Food is multinational, and inexpensive. All sorts of cuisines feature and influence the food, with perhaps Italian the biggest one. Plenty of choice amongst fast food restaurants too. Portions tend to be very large - watch the waistline !!

Note that the legal drinking age is 21. It’s also illegal to walk on the street with an alcoholic drink. Minors are not allowed in a bar at all.

This is often how low wages are made into a reasonable income, as business owners will pay low wages expecting tips. Restaurants and bars might expect around 15%, taxis 10%, and hotel maids maybe $1.50  a day.  Don’t tip at fast food restaurants though.

Florida is five hours behind the UK. The US has different time zones within the country, and Florida is in the Eastern time zone, 3 hours ahead of San Francisco.  

Florida is a veritable sportsperson’s paradise. The warm summers and mild winters make Florida an ideal state for boating, camping, diving, snorkeling, fishing, jetskiing, golfing, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, surfing, skiing (water skiing that is!), beach combing, swimming, parasailing (gasp!) or just plain sunning!

Generally the east coast has higher surf than the west coast. Where calmer waters are preferred the west coast, panhandle and keys are a good choice where the water is warmer than that of the Atlantic coast. Here the it remains at a comfortable swimming temperature longer into the fall and winter.

Excellent snorkeling and diving can be found in the keys. The water clarity and color rivals that of many Caribbean islands. The sea life is abundant and beautiful.

Golfing is very popular in Florida. There are more golf courses in Florida than in any other state. It is estimated that there are over 1,000 public, private and semiprivate courses in Florida. In some areas more than a dozen courses are within a short driving distance.

Florida offers a phenomenal range of fishing. At times the fishing in Florida is nothing less than spectacular. With its thousands of lakes, numerous rivers, hundreds of miles of coastline, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean an angler has many choices - from the shore of a quiet lake or spring-fed river, on the coast casting into the surf, or deep sea fishing offshore every tyaste catered for.Both fresh and saltwater fishing require licenses. Generally this is provided for on commercial charter vessels. Current information concerning regulations and rates can be found at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site. Licenses can be purchased online, at many tackle shops, sports and recreation stores, and discount department stores such as Kmart, Walmart and Target. 

Florida is also well known for its motorsports. Numerous auto and motorcycle racing events are held at various times of the year. One of the most celebrated of these is the Daytona 500.

For those who prefer spectator sports, Florida has many professional sports venues in a number of major metropolitan areas.

Professional Sports

Team                                                     Sport/League                       City                                  Venue

Jacksonville Jaguars;                        Football/NFL                Jacksonville              ALLTEL Stadium

Miami Dolphins                          Football/NFL                Miami                      Pro Player Stadium

Tampa Bay Buccaneers                  Football/NFL                    Tampa                             Raymond James Stadium

Florida Marlins                                   Baseball/MLB                   Miami                             Pro Player Stadium  

Tampa Bay Devil Rays                     Baseball/MLB             St. Petersburg                  Tropicana Field

Florida Panthers                                Hockey/NHL                    Sunrise                          National Car Rental Center

Tampa Bay Lightning                       Hockey/NHL                    Tampa                           Ice Palace Arena

Miami Heat                                          Basketball/NBA             Miami                            American Airlines Arena

Orlando Magic                                    Basketball/NBA             Orlando                         TD Waterhouse Centre

Maximum speeds will vary – 70 on interstate roads, 55-65 on state highways. More than 5 mph over and you’ll get pulled in – it’s much tighter than here. Particularly watch our for school zones, where limits may be as low as 15 mph, and fines very high if you speed through them. 

If caught, you get 30 days to pay, or you can be taken to a local magistrate and pay there. It’s best not to argue !  Offering to pay the officer may be taken as an attempt to bribe. And remember that the police are allowed to search you if they feel they have cause. A very polite approach to them is recommended. 

Seat belts are compulsory. 

