“In Florida, we salt margaritas, not sidewalks.”
~ Anonymous ~
Naples, FL
Around the time Ponce de Leon was floundering on the ocean in search of the Fountain of Youth, I was sashaying around Ft. Lauderdale in search of my next margarita… with salt of course. In short, we were two lost souls in search of destiny while traveling in parallel universes. His journey was circa 1535 while I was more the Spring Break variety of 1985.
Florida continues to attract people from around the world. It offers a vast array of geographical diversity; however, not in the traditional sense. Proving the world is flat could be achieved after one visit to the Sunshine State. Most of the state is at sea level with a mean elevation of 100 feet. The highest elevation is Britton Hill (border of Alabama) at 345 feet (oxygen not required).
Most visitors find the warm weather and miles-and-miles of coastal scenery a thing of beauty. To be exact, FL boasts 1,359 miles of stunning coastline, 200+ days of sunshine, and as a bonus… no state income taxes. It’s no wonder Florida is attracting 1,000 new residents every day and obtained another congressional seat earlier this year as a result.
Key West, FL
St. Augustine Beach, FL
The true diversity of the state is found in its history, culture and people. The shrimp fishing of Amelia Island is legendary and dates back to the early 1900’s. Miami is alive and well and continues to recognize its roaring ‘20’s past with the vibrant colors of the art deco district. NASA and the Kennedy Center are rooted in Cape Canaveral. The Florida Keys are a subculture in itself and are comprised of 800 keys stretching more than 180 miles with 42 bridges connecting the various islands… the longest of which is the 7 Mile Bridge connecting the middle keys (Knight’s Key) to the lower keys (Little Duck Key).
All of this would not have been possible without the entrepreneurial spirit of Henry Flagler. An original partner in Standard Oil (along with John D. Rockefeller) , he’s credited with having the biggest industrial impact on the Atlantic Coast. Building a single railroad system from Jacksonville to Key West was an ambitious endeavor not to be denied. Despite four hurricanes disrupting the building of the railroad in the Keys, he arrived in Key West on the first train in 1912. The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was another deadly storm that washed away sections of the tracks and various viaducts. The train was never to run again and the state decided to use the existing bridges to later build a highway.
Hollywood, FL