Florida Tourism: Getting There

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Getting There

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By Plane

Most major domestic airlines fly to and from many Florida cities. Choose from American (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.continental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta-air.com), Northwest/KLM (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com), United (tel. 800/241-6522; www.united.com), and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com).

Of these, Delta and US Airways have the most extensive network of commuter connections within Florida.

Several so-called no-frills airlines -- with low fares but few, if any, amenities -- also fly to Florida. The biggest and best is Southwest Airlines (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com), which has flights from many U.S. cities to Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.

Others flying to Florida include AirTran (tel. 800/AIR-TRAN; www.airtran.com); American Trans Air (tel. 800/435-9282; www.ata.com); Carnival Air (tel. 800/824-7386), an arm of the popular cruise line; JetBlue (tel. 800/538-2583; www.jetblue.com); Midwest Express (tel. 800/452-2022; www.midwestexpress.com); PanAm (tel. 800/FLY-PANAM; www.flypanam.com); and Spirit (tel. 800/722-7117; www.spiritair.com).

Internet resources such as Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) and Microsoft Expedia (www.expedia.com) make it relatively easy to compare prices and even purchase tickets.

By Car

Florida is reached by I-95 along the East Coast, I-75 from the Central States, and I-10 from the West. The Florida Turnpike, a toll road, links Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami (it's a shortcut from Wildwood on I-75 north of Orlando to Miami). I-4 cuts across the state from Cape Canaveral through Orlando to Tampa.

If you're a member, your local branch of the American Automobile Association (AAA) can provide a free trip-routing plan. AAA members also have access to nationwide emergency road service (tel. 800/AAA-HELP; www.aaa.com).

By Train

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL; www.amtrak.com) offers train service to Florida from both the East and West coasts. It takes some 26 hours from New York to Miami, 68 hours from Los Angeles to Miami; and Amtrak's fares aren't much less -- if not more -- than many of the airlines' lowest fares.

Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star both run twice daily between New York and either Miami or Tampa, with intermediate stops along the East Coast and in Florida. Amtrak's Thruway Bus Connections are available from the Fort Lauderdale Amtrak station and Miami International Airport to Key West; from Tampa to St. Petersburg, Treasure Island, Clearwater, Sarasota, Bradenton, and Fort Myers; and from Deland to Daytona Beach. From the West Coast, the Sunset Limited runs three times weekly between Los Angeles and Orlando. It stops in Pensacola, Crestview (north of Fort Walton Beach and Destin), Chipley (north of Panama City Beach), and Tallahassee. Sleeping accommodations are available for an extra charge.

If you intend to stop along the way, you can save money with Amtrak's Explore America (or All Aboard America) fares, which are based on three regions of the country.

Amtrak's Auto Train runs daily from Lorton, Virginia (12 miles south of Washington, D.C.), to Sanford, Florida (just northeast of Orlando). You ride in a coach while your car is secured in an enclosed vehicle carrier. Make your train reservations as far in advance as possible.

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Florida Tourism: Getting There

Getting There

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