The Quarter at Ybor
Ybor City

With nearly 1,200 miles of coastline, literally hundreds of beaches, and an enviable climate, Florida's appeal as the nation's sun-and-fun capital can't be denied. It's a fast-growing, dynamic state that offers matchless recreation opportunities, incomparable family attractions, fine dining, great shopping, and much more. If you haven't been to Florida lately, maybe it's time to schedule a trip! American Airlines and American Eagle serve cities all over Florida. For reservations, call 800-433-7300 or book online at www.aa.com.

Panhandle/Northwest
The northwestern region of the state offers all the things that come to mind when you think of Florida - and many that don't. Of course there are perfect beaches and plenty to do in and around the water. But there are also quaint fishing villages. Wildlife sanctuaries. Windswept dunes and lighthouses. And lots of magnolia-scented, old-time Southern charm. It's been said that this part of Florida more closely resembles the state's neighbors to the north than the rest of the state, but it has a personality all its own. In fact, this region enjoys a peak summer season while South Florida winds down during the summer months.

Cozied up to the state's border with Alabama, Pensacola is Florida's westernmost big city. Spanish colonists arrived in 1559, making it the site of the first European settlement in North America, and Pensacola has been attracting visitors and new residents ever since. It's a town rich in history and diverse architecture, graced with a gorgeous coastline. Today's travelers can take a walking tour of the Seville Historic District, visit the home base of the U.S. Navy's flying Blue Angels, or escape to the seclusion of nearby Gulf Islands National Seashore, with its pristine beaches and dunes and the ruins of a Civil War fort.

Pensacola is also the gateway to the Emerald Coast, a 100-mile stretch of incredibly scenic coastline, with wide beaches sparkling with powdery white sand and water that changes from emerald green to a very deep blue. The resort towns of Destin and Seaside offer some of the finest family vacation opportunities in the state. Deep-sea fishing doesn't get any better than off the coast in Destin, known as the "world's luckiest fishing village" and host to an annual Fishing Rodeo and Seafood Festival. For accommodations, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is practically a town unto itself, everything from cottages and condos to hotel rooms, all with a view, and all in a spectacular 2,400-acre setting with four golf courses, swimming pools, tennis, and more.

Fairfield Communities, one of the nation's largest vacation ownership companies, markets vacation properties throughout the country, and has three properties in Destin - Fairfield Destin at Bay Club, Club Destin, and Majestic Sun. Members of the company's vacation ownership plans can enjoy these or locations elsewhere in Florida at Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach, Daytona Beach, and Orlando, as well as other top resort areas nationwide.

Turn inland from this coastal paradise and you'll be rewarded with a glimpse of the Old South. Florida's capital city of Tallahassee is home to several spectacular "canopy roads," gorgeous drives lined with huge trees hanging with Spanish moss. Several antebellum plantation homes are open for tours, including Goodwood, a magnificent former cotton plantation featuring a recently restored mansion and extensive gardens that date back to the 1830s.

Central Gulf Coast
Follow the western coast of Florida south, and the marshy, laid-back "Nature Coast" gives way to a strip of bustling resort towns and major urban centers along the Central Gulf Coast. Florida's twin cities - Tampa and St. Petersburg - spread inland around Tampa Bay, while neighboring Clearwater and St. Pete Beach occupy the area's prime coastline. The region boasts 360 days of sunshine a year, and the 35-mile strip of barrier islands that buffer the cities against the Gulf is known as "Florida's Beach" - in other words, it's a favorite among those who really know their beaches. If you're planning a trip to the area, see http://www.floridasbeach.com, the official Web site of the St. Petersburg/ Clearwater Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A favorite destination of celebrities in the 1920s and '30s, the island of St. Pete Beach, at the southern end of the area's barrier islands, is home to the historic Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa, a pink palace built in 1928. Recently restored to its former glory, "the Don" is a retro delight and a popular beachfront destination.

While there is plenty of sunshine and leisure activity on Florida's Central Gulf Coast, the reality is that wherever there are large numbers of older residents, there is also a need for top-notch health care. Clearwater is home to one of the world's most renowned neurological specialists, Dr. William Hammesfahr, M.D., of the Hammesfahr Neurological Institute. Dr. Hammesfahr is a Nobel Prize nominee and treats stroke patients from all over the world at the Institute, which is considered the last - and best - hope for many stroke patients. The Institute's success rate speaks for itself: 82 percent of stroke patients respond to treatment with major improvement.

The city of St. Petersburg is Tampa's low-key, artsy neighbor. The city's cultural attractions cluster near the Pier, a hub of activity in itself, with shopping, fishing, dining, a children's museum, and more. Nearby, the Museum of Fine Arts exhibits the works of traditional American and European artists in its galleries and sculpture garden. The most surprising aspect of St. Petersburg's cultural scene is an entire museum dedicated to the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali.

The former "cigar capital of the world," Tampa now boasts a reputation as a vital, multi-dimensional city. Home to some of the region's top attractions - like Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and the Florida Aquarium - Tampa has a rich history and a bright future. For a taste of the city's multicultural character, visit the historic Cuban quarter, Ybor City.