There is a Florida for everyone, which explains why luminaries from Mickey Mouse to Ernest Hemingway have called it home. The activities—Orlando theme parks, Cape Canaveral shuttle launches, Miami night clubs, St. Augustine historic sites—are dwarfed only by uninterrupted Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Great weather, snow-white sandy beaches, exciting cities, and beautiful nature – you can find all of this and more on your Florida vacation. Let yourself be carried away by the sunny minds of the Americans and explore one of the most beautiful and popular states in the USA. If you can’t decide between a beach vacation, city break, an adventure vacation, Florida is the right place for you! In addition to metropolises such as Miami Beach or Orlando, you will find dream beaches with a Caribbean feeling. And if you have enough of relaxing on the beach, you can cruise past crocodiles through the Everglades or your adrenaline level in one of the many Amusement parks like Disneyland or Universal Orlando. And of course, we also have great Florida Suite offers!
You have warm temperatures and sun all year round in Sunshine State Florida. However, you have to differentiate between two different climate zones: In the north, you have a subtropically humid climate with a lot of rain in the summer months, but in southern Florida (including Miami, Orlando, and Key West) there is a clearly tropical climate. Therefore, you have wonderful warm temperatures all year round and rarely below 75 °F even in the winter months. In summer, temperatures of up to 90 °F are not uncommon, although the perceived temperature is often higher due to the high humidity. Basically we recommend a Florida vacation from late November to mid-May, because there is the least chance of rain.
Basically, the south of the USA is easy to travel, because the hot Gulf Stream prevents moderate heat or cold snaps. A rough distinction can be made between two climatic phases, namely the warm and dry winter half-year and the rather hot and humid summer. The hurricane season lasts from June to November, with a peak in September and October. As a rule, however, the advance warning time is long enough and locals or hoteliers are well prepared in this case. Because of the pleasant temperatures, Florida trips are very popular, especially in winter, and bathing is still possible in part, a cardigan is only recommended for the evening.
Especially if you are planning a round trip through the USA, we recommend that you take the climate of the different regions into account, as this varies greatly from state to state.
| month | temperature | Hours of sunshine | Water temperature | Rainy days |
| November | 75 °F | 6h | 75 °F | 4 |
| December | 75 °F | 6h | 71 °F | 5 |
| January | 70 °F | 7h | 70 °F | 5 |
| February | 73 °F | 7h | 68 °F | 6 |
| March | 77 °F | 9h | 70 °F | 5 |
| April | 80 °F | 10h | 73 °F | 3 |
| May | 86 °F | 10h | 77 °F | 5 |
| region | Warmest month | Coldest month | Sunniest month | Highest water temperature | Rainiest month |
| North (Tallahassee, Jacksonville) | July, August (91 °F each) | January (43 °F)
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May (10h)
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August (86°F)
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April, November (6 days each) |
| Center (Orlando, Kissimmee) | July, August (91 °F each) | January (48 °F)
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April, May (10h each)
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– | April (4 days)
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| South (Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale) | August (91 °F)
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January, February (59 °F each) | April, May, June, July (10h each) | August (86 °F)
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December, January (5 days each) |
| Florida Keys, Key West | July, August (89 °F each) | January (64 °F)
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April, May, June (11 am each) | August (88 °F)
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March (5 days) |
Choosing the best time to travel to Florida is complicated because opinions differ. Many prefer the hot summer months, others avoid it because it rains a lot in tropical Florida during this time. We see it similarly because during the winter months you have slightly lower temperatures (but still an average of 75°F), but there is hardly any rain. In our opinion, the best time to travel is from mid-November to mid-May.
In northern Florida, things look very different due to the different climate zones. Here we recommend you, despite increased rainfall, the summer months, i.e. early April to late September, as you have pleasant water temperatures during this time. Our climate tables show you what weather you can expect in the months of the best travel time and in the different regions.
The United States is known to be a particularly car-friendly nation. The road network is well developed, the price of petrol is low and there is ample parking space. All of this and the manageable travel times between the tourist highlights make Florida a perfect destination for a rental car tour. But what we like best: There is hardly a country in the world where you can rent the smartest SUVs and convertibles at such low prices. From just $300 you get the latter for a whole week including all insurance. And “Cabrio” usually means (at least with the big renowned chains) an almost brand new Mustang!
We highly recommend a tour of Florida! You should plan two to three weeks for this. However, the longer the better, because in a leisure park you can bring several days. The best way to travel through Florida is by car because the distances are large and easy to underestimate. In addition, it is not common to walk a lot in the USA, which is why there are not many footpaths. The best thing to do is to book your rental car before you go on vacation, as this is usually cheaper and you can save yourself valuable vacation time.
Our pirate tip: be sure to stick to the speed limit! This may seem obvious to some of you, but you have to know that you can only drive 113 km / h on the highways in Florida and even less on other roads. As a German, you are not used to this pace thanks to our highways … so be careful, because the American police have no pardon!
Are you planning a trip to Florida? Excellent decision! Many of our pirates were also on-site and absolutely enthusiastic. However, the Sunshine State offers much more than just Miami and Key West! Instead, conquer the heart of the south. We have learned everything important that you need to know before your trip and what you have to watch out for. You can get all the answers to these questions here!
Knowledge of English is definitely useful in order to communicate. Even if it’s just basics, Americans are usually very helpful and go out of their way to understand you. In some areas, especially in Miami, Spanish is also very common.
In Florida, the Eastern Standard Time applies, which means you have to reset the clocks there by 6 hours. It’s only different for two weeks in March and one in October because summertime starts earlier and ends later.
