Five tips for a visit to sunny Florida

Guest writer: Ann-Louise Paulsson

Now that winter has arrived in earnest here in Sweden, it feels just right to dream away to warmer latitudes. When it's cold and rough here, it's just as warm on the other side of the Atlantic, more specifically in Florida.

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Located in the south-eastern United States, Florida is surrounded by ocean on both sides, the Gulf of Mexico on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. There are miles of velvety sandy beaches along the coastline and the state has a climate that alternates between tropical (South Florida) and subtropical (North Florida).

In the summer, Florida is really hot with temperatures up to 35 degrees and it is also very humid. Therefore, winter is my favourite time of year to visit this particular state. In winter, the climate is more like a pleasant Swedish summer with daytime temperatures of 20-25 degrees.

The first time I was in Florida, 24 years ago, I was there at the beginning of January and while I was lying outside my father's cousin's apartment and sunbathing in a bikini, the neighbours were walking around in long trousers, a jacket and a hat and looked at me strangely. Then it was still about 25 degrees hot!

All US states have nicknames and Florida is known as 'The Sunshine state', a name it has certainly earned with its 3000 hours of sunshine per year.

There is so much to see in Florida and you could spend months there and still not see it all. I have visited Florida four times and have found a few favourites that I would like to share with you.

Clearwater Beach - one of America's best beaches

Located on the west coast of Florida, west of Tampa, Clearwater Beach has been repeatedly voted the best beach in the US. The four kilometre long beach is made up of sand so white that it almost hurts your eyes to look at it. There is also a pier that you can walk out on to get an overview of the beach. Many fishermen also hang out on the pier and next to them, pelicans and other birds wait expectantly to taste a fish or two.

There are also several nice shops and restaurants and various companies that offer boat trips. If you want to stay at Clearwater Beach, I can recommend the hotel Pier House 60 Marina Hotel where you can stay in rooms with an absolutely fantastic view of the beach.

Read more here about Clearwater Beach.

Fort Lauderdale with boardwalk and canals

Although the big city of Miami is fun to visit, I prefer the smaller neighbouring city of Fort Lauderdale, about 30 miles north of Miami. Here you will find many canals where you can take a boat ride and look at luxurious houses from the water but I think it is most beautiful along the promenade. Also in Fort Lauderdale, the beach is really lovely even though the sand is not as white as on Clearwater Beach. And this is actually the only place in the US where I have swum in the ocean, which is a good rating for the beach!

Meet Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World

Orlando is the mecca of theme parks and here you'll find Walt Disney World's parks. There are a total of six different parks, including four theme parks and two water parks. In addition to the parks, there is also Disney Springs, which is a large area with lots of shops and restaurants. Unlike the parks, it is free to visit Disney Springs.

Walt Disney World's six parks are Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. The latter two are water parks. Admission prices vary depending on the season and day, being more expensive in high season and cheaper in low season.

When buying a ticket, it is good to know that you can choose to visit one park per day or multiple parks per day. Visiting more parks per day will be more expensive but can be a good option if you don't have many days to explore Walt Disney World. Note that since the pandemic, you have to buy a ticket in advance and also book exactly which day(s) you will visit the parks. I recommend at least three days to get as much done as possible.

To get the most out of your visit to Walt Disney World, it's a good idea to stay at one of Disney's own hotels as you can enter the parks earlier in the morning, before other visitors are allowed in. We have stayed at Disney's Art of Animation Resort which is perfect if you are travelling with children.

Read more here about Walt Disney World.

Visit the magical world of Harry Potter at Universal parks

Orlando is also home to the Universal parks, which include Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the Volcano Bay water park. If you have a Harry Potter fan in the family, this is where you should go when you are in Florida because here you will find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. They have built environments based on the books about Harry Potter and it really feels like you have been transported to Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley.

The Harry Potter park is divided into two parts, Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade Village is in Islands of Adventure, so in order to enjoy everything you need to buy a ticket that includes entry to both Universal parks. Between the parks, of course, you can take the Hogwarts Express train.

As well as Harry Potter, there are of course plenty of other fun and exciting rides in the parks, so make sure you have at least three days here to take it all in.

Read more here about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Go on a cruise from one of Florida's ports.

Florida is the perfect starting point for a Caribbean cruise. There are several different cruise lines to choose from, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises and Disney Cruise Line. The largest cruise ports in Florida are the Port of Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades. They are not only the largest in Florida but also the largest in the world in terms of passenger numbers.

When we were last in Florida, we chose to go on a four-night cruise with Disney Cruise Line, which has received the "Best Cruise Line for Families" award several years in a row.

During our cruise we visited the Bahamas where we spent a day in Nassau and a day on Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is Disney Cruise Line's own private island where only their own cruise ships can dock. The whole cruise was a fantastic experience that we would love to do again sometime in the future.

Read more here about cruising with Disney Cruise Line..

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Ann-Louise Paulsson

Ann-Louise runs the travel blog Från Stad till Strand, which is mainly about travelling in Sweden, Europe and the USA. Guides and experiences from the different destinations are mixed with tips on good coffee shops and a small dose of Disney. The trips are usually made together with her partner and son, so if you want tips on destinations that suit the whole family, you will find it in her blog.

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