Twitch streams (only follow if you Breathe oxygen) www.twitch.tv/adamcouser

Retired ER nurse here, please use sunscreen even if it’s cloudy. If you are wearing sandals or barefoot on the beach, put sunscreen on your feet! Because of the humidity your sweat does not evaporate and cool you. It is easy to get dehydrated and overheated. Those things being said Florida is a great place to visit. Go to Gatorland when in Orlando it is so much fun. Love the channel!✌🏻🫶🏻

Lifelong Floridian. You can expect the temps in the Florida Keys and South Florida to be around 35-40 degrees celsius with 100% humidity for much of the year. Our emergency rooms are full of tourists who didn't anticipate how hot it can get. Dress appropriately. If you never wear sunscreen, start doing it there. Broad-brimmed hats are very helpful. Bring extra pairs of sunglasses. Shorts, open-toed shoes/sandals, and athletic shirts (sweat-wicking) ones can also be very helpful for tourists. It might be helpful to bring a mini portable fan you can carry around and always carry a cold drink with you. Don't be alarmed if you see Floridians wearing full suits, hoodies, and jeans during the middle of summer. We're accustomed to the heat and carry on with work. Tourists can seriously get hurt if they don't dress appropriately.

18:56 This isn't an alarm, this is TAPS. It's played when lowering the American flag at sunset and at the graveside service of American service members. I'm surprised he doesn't know this.

Fun Fact: It is almost the same distance from Pensacola to Key West as it is from Pensacola to Chicago. Florida is a huge state!

I've lived in VA, DC, RI, CA, FL and driven across the US twice. Florida is the only state that sated my wanderlust. I love it here.

I love that you are getting to come visit our beautiful country. If you have time, the oldest city in the US is St Augustine. It's about an hour and a half drive from Orlando. So worth the trip. You'll love it!

I lived in Key West in the 90s. It is beautiful and definitely worth the drive down.

Ahhhh the beautiful SUNSHINE state 🌞 Pack your sunscreen Adam!!

Matt is from a small town in South Carolina. Nat was actually raised in Germany (parents were airline employees pilot/flight attendan)t and moved back to Florida when she was about 12 or so. If you go to their page, they tell their story.

Orlando to the Florida Keys is a LONG drive.

Southern Florida is warm and sunny even in the middle of winter. 😎🌴☀

Orlando to KEY West is a 6.5 hr drive. But you can fly directly to key west. So much to do and see in Key West from 80 bars and restaurants to fishing and water activities . Love Ft Zachary Taylor beach, the Tortugas and i highly recommend Latitudes restaurant on Sunset Key !

My uncle currently lives in Florida and both my Grandmother and Great-grandmother lived there for many years. The 7 mile bridge is iconic! Be prepared when you go to Florida as there is harsh sun and hot weather even in October. ❤

summer in the keys is brutal.., we went in june and were there for almost 2 weeks and it was BRUTAL.. mostly 100.. you are melting from the humidity.. it will slap you back inside..

I drove from Miami to Key West. Awesome drive. Went scuba diving in Key Largo then on to Key West. My friend was driving across the seven mile bridge. She was speeding along and there was a cop waiting at the end for us. Welcome to Key West! Had a great time anyways. A three hour drive is nothing here. I drove to our family reunion in Wisconsin. Four hours each way. Drove up from northern Illinois to beautiful Door County. Had a nice visit, drove back. Yep, I’ve had alligator, no, not in Wisconsin.

i cant lie, every time you post i sit down with a cup of coffee and make myself comfortable lol

Florida here, the Keys are awesome. The natural beauty in Florida is spectacular, so I hope you can seek out some great places outside of the theme parks when you visit. Look up Silver Glen Springs. Not far from Orlando, if that's where you travel to.

