Florida Camping Trip Information FL Campground and Campsite Locations.

There are great places to go camping throughout Florida. Look here for tips on campgrounds and campsites preferred by FL fishermen.

Camping In Florida
Experience the outdoors in FL. Enjoy the back country away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Whether you like to hike, explore, fish, hunt or simply sleep late in a sleeping bag, Florida has many options to fulfill your camping preferences. Thorough planning will certainly enhance the trip. Here are some ideas for you to consider as you plan your next camping excursion in Florida.

Florida Campgrounds
Florida offers a variety of places to camp. Whether you like to camp in a tent, set up a camping trailer or camp in the comfort of a motorhome or RV, Florida has a multitude of camping opportunities for everyone. There are places to camp near most Florida cities like Pensacola, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Clearwater, Gainesville and many others. Area attractions, Florida State Parks and national parks combine to expand your options for camping in places like Gulf Islands National Seashore, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Florida Caverns State Park, Peacock Springs State Park, Florida Keys, Walt Disney World and others offer additional camping venues. There is camping nearby lakes in Florida as well including Deerpoint Lake, Lake Seminole, Crescent Lake, Lake Apopka, Lake Istokpoga, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Kissimmee and The St. John's River. Visit the All Awesome Camping website for additional information on camping in Florida. The site includes a section for locating campgrounds in Florida, RV and motorhome dealers, tents, camping gear, accessories and more much for all your FL camping needs.

Selecting The Right Place To Camp
From the moment you decide you want to go camping, the most important decision you will make is where you want to camp. All other decisions will be dependant on this choice. So before you select a destination, consider the main activities you want included in your trip. If fishing is the main purpose of the trip, start by locating all fishing areas in which you are interested and determine which of them will fulfill your other interests.

If you plan to use your vehicle as a base camp, it may limit some of your options. At the same time it offers safety and convenience issues in the event of foul weather or other unexpected events. If you are including children in your plans, camping close to your vehicle may be a good choice. visit these websites for information to help you plan your capming trip.
USDA Forest Service
National Parks Service
National Parks Service Reservation Center
National Parks Foundation

Planning Your Camping Trip
Once you have isolated potential camp sites, issues like weather, fire danger and road construction should be evaluated to determine your top candidates. If fishing is a major part of your plans, acquire fishing reports and determine if water level issues would impact your plans. It is worth a phone call to a bait and tackle store near your proposed camping area to get local information on how busy the camp area has been, fishing reports, road conditions and expected weather patterns. Once you make your final selection, make any necessary reservations for camp sites and get the proper fishing license and stamps. It is a good idea to select a back up camp area in the event of the unexpected. For additional information on planning your trip visit the National Forest Service outdoor and camping tips.

Camping Trip Preparation
Make a list of everything you intend to take. Discuss this list with all participants and mentally walk through all the activities of each activity on the trip. Be certain everything you will need is on this list. Next get out the gear and do an inspection to make sure there has not been damage since it’s last use. It is a good idea to test stoves, lanterns and the like to make sure they still work. If it is battery powered, check the batteries and make sure you have a backup set of batteries. If you haven’t used the tent in a while, it may be a good idea to set it up and make sure the material has not deteriorated while in storage. A first aid kit should be on every camper’s list. Make sure that it is complete for emergencies you may encounter.

Loading Up
Loading the vehicle should be a simple process of collecting everything on the list and placing it in the vehicle in an organized manner. Some thought should be given to the items you will need first upon arrival at the campsite. Those items should be loaded last. Use blankets and sleeping bags as padding for fragile items like lanterns. For safety reasons fuel for stoves and lanterns should be carried outside the vehicle if at all possible. Be certain that all items are secure to avoid shifting during transport. Be sure to include extra drinking water as well as water to extinguish campfires if it is not readily available at the camping area.

Traveling To The Campsite
Before you leave, make sure family or friends know exactly where you are going, your basic itinerary and when you plan to return. Check road conditions with the Florida highway department before heading out. It could save you time somewhere along the way. Plan your travel with extra time for breaks and normal traffic issues. Buckle up and travel at posted speeds or below. Your vehicle is probably loaded heavier than usual and it may handle slightly different than normal, especially in a critical moment. Better safe than sorry cannot be overstated for these trips. Take your time and enjoy the scenery and the anticipation of your upcoming camping experience.

Setting Up Camp
Organized campsites make for a more enjoyable stay. Have everyone involved in setting up camp so they know where things are. Check with the Florida agencies for concerns about food and garbage storage as it relates to local wildlife. Make sure all tents and sleeping areas are situated safely away from natural water drainage in the event of an unexpected storm. Be aware of others camping in close proximity and be a good neighbor. Plan your activities to leave the area as clean or cleaner than it was before you arrived.

