5 Tips for Summer Vacationers Going to Florida

It seems that many people want to come to Florida during the summer for many reasons: the heat, beaches, theme parks, swimming pools and so on. As a native Floridian, I can tell you that Florida really is a great place to spend the summer, but our summer weather can be harsh if you don't know how to cope with it. Below are five important tips I have learned firsthand that I urge non-Floridians to review before they spend the summer in the Sunshine State.

1: Florida is HOT in the Summer.

OK, you are probably thinking that a trip to Florida in the summer means you are going to get hot. Well, yes, you are right. However, beware that heat in Florida usually reaches oppressive levels in the summer. If you are from a region of the nation (or the world) where hot weather is relatively uncommon, be prepared to confront temperatures which regularly soar above 90 and even 95 degrees from late June right through the first couple weeks of September. It is important that you drink plenty of fluids, seek the shade whenever possible, and plan fun activities you can do indoors during the late mornings and early afternoons, when temperatures tend to reach the 90s.

2: Watch Out for Lightning

Summer afternoons throughout much of Florida usually mean one thing (besides heat): thunderstorms. These thunderstorms usually reach severe levels, and are infamous for their frequent and dangerous lightning. Not a year has gone by in recent memory without at least a few injuries due to lightning strikes. Whenever you are in Florida and hear thunder, you should take cover in a secure building or metal-roofed vehicle and not return to outdoor activity until at least thirty minutes after the last visible bolt of lightning and/or last rumble of thunder. Always remember that lightning has the ability to strike you from miles away.

3: Hurricanes May Upset Your Plans