How to plan the ultimate visit to Florida

The number and range of exciting attractions in the US state of Florida are... well, to put it simply, massive. However, given the time it might take you to travel to it in the first place, you might like the idea of arranging an "ultimate" visit; in other words, a stay that takes in as many different major attractions as possible. Planning this can be much easier said than done, but it's still possible.

Why a car could prevent you feeling exhausted

With Florida being such a big place, how are you supposed to get around it in a way that is at least somewhat time-effective? One idea is using a car. You could hire one just for the trip; however, to see a satisfying variety of attractions, including historic towns, beautiful beaches, museums and wildlife sanctuaries, you should think carefully about the order in which you will visit places.

HuffPost has put forward one idea for an itinerary if you are indeed mulling over using a car as your mode of transport around Florida. The site advises that you start your journey at Greater Fort Lauderdale with its lovely fauna and flora and then drive over the I-75 to reach, in about 90 minutes, Naples, the Everglades - where you can see gorgeous wilderness - and Marco Island.

You could then drive further up the I-75 and Florida's Gulf Coast; under two-and-a-half hours of doing that will bring you to the laid-back party spot known as St. Pete/Clearwater. There are wonderful beaches here; however, through taking the Gandy Blvd N or I-275 N route along the Gulf of Mexico's coastline, you could get to the Tampa Bay area, where Cuban sandwiches are served.

You can more easily embrace Disney magic 

One of the most attractive and internationally renowned of Florida's attractions is the Walt Disney World Resort close to Orlando. However, if you want to spend time at Walt's world during your Florida stay, you should be careful not to list it as just another stop when you are planning this stay.

That's because, particularly if you have never previously visited the resort, you could easily underestimate how complicated it is. Therefore, the situation calls for complicated planning as well. Disney Tourist Blog has posted a thorough and up-to-date guide to planning a visit to Walt Disney World - and I would definitely urge you to read through it meticulously.

Where will be your "home from home"?

Any "ultimate" Florida stay is likely to last for successive nights; hence, what overnight accommodation you choose should be another significant point of consideration. Given how much there is to check out at Walt Disney World, it could make sense to opt for something near there.

You might find that a tour operator based in your home country can provide that accommodation for you. If for instance, you live in the UK, then you could consider Ocean Florida, which offers Disney villas for renting close to Walt Disney World - under 25 minutes away, in fact.