miami have a number of cruise lines offering anything from one day to many day cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.

Miami

Miami is an exotic vibrant multi-cultural city; over half its population is Hispanic, mostly from Cuba. Its amazing Art Deco buildings line Ocean Drive.

Miami does have a darker side and has a reputation for drugs and violence as popularised by the classic TV series 'Miami Vice'.

The Everglades

The Everglades are the largest swamp land in America and cover an area of over 19,300 square miles (50,000 sq km).

It is home to 600 species of fish, 300 species of bird and animals such as the alligator, manatee, cougar and the elusive Florida Panther. In the summer it is also home to mosquitoes so the best time to visit is really during the winter months.

The Keys

The Florida Keys consist of hundreds of islands (many uninhabited) stretching 110 miles (180 km) from the Atlantic Ocean into the Gulf of Mexico. They are joined together by a series of bridges (the Overseas Highway) and causeways along route US 1 which allow you to drive all the way to Key West, the 'southernmost point in continental USA'.

This is not strictly true because they are islands and therefore not really part of the mainland.

One of Key West's most famous residents was Ernest 'Papa' Hemmingway who lived here between 1931 and 1940.