Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, Daytona Beach, Orlando – wonderful names that conjure up images of everything from outrageous art deco buildings, the living cartoons of Walt Disney, roaring race cars, and the beautiful subtropical landscapes of the Everglades.

With somewhere with as many miles of coastline as Florida, beaches are going to be a major attraction – but they aren't there just for sunbathing. There is so much diversity that many beaches almost dedicate themselves to specific types of entertainment, although there will usually be somewhere totally different close by for a change of pace.

North Florida is where tourism in the state all began, no crowds and no palm trees, just cosy old-fashioned towns that take you back to the times when life was more a gentle stroll than a headlong rush. The region has the largest collection of natural springs in the world, where you can enjoy languidly meandering rivers, trails that lead you deep into undiscovered scenery, flora and fauna envied worldwide, and sunsets to die for.

If you still think that food comes in nice clean little cellophane-wrapped packets, perhaps you should try one of the many agri-tourism venues in North Florida, that help you experience life on a real working farm. If you can afford the extortionate entrance fee of two carrots, you can snuggle up to the horses in their retirement home at Mill Creek Farm. Or you might like to take a boat ride, Way Down Upon the Suwannee River, cycle the Nature Coast State Trail, or follow the Antiques and Arts route.

For romance, head for Naples – not in Italy, but on Florida's south-west coast. What was once little more than a beach, a pier and a seaside village, has blossomed into a sophisticate resort of dining, theatre, arts and nightlife, and classy designer shops, but still with the soothing sea as backdrop. If you fancy combining your holiday with 'tying the knot', hotels in Naples Beach off the whole kit-and-caboodle – including 'his and hers' massages on the beach.

If the kids – of all ages! – have been nagging you for the ultimate Walt Disney Experience, then Orlando is the place to be. Wave your magic wand in the Magic Kingdom Park, where storybook fantasy comes to life; be enthralled at Epcot Centre, where the fascinating cultural wonders of the world are brought to life through dazzling shows, interactive experiences and stunning attractions; be the star of your own Broadway stage spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios; or take a ride on Expedition Everest, a nerve-jangling journey through the treacherous Himalayas, with frightening hairpin turns, high speeds and a massive terrifying 80-foot drop. You can also visit the number one movie and TV-based theme park in the world, Universal Studios Florida, or take an unforgettable journey through the five remarkable islands of myths, legends, comic books, cartoons and children's stories that make up Universal's Islands of Adventure.

For nature at its most profound, you can't miss a visit to the vast subtropical wetlands of the Everglades, near Fort Lauderdale, at the southern end of the state. This fascinating gift of nature, known as the 'River of Grass', which describes the sawgrass marshes that form part of the unique eco-system of the Ten Thousand Islands, has been designated by UNESCO as one of only three wetlands of global importance. Few people really know the Everglades well enough to have discovered its secrets, but even a brief visit leaves you in awe. As far removed from the fancy hotels, resorts and tourist venues of Florida as Paleolithic man is from the first space explorers, but equally as fascinating as all the other fascinations of this splendid state.