Florida: Regions of Florida

North-west (The Panhandle)

The north-western region stretches from the state’s western border with Alabama to the banks of the Suwannee River (immortalised in Florida’s official state song). The main towns are Pensacola (in the central time zone), rich in history and where Florida was ceded to America in 1821, and Tallahassee, the state capital, a provincial Old South city of around 150,000 inhabitants, where the residents still sip mint julips on their verandas. Other major cities in the region are Panama City and Fort Walton Beach. The north-west has the longest stretches of open beaches in the state, including some of America’s finest, and some of the most glorious coastal scenery in Florida (although some areas such as Panama City Beach are a nightmare of commercialism and over-development). Not surprisingly the area is noted for its excellent fishing (e.g. snapper, grouper, sailfish, marlin and tuna) and seafood. The north-west coastline is easily navigable and is the only one in the state that extends east to west, eventually turning slowly southwards in an arc to the old-world tranquillity of outlying Cedar Key. A coastal road (US highway 98) linked by a network of spectacular bridges hugs the coast from Pensacola to just south of Tallahassee, where it heads inland. Inland areas contain a wealth of trail systems (with relaxing walks through pine forests), hidden caverns, bubbly springs, sinkholes and the Apalachicola National Forest, the best preserved wilderness area in Florida.

The north-west contains the counties of Bay (Panama City is the county seat), Calhoun (Blountstown), Dixie (Cross City), Escambia (Pensacola), Franklin (Apalachicola), Gadsden (Quincy), Gilchrist (Trenton), Gulf (Port St. Joe), Holmes (Bonifay), Jackson (Marianna), Jefferson (Monticello), Lafayette (Mayo), Leon (Tallahassee), Levy (Bronson), Liberty (Bristol), Madison (Madison), Okaloosa (Crestview), Santa Rosa (Milton), Taylor (Perry), Wakulla (Crawfordville), Walton (DeFuniak Springs) and Washington (Chipley).

North-east

The north-east contains a number of historic towns including St. Augustine (St. Johns County), the oldest permanent European settlement in America, dating back to 1565. The region is dominated by Jacksonville, Florida’s largest city and the city with the largest land mass in America (covering 841 square miles/2,178 square km), and an important gateway for the south-eastern US. The north-east has a number of exclusive communities including Ponte Vedra Beach close to Jacksonville and Amelia Island (Nassau County), a thin strip of land 13 miles (21km) long and 2 miles (3km) wide at the state’s northernmost extremity. Another important city in the region is Gainsville (Alachua County), home of the University of Florida (Florida’s oldest and largest university), situated in the central area straddling interstate highway 75. The north-eastern coastline borders the Atlantic Ocean and is noted for its golden beaches and dunes, and miles of points and peninsulas flanked by barrier islands. The north-east region contains the Osceola National Forest, located just south of the famous Okefenokee Swamp, which extends from Georgia into Florida. The region includes the counties of Alachua (Gainesville is the county seat), Baker (Macclenny), Bradford (Starke), Clay (Green Cove Springs), Columbia (Lake City), Duval (Jacksonville), Flagler (Bunnell), Hamilton (Jasper), Nassau (Fernandina Beach), Putnam (Palatka), St. Johns (St. Augustine), Suwannee (Live Oak) and Union (Lake Butler).

Central West

The central west region contains the cosmopolitan cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Bradenton, making it a popular destination for new arrivals and one of the fastest-growing regions in America. Tampa is the largest metropolitan area in Florida (even larger than Miami) and Pinellas County west of Tampa, which has around 360 days sunshine a year, is the most densely populated county in the state (and one of the most expensive). The region contains almost 90 miles (144km) of beautiful, blindingly-white sandy beaches (reputedly the world’s whitest) on the Gulf Coast, where property is in high demand. An imposing network of bridges (including the striking Sunshine Skyway Bridge) links the scattered islands and peninsula of the region, and creates a seemingly endless shoreline, which is illuminated nightly by spectacular orange-pink sunsets over the Gulf. The northern reaches are known as the Nature Coast and are dappled with scenic, freshwater sources including Crystal River and Weeki Watchee River in Hernando County. The region contains a huge variety of rolling parks, scenic campsites and man-made attractions including Busch Gardens (a popular theme park), the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), the new Florida Aquarium, the Garrison Seaport Center and the Salvador Dali Museum. The central west region contains the counties of Citrus (Inverness is the county seat), Hernando (Brooksville), Hillsborough (Tampa), Manatee (Bradenton), Pasco (Dade City) and Pinellas (Clearwater).