Campfires
Always check fire danger levels with appropriate Florida agencies and/or National Parks Service before starting fires of any kind. If campfires are allowed take extra caution to make sure your fire does not exceed the boundaries of it’s intended use. Check the flammable materials that may be at risk around the area before selecting the exact location for the camp fire. Keep an eye out for burning embers and sparks that could ignite unwanted areas. Follow approved methods for putting out your campfire and make 100% sure it is out before leaving the area. Visit the USDA Forest Service website for additional fire safety information.

Meals
Plan meals in advance to be hearty, simple and enjoyable without a great deal of effort. Extra snacks are always welcome and will come in handy to fuel the extra energy you will exert during these outdoor activities. Casseroles made up in advance and frozen help to keep other foods cool until it is time to thaw them. This reduces the amount of ice required for the entire cold storage.

Nature Walks, Hiking & Fishing
Camping offers you and your fellow campers to experience the outdoors. Take short walks around the camp area to see what nature has to offer. Check with the proper agencies to determine safety issues for the area you plan to traverse. Always carry more water than you think you will need and be prepared for at least minor emergencies of scrapes, cuts and the like. Before leaving camp for any extended period notify other members of your fellow campers of your plans and what to do in an emergency. Be sure that camp is secure and all recommendations for food and garbage storage has been followed. Give yourself plenty of time for your intended activity so you can relax and enjoy your time.

Wilderness Survival
If your camping plans include any excursions away from civilization it could save your life to know a little bit about surviving in the wild. Check with Florida agencies, National Parks Service and/or other local experts for details on what one might expect in your area at the time of your trip. Simply knowing some basics can make all the difference in being safe until you find your way back or are rescued by others. Click here for additional information on survival in the wilderness.

Above all enjoy your camping trip in Florida and help keep it a great place to go camping for generations to come.

Have a great Florida camping trip!

Source : http://www.aa-fishing.com/

Florida Spiritualist Camp Attracts Tourists

For 113 years Cassadaga has served as a winter retreat for people who practice Spiritualism.

The scent of incense hangs in the air as one passes between the columns saying "Welcome Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp." So does a musty odor.

The smells come from the small houses that line the narrow streets, the porches decorated with chimes and ornaments. The paint peels from many homes and some of the yards are unkempt and cluttered.

The spooky atmosphere is appropriate—the Spiritualists who live here say they converse with the dead, that such communication is a scientific fact. A sign outside the 57-acre camp's bookstore says the town's 30 or so mediums and healers are certified authentic, although none appear willing to be tested by outsiders—even for $1 million.

Founded 113 years ago as a winter retreat for the believers in the once-popular religion Spiritualism, Cassadaga attracted educated and affluent people who would live in tents or hotels until cottages were built. Those days are long gone, but busloads of tourists still come to this national historic district 35 miles north of Orlando and pay for answers about life after death.

"They are coming to confront their own mortality," said Victor Vogenitz, a self-proclaimed physical phenomenon medium and healer. "We've got a wave of people who are looking for answers."

Cassadaga has a hotel and a U.S. Post Office, and offers historic tours and "healing services" to visitors each week. The main séance room is in the Colby Memorial Temple and the camp, which is a federal tax-exempt church governed by of board of trustees, has administrative offices nearby.

But people can't just show up and claim to be a medium—they have to get certified, follow a syllabus and publicly demonstrate their ability to talk to the dead, Vogenitz said. All this can take four to 10 years of study.

And it can be a lonely life, the Spiritualists say.

"My family doesn't know where I live. They think I am strange," said June Schmitt, an elderly medium who won't divulge her age. Her eyes fill with tears. "Nobody has been to see me. Sometimes it upsets me."

"Our families always thought we were weird," said Esther Seymour-Vogenitz, Victor's wife. "The people that are attracted to us are the open-minded people."

Vogenitz does his readings in a small cream-colored stucco house with a tin roof, the sign in front proclaiming "I believe in ghosts." And for good reason, apparently. He says the ghost of a little girl named Sarah lives in the home, playing with his guests' blond hair. He has bought Sarah several dolls, a jump rope and some markers to play with, which he keeps in his séance room.

"I'd step into the house and she would step back into the wall," Vogenitz said. He differentiates between ghosts and spirits. A ghost is a three-dimensional hologram, while a spirit is made of energy and is a surviving consciousness, he said.

When a spirit is present it will take energy from anything around it including cell phones, cameras and even out of the air, he said.

Séances are Vogenitz's specialty—he charges $45 for a half-hour reading and $45 per person for a two-hour séance. In the main temple under a dull, red light, Vogenitz said he has reached a spirit who had acid reflux before he died. The wooden table spins toward one of the participants and Vogenitz said the table was "hugging" the person. He talks to it as if the spirit inhabits it. The participant confirms his father had acid reflux shortly before he died.

After the séance, the light is turned back on and Vogenitz pushes and picks up one side of the table to show he couldn't have moved it.

