Royal Palm Bay Villas, Orlando, Kissimee, Florida , USA.

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Mention Florida and everyone thinks immediately of the Everglades and the alligators that inhabit its swamps. But these endless stretches of open sawgrass broken only by the hammocks of hardwood and palm are repeated all across the lower half of the state.

The Everglades are the only National Park in the state and, unlike most others run by the National Parks Service, offer open access to all. They afford an awesome introduction to this most inhospitable of landscapes. It is teeming with wildlife, none of which will harm you so long as you respect it by keeping your distance. I don't think I need to comment more on the ubiquitous alligators that can be seen throughout the southern half of the state, other than to say that they will leave you alone so long as you do the same to them. Fascinating for their languid lifestyle they are not to be toyed with for a full grown animal can kill a man as soon as look at him. Most are well fed and unlikely to rouse themselves unless tormented by humans.

In compensation for this lack of National Parks, Florida has a huge range of State Parks and many privately owned nature reserves. The St. John's River is one of America 's few north flowing rivers, and a number of state Parks are to be found on its banks. Its headwaters lie near the Tosohatchee State Reserve and manatees swim up it to the warm crystal-clear waters of Blue Spring and Hontoon Island State Parks . Florida has many natural springs and among the best are those at De Leon Springs State Recreation Area. Blue Spring also offers an excellent boat trip into this wetlands habitat where if you are fortunate you may even see the rare North American Bitern.

You can swim with manatees at Homosassa, although not in the State Park. Most of these creatures are there because they have been injured in one way or another. You should still be careful not touch them because they remain animals that have to be able to fend for themselves in the wild.

Close to Orlando are Wekiwa Springs State Park , Rock Springs Run State Reserve and Lower Wekiva River State Park . Wekiva River is good for canoeing. Rare Florida black bears inhabit this region. Lake Kissimmee , Lake Griffin and Lake Louisa are all State Parks and are teeming with fish and wildlife, from sandhill cranes and bald eagles to deer and bobcats.

The area of the Central Florida Everglades marks the Florida frost line, which means that there is rarely a frost or snow further south than the Orlando region. Consequently not only is the land to the south of Kissimmee ideal for citrus fruit farming but it also attracts wildlife escaping the northern cold. Many migratory birds make Florida their winter home. Being on the edge of the tropical latitudes, Florida boasts a best of both worlds plant life. Although the spread of civilisation has decimated the mammal and reptile population, wildlife thrives in the protected areas where natural habitats remain.

September and October is the love bug season. These insects, who mate and then die, are only a nuisance to humans but they certainly are that. Mosquitoes remain a problem, if a much reduced one. There is water aplenty in and around the Florida peninsula. Even dolphins can often be seen in the seas around the state. There are coral reefs beneath the seas. Inland are freshwater lakes, ponds and springs. Much of the state is made up of swamps, freshwater marshes, pinelands and hardwood hammocks or forests, savannahs and prairies. Then there are the Everglades themselves.