Btw Henry Flagler built the Florida East Coast Railway which runs from Jacksonville to Miami. In 1912 He extended the railway to key west so it was a train bridge not a road bridge at the time. In 33 a hurricane destroyed the bridge and years later the state of Florida built the first road bridge using what was left of the RR bridge and later built the new one that is used today

So excited to hear you're coming to visit for hurricane season! September is the peak, but you'll still have a decent chance at one. Hey, you might even get a tornado, now that'd be good for some clicks, right? Good luck to ya, and maybe we'll run into ya!

I lived in St. Petersburg, (Tampa Bay area) for 24+ years and North Miami before that. Florida is the "Sunshine State". They have more sunshine than anywhere else in the U. S. The sun can be shining on one side of the street, and it could be down pouring rain on the other.

Tarpon are a very powerful game fish and can grow from 4 to 8 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. It is said you need to know what you are getting into if you fish for them, and injuries are not that uncommon when landing or releasing them.

Adam, I am a Miami native, and still live here, John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo is my favorite place of all time. My favorite while there is to swim with the Dolphins, and 2nd is to go kyacking around the island.....I also like to fish and then most restaurants will take your catch and cook it the way you want it for about $12 to $15.....it's soooo good to have fresh fish - it is so much more flavorful not being frozen and thawed and then cooked. I love that Key Largo is a mere 1 hr drive from my front door here in Miami

Hi Adam! I love your channel. You have a charming and open personality, and it feels like you are "talking to me." As a homebound disabled old lady, that brightens my day. You have a great voice and rhythm, too. Love and blessings to your new baby daughter, your partner, and to you! Karen

Can't wait to see your Vlogs from your travels. Hearing the perspectives of people from different places is really cool. I've traveled all around the U.S. and still so many things I haven't seen or experienced here. Life is too short to see and do it all.

Ok, I did not know I needed to hear Adam sing today and I'm glad I got to. 💚💚💚💚

I live between Miami and Orlando and have been all over the place here. Sunsets in Key West are amazing and Orlando is just magical. ❤

Driving through the Keys, is so worth the drive, it’s beautiful. October shouldn’t be too hot. My father was 1st generation Key West native. His father floated the house from the Bahamas (common for the keys) which is now The Knowles House bed and breakfast.

I was born and raised on the "Space Coast" of Florida in the mid-60s. My dad worked in aerospace as an engineer, working with NASA primarily. Until the early 90s, Florida was beautiful! We went everywhere on vacation. The Everglades and KW were a couple of our favorites. Back in the 60s and 70s, there wasn't much. Some mom & pop motels, shops, and small tourist attractions. The big one back then was the "Museum of Torture" and the perfume factory. There were more fishing charter boats than anything else. You couldn't pay me enough money to go there now. It's completely commercialized and a port for cruise ships. It's wall-to-wall people now and ridiculously expensive! F that! As for these morons, she's feeding Tarpon while looking towards the camera. If they weren't so well fed, one of them could easily take her finger off. If you are feeding a wild animal, you never take your eyes off them!

I believe the large fruit you asked about is called jackfruit. Supposedly it taste like mango and pear mix. I never had jackfruit. Peace!

I can say that no matter where I may be living, I will always be incredibly grateful that I am from a state as gorgeous as Florida.

Hey there, I live in Florida and if you are wanting to see some of our natural beauty I highly recommend checking out some of our natural springs in the area, there is Wekiwa Springs,Wekiva Springs, Rock Springs, and Deleon Springs all pretty close to Orlando just to name a few, but keep in mind this is a thing you will have to get up early in the morning for we usually get there around 6:30 - 7 am to wait in line for the parks to open around 8, good luck hope you get to give it a try 🎉

When I saw "The Keys", I started crying! Been waiting all my life for that trip! I've been to Robbie's Marina and those fish are HUGE! We went out on a boat about 5 miles out in the ocean to a lighthouse. The waves were pretty choppy but I knew it was my one chance to snorkel around a lighthouse in the ocean so, regardless of my age, COPD, Emphysema and arthritis, I went out there and it was the trip of a lifetime!!! We also went parasailing .... well worth the time and $! I ate Key Lime Pie at every place we stopped to eat! LOL It's always summer in the Keys! Temps probably never go under 70 degrees F and there's always that ocean breeze so it's not too hot either. Not like the heat we have in Mississippi! The humidity here is around 100% right now and the air is thick and hard to breathe ... not like that in the Keys!

