Florida is one of the fifty states that together form the United States of America. It is located in the Southeastern region of the country.
Its capital is Tallahassee, and the most populous city is Jacksonville.
It has a population of over 21 million citizens, of which around 6.2 million live in the Miami metropolitan area, which is also the 9th most populous area in the United States.
Florida spans over 170 thousand square kilometers and it ranks 22nd among the fifty states. It is home to world-popular beach resorts, various nightlife, amusement parks, and sunny weather.
Its economy is the fourth largest among the states with an estimated GDP of around one trillion dollars. It is also the 16th largest in the world, as it earns a lot of money through tourism, real estate, transportation and etc.
Florida is also very well-known for the Walt Disney World, similar to the one you can find in France.
Miami Beach is one of the most visited places in Florida, as it attracts millions of tourists from all around the world. It is also known as the Kennedy Space Center.
Florida is popular among people of all ages. Seniors, retired people, celebrities, young broke students – you name it.
It has also been home to migrants that come from all around the world. You can see all sorts of different cultural influences all in one place.
Almost two-thirds of it has consisted of a peninsula located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. There are approximately two thousand kilometers of coastline.
Florida has around 4.510 islands that cover almost ten acres in area. It has the second biggest number of islands after Alaska.
Most parts of the state are near sea levels, and it is considered the flattest state in the United States. Its climate is considered subtropical in the north and tropical in the south.
Florida has unique ecosystems, including the Everglades National Park which is considered the largest tropical wilderness in the United States.
Florida has an estimated population of more than 20 million citizens, according to the last census collected in 2019.
It was the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. in 2012, with the center of the population being located between Fort Meade and Frostproof. It has moved around 8 kilometers to the east, surpassing New York. It makes Florida the third most populous state in the U.S.
Almost six percent of the population are considered to be undocumented immigrants, with an estimated amount of 675 thousand people living in Florida without U.S. papers. English is the state’s official language of the Florida Constitution. Spanish is the second most spoken language in this U.S. state.
Around twenty percent of Florida’s citizens speak Spanish which is considered their first language.
On the other hand, around 27 percent of citizens claim their first language is not English, making it a very diverse unit.
There are two percent Haitian Creole speakers, while other languages are all documented with a percentage that goes below one.
Florida’s economy is the fourth-largest in the United States, with almost 1.2 trillion US dollars in gross state product in 2021.
For example, if Florida were a sovereign nation it would be the world’s 16th largest economy according to the International Monetary Fund, ranking above Indonesia and a little under Mexico.
It is the epicenter of various businesses, such as international banking, healthcare research, aerospace, and state defense.
It is also home to many biomedical and life sciences organizations, simulation training, and commercial space travel. It has all contributed to the economic development of Florida.
When it comes to architecture, Florida has the world’s largest collection of Streamline Moderne and Art Deco buildings.
It is also the biggest collection in the United States. They are both located in the Miami metropolitan area, which was constructed as a city that is going to be home to resorts and hotels.
Miami’s MiMo Historic District is a unique architectural design, which can only be found in Florida.
It shows the post-World War 2 Miami Modern, which is very popular among tourists interested in this topic.
August in Florida: Temperature & What To Pack
The weather in Florida at this time of the year can be somewhat unpredictable.
The climate is always tropical and it is almost always considered warm or hot in Florida during the year depending on the month. It is also known as ‘the Sunshine state’.
The average maximum temperature in Miami, Florida, is around 31 degrees Celsius in August.
The average minimum can go as down as 25 degrees Celsius. You should consider bringing some warmer clothes as well as summer ones, especially when it comes to dressing for going out in the evenings.
August is also considered a very rainy month in Florida. With around fifteen rainy days during the month, you should consider packing an umbrella or a waterproof jacket.
You can expect around nine sunny hours during the day, with an average thirteen-day-daylight.
The sea temperature averages around 30 degrees Celsius, which makes it perfect for beach getaways and sunbathing. Sun usually set at around eight p.m. making it a great time for
Make sure to pack all summer clothes, with the addition of warmer clothes for the evenings. You should pack all the fashionable stuff and cute outfits you usually wear during summer and pack it up with some glittery makeup and hair.
Make sure to pack all swimming suits under your reach, with fashionable flip-flops and sandals, as well as kaftans, or other beachwear.
It is also necessary for you to pack sun protection, in order to save yourself from the UV rays. If you usually use sun tanning products, make sure not to stay too long in the direct sun. It can be extremely dangerous and can cause sunburn to a high degree.
