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Be it for the epic theme parks, the sun-kissed sands, or the lush nature parks, Americans are flocking en masse to Florida this year:
According to Governor Ron DeSantis, the southernmost state achieved a record-breaking 34.5 million visitors between April and June, the most out of any second quarter in History. Out of those, 31.5 million are Americans.
Yes, there’s been a significant drop in international visitors, who accounted for only 3 million entrants, but domestic demand is at an all-time high—and where are tourists headed, you might be wondering? Well, there are two destinations rising the fastest in popularity:
Two sister cities lining Florida’s Gulf Coast, in the Tampa Bay area, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, form a large conurbation served by St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE).
Not all visitors are accounted for here, as this refers exclusively to air arrivals, so the actual uptick in tourism could be much higher, but according to the Florida Government, PIE has posted a 14% increase in passengers as of the latest count.
This is hardly surprising, given St. Pete’s fame as the ‘Sunshine City’, with the namesake Pete Beach running for an entire 7 uninterrupted miles along bright-blue seas, and year-round pleasant temps (including average highs of 86°F in September!)
It’s also a seriously underrated cultural hotspot, playing host to the Dali Museum, where you can admire some of the surrealist artist’s best work, the Museum of Fine Arts, and of course, the opulent Mahaffey Theater, where the Florida Orchestra is based.
Over in Clearwater, just north of St. Petersburg, you’ll find a postcard-ready Clearwater Beach, one of the most beautiful in all of Florida, with soft, fine white sands, the iconic, 1,080-foot Pier 60, and pristine islands like Caledesi and Honeymoon Island State Park.
Averages as seen on Allegiant Air:
Forget Miami and its Art Deco-filled districts, Orlando and the fairytale escape it offers, and Fort Lauderdale’s glitzy marina: the fastest-growing destination in the Sunshine State at the moment is the offbeat Punta Gorda, with a 22.5% increase in airside visitors.
Tucked away in the lesser-known corners of Southwest Florida, it is the epitome of Floridian charm, combining the traditionalism of the America of Olde, with its heritage mansions and landscaped gardens, with coastal relaxation.
For the culture buffs out there, he early 20th-century Blanchard House now plays host to an African-American museum, and the gorgeous, yellow-brick Old Charlotte County Courthouse, built in the Classical Revival Style, is equally open for visitation.
The compact, picture-perfect downtown is particularly charming, with its mural-lined streets and quirky cafes, but there’s nowhere better to soak up Punta Gorda’s unusually lively atmosphere (for a small town) than its harborwalk.
A 2.4-mile trail straddling Charlotte Harbor and the aptly-named Peace River, it passes verdant parks, a scenic marina, and culminates at Fishermen’s Village, a waterfront complex with over 30 boutique shops, art galleries, and cozy restaurants—if we may add, the best burgers in town are Village Brewhouse’s!
Oh, and if you’re here primarily for Florida’s world-class beaches, there are family-friendly stretches of unruffled sands at Englewood, Don Pedro Island State Park, accessible by boat or kayak, and Little Gasparilla, a barrier island and turtle-nestling hotspot.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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