Balderdash, says James Randi, a Fort Lauderdale magician and professional debunker. "It's very convenient that they have a whole town to themselves and ... it's the only business in town," he said. Nor is he surprised that the mediums have many satisfied customers: "The average naive believer not only wants it to be true, but needs it to be true."

Randi said there are 15 different ways to move a table during a séance, starting with the red light, which blurs the eye's focus. The table can be rigged from the ceiling or the floor, he said. In some cases, the table is simply being pushed by the medium's feet.

"I have seen these all over the world. They are all the same thing," Randi said. He said mediums are nothing more than performers. "They don't tap dance, they don't juggle ... so they do this."

Randi is guardian of a $1 million prize earmarked for anyone who can prove supernatural powers. He said many hundreds have tried over the years, but the results are always negative.

"Spiritualists are not willing to be tested. They say it's the work of God and is not supposed to be tested. I require evidence," he said.

Vogenitz said the conditions Randi sets are too high. Besides, Vogenitz says, he doesn't do it for the money, but to help people.

"In Spiritualism we believe we will be taken care of," Vogenitz said.

And there are believers, willing to pay. Some came to the recent Cassadaga Fall Festival, which featured mini-readings and aura readings.

Lauren Taylor, 13, of Melbourne said her medium was "amazing." The woman told Lauren she would be going on a trip. Lauren says she is planning one for next June.

"She knew my hobbies," the middle schooler said. "She knew I was romantic."

Medium Georgie Kern told Vidal Fonseca that he has a good future, but he has had to struggle for it.

Kern, who has been at the camp 10 years, added that Fonseca's mother should get some vitamins or supplements into her diet.

The reading was very "on point," said Fonseca, 29, of Orlando. "My mom is not eating right."

Michael Shermer, the publisher of Skeptic magazine and executive director of the Skeptics Society, said psychics and Spiritualists don't have any real powers, although some may sincerely believe they do.

Instead, they are picking up clues from the person they are reading and getting information through the answers they receive to general questions, he said. As far as talking to those who have died, Shermer isn't impressed.

"Anyone can talk to the dead. It's getting the dead to talk back that's the hard part," Shermer said.

Source : http://travel.msn.com/

Let's Have Some Beach Parties in Florida!!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! Beach parties is the theme of this page.

Whether in Florida or any beach this fun-filled section can be used for any beach in the World!

Below are some simple ideas to having a beach extravaganza. Spend your final days near the beach going out with a bang. Whether you live near the beach or it's your vacation, these themes will be starters to one heck of a time!

Here are some ideas for beach parties to get you started...

* Birthdays:
If someone you know is having their big day coming up and they love the beach, a birthday party on the beach is magnificent. I know I would love it. Friends of ours on their 30th have picked various beach locations to enjoy their big event. Why not right?

* Cookouts:
Throw some cornhole, grill out some burgers, and drink some Corona's as you enjoy the sun, ocean, and sunset on the beaches of Florida. We were in Siesta Key a couple years ago and witnessed some people having a killer time doing just this. Be careful of the rules and regulations though.

* Weddings:
Forget about it! Florida beach weddings are spectacular, romantic, and the perfect setting for this special event.

* Celebrations:
Any type of celebration can be turned into some sort of beach blowout! Graduations, going away parties, end of summer celebrations, etc...
The beaches of Florida are excellent places to enjoy good times.

* Spring Break:
You college students know this. Spring break in Florida is awesome, bar none! The best places for this include Miami, Panama City, Daytona, Key West among others. Beach parties are a pre-requisite on spring break.

* Cocktail Parties on the Beach:
The beach is a great place for elegance, relaxation, and casual conversation. Nothing says first class like putting together a party with this type of setting.

* Themed Parties:
Throw a Jimmy Buffett-esque party, a barefoot and black tie party, or any other type of party that fits into the theme for the situation.

* Anniversaries:
Nothing says romance, love, and togetherness like the beach. Sweep someone off their feet by doing a beach anniversary in Florida!

Source : http://www.discount-florida-vacations.com/

Sunshine State Wineries - Visiting Florida’s Grape Trails

After the orange, the grape, and its fermented juice, might be Florida's second favorite fruit.

White Wine and White Sand Beaches

Come to the Panhandle of Florida and white sand beaches are the #1 attraction. Now imagine enjoying the surf with a glass of wine, and a visit to Seabreeze Winery can make your next vacation just about perfect.

Just four years old, the winery brings its grapes come from nearby Kyotee Vineyards. Their Black Nobel muscadine grape is used in Seabreeze’s red wine, while the white wines are made from the harvest of Carlos and Magnolia varieties.

Despite being a new kid on the winery block, Seabreeze has racked up a number of accolades and awards on its products. In 2007 alone, at the San Diego Wine Competition, their Horizon White, Breeze Blush and Island White were awarded silver medals. The latter wine was also honored with silver at the Florida International Wine Competition.

