Why go
Understanding the state’s geography makes the differences between its destinations easier to read. Miami’s Cuban American influence, Tallahassee’s role as the capital and Orlando’s inland attractions belong to different parts of Florida’s story. Along the coasts and wetlands, environmental context matters as much as the history of settlement.
The full story
Florida lies between the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida. Much of its land sits at or near sea level. The north is subtropical, while the far south has a tropical climate; that difference helps explain why the Everglades feel so unlike the northern cities. The state’s cultural history reaches across Native American, European, Hispanic and African American traditions. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León named the peninsula La Florida in 1513, and competing colonial powers later fought over it. Florida became a US state in 1845, following a period marked by the Seminole Wars. Segregation shaped life after the Civil War. Later growth brought agriculture, transportation and tourism, followed by a substantial Cuban expatriate community. These layers help explain the architecture and cuisine encountered across Florida, rather than reducing the state to beaches and amusement parks.