1 euro = approximately $ 1.18
The price is deteriorating a little at the moment, but it is still doing very well compared to the last three years. Unlike in Germany, payment by credit card is very common in the USA, even for the smallest amounts. Otherwise, you can change your money for a fee in exchange offices or withdraw at one of the many ATMs (ATMs), for example at Dollars Airport. In the best case, you have a credit card that does not charge a fee for withdrawing abroad.
On average, food and lodging in Florida are slightly more expensive than the European average, especially at tourist hot spots. An inexpensive option, which is particularly suitable for round trips, is to stay in one of the many motels outside. There is usually a simple breakfast included in the price. For shopping, you should know that the prices are net everywhere and the tax is added at the checkout. Nevertheless, you can make good bargains in the huge outlet malls. In restaurants, Americans attach great importance to tipping – if you don’t give one, there can be very irritated looks. At least 15% is usually recommended.
Sample prices for a Florida vacation:
Where is the best place to start in the megacity of Miami? Maybe on the beach? Because the South Beach beach on Ocean Drive is really world-famous and the scene of many films and series. In addition to tourists and locals, there are also lots of celebrities, models, and athletes. Absolute must-sees here are the District Art Deco (one of Florida’s most popular postcard motifs) and South Pointe Park on the southern tip of Miami Beach, from where you can overlook South Beach. Other highlights are Little Havana (then you also have the feeling that you have a Cuba vacation also booked), the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Bayside Marketplace, and, for shopping and dining, the Lincoln Road Mall. You should also walk through Wynwood and Midtown Miami, the cultural heart of Miami, where you can find really hip parties and events in addition to outstanding art.
In the south of Florida, you will find the famous Everglades, some of which is protected as an Everglades National Park and could therefore also assert itself as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a “grass river”, although the river is not immediately recognizable at first glance, even though it is up to 60 km wide! This is because it is often only a few centimeters deep, which means that almost the entire area is covered with grass. The Everglades are particularly famous thanks to their breathtaking wildlife because you will find the only wild flamingos in the USA and many other bird species here. There are also raccoons, snakes, spiders, cougars, black bears, turtles, and manatees. The biggest highlight of the Everglades is probably all the alligators and crocodiles, which you can marvel at up close during an airboat tour. This is especially so because the Everglades is the only region in the world that is inhabited by both alligators and crocodiles.
The Florida Keys are an elongated archipelago in the far south of the Sunshine State that ends abruptly in Key West, Caribbean. Here you can just relax on the beach and enjoy the great sea and weather! If this is too monotonous, we recommend exploring the Florida Keys underwater. Because here you will find the only living coral barrier reef in the USA and the third-largest barrier reef in the world! You should also visit the Dry Tortugas National Park! You can also experience a lot on land! For example in Key West, where about a third of the population of the Keys lives. Key West is famous for its nightlife and you will find many cool restaurants, bars, and clubs here. From here you can even marvel at Cuba on the horizon on a clear day!
Orlando probably connects most of you directly to theme parks … and rightly so! Hardly any other city in the world has such a large number of amusement parks: from Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom to SeaWorld and Discovery Cove (where you can swim with dolphins) to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Florida. Disney fans in particular get their money’s worth because in addition to Disney World and the Magic Kingdom there are also Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Blizzard Beach. And those were just a few of the fabulous amusement parks in Orlando. You see, a vacation here is guaranteed not to be boring!
Fort Lauderdale, in southeast Florida, is best known for its dream beaches and boat canals, which is why it is also known as “the Venice of America”. In addition to trips to the beach and boat and canoe tours, you should also visit the many museums and the huge flea market. Fort Lauderdale also has a lot to offer at night. The city delights with an extensive nightlife and the world’s largest drive-in cinema with 14 screens.
Florida is full of absolute dream beaches including a Caribbean feeling. Deciding it is not that easy! So here we present you our top 15 most beautiful beaches in Florida :
Well, we’ve already gone through the top spots that you must have seen during your Florida trip and you see to see everything, a single vacation is not enough. Nevertheless, we would like to recommend that you do some of the flying activities to get to know Florida and American culture better. We guarantee you will not regret it! You can find even more great tips and information on the official Florida website of Visit the USA.
Florida is an absolute dream destination for family vacations! The children will be delighted by Micky Mouse & Co. in the countless amusement parks, can have fun on the dream beaches (especially on the west coast, as there are less high waves here), and discover nature in the Everglades and other national parks.
Also, board and lodging in Florida are great for a family vacation! The room sizes are usually larger than in Europe and therefore perfectly prepared for families. Children even stay for free in many hotels! Restaurants are also perfectly attuned to the little guests and there are crayons and other activities for the little ones almost everywhere. American cuisine may not be the healthiest, but your kiddies will definitely enjoy burgers, fries, and more on their Florida vacation!
Our pirate tip: Check the travel documents in good time and apply for the passports accordingly for the children, because they also need a “real” passport (children’s passport is not enough) !!
In order to be granted entry into the USA, a machine-readable passport must be available; a preliminary passport is not sufficient here. Those who do not need a visa to enter the United States participate in the US Visa Waiver Program. This means that in this case, you can enter the USA as a tourist, business, or transit traveler without a visa. However, you must have an electronic entry permit to do this. You have to apply for this entry permit online, also known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (or ESTA for short ). Such an ESTA for the USA should be applied for at least 72 hours before the flight.
You can read more about entry requirements in the US on our Visa page. However, entry requirements for the USA change relatively regularly. Whether the visa is necessary for the trip to Florida or whether you can enter the USA without a visa, which data is currently being requested, and where you can get more detailed information about ESTA USA can always be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.