The keys are great. It is a unique drive. We, miamians, go there all the time. It is relatively close. Now, do not go on a weekend in high season. The traffic is atrocious. I would go in the middle of the week. The upper keys, are way less interesting than the lower keys, being key west the last one. If you go you will definitely love it. The weather BTW, is always hot, but the humidity levels are more barable in the winter time. Plus there are no risk of hurricanes. Summer is hell on earth, unless you are use to the heat and humidity. Orlando is a long drive to the keys, specially key west.

summertime in florida, much like where i live in alabama on the coast, HOT and HUMID, very!! I live one state over, gulf shores in alabama in a lot like what you are watching. absolutely love where I live

I lived in Florida for a while for work. Rarely gets cold except at the very northern part of the state. Fall and Winter the weather is very nice. Summer time is hot 90-95 with oppressive humidity. However, you can almost set your watch to the storms that blow up at 2 and 4 pm. Just hope it is a strong enough shower to cool things off. If it just sprinkles, the sun comes back out it gets like a sauna. It will be a great place to visit when you are going. October is perfect. Only problem with October is be weather aware. Hurricane season big time in October.

Go to the Keys while you're in FL and get your ass to Islamorada and take a fishing charter! Check out Bud N Mary's Marina on the southwest tip. If you decide to go to Key West (the last key) you MUST stop at No Name Pub on No Name Key for an adult beverage or 7 and a bite to eat. The sunset at Mallory Square is worth the drive. Safe travels and have fun!

Born in Key West and still have some family there. It is definitely worth the drive (at least one time). Another way if you want to avoid the drive on the Overseas Highway is to take the KW Ferryboat Express from Marco Island (Naples) or Ft. Myers Beach on Florida's southwest coast. a beautiful, relaxing 3 hour ride to Key West. Michael

Ive lived in key west for over 20 years. It is always fun to see others around the world’s excitement for the beauty of the keys.

My family built a house on big pine key in 92. Have been going every summer since 83. We are about 30 min from key west and 30 min to Marathon. Big pine is famous for its herd of key deer. A miniature white tail deer that stands about 1 meter tall max. Until recently they were only found on big pine and no name key. A few groups were smuggled to the islands west towards Key West.

Key West is my favorite part of Florida. The Keys have a different vibe (in my opinion) from the rest of Florida. You are going to Orlando which is probably about a 6.5 hour drive to Key West, depending on traffic.

They went to most places I went to. If anyone goes to the Florida Keys you have to hit up “Irish Kevin’s pub’ in downtown Key West, that’s a must! Before that as you drive down ‘Robbie’s of Islamorada’ another MUST feed the Tarpan but be weary lol, then ‘Hog Heaven’ looks like a biker bar on the ocean and they pig wings to eat, ‘Bahia Honda’ beach and Lorelei Cabana and Bar. laid everywhere they went haha which is most of the places I mentioned. Eat fried alligator and you must have fried conch!! We go every year. So fun.

I live in Florida and have been to the Keys many times - it is amazing!! Tarpon are amazing fish but also so great and tasty to eat. They can grow to more than 8 feet long and over 350 pounds and there have been reports of people being injured by them if they are brought aboard fishing vessels if they still have a fight in them. They are not generally aggressive to humans though but one would not understand some of this until you have had a real tarpon meal. For a bit of trivia, there is a place in Florida that is called Tarpon Springs. But none the less, they are beautiful but also amazingly tasty! If you go to the Keys, then look into a fishing trip with a professional team or a snorkeling adventure - it will be one of the most amazing experiences you will every have if you do so. Also go in with eyes wide open about anything you might see including others as you will see it all. Not a safety issue but just be ready to keep an open mind. I will leave it at that. I am glad to hear that you are coming to Orlando and yes most people will suggest that you have to go to Disney World, but imho, Islands of Adventure is far better with far better rides. Just my opinion. Universal studios is good to as well as Epcot and Disney World is great too but I think you will better enjoy Islands of Adventure. Praying for a mild hurricane season so you can enjoy it all. Florida is as equally amazing as any other state! Thank you. Enjoyed your reaction.