Make sure to stay hydrated throughout your entire trip, even if you get carried away with cocktails or mimosas. It will keep your body’s sanity, as well as lighten the morning after the headache.
August is also a perfect time of the year to try watersports, such as water skiing, surfing, scuba diving, or just plain swimming for your own relaxing entertainment. Also, you should check out the great Miami nightlife, and go to the local nightclubs and parties.
Florida offers various entertainment, which is great for all ages. That is why you should book your trip no matter the month and find the best clubbing experience according to your liking.
Crowds in Florida are considered low in August. You can also book some cheaper flights than usual, if you are a U.S. citizen visiting Florida. Most tourists like to travel to, for example, Miami, at the beginning of the summer because the weather is more likable at that time of the year.
Even though the school year starts in August, there are crowded theme parks in Florida at this time of the year.
If you do not mind your kid missing out on a few days of school, it is a great time of the year to book your Disneyland trip.
August is quite a humid month of the year in Florida. Although the humidity is always present, it reaches over 75 percent during August. The weather during this month is often described as hot and muggy but can be pleasurable if you are not prone to intensive sweating.
August is a close second hottest month of the year, coming right after July.
August is also a month of the hurricane season in Florida, which means that hurricanes and tropical storms are possible during this month.
Rain is usual for the afternoons during this month. It is short and occasional, with often winds that are mainly warm. Some days can have thunderstorms during the whole day.
However, it is still shiny in August. The UV index is often very high which means that even a little exposure can get you sunburnt, so make sure to stay protected from the sun at all times during your stay.
What to see and places to visit?
Walt Disney World Resort – Worldwide known as Disney World, this entertainment resort offers a special and once-in-a-lifetime experience on over 25 thousand acres of land.
It was opened on October 1st, 1971. Disney World in Florida offers four theme parks, 31 themed resort hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, nine non-Disney-related hotels, and many other entertainment places.
Currently, they are celebrating their 50-year anniversary which started in October 2021 and will last until March of this year.
The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are four famous theme parks that welcome millions of visitors every year.
The resort is serviced by special Disney Transport, which is a mass transportation system in charge of transporting visitors across the property.
The Walt Disney World Monorail System can also provide free transportation at Walt Disney World, as guests can board on monorail and travel between kingdoms.
There is also a gondola lift system which was opened in 2019. This system connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot with four hotels within the resort land. There are also water taxis, ferries, parking lot trams…
You can also hire a vehicle for a certain fee so that you have private, first-hand experience. All other mentioned transportation types are free of charge.
Kennedy Space Center is the second most popular tourist destination, right r the Disney World. It is located on Merritt Island in Florida, midway between Miami and Jacksonville on Florida’s Space Coast. It covers around 570 square kilometers and is a major central Florida tourist destination.
It offers public tours in the Center Visitor Complex, where guides will take you to see the center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The complex opened on August 1st, 1967, and has been visited by millions of tourists from all around the globe. It contains exhibits and displays, historic spacecraft and shows, two theaters, and a range of bus tours.
The ‘Space Shuttle Atlantis’ exhibit contained the Atlantis orbiter and the Shuttle Launch Experience, where you can try a simulated ride into space. The center provides a visitor complex and has daily presentations from a veteran NASA astronaut.
Universal Studio is a theme park based in Orlando, Florida. The park was opened to the public in June of 1990, and it is owned and operated by NBCUniversal. It features many rides, attractions, and live shows. It was primarily aimed at televisions and other parts of the entertainment industry.
Tens of millions of tourists visit the complex each year. While being a theme park, visitors can also experience a behind-the-scenes insight into film and television. It operates year-round, which means it will be open no matter the month of the year you choose to visit.
Everglades National Park is a national park and the largest tropical wilderness in the United States.
On average, around one million people visit the park each year. It is also the third-largest national park in the U.S. right after Death Valley and Yellowstone.
It was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1979. It was also created to protect a very fragile ecosystem and to keep it in one place.
It is home to the most significant breeding ground for tropical birds in North America, as it contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere.
There are around 36 protected species in the park. Some of them are the American crocodile, the Florida panther, and the West Indian manatee. Alongside them, there are 350 species of birds, 300 species of fish, 40 mammal species, and 50 reptile species.
The park was established in 1934 to protect the vanishing Everglades area, and now it covers around twenty percent of the old and original territory of the city. The ecosystem has suffered from human activity, and the restoration is also a political problem in Florida.
