"Florida, the Sunshine State: In God We Trust" Florida by seagoingJLW

Florida is famous for its beaches. This is Miami Beach pictured here. Bur there is a lot of coastline in Florida and a lot of beaches along it.

Theme parks abound in this state. Walt Disney World leads the way, but there are many others.

We sailed on a transAtlantic cruise out of Miami in 1998. You will find our travelogue of the ship we sailed on, Splendour of the Seas, on this page.

Art Deco

Miami Beach has recently been reborn and is a very active place. The art deco architecture is striking.

History

In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon sailed around Florida while looking for the Fountain of Youth as well as the fabled gold-filled island of Bimini. He landed at St. Augustine. In 1565, Spanish smuggler Pedro Menendez de Aviles established the colony of St. Augustine, the oldest continuous settlement in the United States.

The first Treaty of Paris in 1763 took control away from Spain and gave it to England when England returned Cuba to Spain following the Seven Years War. In 1783, the second Treaty of Paris returned all of Florida to Spain.

In 1819 Spain finally sold Florida to the United States. When northerners came to Florida there was a conflict with the Seminole Indians who were driven further south. They rebelled burning the new settlements. In 1817 when General Andrew Jackson came to punish the Indians he started the First Seminole War which lasted until 1818.

The Second Seminole War broke out in 1835 when Osceola defied Jackson's demands to move the tribe west of the Mississippi. The war continued for seven years, byt the Seminoles were finally forced to move into Oklahoma.

Statehood was achieved March 3, 1845.

The state, which started out as the supposed home of the Fountain of Youth, now serves as the retirement home of many, many Americans.

Song Lyrics

Moon over Miami, shine on my love and me,
So we can stroll beside the roll of the rolling sea.
Moon over Miami, shine on as we begin,
A dream or two that may come true when the tide comes in.
Hark to the song of the smiling troubadours
Hark to the throbbing guitars.
Hear how the waves offer thunderous applause
After each song to the stars.
Moon over Miami, you know we're waiting for
A little love, a little kiss on Miami shore.

• Pros:Florida offers history, beaches and Walt Disney World as well as Aquatic Parks and Universal Studios
• Cons:The roads are not up to snuff and you can get stuck on the two lane roads behind some very slow drivers
• In a nutshell:Have a great time here.