The vineyards of DeFuniak Spring’s Chautauqua Winery are close to being 30 years old. Not old by European standards, but mature enough to produce acres of grapes which are used in the winery’s extensive product line. Some of the more unusual offerings include Vanilla Sherry with a Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean, in the bottle, infusing this dessert wine.

Honey is another sweet ingredient added to Chautauqua Winery’s blue bottled Wild Honey Flower wine. Served chilled the sweetness is intensified with white Carlos muscadine wine.

Wine tastings are complimentary and year round.

Gulf Coast Wineries

Tarpon Springs is known for its Greek heritage, and Tarpon Springs Castle Winery is known for their European influenced wines. Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are among their featured wines. Among the Wine Maker’s Reserve a Pinot Noir grape gives the Bayou Breeze the delightful summer fruit combination of raspberry and strawberry aroma with a tinge of black cherries.

While traveling along the Gulf Coast make note that Clearwater’s Murielle Winery offers complimentary wine tastings most Saturdays between 12:00 – 3:00. Do send an RSVP email first though. Berry flavors rule here. Blueberry Pinot Noir, 3 Berry (boysenberry, blackberry and raspberry) Shiraz and a light Black Raspberry Merlot are a few of the delectable berrylicious wines.

Crackers with wine warmed hearta

Central Florida is often called the state’s heart. Henscratch Farms Vineyard and Winery sits dead center in Lake Placid. With 10 acres of native southern muscadine and scuppernong grape varieties, the winery is a celebration of the lives of the region’s “cracker” pioneers.

Its wines reflect the country atmosphere. Here one can find a Strawberry Blush and Country Blush with its combination of the muscadine and scuppernong juices, a Country Blueberry and the famed Henscratch Farms Foot Stomped. The latter is a semi sweet wine whose grapes were stomped by feet during the winery’s annual Grape Stomp.

If you wish to have your own “I Love Lucy” grape stomping moment – make plans to visit Henscratch Farms in November 2008.

Source : http://florida-travel.suite101.com/

Florida Saltwater Fishing Makes For an Excellent Trip

Florida saltwater fishing is an excellent pastime or passion, depending on your level of dedication. There are plenty of opportunities and even more reasons why this is a must for any first time angler or seasoned professional.

There are many saltwater species of fish in Florida, and chief among them are such popular catches as King Mackrel, Smyrna Trout, Middle Keys Bonefish, Waccassasa Bay Redfish, and Panhandle Pompano. Where you go and how your chosen catch will determine how you should go about snagging your limit! (And do know your limit as most regions have very strict guidelines to consider.)

If you have a desire to fish for King Mackerel, many anglers find St. Augustine Inlet a prime target that will maximize your chances for success even if you have a relatively small boat.

With catches ranging from respectable twenty pound averages to fifty-pounders being caught on a regular basis around a mile from shore in anywhere from twenty to fifty feet of water, even boats as small as fourteen feet can usually handle these conditions and bring in a respectable catch. The best conditions for fishing the St. Augustine Inlet for King Mackrel are calm waters during the month of June.

There are other Florida saltwater fishing locations to consider, too. If your target is Seatrout, Florida offers several options for prime seatrout fishing. At almost any of the popular fishing spots, you will hear on a regular basis of large numbers of very big seatrout all over the state.

One area that is particularly easy to get into is the Intracoastal Waterway North of Mosquito Lagoon and South of New Smyrna Beach. Both Mosquito Lagoon and New Smyrna Beach are popular areas for fishing, and if the Intracoastal Waterway is a little less well known, well, that has its advantages as well.

Movement of seatrout is almost always geared to light levels, clarity of the water, and the tides. Especially in the narrow inlets, it is very easy to fish for seatrout. Ideally, fishing for seatrout is best when the high tide occurs at sunrise. When this happens, the fish tend to feed at the shore edge in the mangroves. Try areas that tend to stay shaded longer for the best catches.

Fish tend to disburse with the high tides, but the lower tides see the fish congregating near the food sources down current of cuts and creek mouths. In low light, seatrout tend to be closer to the shore in anywhere from four to two feet of water but in brighter sunshine they tend to be found in anywhere from eight to five feet of water near where the shore first begins to drop into the main channels.

Should you have set your sights on Middle Keys Bonefish, you should fish the shallow flats in the hotter months of the year. If you choose to fish between the Cudjoe and Long Keys, your chances for success are excellent. Fishing such popular locations known for great bonefish as Buchanan, Arsnicker, and down the area of Big Pine gives you a great chance to bring home a great catch whether you are a boater or wading angler.