Hey! Excited you’ll be visiting my home state in October. I’ve been around a lot of the state (currently live in SW Florida) so here are a few observations and tips. Orlando is a great central location but built for tourists so you’ll feel a lot of that (not a bad thing!) It’s Hotter than hot all through hurricane season and in Orlando there are no sea breezes to cool it down and really high humidity. Drink lots of water! Also Orange County Florida (where Orlando is) is the lightening capital of the United States! You’ll experience some crazy and memorable thunderstorms so if you hear thunder (or a storm siren while in a park) get inside to wait it out. Next - mosquitos want your blood! Yes, they spray to keep mosquitoes at bay but they’re always multiplying in the many water puddles during the summer. They’re especially brutal around dusk. It’s too hot to wear long sleeves and pants so you’ll. We’d some bug spray to keep them off you. Traffic on the interstate that runs through Orlando (i4) is well known for traffic jams and accidents and crazy drivers! Uber is your friend here. There’s great golf and and obviously fun parks to enjoy but if you have time, don’t miss the chance to visit one of at least 2 of the top rated beaches in the US, right up there with beaches in Hawaii, California and the Hamptons - Caledesi Island State Park and Siesta Key are consistently among the top rated beaches in the US and only about 1 - 1.5 hours west of Orlando. The sugar white sand dreamy and sunsets are unbelievable from anywhere on the west coast Lastly, you can hop on the brand new (opened 2024) Brightline Rail system that goes from Orlando to South Florida (Palm Beach , Ft Lauderdale/Miami area in about 3.5 hours. It goes fast if you take a nap! Anyway there’s SO much here it really needs a few visits to get a good feel for it all. I hope your trip is everything you want it to be and just the start of future US exploration.

29°C in October with high humidity. Sunscreen is needed, and you must stay hydrated.

From the Florida Alabama line in the Panhandle all the way down to key west is 845 miles.

October is still VERY hot and humid in Florida. Florida has about 7 months of hot humid 90s-100s fehrenheit temps from April to November and sometimes into December. July, August, and September are the worse. I live in N.central Fla. Have been to the Keys about 4 times and LOVE it.

You need to do some national Parks videos! America has so many and as a nature lover I know you'll enjoy them

Awww. Alligator is really good. (Gator tail). So you're coming to Florida October 1st? Well, I'm just North of Tampa - in Land O Lakes! You'd be welcome here!

I was born in Florida in 1965. I still live in Florida. I love Florida. I enjoy Florida. I'm a roofer in Florida:) I know how to handle the heat:) I enjoy all that Florida has to offer. I have a Florida Keys Playlist.

I've been to Key West twice, it was great! I got to see the Atocha treasure,went snorkeling, and fell in love with the sunset celebration every evening ❤

I really like your singing

The keys are absolutely amazing..so much to do and see

I don't live in Florida anymore, but I grew up in Pensacola, which is at the complete opposite end of the state. It's the first European city founded in the country and has the whitest beaches in the world. The sand looks a feels like powdered sugar.

My brother catches invasive pythons in the Everglades and also does swamp buggy tours in the national forest. Have fun on your trip!

Florida is known as The Sunshine State. It does rain, but it has more sunny days than anywhere. Miami to key west is still a TINY part of the state. Temps in summer are in the mid 90°s F. Winters are upper 70°s to low 80°s F. The beaches are varied. Siesta key on the gulf has sand that is as soft and as white as talcum powder and crystal clear water. (I live about an hour south of that beach). The beach near my home is known as the shark tooth capital with prehistoric fossilized shark teeth found frequently.

