Jason Ferguson - Moon Florida

Tikis welcome guests to Cocoa Beach.

Ask longtime residents of Florida how they feel about their state, and theyll get a gleam in their eyes. Theyll lean in a little closeras if theyre about to reveal a treasured secretand tell you about a spot off a nearby river, along a beautiful beach, or amid the buzzing electricity of the city. This spot, theyll say, could only be found in Florida. And its places like that, wonderful locales so numerous that it seems nearly every resident has his or her own private collection, that continue to make Florida one of the most unique places in all of the United States, if not the world.

Floridas history has long been one of people laying odds that the allure of a tropical paradise in the continental United States will remain endlessly attractive. And those people have been right more often than theyve been wrong. From Henry Flagler constructing railways down the Atlantic coast that would eventually give rise to the cities of Palm Beach and Miami to Walt Disney furtively buying up marshland south of the once-sleepy town of Orlando in order to ensure a cohesive and holistic experience for visitors to his theme park, Floridas development as a state has been inextricably intertwined with its attraction as a tourist destination. Its remarkable that, even as development seems destined to take over the state, there are alwaysno matter where you areexpansive and extensive examples of Floridas wild and natural beauty.

Florida oranges

Disneys iconic Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom

the marina in downtown St. Petersburg

Discover what has drawn people to the Sunshine State for centuries. Sitting on the beach watching the sun rise above the Atlantic with nothing but the squawks of gulls and the waves disturbing the peace, you can imagine how every group of newcomers must have felt, whether the first Europeans, the post-colonial settlers, or the retirees from the Northern United States. The sense of boundless opportunity, the awe-inspiring natural beauty, the numerous opportunities for recreation and relaxation, the sun, the sand, the swamps....

Florida still inspires even the most hard-hearted souls with its beguiling promise: paradise the way it ought to be, if you know where to look.

white-sand dunes at St. Andrews State Park

Purple Gallinule in Everglades National Park.

Ca dZan mansion in Sarasota

Living It Up in Miamis South Beach: Whether its the pastel art deco buildings, the velvet-ropes-and-bottle-service clubs, the shopping, the dining, the stylish multicultural crowds, or even the beautiful beach itself, South Beach neatly encapsulates a uniquely modern Florida experience (

Theme Parks in Orlando: With Walt Disney World () all within a few minutes of one another, the city has become synonymous with roller-coaster escapism.

Beaches: Florida is home to some of the best beaches in the United States, with stretches of soft, white sand and crystal-blue waters ().

Everglades National Park: This expansive and wild national park () encompasses one of the last and largest unspoiled natural areas in the state, perfect for canoeing, kayaking, camping, and wildlife watching.

Free-Wheeling Key West: The historic homes and buildings of Old Town gorgeously evoke a long-gone, Hemingway-esque version of the island, while the gloriously libertine bars, clubs, tourist traps, and restaurants along this strip highlight the louche Margaritaville it has become ().

Freshwater Springs: There are dozens of freshwater springs throughout Florida, many open to the public in the form of state or municipal parks. Theyre excellent for swimming, snorkeling, and nature watching (