One thing all bonefish enthusiasts need to be vigilant about is timing the tides. Full incoming tide down to mid tide are the best time to be on the water if bonefish are your targets.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Florida trip is no holiday: Rushe

Crossmaglen Rangers will put their All Ireland Club ambitions on hold when they depart for a two-week holiday in Florida early in the New Year.

The holiday for the players and officials has been planned for some time and is a reward for winning the Armagh, Ulster and All Ireland titles last year.

Crossmaglen secretary Gerard Rushe maintains, though, that it will not be a case of all play and no work for the Rangers.

"No indeed. We will keep our focus quietly and maybe do a bit of light training in Florida, but we won't get too excited although we know that immediately on our return we will have an All Ireland Club quarter-final against the London champions Tir Conaill Gaels," explains Rushe.

The fact that the Rangers have now won twenty-two finals on the bounce will not send them into what should be a relatively straightforward task with any slight degree of complacency, though.

"We certainly won't be dropping our guard in London. We play at the Ruislip ground which is very compact and may take a little getting used to," admits Gerard.

Rangers captain John McEntee has already won a huge swathe of honours with the club having been in the side for over a decade, but he underlines the current spirit within the side when he says: "These boys want to keep on winning. Maybe going to Florida just immediately prior to the All Ireland quarter-final is not thought of as being such a good thing, but the holiday has been booked so we are just going out to enjoy ourselves."

McEntee was man of the match against Clontibret and Mayobridge and was his usual commanding self last Sunday against St Galls in the AIB Ulster Club final.

"You would have to feel for St Galls who reached the final but just lost it in the final quarter," he says.

Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh faces an anxious wait as key forward Tony Kernan recovers from the broken collar bone he sustained in the second-half against St galls.

"We will just have to wait and see. Tony has been doing very well for us and just before he was hurt he had swung over a great score - one of only two we got in the entire second-half," stresses Murtagh.

Kernan is certain to miss the January quarter-final and it is likely that he will be replaced in attack by his brother Stephen who himself is just getting ship-shape again after a spell on the sidelines with injury.

Stephen thought he might have made the side against St Galls but it was not to be.

"Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be ready for the quarter-final. I'm just itching to get back into action - I would make a very bad spectator," smiles Stephen.

Source : http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/

Welcome To The Florida Trip Planner

With hundreds of miles of white sand beaches, Florida is a great vacation destination. When you include it's historic locations, world renowned attractions, wildlife, natural beauty, shopping, and the weather Florida becomes a Vacation Paradise.

Northwest Florida
From the moss covered live oak and magnolia trees of Florida's capital city Tallahassee, to the white sand beaches stretching over 100 miles from Pensacola to Apalachicola. Northwest Florida offers something for everyone.

Northeast Florida
Home to St. Augustine, the oldest permanent settlement in America. Northwest Florida offers beaches, history and natural beauty.


West Central Florida
White sand beaches, wilderness beauty, Busch Gardens and the party that's called Ybor City, West Central Florida offers a wide variety of recreation and entertainment for all ages.

East Central Florida
Home of Disney World, Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios, Universal Studios, Sea World, Cape Canaveral, the Kennedy Space Center, Daytona International Speedway and the famous Daytona Beach, East Central Florida is a vacation hot spot in Florida.

Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is home to the natural wonder of the Everglades, the beach city of Naples and Fort Myers and the wonderful islands of Sanibel and Captiva.

Southeast Florida
West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and the Florida Keys, nothing else has to be said about Southeast Florida, except maybe WOW!
Florida is the most popular vacation spot on the planet. It should come as no surprise, then, that there are more timeshares in Florida than any other state in America. Places such as Orlando, Daytona Beach, Miami, Fort Myers and the Florida Keys offer so many breathtaking sights and pristine areas that you really cannot go wrong no matter where you want to go. Timeshare resales are sale-by-owner properties located at the same great resorts as regular timeshares. The difference is that purchasing resale can save you thousands on that property. For a great Florida vacation year after year check out a timeshare on the resale market.

Source : http://www.fltripplanner.com/

Florida Flowers

Florida got ready for the biggest winter tourist rush in its history. Miami hotels are booked solid to mid-March, and incoming airline traffic is running 20% ahead of the 1956 peak. Altogether, 8,500,000 to 9,000,000 outstaters are planning to flock to Florida in the next twelve months—about 1,000,000 more than in the past year. To house the horde, the sun-blessed state is basking in her greatest building boom. In Miami alone, $75 million is going into new tourist facilities, including four new luxury hotels, nine Cadillac-class motels and 59 apartment buildings.

Kitchen TV. Builders this week put the fimsaing graces on the 301-room DuPont-Tarlton in downtown Miami. To the north, at Bal Harbour, the 162-room Beau Rivage was about ready to open. Nearing December openings along the seven-mile Miami Beach strip were two 14-story towers—the 538-room Deauville and the 620-room Carillon. In the Deauville, guests can tune in the kitchen from their rooms by means of a closed-circuit TV, see what the cook is whipping up for dinner. The Carillon has a different electronic attraction: four bells in its tower.

