Travel

Florida is renowned for its beaches, sunshine and plethora of outdoor activities. For Andrew DiMaggio, this was the perfect region to launch a new app and website designed at bringing those events to the people of Southwest Florida. And after meeting with Florida Gulf Coast University’s School of Entrepreneurship, DiMaggio was able to put his vision into action as he looks to build a recreational empire.

Americans and Floridians in particular will be traveling this holiday, according to AAA.

Free orange juice will continue to flow at Florida interstate welcome centers while state citrus officials adjust to a pending 10 percent legislative budget cut for their promotional efforts.The Florida Citrus Commission on Thursday will be asked to approve a $225,000 contract with Visit Florida about the welcome-center refreshment, a reduction of $25,000 from the past.

A record 6.6 million Floridians are expected to crowd roads, airports and seaports for trips of 50 miles or more during the end-of-year holidays, according to the AAA auto club.

Getting a big holiday meal on the table can be stressful for the cook (see “The Bear,” Season two, Episode six.) But for guests, just getting to the table also can be difficult, and there’s no Butterball hotline for harried travelers.The number of people traveling 50 miles (80 kilometers) or more from home for Thanksgiving is expected to reach 55.4 million this week, a slight increase over last year, according to AAA projections.

This year’s holiday travel forecast of three million Floridians on the road is a 3% increase over last year; the second highest since 2001.

The Lee County Port Authority announced Monday that Spirit Airlines will inaugurate nonstop service between Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, starting Dec. 15.

In my life, I have found myself as a colored, a negro, a Black, an African American, and a person of color. This story is my reflection as a colored girl. Traveling as a colored child was my greatest adventure, while also experiencing unlimited inconveniences. The colored travel experience during Jim Crow could involve frustration, indignities, and even danger.

More than a dozen new trails have been added to the growing network of more than 500 wildlife viewing sites throughout Florida. Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

The number of people traveling to Florida during the second quarter of 2023 decreased compared to a year earlier, according to estimates released Wednesday by the state’s tourism-marketing agency.