For those who live in frostbitten lands, Florida takes on a mythical stature. Long before they first visit the state, travelers are regaled with tales of its warm sun, exotic creatures and golden beaches.

Once they actually visit Florida, visitors tend to find that these ideas are oversimplified. Golden sand there is, but there are also mangrove thickets, barren coral islands and reedy estuaries.

Reality matches the myths in many ways, though. In the middle of the state, Orlando stands as the undisputed capital of the theme park. Along the Atlantic coast, Miami simmers with Caribbean and Latin American flair, and sights such as alligators in the Everglades and the space shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center allow you to enjoyably combine education with vacation. And should you become convinced that all of Florida was constructed after 1970, sites such as St. Augustine are living proof that Florida's historical roots are some of the deepest in the U.S. On the Gulf coast, a stop in Tampa/St. Petersburg will provide all the comfort and entertainment that a booming modern metro area can provide. A few hours down the highway, on Sanibel Island, you can tour a piece of wild Florida that has not changed in centuries.