North Florida & The Panhandle

Starting to the east of the region we have the oldest permanent settlement in the US, St.Augustine, which is full of history and well worth a visit. From here north you will find many miles of beautiful unspoilt beaches just waiting to be explored. Twelve miles inland you come across the huge city of Jacksonville. This city at 841 square miles is actually the largest in the US and has thrived for many years on it's heavy industries, coffee and lumber.

Travelling west you will cross through Florida's rural heartland full of small towns and farming communities until you reach the area known as the Panhandle. Here you will find the state capital Tallahassee and right over on the states western edge is the city of Pensacola which is also a very historical place.

The Panhandle itself can be divided in two, the Inland areas and the Coastal areas. Inland you will find mostly rural farming towns amongst the vast tracts of oak and pine forests. This is the old Florida with many areas still untouched by the mass tourism which has shaped the rest of the state. In contrast the coastal areas are much more developed with places like Panama City Beach being very popular with Americans from the southern states. But you will still be able to find some beautiful and unspoilt spots along the Panhandle's 180 mile coastline.

The northern area of Florida is very much a summer destination as it can get quite cool here during the winter. So expect to find higher accommodation prices during the summer months. Also watch out for the students who descend to the coast for their spring breaks determined to have a good time.