Florida holidays

With Florida’s strong connections to the sea, abundance of citrus fruits and proximity to the Bahamas, it’s not surprising that there are plenty of culinary delights to be sampled during your stay. Seafood lovers are spoilt for choice and top of the list is the deliciously sweet Stone Crab. Regarded as a delicacy, the crab is normally served cold with a salad and mustard dipping sauce which perfectly complements the meat. Another must try is the giant shellfish conch. The white fleshy meat is removed and soaked in lemon juice, before being chopped into a refreshing salad, added to a chowder or fried as a fritter. Other marine favourites include Key West Pink Shrimp, Grouper and Snapper fish, all served freshly caught. If seafood is not your forte then try the famous Cuban sandwich, a signature dish in many eateries. Roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles squashed between thick chunks of Cuban bread makes an irresistible combination. If you are feeling a little adventurous then why not sample some alligator tail? The meat is chopped in to bite size pieces and fried, stewed or added to a chowder and guess what – it tastes like chicken. So how to finish off a Florida dinner? With a Key Lime Pie of course. Take fresh limes, add egg yolks, condensed milk, top with meringue and bake in a light pastry crust to create this world renowned dessert.

You don't have to look far to find quality bars and nightclubs in which to reward yourself after a long, hard day of sightseeing. Indulge in a pub crawl in St Augustine, sip a cocktail in a famous Tiki Bar on the Keys or enjoy the Latin dance frenzy in one of the many nightlife venues in the city centre. Once you've chosen your venue, it's time to choose your drink, and in our opinion, you can't go wrong with a rum-inspired cocktail. Floridians are very fond of their cocktails and many of America's best alcoholic 'juices' were inspired by the Sunshine State. Invented at Islamorada's Holiday Isle Tiki Bar, the Rum Runner is an icy combination of pineapple and orange juice, banana and blackberry liqueurs blended with light and dark rums. If this heady mix seems too strong for you, opt for one of the more traditional options: Daiquiri, Margarita, Mojito or Piña colada, all of which make maximum use of locally grown fruit and the plethora of rums available. Finally, a few recommendations. The Miami Vice is a combination of a strawberry Daiquiri and a Piña colada; while Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha, has become part of Florida's drinking culture and is a very lemony version of the Mojito, made with a sugar cane essence called Cachaça.

The influence of the Caribbean, Latin America, African America and Europe means that Florida has a diverse and eclectic music and dance scene. One of these is salsa, which incorporates several other Latin dances, including tango and flamenco, and has its roots in Africa and the Caribbean. Florida is home to a number of salsa clubs where you can enjoy performances of this energetic and enjoyable dance. If you're feeling brave enough, why not try learning a few steps yourself in a salsa class? Originating in Louisiana, zydeco is a Cajun dance style that has gained notoriety in Florida in recent years and is often performed at festivals and dance halls. Zydeco is a blues-influenced dance style that involves fast footwork, spins and turns, and is often performed with a partner. Florida has a strong hip-hop culture, which emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Many hip-hop lyrics express the difficulties of growing up and living in Florida, and many famous hip-hop artists hail from the Sunshine State, including Flo Rida, Rick Ross and Kodak Black. Florida is also home to many jazz and country music fans.

If you want to participate or just want to watch, Florida has everything the sports enthusiast could possibly wish for. For a start the State is home to three American Football titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and of course the Miami Dolphins. If you are lucky enough to be around when a home game is being played then you will certainly experience the atmosphere. Other professional sports are also well catered for with two National Basketball Association teams, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, two Major League Soccer teams and not forgetting the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins both major baseball line-ups. For motor heads there is plenty to satisfy a ‘need for speed’. The birthplace of NASCAR is at Daytona and Florida is also home to many more professional and amateur circuits regularly holding events and competitions for NASCAR, Indy car and Drag Racing, to name but a few. If you feel brave enough you can even race your own car on selected evenings at tracks such a Gainesville Raceway. If taking part is more your pleasure then you will be spoilt for choice. Florida has the most public and private golf courses in America, whilst maximum use is made of the abundant coastline, lakes and rivers to provide water sport activities of every conceivable type. Sail, surf, canoe, fish or dive, whatever your aquatic pleasure find it here in the Sunshine State.

Shopping can almost seem like a national obsession in Florida as there are stores, shops, giant malls, outlet villages and markets everywhere; all plying for your trade and tempting you in with colourful displays. Gimmicky and themed souvenirs are part of the fabric of the Sunshine State and in most instances add to the joy of the place. Equally joyous is the relative low prices compared to what you may expect to pay at home; but be warned, the price tag usually omits the 6 to 7% state sales tax, so factor this in when contemplating your bargain. As well as the usual souvenirs, clothes, bags and shoes that are well stocked in outlet villages such as Prime Outlets at the top of International Drive Orlando or the Florida Super Mall also in Orlando, there are some great cultural purchases to be had. The highwaymen Art Gallery in New Smyrna Beach hosts a collection of artwork by African-American painters, or spend some time in the Salvador Dali Museum at St. Petersburg. View the largest collection of his work outside of Spain and impress your friends and family with a souvenir ‘melting clock’. If reading is your thing, why not indulge in an Ernest Hemmingway classic purchased from the bookstore at his former home in Key West.