Throughout the state, the tourist surge is building much more . than ' hotels. Straight new highways are springing up to accommodate the tourists, 80% of whom come in by auto. The southern one-third of the abuilding 390-mile, $242 million Miami-Orlando-Jacksonville Parkway is already open for business.

Yet, spectacular as it is, the tourist boom is just a part—the smaller part—of the statewide business buildup. This year Florida manufacturing will outshine Florida tourism as the No. 1 dollar earner by an estimated $1.5 billion to $1.3 billion. Between the two, Florida's investment in new construction will top $1 billion, the sixth straight yearly record. In the past two years, more than 1,000 manufacturers have built new plants or made major expansions, boosting Florida's manufacturing payroll by 8% v. the national gain of 2%.

Fringe Benefits. Manufacturing is growing fastest in the Gold Coast tourist spas, where any company can attract employee talent with the free fringe benefits of sun and surf. Dade County (Miami) leads the state with 96 new plants in the first half of 1957; Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) is second with 51 plants. Pinellas County (St. Petersburg) is being transformed from a senior citizens' haven to a humming technical center. Since 1956, General Electric's X-Ray division has established a $7,000,000 plant, and Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. has opened a $4,500,000 missile-parts plant. Sperry Rand and Electronic Communications, Inc. (aeronautical instruments) have also recently finished multimillion-dollar plants.

Other areas are expanding almost as rapidly. Toward the center of the state, outside Orlando, the Martin Co. is putting up a $27 million missile plant (Lacrosses and Bullpups) that will employ 7,000. Near West Palm Beach, Pratt & Whitney is building a $42 million research and testing plant, has already started to work in part of it to develop new jet engines. And in the missile-laden Cape Canaveral area (see NATIONAL AFFAIRS), the roster of industrial newcomers reads like the Who's Who of American Industry: Boeing, Chrysler, Convair, Douglas, Fairchild, North American, Northrup, Westinghouse.

From all over the country, industries are swarming to Florida's balmy business climate, with the added incentive of no state income tax. Furthermore, Florida's resortlike climate is sure bait for hard-to-get engineers and topflight executives. When starting its West Palm Beach plant, Pratt & Whitney advertised for engineers in Northern newspapers, offered them a choice of jobs in the Midwest, New England, Florida, California. Florida led the other areas combined by 25 to one.

Americans will spend almost twice as much on domestic traveling as on new cars this year. The Department of Commerce reported last week that tourism has become a $15 billion to $20 billion yearly business in the U.S., and just 24 tourists a day bring as much to a town as a plant with a $100,000-a-year payroll.

Source : http://www.time.com/

Travels in Florida

My early memories of Florida rise from the haze of time. I remember road trips in my father’s ‘55 Ford “tan car,” a stop to use a two-holer outhouse at a filling station on a country road, another gas station (in Baldwin, I believe), where the pumps perpetually proclaimed 21 cents a gallon. Like most northeasterners, my parents found Florida fascinating. Dad lived in West Palm Beach for a while between high school and meeting Mom, and every year from the time I was five we did a road trip down US 301 to seek out summer in the wintertime. I remember the sugar cane rising from black dirt along canals straight as lines outside Belle Glade, and the jellyfish washed up on the shore at the beach in front of a Howard Johnsons. How the giant grouper at the Key West Aquarium was the biggest fish I’d ever seen, and how clouds of pink birds rose from the mangroves around West Lake. After years of road trips to Silver Springs, Rainbow Springs, Cypress Gardens, Masterpiece Gardens, and more, we picked up and moved to Ocala.

These days, I roam the state looking through the lens of my 1960s road trips, appreciating where the sense of place remains the same and trying to understand where it does not. Researching my books on Florida has had me poking around every corner of the state, on foot and in the car. Here are some of my stories.


Source : http://www.sandrafriend.com/

Great Florida Travel - Golfing Getaway

destination place to take the family next summer, a place where the wife and kids can have a good time, but where dad can experience some high quality golfing?

How about taking a Florida vacation to Northern Florida? More specifically, the northwest section of the state, where beautiful little cities with sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico create a relaxing, invigorating, environment.

Located near Panama City Beach, the WaterColor region is where the movie "The Truman Show" was shot. And much like the film, you'll find yourself wondering if it's real or all just a movie set.

It's perfection, as is the golf.

The Camp Creek Golf Club is a world-class course, designed by the legendary Tom Fazio.

This course was ranked eight last year out of the seven hundred public-access courses.

The course was recently selected as one of the Top Golf Courses in the United States by the Zagat Guides for 2007-08.

The 7,151-yard course is vastly governed by water, which should come as no surprise given its proximity to the Gulf.
The northwest Florida area is a great golfing destination.