South FL, where they are, is always warm/summer. During December, January, & February, it might be down to the 70s during the cold days, maybe a few nights in the 60s; I now live about 3.5 hours northwest of the Keys, Fort Myers area, and I've never turned my heat on, My AC is always running. I lived on the east coast of FL about 1.5 hours north of Miami and it was a little cooler, but not much. I love it here; the summers are brutal, though, gotta warn you. If you come here in July or August it's like a sauna outside.

Come to the Space Coast! We’re about a 45 minute drive east from the Orlando Airport. Kennedy Space Center, gorgeous Cocoa Beach, and historic Cocoa Village. Best advice after all the sun and heat warnings, don’t eat at chain restaurants! There are so many amazing local places!

The florida keys is the closest you can get to a caribbean vacation without a passport or an expensive flight. The temperatures are between 50 to 100 degrees. The water temps are pretty decent. The only reason why the keys are not more heavily populated is the prices to stay there can be as much as stay at 4 star resorts in orlando so finding a good deal is the best way to get to this place on the cheap. There are several islands in the keys ranging from small islands with limited development and population to large well developed areas and a large population. The fishing in the keys is some of the best in florida and as a result there are multiple periods where fishing is designated for specific species. There is honestly few times that are bad for visiting the keys except during a hurricane or the winter. When neither is happening the keys are always busy with everything from fishing tournaments to vacationers. To be said for it, hurricane season has done a number on bahia honda. What you see in this video is an older version of bahia honda as it will be quite a while before that place has truly recovered so snorkling is not what it use to be sadly. The florida keys is definitely worth visiting but a tip of advice. Do not expect to do orlando and the florida keys. Orlando is a long long long long long drive from the florida keys. The better solution is just to fly into either miami or key west air port. Miami will get you on the outskirts of the florida keys while key west airport will get you into the heart of it all. Then you just head out of key west if you want to explore towards the edges of miami.

My husband and I live in Sarasota Florida. We have made the drive to Key West Several times. We normally drive to South Beach Miami (4 hour drive) spend the night and do the drive the next morning. The drive is fantastic and Key West itself is totally worth the trip!

I was just in Galway, Cork and Dublin for 10 days, it’s so beautiful there it’s just missing the warm weather.

The large fruit you were asking about the knobby green one near the start, looked like Jack fruit to me. No, a nugget is, 1, maybe 2 bites, a tender is the tenderloin under the breast it's usually 4-6" long, but about as big around as a nugget. Florida Keys avg. temps, high, avg. low, month to month: Jan. 74°F 69°F 66°F Feb, add 1-2°F to Jan. March add 1-2°F to Feb's #'s April, 81°F 77°F 73°F May, add 3-4°F to April's #'s June, add 3°F to May's #'s July, add 3°F to June's #'s Aug, see July's #'s Sept., 87°F 83°F 80°F Oct., -3°F from Sept. Nov., -4-5°F from Oct. Dec., -4°F from Nov.

He’s from Greenville, South Carolina

When you go to Vegas you are not far from the Grand Canyon and my nerdy favorite the Hoover Dam. Those are both are amazing and astonishing.

I've driving that road once in 2008, it's longer than you think, I thought it freeway speeds (60 mph) for the whole road, and no, on the several key islands, it's down to 35 mph, maybe even slower in a couple of places, I cannot remember.... so we messed up on our timing, but it was all good, I didn't want to drive any of the road after dark, but we got to see a great sunset about 75% of the way to Key West. Way cool. Oh and as you drive by homes on the islands, watch for the wacky and fun mail boxes.

I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and in High School and imto my 30s we used to go almost every other weekend to Islamorada and beyond. At least two to three times a year down to Key West. It is one of my favorite parts of the world. I might actually head down there next weekend. Lol. Im a couple hours north of where I grew up so it isnt as convenient, but it is awesome. Lor-A-Lei is awesome too. I live in Stuart. .

South florida and the keys have about the same temperature as the caribbean

My grandpa has a house in deer keys we used to go every year for 2 months. We dont really go much now and my grandpa talking about selling it cause he to old to keep going back and fourth to Ohio and Florida. I miss going there the water so clear you can see everything in the ocean.

