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Seven
Wonders of Florida worth a precious glance
If there is the Seven
Wonders of the World, there too exist the seven wonders of
Florida that every traveler ought to see. Featured in the
official tourism website of Florida is the interesting
"Florida's Seven Great Natural Wonders." Some of them are
man-made attractions while the others purely come from
nature. If you think you still haven't gone through some of
these places, be sure to include them in your itinerary for
your next visit in Florida. Among these highlighted natural
and contemporary wonders would include the following:
1. Coral Reefs of
Florida.
Florida is the only state in the continental US to possess
extensive shallow coral reef formations nearby the coasts.
The amazing coral reefs were formed some five to seven
thousand years ago, as the reef growth is slow. Stony corals
are the architects of reef formation. Complicated limestone
skeletons made up the reef backbone. They are formed when
the living part of the coral (polyps) extracts calcium from
seawater and merge it with carbon dioxide. These coral reefs
are offering natural storm protection to Florida beyond its
environmental role in providing food, shelter and breeding
sites for many plants and animals.
2. The Overseas
Highway. It is
sometimes referred to as the "Highway That Goes to Sea." It
is a modern wonder, a road following a trail originally
blazed by Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad in
1912. It is the southernmost leg of the United States
Highway 1, stretching from Miami to Key West. The original
railway spans, coral bedrock of individual keys,
specially-constructed columns and more modern features
lately embedded make it an alluring view.
3. Everglades.
It is the only sub-tropical wilderness of America. It is
typically known as a place where only few dare to venture.
Many have described the Everglades as a huge swamp,
inhabited by big snakes and alligators. However, it is must
be considered more of a forest, a natural habitat where
various forms of birds and wildlife are dwelling. There are
many ways to experience the Everglades but the most popular
method is through airboat skimming along shallow and grassy
waterways. You too can get up-close-and-personal with the
Everglades at the Everglades National Park, where adventures
in hiking, fishing, camping, biking and boating are offered
among others.
4. The Skyway Bridge.
Situated South of St. Petersburg and spans of Tampa Bay, the
Skyway Bridge is an architectural wonders modeled after the
Brotonne Bridge over the Seine River in France. This
4.1-miles long bridge is the first suspension bridge of
Florida with a roadway soaring 183 feet above Tampa Bay and
the third bridge to connect St. Petersburg and Bradenton.
What makes the Skyway Bridge even more interesting to see is
a wonderful reflection of the Sunshine State produced by the
new bridge's cables that resemble an inverted fan, painted
with yellow that illuminate at night.
5. Bok Tower.
Standing tall in quiet dignity, the Bok Tower reflects the
inspiration of one man's vision on Central Florida's highest
elevation. It is named after Edward Bok, whose life story is
presented in historical memorabilia and photos, gathered in
an award-winning exhibit hall nearby the entrance, now known
as Bok Sanctuary. Indeed, Bok left his remarkable mark with
this splendid singing tower.
6. Historic St.
Augustine. As
the name implies, St. Augustine is the oldest city of
Florida, standing over 435 years now. It has survived five
centuries of history. Its history started with an
exploration, 55 years before the pilgrims arrived at
Plymouth Rock and 42 years prior to the colonization of
Jamestown by the English. The original colony's excavations
can be explored today in this community that takes pride in
its past. Renovations and restorations of several historical
structures began in the late 1950's. With the structures and
remains from each of the centuries such as a 17th century
fortress and the 18th century buildings make it the Sunshine
state's "living history".
7. John F. Kennedy
Space Center.
The place was originally referred to as Launch Operations
Center of NASA and was renamed in honor of America's 35th
president, John F. Kennedy after his death. The center was
first established on the 1st of July, 1962. With his vision
to land astronauts on the moon within that decade, Kennedy
has enthused NASA. From then on, Kennedy Space Center
continues to explore all wonders of the universe straight
from this Florida soil.
The Sunshine State
actually has a lot more to offer. What was emphasized above
are only seven of the many spectacular views and interesting
places in Florida worth a stopover. If you think seven is
not enough, then you can always add more in to your
itinerary.
Mark and Susan Whichard are Orlando tourism experts and write frequently about attractions in and around Orlando.
Mark and his wife Susan are the proprietors of
Quality Villa Rentals Orlando. You can get great deals on
Orlando vacation homes and villa rentals at this website
http://www.qualityvillarentals.com
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