Florida

Florida offers an entire spectrum of American beach culture, from polished resort islands to relaxed Gulf Coast towns and Atlantic surf communities. Its coastline is less a single destination than a broad expression of sunshine, water and leisure.

Florida is a peninsula almost entirely surrounded by water, with the Atlantic on one side, the Gulf of Mexico on the other and the Florida Keys trailing south towards Cuba. The Atlantic coast runs from the old Spanish city of St. Augustine and Amelia Island down to Palm Beach and Miami; the Gulf Coast moves at a gentler pace, from Sarasota and Naples to the mangroves of the Everglades.

Its resort culture is old by American standards. Henry Flagler’s railway opened the east coast to winter visitors at the end of the nineteenth century and gave Palm Beach its first grand hotels; the Gulf Coast followed with golf, fishing and long white beaches. Inland, Orlando added a very different kind of destination, and the state now ranges from formal Palm Beach to the barefoot Keys.

Florida’s high season is winter. From December to April the air is dry and mild, Palm Beach fills for its social season and the Gulf Coast enjoys its clearest sunsets. March and April bring spring-break crowds to some beaches and Easter holidays to Orlando, so the quieter resort towns are often the better choice at that time of year.

Summer is hot and humid, with thunderstorms most afternoons, and the hurricane season runs from June to November. The northern coast around Amelia Island is at its most pleasant in spring and autumn, when the south is either busy or very warm. May and November are good shoulder months across most of the state, with warm water and fewer visitors.

Each coast has its landmark. On the Atlantic, The Breakers has defined Palm Beach since Flagler’s era, Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach offers a quieter beachfront alternative, and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island stands among the dunes of the north-east coast. On the Gulf, The Ritz-Carlton, Naples faces Vanderbilt Beach; inland, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is the choice for families.

LVXVRY books the Four Seasons resorts through Four Seasons Preferred Partner and the Ritz-Carlton hotels through Marriott STARS & Luminous — at the official hotel rate, with the privileges each programme attaches to the stay. For The Breakers, LVXVRY advises on and arranges the stay directly, and can combine a Florida resort with a few nights in Miami.