Been to Robbies in Islamorada many times. You would love the Keys. I lived in Ft Lauderdale for many years and the Keyes are about an hour south but as soon as you hit them you feel like you are in the Bahamas or something. Totally different island vibe. One of my favorite places on earth.

I lived in Key West and it is a beautiful place to live and visit

Hey Adam. I live about 80 miles from Orlando (between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine on the Atlantic). October can be a good month storms not withstanding. Early October is still quite warm and humid, but almost everything is air conditioned. It's not as bad as the summer months. You'll have a great time - there's so much to do. By all means don't get tied up in Orlando too long. It's between both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and the water will be bathwater warm at the beaches.

Feeding the tarpon is fun, but it ain't nothing like catching one! I have hooked far more than I have actually landed. My niece was feeding tarpon off a dock in Fort Lauderdale when she was five.

Orlando to the Keys is a long way, that's a separate trip in itself. And yes, the weather is always sunny. But as an Irishman you picked a good time of the year to go because I really don't think you would survive the humidity in the summer months. Of course, with these strange weather patterns we've been having you never know.

Go to rock Springs / Kelly park there’s no swimming during October but you still get to see how pretty our springs are. We have so many pretty springs but rock springs is the closest to Orlando.

Depending where you're going to Florida, may be a short trip or a long trip. Jacksonville to key west=8 hrs and some change. Orlando to key west=6.5 hrs. Miami to key west= 3.5 hrs.

Hi Adam, I live in south Florida. Feel free to reach out when/if you come over. I've been to Key West multiple times. Live in Fort Lauderdale. Just to let you know, if you're going to Orlando, it is about 4 hour drive northwest of Fort Lauderdale/Miami. It usually takes about 3 to 4 hours to get from here to Key West. LOTS of great places to see while you're here. Temperatures here in the autumn are about mid to upper 80's F (26.6 - 31C) with night temps in the upper 70s (23.8 - 26C), Summertime temperatures are usually in the low to mid 90s F (32 - 35.5 C). Orlando is usually hotter as it's inland and doesn't have the ocean breezes that we have along the coast in south Florida and the keys.

Lived in Miami most of my life, sister in law worked in Island Morada, so very familiar with that drive and lifestyle. Moved this year to San Antonio, TX. NO REGRETS lol South FL is beautiful... Until you get sick of it... Very very quickly... Not for everyone! Great vacation destination would never recommend to live there unless you have the certain lifestyle/personality for it.

We enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. :) On another note.... you do realize you will be visiting Florida during the height of hurricane season....right? Two of my daughters live in Florida and are already prepping for the next which is currently brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Have a good trip, and safe journey.

Those crabs are called Hermit Crabs. Most kids who live near the ocean or who visit the beach will get a hermit crab for a pet. I had several of them. They need larger and large shells to use as they grow, but they don't live very long and it's difficult to cuddle with them. When you visit Florida, if you go to the same exact places they did, you can just use their B roll. Save you some time. lol

I live in Michigan but have been across the 7 mile bridge to key west and I gotta say I was glad when we got off it. Phew!

And summer in South East Florida is...well...it's HOT AF HERE. It's hot all year lol. But the humidity it what will KILL you but temps are usually 88-98 with heat index well into 100-107 and humidity of over 90%. You will sweat as if you just jumped into a pool, at all times. I live an hour and a half or so Southeast of Orlando.(Orlando is like an hour/hour and a half away from the Atlantic Ocean, btw) Funny thing is, even tho I have been to Miami several times...I still have NEVER been to the Keys lol.

Had a relative that lived in Big Pine Key, on the other side of the 7-mile bridge from Marathon. Would visit them and camp there, also snorkeling at Bahia Honda State Park and Key West.

I live in Florida and love going to the Keys! I'm a scuba diver so Key Largo is a favorite for the diving but all the keys are amazing and have a different vibe.

Live about a hour north of Miami, and have been to the Keys a bunch of times. It’s expensive, but if you have the time to make the drive it’s well worth it! Also highly recommend staying on an Airbnb boat closer to Key West. Definitely a unique experience.

