Florida

Florida is known as the "Sunshine State," and for good reason. Located on a peninsula on the south-eastern tip of the United States, it boasts 1,770 kilometres of coastline just waiting for you to sink your toes into the hot sand. Tack on world-class attractions, fantastic shopping and cuisine of every variety, and you'll see this holiday destination presents only one real challenge - deciding what to do first.

Travellers to the land of Mickey put themselves at a disadvantage if they don't consider looking beyond Disney's Magic Kingdom. There are a whole slew of other amusements including Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom, as well as Universal Studios, Sea World and classic attractions such as Gatorland. Suffice it to say there's plenty here to keep you busy.

Principal City: Tallahassee
Tourist Board: Florida

Boca Beach, Boca Raton

If staying busy is the last thing on your mind, the beaches lend themselves to everything from surfing through to shell collecting, or just plain relaxing. Or you might want to engage in Florida's favourite leisure sport-shopping. From the high-end boutiques of Palm Beach to the outlet shops of Orlando, shoppers of all tastes and budgets could fill an entire holiday emptying their bank accounts.

Restoring your energy will be a pleasure. While Spanish and Cuban influences dominate Floridian cuisine, you can have a hearty southern U.S.-style breakfast, lunch on Vietnamese curry and dine on Indian food at dinnertime - and it will all be sublime. So what are you waiting for? Pack your sunscreen. The Sunshine State awaits you.

Areas of Florida