Source : http://floridatravel365.com/

Best Florida Beaches

Why choose a beach vacation in Florida? One good reason is because wherever you go in Florida, you're never more than 60 miles from the beach!

Florida is also easy to get to, the temperature is pleasurable year round, it offers good value for your money and that’s just for starters. So whether you are looking for a family vacation, a romantic vacation, a relaxing vacation or getting in some golf time, there is a Florida beach vacation area for you.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Families

Siesta Public Beach Siesta Public Beach in Sarasota makes a great family beach because of its gradual slopes, shallow waters, lifeguards on duty, fine white sand and tranquil waters. It has won awards for best beach based on sand, water quality and facilities. The beach facilities include picnic areas, rest rooms, concession stands, playground, trails, and tennis and volleyball courts. If you enjoy collecting shells, try Turtle Beach, at the south end of the island.

Tampa Bay Area - St. Petes/Clearwater Located on the West Coast of Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, the Tampa Bay area is a waterfront heaven! Miles and miles of white sandy beaches along the Gulf Coast offer unlimited options for a fun and relaxing vacation. When you need a break from the surf and sand, there are plenty of nearby activities to keep the kids amused including the Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Lowry Park Zoo.

Daytona With twenty-three miles of sparkling white sandy beaches and beautiful blue-green waters there is no shortage of beach fun for whole family. The beach is up to 500 feet wide at low tide and is perfect for castle building, cycling, jogging, fishing or just relaxing in the sun. The Atlantic Ocean is great for swimming, especially during the spring and summer when water temperatures range from 74 to 80 degrees. And you are only an hour’s drive from Orlando if you are so inclined.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Romance

Miami Beach A Miami romantic vacation has everything from relaxing on the beach by day and dancing by night. There are lots of art deco and interesting hotels on South Beach. A short drive west will bring you to the Everglades, where you can take a Scenic Boat Tour and see plenty of wildlife, including alligators. You can shop at the ritzy Bal Harbor shops, and at night choose from plenty of dance clubs or mellow jazz bars and restaurants.

Marco Island Marco Island is located at the southern tip of Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast at the western entrance to Everglades National Park. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and natural wilderness on the other. There are miles of white-sand beaches, lavish real estate, shopping, dining, nightlife, attractions and lots of outdoor activities. Your recreation choices include swimming, sunbathing fishing, golf, tennis, and more. Enjoy the subtropical ambience that exists in Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast.

Cocoa Beach Cocoa Beach has beautiful sandy beaches and a great pier that is available for fishing, dining & dancing. There is a large promenade leading to the beach with an observation deck overlooking the ocean, perfect for romantic walks. While you're on the Space Coast you can visit the Kennedy Space Center, go deep-sea fishing, surf, windsurf, rent a jet ski, golf our take a take a river tour. At night there is lots of nightlife and great dining for you to enjoy.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Relaxing

New Smyrna Beach New Smyrna Beach is a laid-back beach town without the crowds, noise or pollution, which gives visitors a relaxing beach experience. Although the northern beach is accessible to cars, the majority is traffic free, allowing for peaceful sunbathing and strolls along the beach. New Smyrna has a small town feel in its architecture and atmosphere. There are no high-rises along the beach, only low-rise buildings and these accommodations range from bed and breakfast inns, family-size condominiums or oceanfront motels.

Sanibel Island Sanibel Island is one of the unique barrier islands of the world, having an east-west orientation when most islands are north south. This gives the island great sandy beaches with plenty of shells. Check out Bowman's Beach for peach and quiet, you won't find any hotels here. You can park and walk over a bridge to secluded white beach. There are barbecue grills in the area so it is a great spot to have a picnic and enjoy the beach.

Punta Gorda Punta Gorda is located about 30 miles north of Fort Myers. There is plenty of waterfront in this town, and a very nice riverfront beach area. Here you can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking and walking in the woods, it is a great place to get away from the crowds. The town of Punta Gorda has street art, water views and interesting murals that enrich the historic downtown district that also has cobblestone streets and gaslights, and many fine shops and restaurants.

Best Florida Beach Areas for Golf

Sarasota Sarasota is a sophisticated resort town near the Gulf of Mexico. For beach lovers there is Sarasota’s 35 miles of fine, pure, sparkling white sand beach to enjoy. As far as golf is concerned there are 32 golf courses in the Sarasota area and almost 20 more if you include the surrounding cities of Bradenton and Venice. You will find one for every level of ability available for your golfing pleasure.

Jacksonville Jacksonville has twenty miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and lots of nearby state parks to explore. You will find lots of things to do and lots of beaches to explore in Jacksonville. For golfers there are over 25 golf courses in the area. Several championship golf courses are located nearby; many of which are ranked among the top in the country offering challenges for players of every skill level, ranging from top ocean side resorts to popular public courses.