Do NOT drink and drive – the limits are set very low – one beer could take you over. 

Park in the shade, and definitely not in disabled spaces.  In cities use parking lots or meters. Don’t leave valuables in the car.

St Patrick’s day on March 17^th always gets a lot of interest – green food and beer will be served!  Halloween is also a much bigger event than we have – lots of costumes, parties, and (in safe areas) Trick or treat.

Easter and Thanksgiving are the two where travel facilities are most under strain, so planning trips around this time needs to avoid the peaks days just before and after.

Florida is the premiere attraction state in the United States. Florida has more theme parks, entertainment centers, resorts, sports venues and tourist destinations than any other area in the country - and probably in the world.   

The following are links to indicated web sites for further information.

Adventure Island - (Tampa) wet and wild, splash and slide at this water play park. Enjoy water flumes, slides, lagoons, rapids, a wave pool and children’s water playgrounds.

Busch Gardens - (Tampa) African-themed family entertainment park with world class live entertainment indoors and out, thrilling rides, roller coasters, animal habitats and shows. Busch Gardens has several of the southeast’s largest roller coasters including the new Gwazi dueling wooden roller coaster.Church Street Station - (Orlando) Downtown Orlando’s popular nighttime dining, shopping & entertainment complex.

Kennedy Space Center - (Titusville) Tours and exhibits of the world famous space port.

Lion Country Safari - (West Palm Beach) drive-through “cageless” zoo with lions, ostriches, rhinoceros, giraffes, antelope, bison, chimpanzees and many other animals.

Sea World - (Orlando) marine animal adventure park with fascinating and fun dolphin, killer whale and seal shows. See polar bears, penguins, sting rays in recreations of their natural habitats.  Rides include the awesome Kraken roller coaster and the Journey to Atlantis.

The Florida Aquarium - (Tampa) an impressive glass-domed facility that is home to thousands of marine creatures and bird life. Several habitats are represented including wetlands, bays and beaches, coral reefs and offshore.

Universal Studios - (Orlando) movie studio based theme park with over 40 first-rate exciting rides, 3-D shows, and movie sets and attractions. Rides and shows include Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time, Back to the Future the Ride, Earthquake - the Big One.  

Island of Adventure explore timeless stories, myths and legends experience epic adventures.

Walt Disney World - (Orlando) the theme park and resort center that set the standard.

The Magic Kingdom - fantasy park of rides, attractions and shows for kids and grown-up kids.

Epcot - high-tech theme park with rides and shows, and cultural showcase of eleven great nations.

MGM Studios - movie-oriented theme park with rides, attractions and shows.

Animal Kingdom - real and fantasy animal adventure exhibits, rides and shows.

Weeki Wachee Springs - (Brooksville) enchanting Mermaids perform in the crystal blue waters of this spring.

Wet ‘n Wild - (Orlando) a premier water park with thrill rides, slides, wave pools, rapids and play areas

Florida offers perhaps the best prices in the world on some goods – such as cameras, CD and musical equipment, jeans, sunglasses, running shoes and camping gear. Just remember that if you take it home you’ll need to declare it and pay an import duty. 

Business hours tend to be something like hours – 9-5 or an equivalent. In cities you may find 24 hour supermarkets, elsewhere 8 till late local shops. On Sundays the malls tend to open from noon till 5. It’s pretty much like the UK. 

Weights and measures are good old pounds and ounces. Gallons are 20% smaller than the UK version. You’ll drive for miles, and be several feet tall !!

The major US newspapers will be available everywhere – New York Times etc, as will local town papers in the relevant locality. The largest state paper is probably the Miami Herald. 

There are many radio stations, and with a search you should be able to find, amongst all the music, one all day news programme.  You might find the BBC too, with luck, though using the net will be easier. 

TV is a bit of a hodge-podge, and the adverts will seem very intrusive compared to our system. Cable is installed in most hotels. Local stations tend to be a touch sensationalist.