Central

The central region is Florida’s heartland and contains the highest concentration of attractions anywhere in the world including Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Epcot Disney-MGM studios, Animal Kingdom), Universal Studios, Blizzard Beach, Pleasure Island, Cypress Gardens, Sea World and Splendid China. The region contains the city of Orlando, one of Florida’s major cities (with over one million inhabitants) and the hub of the region’s thriving tourist industry (the number one tourist destination in America). Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, historically a major citrus-producing centre. Other major cities include Lakeland, Ocala and Kissimmee. Lake County (with over 1,000 lakes) is a popular location for those seeking peace and tranquillity, while at the same time being close enough to the main attractions (but not too close!). The region is a haven for nature lovers and is renowned for its lakes (and freshwater fishing), the Highland Hammock State Park and the majestic Ocala National Forest. The central region contains the counties of Highlands (Sebring is the county seat), Lake (Tavares), Marion (Ocala), Orange (Orlando), Osceola (Kissimmee), Polk (Barlow), Seminole (Sanford) and Sumter (Bushnell).

Central East

The central east region is a popular holiday destination and is famous for car races (e.g. the Daytona 500), space launches and over 200 miles (321km) of sandy beaches, including the celebrated Daytona Beach (dubbed ‘the world’s most famous beach’) and Cocoa Beach. Major cities in the region include Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Port St. Lucie, Titusville and Fort Pierce. The NASA Kennedy Space Center is among Florida’s most fascinating tourist attractions; a shuttle launch is an unforgettable experience and isn’t to be missed if you have the opportunity. Lake Okeechobee in the south is the second-largest freshwater lake in America (and the largest enclosed entirely within a state) and the region’s biggest attraction, particularly among anglers (favourite quarry include largemouth bass, crappie, bream, catfish and speckled perch). The central east region contains the counties of Brevard (Titusville is the county seat), Indian River (Vero Beach), Martin (Stuart), Okeechobee (Okeechobee), St. Lucie (Fort Pierce) and Volusia (DeLand).

South-west

The south-west region is crammed with fashionable and sophisticated Gulf Coast resorts such as Naples and Venice, and the islands of Sanibel, Captiva and Marco (other major cities are Sarasota, Fort Myers and Cape Coral). The region offers a wealth of sports and leisure pursuits including excellent sport fishing, boating (waterfront homes abound) and a wealth of golf courses.

Naples has 41 miles (66km) of public beaches and is a Mecca for retirees and ‘snowbirds’, and one of the Gulf coast’s most expensive towns (Collier County is said to be home to more millionaires than any county in America). In fact the whole Gulf Coast, from St. Petersburg in the north to Marco Island in the south, contains some of the most expensive and desirable real estate in Florida. Naples and Sarasota are havens for artists and writers and are among the most renowned arts’ centres in Florida. Embracing a jumble of Gulf Coast islands, the region winds along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico from Sarasota to Collier County, with its famous patchwork of 10,000 islands. The south-west region contains the counties of Charlotte (Punta Gorda is the county seat), Collier (Naples), De Soto (Arcadia), Hardee (Wauchula), Hendry (LaBelle) Lee (Fort Myers) and Sarasota (Sarasota).

South-east

The south-east region stretches from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys and is the winter playground of the world’s jet-set, where movie and pop stars, luxurious homes, millionaire yachts and fashionable night-spots abound (not surprisingly the area is also called the Gold Coast). The main cities in the area are Miami, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Key West. Miami is Florida’s second-largest city in population (to Jacksonville) and one of America’s great cities, and the most exciting and sophisticated city in Florida (it also has the highest crime rate). Miami has the largest number of native Spanish-speaking residents (around one million people, mostly Cubans and Nicaraguans) of any US city and it also has a large Haitian population. It’s made up of 26 distinctly different municipalities, from colourful ethnic enclaves to exclusive ‘millionaire’ neighbourhoods which include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables (the first planned community in America), Key Biscayne and Miami Beach (famous for its fashionable art deco apartment buildings in the South Beach Art Deco district).

The Florida Keys, stretching for over 100 miles (160km) from Key Largo south to Key West (one of the wackiest cities in America), are one of Florida’s major attractions and are connected by the aptly named Overseas Highway encompassing 42 bridges (part of US highway 1). The Keys contain North America’s only living coral reef system and is a popular area for snorkelling and scuba-diving, besides being one of the best places in Florida to witness spectacular sunsets. Despite its large metropolitan areas, the south-east also contains vast tracts of protected wilderness (including the Biscayne National Park, the nation’s largest marine park), freshwater lakes and rivers, and lush parks. The crowning glory of the region is the imposing and majestic subtropical beauty of the Everglades National Park, encompassing some 1.5 million acres (607,050 hectares) and home to a number of rare and endangered species, including the Florida panther. The south-east region contains the counties of Broward (Fort Lauderdale is the county seat), Dade (Miami), Glades (Moore Haven), Monroe (Key West) and Palm Beach (West Palm Beach). Profiles of all counties are published by the Florida Department of Commerce, Division of Economic Development, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2000 (www. bea.gov) and available at public libraries.

© Survival Books Limited 2004

“Buying a Home in Florida” 2nd Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Florida” 2nd edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive information about buying a property in Florida, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net