FLORIDA — Sunshine State of Mind

Florida's Gulf Coast: Follow the Sun

Florida's Gulf side feels different depending on where you stop—and that's exactly the point.

Up north you'll find the quieter towns and fishing culture of the Panhandle. Keep moving and you'll encounter emerald water and white sand around Destin and the beaches of Northwest Florida. Farther south, the coastline changes again through Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Fort Myers and eventually toward the islands and waters surrounding the Keys.

You could spend years exploring it and still have another dock, beach or seafood shack left to find.

EXPLORE: Pensacola • Destin • 30A • St. Pete • Anna Maria Island • Sanibel

FISH: Redfish • Tarpon • Snook • Grouper • Snapper

EAT: Grouper Sandwiches • Smoked Fish Dip • Gulf Shrimp • Stone Crab

DON'T MISS: Pick one coastal town you've never visited, skip the itinerary and spend the day finding your own places.

Because sometimes the best Gulf story starts with:

“We weren't planning on stopping here…”

BUILT BY THE GULF.