Book cheap flights to Florida

The best time to visit Florida for agreeable weather, cheaper lodging, dining and attraction rates, as well as fewer tourists, is between April and May (mid to late spring), and from September to November (late summer to autumn). Whatever part of Florida you visit during this time, you’ll be guaranteed warm weather and a quieter time to truly appreciate this beautiful American state. Events that you can enjoy between April and May include the Orlando Mardi Gras (February to April) and the Strawberry Festival in Plant City (March). Between September and November, there is the Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee (September) and Biketoberfest at Daytona Beach (October).

You will need a tourist visa to enter the United States of America. For more information, contact the United States of America Embassy in Pretoria (phone: 27124314000) and the Consulates in Johannesburg (phone: 27112903000), Cape Town (phone: 27217027300) and Durban (phone: 27313057600).

The nearest South African Embassy is in Washington, DC.

Address: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Phone: 12022324400 Fax: 12022449417

Currently, there is a Zika outbreak in Florida, specifically in parts of Miami, in South Florida. Travellers, especially pregnant women, should take care to guard against this disease, which is transmittable via mosquito bites and sexual contact. To prevent infection, use mosquito repellents and wear light, long-sleeved clothing, and practice safe sex.

Hurricane season in Florida is from 1 June to 30 November.

At the beach, be careful when and where you swim. Some beaches have the danger of rip currents, bacteria and jellyfish. Check with the lifeguards to find out if it’s safe enough to swim. When surfing in Volusia County, beware of sharks. Make sure not to swim near dusk and dawn. At lakes and rivers, check for signs saying that swimming is safe. If you don’t see a sign, it would be wise not to swim, as some lakes and rivers are home to alligators and poisonous snakes.

When exploring any city, never walk alone and avoid doing so, even if in a group, at night. Simply stay alert: if an area doesn’t seem safe, it probably isn’t.

Deciding where you want to stay in Florida is largely dependent on what you are planning. For some fun at the beach, plenty of hotels and beach resorts are available on Miami Beach, along the coast in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and more.

For scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities, you’re definitely looking for accommodation in Florida Keys, especially in the city of Key West.

If you’re bringing the family along for some fun at Walt Disney World Resort, there is a variety of rental options in Orlando, close to the theme park, in the area of Bay Lake.

For travelling to all the major cities of Florida, you can use bus services such as Greyhound, Megabus and RedCoach.

Two train services operate in Florida, namely Amtrak Silver Star and Silver Meteor, with routes running from Jacksonville to Miami.

A high-speed ferry operates from Fort Myers Beach and Marco Island to Key West.

If you decide to rent a car, watch out, because most of Florida’s highways have tolls. To save on unexpected costs from the car rental agency, make sure to get a car that has a SunPass transponder, for which the rental agency will charge a daily fee on top of the tolls. If you don’t get this transponder, riding through the tolls without it will lead the rental agency to charge you much higher rates.