Naples Naples, located on a stretch of southwest Florida that is not bordered by barrier islands, has seven miles of silky, white sand beach that overlooks the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There is plenty of shopping and dining in the area once the sun goes down beachfront. There are also dozens of excellent golf courses in the area. From May through October, the golf courses are not as crowded and you can pick your tee time and be assured of a leisurely round. Also, many private courses are open to the public during these months.

Source : http://www.alltravelingkidsfamilyvacations.com/

Finding a House for Your Disney Florida Trip

One of the most famous attractions in the state of Florida for any family vacation is undoubtedly Disneyland. Offering 4 theme parks that operate from dawn past dusk, a visit to Disneyland falls into the lists of most people for Places To Visit Before I Die. With a land mass that rivals some small towns (and a few larger ones too!), Disneyland isn't a place you can cover easily in a day or even a week.

To that end, most vacation goers plan their Disney family trips to last for weeks and even months at a time. Given this, it becomes hell on the budget to stay at a hotel for that long a period. For extended stays, it is both more economical and far more comfortable to rent a summer home. Enterprising citizens and tourism companies down in Florida offer thousands of vacation homes for rent all year round, and you should take advantage of these for your stay down in Disneyland. Here are a few tips to take when looking for a good vacation rental home.

Where to Look? - checking the Internet and classified ads is a quick and easy way to at least canvas places which you can take as options for your rental home. Travel booking agencies are also a good way to look, albeit pricier since the agencies will probably be getting their own percentage off the deal. Look for ones located in Orlando, Florida, and keep in mind that the closer it is to Disney land, the more expensive it usually gets. Grab a map of Florida to look for places that will pass through easy thoroughfares so in case you can't afford a place that's within spitting distance of the park, you'll at least be able to find a reasonable one that will allow you to get there with a quick drive.

Price and Terms - look at the going rate for the places you'll be canvassing, and know how long you'll be staying. More often than not, rental homes charge less per day if you're staying a longer duration overall. These added discounts can help a lot. Plus, also check and see if you have to shoulder any additional costs for the house like electricity and water, of if they are included in the rental fee already. What might seem to be a cheaper offer can actually rack up more expenses if you have to cover your own day to day expenditures on the house.

Additional Features - the point of going on a vacation is to relax and unwind. Disneyland itself night be a fun place to visit, but admittedly tromping around all day can get tiring, especially when you're steering your little herd of kids. So, you might want to consider a rental house that's a bit pricier but has added stuff like a jaccuzzi, pool, sauna, game room, and A/V entertainment room. These little touches can help you unwind after a long day of keeping your kids from kicking Donald Duck in the butt.

Transportation - make sure that the place has got a garage. Whether you're bringing your own car or renting one out when you get there, keep in mind that your kids KNOW that the family's on vacation, and may demand things like sudden trips to the pizza parlor or a sudden run for ice cream. Having a car handy at all times lessens the migraine.

Other Destinations - keep other destinations in mind. Florida is a big place, and aside from Disneyland, there are beaches for surfing, animal parks, coral reefs for scuba divers, and rivers with manatees. You may want to check these other places out when you're on vacation, so factor them in when planning the location of the house that you'll be renting.

Security and Comfort - lastly but definitely not least, look at the basic features of the house you'll be renting. Make sure that it runs well with a fully furnished kitchen, bath, bed, and dining rooms. Also look into the neighborhood that the house is located in and make sure that it's got good security. Lastly, call the local town management office in the area to check for any funny ordinances that may trip you up, like prohibitions on alcohol, loud music, etc.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/

Making the trip enjoyable

Millions of people are hitting the road this week for Thanksgiving, and as any parent knows, one of the most frustrating parts of traveling long distances is trying to keep the kids occupied!

CBS 21's Jaime Meyers has a look at portable tech-toys and classic games to make the drive more bearable.

Ipods, MP3 players, and game systems like Nintendo DS and PSP are the top picks for most kids.

8-year-old Tyler Brighton:
“We have 2 game systems, a DS and a Game Boy”

DVD's are great too, but if you don't have one hooked up in your car and can't afford a portable one, there are plenty of other ways to keep young minds off that awful question: "Are we there yet?"

If the batteries run out on a long drive, you can't go wrong with the classics.

Third grader Lindsey McKinney:
“Find something and whatever color it is, you say I spy something that color and then they have to guess what it is.”

Lindsey's talking about "I-Spy" of course. There's always the alphabet game - get your kids to find their ABC's in order using signs, billboards and license plates. License plates themselves are another game. Have your kids keep a list of all the different states they can find.

Debra McDonald, Principal and mom:
“We did games like the alphabet game but I think it's the electronics that are occupying them now.”

Debra, the West Creek Hills Principal and mother of 3, has a trick from the long trips to Florida her family used to make.

“Always get them something and get it out halfway through the trip and they would play with it for awhile.”

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