The Daytona 500 – A famous 800 kilometers long NASCAR Cup Series motor race. It is famously held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is also the first of two Cup races that are held year by year at Daytona.
It is also considered the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar, being by far the most visited and watched NASCAR race live and on television. The first Daytona 500 was held in 1959, and since 1982 it has been the season-opening race of the Cup series.
Fort Lauderdale is a coastal city around 30 miles from north Miami. It is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and is very popular among tourists. It offers a variety of expensive shops and restaurants and is considered a very luxurious part of Florida.
Besides tourism, Fort Lauderdale has a diversified economy, including finance, high technology, real estate, and insurance.
Also, it is one of the sunniest parts of Florida with around three thousand sunny hours per year, with an average daily temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.
It has over fifty thousand registered yachts and around a hundred marinas, which makes it the yachting capital of the United States.
Key Largo is the first undersea park in the United States. It is located on the island of Key Largo, with a population of around ten thousand citizens. It is a popular tourist destination for those who do not mind the ferry ride to get there.
This undersea park was established in 1963, with areas that were designed to protect marine life. Key Largo is famous for its extensive coral reefs in the area. The island itself spreads around five kilometers to the Atlantic and is around forty kilometers long.
SeaWorld Orlando is a popular theme and marine zoological park in Orlando, Florida. It is operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, as it forms SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando, a complex that offers three parks and many hotels.
In 2018, it hosted around 5 million tourists, ranking it the tenth most visited amusement in the United States.
SeaWorld Orlando has a sister park located nearby, called Aquatica Orlando, which was opened back in 2008. It is also open for visiting, besides SeaWorld Orlando.
On the 50th anniversary of SeaWorld Orlando in 2014, it divided into separate areas, called ‘seas’, which remained to this day. Each ‘sea’ has a different theme and unique elements.
The Salvador Dali Museum is located in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is dedicated to the famous artist and his work.
The museum’s collection is consisted of 96 oil paintings, over a hundred watercolors and drawings, and around 1.300 photographs, sculptures, and graphics.
In July 2020, the museum introduced a new exhibit called ‘At home with Dali’. Also, several temporary shows are shown throughout each year, while permanent collections are displayed or rotated several times a year. The Spanish artist’s original museum is in his hometown in Figueres in Spain.
However, this museum in Florida has the world’s biggest collection of Dali’s work. During the pandemic of coronavirus, the museum offered virtual tours and made the gallery available online.
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is another popular tourist place. It is a 3.200 kilometers long collection of more than five hundred bird habitats locations in Florida. This trail offer tours of bird-watching, ecotourism, and environmental education.
Its model is inspired by the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, which is a very successful trail in the state of Texas.
Trails are recognized by their road signs that have the Swallow-tailed kite logo. It is divided into four sections: West, Eastern, South, and Panhandle.
Each of them has consisted of two getaway sites and the sites are grouped into clusters. All these sites are around an hour of drive away from each other.
Along the trail, you can find around 514 species, including the signature swallow-tailed kite, scrub jay, and other Florida endangered species. You can also see native birds, butterflies, and more.
Miami Beach is known for its entertainment content, beautiful sea coast, and views of the Atlantic Ocean, but is also a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County in Florida.
It is also a man-made barrier island between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay, which separates the Beach from the mainland of Miami.
This is a place where you can truly enjoy the sunny days on the beach, as it has been one of America’s most popular beach resorts since the early twentieth century.
There are a lot of prestigious but still eco-hotels that offer parties from day to night, alongside drag shows, and Latin American music parties, while sipping cocktails.
Busch Gardens are located in Tampa Bay. It is a 335-acre animal theme park that is designed according to African and Asian themes.
It is an entire park of landscapes operated by Sea World Parks and Entertainment, and its first opening goes back to 1959.
The annual attendance is over four million visitors, ranking it the second most visited theme park right after Sea World Orlando.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers roller coasters and thrill rides, including some of them made for entire families with many rows and seats.
Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park and wildlife preserve located on the South Orange Blossom Trail in the south of Orlando.
It was founded in 1949 and is privately owned by the family of the founder Owen Godwin. It is both an entertainment and educational park.
Gatorland includes thousands of alligators, including the rare leucistic alligators, and many species of crocodiles, as well as other animal species.
It also offers zip lines and off-road swamp vehicle tours, alligator feeding and wrestling shows, a petting zoo, as well as educational workshops and lectures.
Part of this park was used while filming the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom movie in 1984.
This park is also known for rescuing and buying alligators from trappers that would otherwise turn them into meat and skin.
