| The following guide has been written for
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| | Mexico to the south and west. This unique
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| those who are interested in going on
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| | position makes the area a mecca for
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| holiday to Florida. Whether you seek the
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| | seashell collectors. The only 'main' road
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| fun and fantasy of Walt Disney
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| | on Sanibel is Periwinkle Way which winds
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| World®, great shopping and dining, or
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| | its way through the centre of the
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| recreation and relaxation on fantastic
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| | crescent shaped island lined with trees
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| beaches, Florida, the 'Sunshine State',
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| | and bike paths. Biking is a must on
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| has it all!
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| | Sanibel. The "Ding" Darling National
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| Kissimmee & Orlando
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| | Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel is a 5000 acre
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| The Kissimmee resort area lies at the
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| | preservation area which can be enjoyed
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| heart of the 'Sunshine State', with the
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| | via a scenic biking, walking or driving
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| highest concentration anywhere of theme
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| | route. Two public golf courses, tennis,
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| parks and attractions. The choice of
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| | boat rentals and charters are readily
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| entertainment is practically endless.
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| | available. At the south end of Periwinkle
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| Walt Disney World's® four parks - The
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| | Way are clusters of shops and boutiques
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| Magic Kingdom®, Epcot® ,
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| | tucked unobtrusively among tropical
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| Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's Animal
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| | landscaping and offering a most
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| Kingdom (TM) - as well as Universal
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| | delightful melange of clothing,
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| Studios® and Universal's Islands of
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| | souvenirs, arts and crafts.
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| Adventure® and Sea World are all
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| | Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island is 7
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| fabulous theme parks you won't want to
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| | miles of sugar sand beach-front along the
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| miss. Each park is wonderfully unique,
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| | inviting Gulf of Mexico. The gentle
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| providing fun and adventure which is sure
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| | sloping shoreline, calm waters and
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| to delight visitors of every age!
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| | relaxed atmosphere make Fort Myers Beach
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| The action is virtually non-stop, with
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| | a favourite with families. The location
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| the parks open late and a nightlife that
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| | is also ideal for a day trip to the
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| is equally unique and entertaining. In
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| | Everglades or a visit to the secluded
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| the Summer months you can even spend a
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| | islands of nearby Sanibel and Captiva.
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| balmy evening at a water fun park like
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| | The town of Fort Myers is a short drive
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| Wet 'nWild® or Typhoon Lagoon. There
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| | away and offers many golf courses,
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| is a wide choice of good quality
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| | shopping malls and attractions including
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| restaurants often with an all you can eat
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| | the winter homes of Thomas Edison and
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| buffet, as well as a full range of fast
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| | Henry Ford. Back on the beach enjoy
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| food places. You can combine dinner with
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| | sporting activities such as cycling,
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| entertainment at one of the themed dinner
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| | tennis or boating, or take a leisurely
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| attractions in the area. In case you find
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| | stroll at sunset on the crystal-white
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| free time on your hands, you can 'shop
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| | sandy beach. Dine at restaurants right on
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| till you drop' in one of the enormous
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| | the beach, where fresh local seafood
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| malls or factory outlets. The bargains
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| | awaits you or enjoy the casual atmosphere
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| are great!
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| | of the many eateries and bars.
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| The Florida Suncoast
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| | Naples and Marco Island
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| Central to the Suncoast are the
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| | Naples is a great après-theme-park
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| communities of St Pete Beach, Madeira
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| | escape for the discerning visitor to
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| Beach, Indian Shores and Indian Rocks
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| | Florida. Just 3 1/2 hours drive from
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| Beach. These are uncrowded beach resorts
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| | Orlando and 11⁄2 hours drive
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| close to a host of activities that make
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| | from Miami, its sweeping Gulf beaches are
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| for a perfect beach holiday. The beach
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| | just a stones throw from the Everglades.
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| and sea are the areas' greatest
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| | The superb Naples lifestyle is still
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| attractions, but tourist attractions are
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| | relatively unknown to visitors, but a
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| plentiful, giving you the opportunity to
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| | visit here will reveal why so many people
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| do as little or as much as you please.
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| | want to return again and again. Every
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| For years visitors from all over the
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| | corner of Naples holds an image of
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| world have enjoyed Busch Gardens, the
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| | tropical bliss, from swaying palm trees
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| Salvador Dali Museum and Sunken Gardens,
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| | and technicolour sunsets to landscaped
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| among the many fun and interesting places
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| | communities and sparkling waterways.
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| within easy reach. Sports enthusiasts
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| | Naples is known for its upmarket
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| will delight in the range of activities
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| | shopping. Both 3rd Street South and the
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| whether you are a participator or a
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| | Village of Venetian Bay offer a unique
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| spectator: fishing, boating, golf, tennis
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| | cluster of speciality shops, open air
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| and baseball to name just a few. The
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| | cafes and restaurants. Cultural pursuits
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| proximity of St. Petersburg, Clearwater
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| | include a resident Philharmonic
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| and Tampa offers an even wider choice of
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| | orchestra, theatres and first-rate art
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| places to explore, restaurants to enjoy
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| | galleries and museums. Other
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| and shops to discover. The restaurants
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| | entertainment includes the Pier, Jungle
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| range from the deliciously sophisticated
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| | Larry's Zoological Gardens, Collier
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| to the irresistibly informal, from fresh
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| | Automotive Museum, and even a Teddy Bear
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| lobster to pizza and beer! Madeira Beach
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| | Museum! For those who are passionate
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| has outstanding fishing and is
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| | about golf, you'll find paradise on a par
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| particularly famous for John's Pass
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| | with the unparalleled lifestyle.
