There are numerous reasons people choose Altamonte Springs as a vacation spot or their permanent destination. Located at the heart of the city are major upscale retail and office centers, fine hotels, abundant restaurants, theaters and specialty shopping venues. Several neighborhood parks are also distinguished throughout the city, offering a relaxing and peaceful setting.

In the rodeo town of Arcadia, buy yourself a pair of cowboy boots and mosey around town to look at the circa 1880 buildings and antique shops. Follow in history's and cattlemen's footsteps (without having to sidestep cow pies) along the Florida Cracker Trail to Highway 27, Florida's artery through the heartland.

Alternating between secluded and busy stretches of sand, some of which you can still drive automobiles on, the Daytona Beach area offers plenty of family-style recreation and attractions as well as world-famous annual events.

If crowds send you running in the opposite direction, point your toes toward six miles of uncrowded, car-free shoreline with a public fishing pier at Flagler Beach Municipal Beach. It offers campsites, a nature trail, grills, a boat ramp and unlimited access to silent, sun-kissed beaches with warm, brown sand.

The Florida Keys, tiny islands strung together first by nature, next by Henry Flagler's railroad, and more recently by the Overseas Highway, seem to be in a time zone all their own. Visitors will find their worries disappear as they cruise U.S. Highway 1 -- with its huge expanses of blue-green water, certainly one of the most scenic drives in the nation.

The Fort Myers area has both a rich history and lovely beaches. Inventor Thomas Edison built his winter home and laboratory here in 1885. Edison's home, botanical gardens and laboratory, as well as the home Henry Ford built next door, are now favorite tour stops for visitors.

A world apart in demeanor but only a few miles from its northern neighbors is southwest Florida's most sophisticated city. Wealthy residents in Naples demand the best and the city's boutiques, galleries and cultural arts calendar oblige. A huge number of golf courses have earned Naples the nickname "Golf Capital of America."

With an average January temperature of 60 degrees, year-round outdoor recreation is the mantra in Hernando County. Hunting, fishing, camping, paddling, birding, and hiking are just a few of the many recreational opportunities enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and on the north by the Chassahowitzka Swamp and the Withlacoochee State Forest.

Vacationers to the Ocala area can relish the winding community pathways lined with oak trees and dangling trellises of Spanish moss, or they can explore miles of untainted nature. The region's freshwater streams, rolling hills, and clean air remain unspoiled and are frequently used for idyllic scenes in Hollywood movies.

Long considered the cultural capital of Florida, the Ringlings and other wealthy families made Sarasota their winter playground, imparting the legacy of the arts early on, while nearby Bradenton is one of central west Florida's oldest cities. Increasingly cosmopolitan in character, it still retains its small-town charm and that one-of-a-kind "old Florida" attitude.

Originally a frontier gateway to southwest Florida, Arcadia has survived turbulent wars, disastrous fires, and boomtown expansion. The area has preserved its 19th-century architecture and Old Florida charm from early colonial settlements along the Peace River Valley and Peace River.

Clearwater Beach offers huge, white sand beaches, a nightly sunset celebration, and 361 sunny days a year! Just minutes inland the city of St. Petersburg is home to many art galleries, antique shops, and museums, including the Florida International Museum, now home to a permanent John F. Kennedy exhibit.

Many busy couples and families enjoy beachside vacations in Indian River and St. Lucie Counties, midway down the peninsula on Florida's east coast. You'll find charming, historic small towns and friendly, genuine folks. Quiet and quaint from Sebastian south to Port St. Lucie, to Stuart, this area offers unspoiled beaches, excellent fishing, and lots of small-town charm.

For a taste of life in the big city, visitors cross the bay to Tampa, where they encounter a glittering metropolis that's home to the region's top attractions -- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the Florida Aquarium and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). Visitors will also discover a revitalized downtown waterfront, notable museums and an extraordinary performing arts and sports calendar.