Sunny Dreams
| Florida's sunshine and beauty have inspired dreams across the ages. The peninsula's warm climate and bountiful waters drew American Indians from the north as early as 12,000 BC. Here nomadic hunters could dream of stability. They settled and grew into tribes and villages that lived off the land's abundance. The maritime Tequestas and Calusas, the farming Apalachee and Timucuans - each tribe created its own utopian existence with plenty of help from the area's vast natural resources. | ||||
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| Modern Florida is no different: Today's multicultural residents live the dream of year-round sunshine and warmth. The promise of adventure in an ecologically rich playground attracts visitors every month of the year. The Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico offer countless opportunities for fishing, boating, cruising, sailing, swimming, and exploring coral reefs and sunken ships. People come here to see the Everglades, ancient cypress trees, manatees, alligators, and dolphins. They come to enjoy attractions like Disney World and to relax on golden beaches. They come here to have fun in the sun! The Sunshine State grows delicious oranges, grapefruits, and pomegranates. Drive through central Florida and you'll see grove after green grove of fruit-bearing trees. The ocean supplies restaurants with the freshest catch of the day, from shrimp to crab to snapper. Cozy, colorful beach shacks offer the best seafood anywhere. The state's Spanish, Cuban, and French influences contribute to Florida's outstanding multiethnic cuisine. When the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed in Florida's east coast in 1513, he dreamed of discovering the fabled "fountain of youth." Five centuries later, Florida still beckons adventurers to dream and discover. From Cape Canaveral to Miami to Orlando to Tampa Bay, Florida caters to your dreams of enjoying world-class theme parks, exploring ecological treasures, and finding your own utopia on a sunny beach under a palm tree. |