Ways of transport in Florida
It also comes in handy to know how to reach your favorite destinations, as well as how to get from the airport to your chosen hotel residents. Here are some options you can take into consideration when going to your beach getaway:
Rental Cars – Many visitors choose rental cars as their transportation option in Florida. The state is well-connected in terms of roads and highways, which makes it easy to travel by car and move around the state.
There are many car rental companies in Florida, such as Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis. They all come with competitive prices and different offers according to your liking.
When it comes to transportation from the airport to the hotel, in-airport rentals are one of the most popular ways of transporting yourself to the chosen destination.
It is handy, but the price can be much higher compared to public transportation. It is best to compare the prices of different rental car agencies and choose the most efficient option. Most companies offer free shuttle services which make it easier to leave the airport and get to your hotel.
Rideshare apps – A worldwide popular way of transportation. It is very convenient, and apps such as Uber and Lyft are extremely reliable and function all over the United States and some countries in Europe, not just Florida.
You can book personal rides while tracking the driver’s location on your phone. Most wait times are between five and ten minutes, which means you would not be waiting for long until it arrives at your chosen pick-up point.
Also, if you are traveling in big groups, these companies offer extra-large vehicles, which also means you get to split the taxi bill.
You get the driver’s details as well as the license plate. It is recommended to check the plates before taking a seat.
Taxi – If Uber or Lyft is not available at the moment or in the area, taxis are a reliable option. You should pay attention that the taxi is licensed, so you can avoid illegal taxis that often charge you more than usual.
Also, your hotel can call a taxi for you, as they usually have arrangements with taxi companies.
City trolley – Probably one of the cheapest, and oftentimes freeways of transportation in Florida.
It is modern, clean, and practical. It also has strategic routes that lead to popular tourist sites and destinations. This is a very budget-friendly option, and it is great for large groups, families, etc.
For example, Miami offers the free Citywide Trolley that goes around the Miami Beach area. Such sightseeing tours are very popular as you can see popular places in Key West, and other Miami destinations.
You can also check out the I-Ride Trolley that stops at many major Orlando attractions for a cheap price.
Bussed, Shuttles & Trains – There are a lot of different bus companies such as Greyhound and Megabus.
They offer many popular routes around Miami, Orlando, and West Palm Beach. It is affordable, and some are even free of charge.
On the other hand, if you happen to choose the train as a transportation option, there are companies such as Brightline and Amtrak, offering routes throughout the entire Florida state.
Also, there are a lot of shuttles with direct lines to Disney World, especially if you are staying in some of Disney Resorts. It also offers boat and monorail ways of transportation.
Flexibility is guaranteed because you can also book shared and private buses for your chosen tours around the city.
Also, many hotels and resorts offer free shuttle services, as a part of your reservation. You will need to book it ahead of time at the reception.
You should also ask the staff for advice you might need during your stay when it comes to the topic of transportation.
Boats – Boats and yachts are a popular way of transport, as Miami and Florida in general are known for luxurious marinas.
You can also rent a boat for the day, which comes in handy if you come to Florida in groups for your holiday. You can experience fishing, watersports, scuba diving, and many other different on-sea activities.
You can find a person with a boating license, but also you can manage the boat by yourself if you have prior experience.
Conclusion
August is a great time of the year to visit Florida. Booking your trip should be easy because it is less crowded as it is not peak season.
The weather is still warm and tropical, averaging at around 27 degrees Celsius.
You will probably get great offers when it comes to accommodation and transport, as many hotels offer very good deals during this time of the year.
According to your budget, you can choose whether you want to stay in a hotel or a resort, or maybe an Air BnB.
There are many things to see and pay attention to if you choose Florida as your summer destination.
First of all, Disney World is the main attraction, whether you are 3 or 103 years old.
You can even stay in Disney World hotels and resorts, making you much closer to the actual adventure and theme park.
Florida is one of the U.S. epicenters of entertainment and jet-set.
It is also home to many endangered and endemic animal species, as well as having nature trails where you can see them all first-hand.
You should pack light because the temperature does not go much colder even in the evenings.
Try to stay protected from the direct sun and wear sunscreen at all times.
Make sure to reapply it throughout the day. Also, try to stay hydrated during your travel, because of the possibility of heat exhaustion.
You should book a minimum of a 7-day stay, as there are so many tourist attractions you need to visit.
Also, great fun is guaranteed while going out at night, as Miami is one of the most visited destinations, especially for its clubbing scene.
Whenever you choose to visit Florida, you will have a great time.
More destinations to discover:
