10 Most Beautiful Cities In Florida
Lovingly known as the “Sunshine State,” Florida attracts millions of visitors each year, and with its warm and sunny climate, it is not difficult to understand why. With its great beach areas, stunning nature, lively nightlife, and rich cultural heritage, Florida is indeed one of the very best places in the United States. This article looks at the 10 Most Beautiful Cities in Florida.
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale is a beautiful place to explore with its alluring beaches and tranquil waterways. Just some 40 kilometers from Miami, the city of Fort Lauderdale is on Florida’s Atlantic Coast and serves as the seat of Broward County. Affectionately called the “Venice of America,” this urban center of nearly 183,000 residents has some 265 kilometers of inland waterways spanning the entire city. As the home of the Port Everglades Seaport, upwards of four million tourists pass through the city every year. And with over 100 marinas, visitors and residents in Fort Lauderdale can enjoy plenty of opportunities for sailing. Meanwhile, in the charming Las Olas Boulevard, a variety of tasty restaurants, shopping outlets, and unique galleries make the city an excellent place for social fun.
Orlando
Orlando is surely the most well-known tourist destination in Florida. Millions of visitors arrive in this city each year as it is home to both Walt Disney World and the Universal Studios Resort. But beyond these major attractions, Orlando also has plenty of other great offerings for its tourists and residents alike. With a bustling art scene that includes numerous galleries, museums, and naturally tasty and eclectic restaurants, this city of 307,000 inhabitants truly has something for everyone. Orlando also has several quieter green park spaces, perfect for an escape from all the excitement of its theme parks. Here the beauty of palm trees and other flora can be experienced in a most charming and relaxing setting.
Miami
One of Florida’s most famous cities, Miami is a major center of finance, international trade, the arts, and Hispanic culture. A must-visit for any Florida tourist, Miami has the largest Hispanic population in America and offers one of the most culturally rich scenes in the entire country. Home of the Port of Miami, the world’s busiest cruise port, millions of people who visit Miami can enjoy the city’s beautiful beaches and famed sunshine, and splendid cultural climate. With its landscape filled with beautiful historic buildings, modern skyscrapers, museums, restaurants, shops, and plenty of tall palm trees, Miami truly offers a great blend of the past and the present. But even if one is just interested in soaking up the sun, this city offers it in great quantities with sweltering summers and warm winters.
Boca Raton
Situated on a 75-kilometer coastline on the Atlantic Ocean known as the Palm Beaches, the city of Boca Raton is just 80 kilometers from Miami. From a Spanish colonial settlement to today’s famous resort town, this city of 97,422 residents is a treasure for authentic natural beauty and unique historic character. With its pristine beach areas and beautiful green park spaces, Boca Raton is a welcome place for all ages, where a warm and sunny climate make it desirable year-round. Additionally known for its special architectural styles, including the historic Old Town Hall, the town offers tourists many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and unique culture alike. At the Mizner Park shopping district, one can savor a variety of high-end restaurants, shops, and luxury apartments all along a most beautiful boulevard lined with majestic palm trees.
Tampa
Tampa is Florida’s third most populated metropolis with some 384,000 residents and is indeed a sprawling city with plenty of natural beauty and cultural allure. With its beautiful views of the Hillsborough River, the eponymous Tampa Bay, and its endless rows of plant and tree life, Tampa truly is a place of great style. On the social side, the city is home to great museums and other attractions, including the Tampa Bay History Center, the Tampa Museum of Art, the Florida Aquarium, and Zoo Tampa, to name but a few. And, of course, a visit to the historic neighborhood of Ybor City is a must, where great restaurants, bustling nightlife, and even charming trolley rides are on hand.
Sarasota
Sarasota is a city with a thriving arts and culture scene which, coupled with the ever-present Florida sun, makes it a most welcome place for tourists and residents alike. Situated on the State’s southwest coast and home to just under 55,000 inhabitants, Sarasota has an abundance of fascinating museums, galleries, shopping centers, and great restaurant options ideal for family vacations or a solo trip. Experience the famed Chalk Festival or catch some movies at the Sarasota Film Festival. This city never disappoints in its cultural offerings. And naturally spending time outside is always a good idea, where great beaches and hot sun make any holiday here a worthwhile place to remember.
Pensacola
The westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola, is near the border with Alabama and is a perennial favorite destination for spring break. With a population of 54,000 residents, the city was the first Spanish colonial settlement in the area in 1559 and continues to have a most special historic character. Situated on Pensacola Bay, inhabitants and visitors have excellent access to gorgeous beaches, hot summer days, and a nice variety of tasty seafood restaurants, while art and history enthusiasts will too have something to enjoy. Visit the Pensacola Museum of Art, the National Naval Aviation Museum, or the historic Saenger Theatre. Built in a Spanish Baroque style in 1925, this and other cultural places in Pensacola ensure that this city will create a most memorable vacation along with its sunny weather.
Tallahassee
Florida’s State capital, the city of Tallahassee, is surprisingly overlooked by many who visit the “Sunshine State.” Yet this beautiful government and college town is indeed a most charming and welcoming place that offers all who visit and live there some of the best in Florida life. The city is home to the campuses of Florida State University and Florida A&M University and many important government buildings, including the historic Capitol Building (1845). Tallahassee also gives off a quaint Deep South atmosphere near the border with the State of Georgia, which can contrast nicely with all the government business and school life. Including a great range of galleries, museums, restaurants, popular festivals, and of course, the famed Florida sun, Tallahassee is a place not to be overlooked.
St. Augustine
The oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in North America, the city of St. Augustine is one of America’s most historically fascinating destinations. With its links to the Spanish colonial era, this town and its population of 14,000 residents is like a living museum. Indeed with a veritable treasure trove of firsthand experiences with history, heritage buildings, forts, and an alluring old-world charm, St. Augustine is a charming vacation spot. And for an encounter with unique pirate history, head down to the Pirate & Treasure Museum, where an expansive collection of pirate artifacts is housed.
St. Petersburg
Right on the edge of the Tampa Bay peninsula, St. Petersburg has been affectionately called “Florida’s Sunshine City” due to its astonishing average of 360 days of sun per year! Named after the Russian city of the same name and colloquially known as St. Pete, the city offers a pleasant climate of moderate temperatures and comfortable proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. In this town of some 258,000 residents, one can enjoy a great assortment of galleries, museums, eclectic dining options, shopping centers, and a thriving arts scene. Here, visitors can stop by the central historic district and marvel at its beautiful murals or spend an afternoon at the Salvador Dali Museum. And naturally, one can always go sailing, swimming, and sunbathing in this most beautiful Florida metropolis.
A beacon of great culture, art, cuisine, history and warm weather, Florida earns its name as the “Sunshine State.” For anyone wanting to explore some of the very best cities in the United States, Florida’s urban centers must top their list. These great cities offer plenty of fun in the sun and superb cultural surroundings, making them and the State of Florida everything a traveler could wish for.
