Travelers come to these 2 Florida destinations

Whether it concerns the epic theme parks, the sun -drenched sand or the lush nature parks, Americans are coming to Florida en masse this year:

According to Governor Ron Desantis, the southernmost is a record -breaking 34.5 million visitors between April and June, most from a second quarter in history. From those are 31.5 million Americans.

Yes, there has been a significant decrease in international visitors who were responsible for only 3 million participants, but The domestic demand is at a record high– And where do tourists go, you might ask yourself? Well, there are two destinations that rise the fastest in popularity:

St. Petersburg-Clearwater

Two sister cities along the Gulf Coast of Florida, in the Tampa Bay Area, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, are a great equality that is operated by St. Pete -Clearwater International Airport (PIE).

Not all visitors are justified here, because this only refers to air arrivals, so the actual increase in tourism can be much higher, but according to the The government of Florida“ Pie has posted an increase of 14% in passengers From the last count.

This is hardly surprising, given the fame of St. Pete as the ‘Sunshine City’, with the namesake Pete Beach for a whole 7 uninterrupted miles along clear blue seas, and pleasant temps throughout the year (including average highlights of 86 ° F in September!)

It is also a seriously underrated cultural hotspot, which hosts the Dali Museum, where you can admire part of the best work of the surrealistic artist, the Museum of Fine Arts and of course the lush Mahaffey Theater, where Florida’s orchestra is based.

You can find one about in Clearwater, just north of St. Petersburg Ready -to -wear Clearwater BeachOne of the most beautiful in all of Florida, with soft, fine white sand, the iconic, 1,080 foot pier 60, and unspoilt islands such as Caledesi and Honeymoon Island State Park.

Fly cheaply to St. Petersburg-Clearwater this fall

Averages as shown on Allegiant Air:

• Indianapolis (IND): $ 38 one-way, $ 90– $ 140 roundt trip
• Cincinnati (CVG): $ 48–$ 55 one -way road, $ 110–$ 150 round trip
• Bloomington (BMI): $ 43–$ 62 one -way road, $ 100–$ 160 round trip
• Grand Rapids (GRR): $ 49–$ 55 one -way road, $ 110–$ 150 round trip
• Knoxville (Tys): $ 50 one -way road, $ 120–$ 160 round trip
• Asheville (AVL): $ 35–$ 49 one-way, $ 90–$ 140 round trip
• Syracuse (Syr): $ 38 one -way road, $ 90–$ 140 round trip
• Cedar Rapids (CID): $ 61 One-Way, $ 130–$ 170 round trip

Punta Gorda

Forget Miami and his art deco -filled districts, Orlando and the fairy -tale escape it offers, and Fort Lauderdale’s Glitse Marina: the fastest growing destination in the Sunshine State is currently the unusual Punta Gorda, with a 22.5% increase in Airide visitors.

Tucked away in the lesser-known corners of Southwest Florida, it is the embodiment of Floridian Charme, which combines the traditionalism of the America of Olde, with its heritage lords and constructed gardens, with relaxation on the coast.

For the culture lovers who are there, he now plays host for an African-American museum in the early 20th-century Blanchard House, and the beautiful, yellow-bakstone old Charlotte County Courthouse, built in the classical revival style, is open to visitors.

The compact, photo-Perfect center Is particularly charming, with his streets lined with mural and quirky cafés, but there is nowhere better to record the unusually lively atmosphere of Punta Gorda (for a small town) than the Harborwalk.

A 2.4-mile track that extends over Charlotte Harbor and the appropriate Peace River, a picturesque marina, and culminates in Fishermen’s Village, a complex on the water with more than 30 boutique shops, artificial galleries and cozy restaurants as we can add, The best hamburgers in the city are village brewing house!

Oh, and if you are mainly here for the beaches of Florida’s world class, there are family-friendly pieces of unspoilt sand in Englewood, Don Pedro Island State Park, accessible by boat or kayak, and Kleine Gasparilla, a barrier island and turtle-nestling hotspot.

Fly cheaply to Punta Gorda this fall:

• Cincinnati (CVG): $ 38 One-way, $ 76 Roundttrip
• Pittsburgh (Pit): $ 43, $ 86 Roundttrip
• Indianapolis (IND): $ 50 one-way, $ 100 roundt trip
• South Bend (SBN): $ 43-$ 50 one-way, $ 86-$ 100 roundt trip
• Louisville (SDF): $ 38 One-way, $ 76 roundt trip
• Portsmouth (PSM): $ 55 – $ 60, $ 110 – $ 120
• Knoxville (BNA): $ 55 – $ 60, $ 110 – $ 120
• Allentown (Abe): $ 60 one-way, $ 100 roundt trip

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior leader at Travel Off Path, has more than 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving stories from Paris!), And a talent for converting the images-path experiences into informative stories with which you can pack your bags.