Lonely Planet Best of Florida

A hundred worlds from magic kingdoms and Latin American and Caribbean capitals to mangrove islands, wild wetlands, spaceship launch pads and artist colonies are all contained within this flat peninsula.

Maybe there's no mystery to what makes the Florida peninsula so intoxicating. Beaches as fine and sweet as powdered sugar, warm waters, rustling mangroves: all conspire to melt our workaday selves. We come to Florida to let go of worries and winter, of inhibitions and reality. Some desire a beachy getaway of swimming, seafood and sunsets. Others seek the hedonism of South Beach, spring break and Key West. Still more hope to lose themselves within the phantasmagorical realms of Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando's theme parks.

Yet tan, tropical Florida is smarter and more culturally savvy than its appearance suggests. This state, particularly South Florida, has a reputation for attracting eccentrics and idiosyncratic types from across the US, Latin America and Europe. Few understand that this is one of the most populous states in the country, a bellwether for the American experiment. And that experiment and this state is more diverse than ever. From rural hunters and trappers in the geographically northern, culturally Southern climes, to Jewish transplants sitting side by side with Latin arrivals from every Spanish-speaking nation in the world, it's hard to beat Florida when it comes to experiencing the human tapestry at its most colorful and vibrant.

The capital of all the Americas

Many Latin Americans resent it when citizens of the USA call themselves simply 'Americans.' 'Are we not citizens of the Americas, too?' they ask. Yes, and in this vein, Miami is the capital of America, North and South. No other city blends the Anglo attitude of North America with the Latin energy of South America and the Caribbean. Throw in miles of gorgeous sand, and say hello to the Magic City.