Florida can often be associated with a gentle pace of life, home to wealthy retired Americans, full of retirement villages and early bird dinners. Of course it is also synonymous with Disney world, attracting excited children and their excited parents in their droves every year.
Why visit Florida?
But is there anything in Florida for those who fall in the middle of these groups? A little older than the usual Disney world crowds, but too young to want a slower, more sedate pace of life. If you are planning to tour America, then you probably have the usual suspects of New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles on your must-visit list. Well, as well as boasting beautiful scenery and gorgeous weather, Florida is the place to go for sports fans looking for some US-style sporting entertainment during their visit, such as the famous Outback Bowl.
For Football Fans…
A real treat for sports fans is the annual Outback Bowl. This is a college football bowl game held every New Year’s Day in Tampa, Florida (unless this falls on a Sunday, in which case it moves to Monday). It is sometimes called the Outback Steakhouse named after its sponsor. It’s been held in Florida since 1986 (it was formerly in Alabama) and is held in the Raymond James Stadium. Teams from the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference battle it out to be victors. If you are staying in Tampa around New Year, then you might want to try to get tickets. But be warned, this is an extremely popular event and it gets sold out well ahead of time. So if you’d like to go, it is worth getting your tickets when you plan your trip. If you aren’t lucky enough to go, then it is shown on major US sports channels such as ESPN.
Wonderful Water-sports
If you are looking to participate and are a thrill seeker, then Florida is the perfect spot for you. The ideal venue for all kinds of water sports, it has a spectacular 8,500 miles of tidal shoreline, 7,800 lakes, 320 springs and 35 rivers. Pretty impressive. With some fabulous beaches some of the top-rated in the US and of course the famous Florida Keys, it is the natural choice for anyone looking for water-sports activities and adventures. From more gentle options such as boating and sailing, to high-energy sports such as jet skiing, windsurfing and kite surfing, you can join in any way you like. There are all kinds of sailing schools, diving and surfing tuition and water-sports experts on hand to help you out with anything you have never tried before.
So whether you prefer to take part or be a spectator, there is lots on offer in Florida. Use your downtime to relax on the beautiful white beaches, enjoying the famous Florida sunshine. And when you are feeling more energetic, try some fantastic new watersports or take in some traditional American college football.
AUTHOR BIO
Anna Mathews is a travel writer who has travelled all over the world and has enjoyed going to the Outback Bowl several times. She regularly writes travel blogs and articles for a number of websites
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.