Florida is known as the spring break state among USA students. Whether you walk on the Miami South Beach together with top models, party in Orlando’s hot nightclub all DAY long, or discover Everglade national park on a boat ride - living in Florida is never something to call reserved.
More information about Florida can be found:
www.visitflorida.com
www.justflorida.org
www.floridatravelusa.com
www.floridalink.com
Florida is a gigantic state with lots of beachside cities that are great tourist magnets. But Florida is not visited by lots of J1 students during the summer. This makes the competition for jobs and accommodation less fierce and gives good chances to meet more locals.
Here are some hot destinatio
ns in Florida, but it does not mean that these few are the only possibilities for you.
MIAMI
Videos about Miami on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXJFu-h1Aqw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0dXrnhouC4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l64Wy4EaflY&feature=related
Miami is the largest city within the Miami metropolitan area, which is the seventh-largest in the United States with over 5.4 million residents. It is bordered by two national parks, Everglades National Park in the west, and Biscayne National Park in the east.
Miami’s subtropical climate means summers here can be unpredictable just as the rest of your adventure there. Typical summer day in Miami does not have temperatures below 24 °C. Temperatures around 30-35 °C accompanied by high humidity are often cooled down by afternoon thunderstorms (that typically last only for an hour) or a sea breeze that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, although conditions still remain very humid.
Miami is one of the country's most important financial centers, but it also has a reputation for fab-life- long boulevards sided by palm trees, high-class shopping, gourmet restaurants surrounded by all-year sunshine.
Tourism is very profitable industry in Miami. The beaches, conventions, festivals and events draw over 12 million visitors annually from around the world, spending $17.1 billion each year. The most legendary is South Beach that is widely regarded as one of the most glamorous in the world for its world-famous nightclubs, beaches, historical buildings and shopping. Since Miami is very close to Cuba, you will hear a lot of Spanish and don’t be surprised to hear Latin- American music in nightclubs.
Local students are gathered to Coconut Grove area, where you can find lots of clubs, bars and shops, but also to more expensive areas such as South Beach and Miami Beach. These are the areas, where you should start looking for your accommodation and job.
Transport in Miami is pretty chaotic, but it is easy to walk everywhere. Or you can do like locals – buy a bike. More information about public transport can be found:
http://www.miamidade.gov/transit
ORLANDO
The city is well known for the many tourist attractions in the area. The region sees an estimated 52 million tourists a year. Probably the most famous theme park is the nearby Walt Disney World Resort, which is located in Lake Buena Vista about 32 km southwest of Orlando city via Interstate 4. Other notable area attractions include SeaWorld, Gatorland, Wet’n’Wild Waterpark, The Holy Land Experience and Universal Orlando Resort. These are good places to look for summer job. But there are also many more options in downtown of Orlando that is full on nightclubs, shops, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and bars.
Orlando has a warm and humid subtropical climate. Temperatures are usually around 32ºC and rarely fall below 21ºC. As in Miami, afternoon thunderstorms are common, sometimes daily, occurrences. However, they often last for as little as 10 minutes and are actually very welcome relief from the heat.
The LYNX bus service serves all of Orlando and Central Florida. Rates are about $2, no matter how many stops you’re staying on for. Also, the IRIDE trolley bus runs along International Drive (home to most of the city’s major theme parks) with fares of around $1.50. Check http://golynx.com for routes and times.
KEY WEST
Level with the Bahamas and only 94 miles north of Cuba, Key West is the southernmost city of USA. Key West is a very fun place and can be as relaxing, romantic, or wild as you want it to be. With its balmy weather and crystal blue skies, the island is famous for its great opportunities of diving, fishing, water sports and golfing.
Enjoy a relaxing trip on a smaller charter to view dolphins in the wild or to kayak in the backcountry off Key West. Diving and snorkeling the coral reefs and wrecks around Key West are spectacular. Tropical fish are abundant on the reefs and there is snorkeling available on a sailing catamaran or schooner out to the reef for a day of fun. As you enjoy these sights, you'll discover that modern Key West is a warm hearted place where all are welcome.
Summer temperatures in Key West rarely drop below 26ºC and highs of 32ºC are common, but the island’s closeness to the Gulf of Mexico means its climate is much less unpredictable than the rest of the Florida. Instead of afternoon thunderstorms, expect morning rain showers and storms that are often over by early afternoon.
Many locals get around the island by bike. Scooters, motorcycles and golf carts are all available for rent. That is what you should be planning to use as a transport.
Key West also runs a bus system. With a student card, one-way trips may cost as little as $0.50. Check keywestcity.com for information. The Key West Express offers high speed ferry service to Ft. Myers Beach, Marco Island and Miami.
WHERE TO WORK
Orlando alone gets more than 52 million visitors each summer, so try looking for work in tourist attractions, restaurants and shops throughout the region. Some parts of Florida, however, are bigger tourist draws during the winter and consider the summer the “off season.” While that will radically decrease the cost of accommodation, it may limit the number of jobs available in some smaller cities.
Many of the larger theme parks and resorts post job listings on their own websites, so look for “careers” or “jobs” links on their homepages if a summer at Disney or SeaWorld is what you’re after.
Tourism Jobs in Orlando Links to job sites of Orlando's biggest employers
WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO SEE
If you have ever wondered as a child that it would be awesome to visit Disneyland then while in Florida, you should definitely do it. Besides that, there is plenty to do in Florida.
Cape Canaveral near Orlando is home to the famous NASA Kennedy Space Center. If you happen to be in the area on the right day, you might happen to see a shuttle launch into space. If you are not lucky to see any rockets being launched, you can still tour museums, rocket gardens and the launch facilities themselves.
Look for alligators, crocodiles, dolphins, manatees and Florida panthers at Everglades National Park, the US’s third-largest national park. Take a hydro-copter (airboat) cruise through the swampland which departs in every 20 minutes every day between 09.00 and 16.00. You can also go for a hike or tour the county’s oldest commercial alligator farm.
For a glimpse of Florida’s ultra-rich, head to Fort Lauderdale. Known as the ‘Venice of America,’ this 80s spring break hotspot has grown up into a luxury resort town. The city’s expansive canal system is the perfect playground for over 42,000 yachts.
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