Yes Florida is always sunny! June - November is hurricane season - so storms come in fast - but otherwise sunny!

I live 10 minutes south of Robbie’s on Long Key. Between islamorada and marathon. The view at 13:50 is at the end of my street.

By coming to Florida in October, you will miss the worst of the summer heat. Temps in October usually range from around 80°-90° F (26°-32° C) depending on what part of the state you are in.

Hi Adam, I live in Coconut Creek, just north of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Keys are about a 3 hour drive south of my location and the best time of year to go is either March to June or September/October. The temperatures in the Keys averages mid 70's to 90's most of the year.

At around the 15:55 mark is the famous 'Fred the Tree', growing in the road bed of the old bridge. Look it up.

I live between Daytona Beach and Orlando! Daytona Beach is the most awesome and famous beach because you can drive on the beach and just park with all you need right there with you and the sand is pure white ! Also depending on when in October you could experience Biketoberfest, which is quite an experience! Motorcyclists from all over the world, live bands everywhere on Main Street in Daytona Beach!

In the Northwest Florida Panhandle with the temp plus the humidity it was 114°F today.

You wouldn’t like a south Florida summer, thunderstorms every afternoon, humid as hell. That drive would take me 6hours without stopping, I live in central Florida halfway north to south. Why wouldn’t I live here, y’all don’t have to shovel sunshine. 😎

Fun video, my best friend lives close to Orlando and it is lovely there. That fella looks almost identical to Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists and reminds me of Patrick Dempsey.

If you are coming to Florida this year, do yourself a favor and DO NOT come during the hottest period. Being from as far north as you live you will die in the heat and humidity here. I'm writing this from a boat in a marina on the Manatee River just off of Tampa Bay in Florida. Trust me on this. Spring or Fall are the time to come to Florida. Avoid winter as it can get surprisingly chilly.

If you're going to Orlando in October and want to go to Key West, prepare yourself for about a 7-8 hour drive. October is when our season begins, so there's more traffic than usual. By season, I mean when the tourists and winter residents come. If you ever hear the term "Snowbird," we're referring to the people who live up north during the warmer months and come to Florida from around October to April. Be prepared for the heat and ridiculous humidity. Wear sunscreen all the time. Do not rent a car with leather/faux leather seats, cloth only. Trust me on that one. It kind of sounds like it's hell on earth here, but just take all of the advice from those of us who live here and you'll be fine. My parents went to Ireland a few years ago because her father was from Belfast. They loved visiting, but said they would never live there because it was so cold and it was only September. 😊

It takes 13 hours to drive from Pensacola, FL in the northwest corner of the state down to Key West.

I'm from Florida (sort of...) and when you go, you have to try all the food you come across, especially the Cuban food in Miami and then the seafood when you head down to the Keys. It's a bit of a drive, but so worth it when you get down to Key West.

Recommendations may vary depending on how long you plan to visit. The Keys are beautiful but as others have mentioned they are a long ways away. You are going to lose two days of your vacation just driving there and back. The best beaches in the state, and arguably some of the best in the world, are located about an hour and a half west of Orlando (St Petersburg, Clearwater, & Anna Maria areas). Do not stop at any of the bayside beaches, go all the way to the gulf coast. The slightly longer trip is well worth the effort. I second the recommendation for Gatorland and the recommendation to use sunscreen when you are outdoors. Be careful around any body of freshwater. Anything bigger than a mud puddle has, had, or will have an alligator in it. This isn't just the parks or wilderness areas; they are everywhere. This is no exaggeration.

Florida is humid and hot so the RN is right!! Sunscreen!!!!! I'm Scotch/Irish, and I fry without sunscreen. Hope you have a good trip and like it here. Remember though, there are 100s of beautiful places across the US. Hope you make it to as many as you can!

The sunset music was not a celebration at Mallory’s Square - it’s Retreat and Taps played at sunset on The Key West Naval Airs Station.