I f you’re looking for a fresh take on city life in the 21st century, Florida is the state for you. From eclectic Key West to ritzy Palm Beach, and historic St Augustine to happening Tampa, this is an urban landscape of rich variety and surprising cultural influences. True, there’s still a heavy beach vibe in places , as befits a state with 8,426 miles of tidal shoreline – second only to Alaska in the US – but that coastal mindset is subordinated in most instances, giving rise to a proliferation of different styles and regional variations.
State capital Tallahassee, in the north-west, is actually far removed from most of its city brethren in both geographic and cultural terms, while much of southern Florida can feel more like the Caribbean than the US . It makes for a compelling destination that is easy to explore and throws up a multitude of unexpected experiences, especially in history and the arts. For eight highly contrasting examples, here’s our cross-section of contemporary conurbations.
For the majority, the biggest draw in the US is not a city so much as a collection of theme parks, which is a major loss on their part, as the actual city of Orlando is a bright, modern setting of parks, museums, performing arts and excellent restaurants (with 48 in the 2024 Michelin Guide). The downtown is a mélange of thriving districts, studded with immigrant cultures from Cuba , Vietnam and Latin America, as well as craft breweries, while the city suburbs of Winter Park .