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| Village and Boardwalk - a unique
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| | Situated at the corner of the Sunshine
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| collection of shops, boutiques and
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| | State is Marco Island, the largest of the
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| restaurants built on the water. From here
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| | 'Ten Thousand Islands' and a gateway to
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| you can hire boats for the day (or
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| | the Everglades. Just six miles long and
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| forever!). Indian Shores and Indian Rocks
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| | four miles wide, the island has over
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| Beach are the 'friendly island' towns
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| | three miles of beautiful white sandy
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| with a welcoming and laid back Florida
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| | beach and waterways reaching into every
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| lifestyle.
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| | corner of its inland landscape. Marco
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| Sarasota Area
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| | Island simply surrounds you with
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| The Sarasota/Bradenton area is easily
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| | opportunities: over thirty golf courses
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| accessible from Orlando. The area
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| | conveniently closeby, close to seventy
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| contains some lovely beaches, local shops
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| | restaurants, the Everglades National
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| and good family restaurants. The Sarasota
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| | Park, a historic trail with charming
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| area offers botanical gardens, fine
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| | boutiques, factory outlet shopping and an
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| museums, performing arts, world class
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| | endless range of watersports.
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| golf courses, upmarket shopping, boating
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| | Florida Keys and Key West
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| and other watersports - there is
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| | The Florida Keys, Highway 1 'The Overseas
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| something for everyone!
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| | Highway' and forty-two bridges connect
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| Anna Maria Island is a peaceful seaside
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| | this string of coral rock islands.
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| community with no high rise hotels,
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| | Bounded on the east by the clear blue
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| lovely sandy beaches and turquoise-blue
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| | waters of the Atlantic Gulf Stream and on
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| Gulf waters. You can even enjoy the
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| | the west by the tranquil Florida Bay and
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| serene beauty from the island's
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| | the outlying fringes of the Everglades,
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| delightful beachfront dining facilities.
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| | the Keys enjoy the second largest coral
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| A perfect year round location for
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| | reef system in the world. The reef
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| families and couples.
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| | protects the Keys and is the reason why
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| At the southern end of the Sarasota area
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| | there are no sandy beaches on these
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| is the island of Siesta Key. Siesta Key's
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| | islands. America's foremost underwater
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| award winning beaches are officially
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| | parks - John Pennekamp Coral Reef State
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| recognised as having the most pristine,
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| | Park and the adjacent Key Largo National
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| powdery white sands in the world. No sand
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| | Marine Sanctuary - cover approximately
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| is quite like it; even under the burning
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| | 178 nautical square miles and are the
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| subtropical sun, it feels cool to the
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| | area's star attractions. You must see and
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| touch! To the visitors who flock here
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| | experience the wondrous enchantment of
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| each year, the enchantment is many-fold:
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| | the ancient coral landscape, home to an
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| miles of wide white walking beach,
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| | extensive variety of fish and undersea
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| elegant gourmet restaurants, a quaint
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| | life, either as a shallow water
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| village with resident artists and
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| | snorkeller or a deep-water scuba diver.
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| interesting shops, and an island ambience
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| | Dive shops, guides, charters and
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| all of its own.
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| | equipment in the Upper Keys are abundant.
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| South of Sarasota lies unspoilt Manasota
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| | 133 miles from the southernmost tip of
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| Key. With an average year-round
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| | the Florida mainland is Key West an
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| temperature of 75ºF and the sea
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| | island where the famous and infamous
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| nearly always in the 80's, it is not
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| | alike come to enjoy a lifestyle with a
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| surprising that those who have discovered
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| | European flavour and an all-American
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| one of Florida's best kept secrets have
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| | flair. Key West is home to poets,
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| not been in a hurry to tell others! You
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| | writers, artists and craftsmen all lured
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| will often see dolphins at play just off
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| | by its special way of life. Stay in Key
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| the beach and logger-head turtles in the
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| | West and leave your car parked. Key West
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| sand. Collect shells, take a relaxed dip
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| | is a town that never seems to sleep, but
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| in the sea and watch the sun go down. The
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| | instead seems to come alive as the sun
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| small charming seaside town of Venice is
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| | goes down. Each evening jugglers,
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| just minutes away.
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| | musicians and street artists convene on
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| The Englewood area offers a choice of
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| | the Mallory Dock for the Sunset
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| restaurants and shopping. Fabulous Boca
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| | Celebration. The streets are filled with
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| Grande Island with its excellent beaches
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| | sidewalk cafes, open-air bars, legendary
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| and quaint village is closeby. The area's
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| | pubs and world-class restaurants.
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| smaller keys such as Palm Island and
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| | Discover Duval Street, 'the longest
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| Little Gasparilla have regular ferry
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| | street' in America because it stretches
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| services and tempt you to try a real
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| | from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of
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| desert island day out.
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| | Mexico! Here you will find the world
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| Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach
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| | famous Sloppy Joe's, Rick's Cafe and the
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| Sanibel and Captiva islands are a
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| | home of the Pina Colada. The nightlife is
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| vacationers' paradise, enjoying an
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| | exceptional with theatre, cabaret, and so
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| average yearly temperature of 82ºF.
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| | many dining experiences from fresh
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| The area is surrounded by the Gulf of
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| | seafood to Cuban cuisine.
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