Florida Online Resources

Animals | Art Galleries & Museums | Attractions l Cities & Counties |
Environment & Nature | Events &: Festivals | Government | History | Humanities | Magazines & Newspapers | Politics | Portals | Shopping | Sports | Statistics | Webcams | Zoos

Animals

Florida Wildlife Magazine's Venomous Snakes of Florida
Manatees: Florida's State Marine Mammal
Dolphins/Porpoises: Florida's Official State Saltwater Mammal
Florida Panther: Florida's State Animal 

Art Galleries & Museums

Florida Association of Museums
Flagler Museum, Palm Beach
Henry Morrison Flagler brought the railroad and tourism to Florida. His estate Whitehall , built in the Gilded Age, was opened to the public in 1960.
Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville
Virtual exhibits, permanent exhibits, calendar of events & lectures
Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach
Features a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century European and American art, Chinese, Contemporary art and Photography... Sculpture garden...special exhibitions.
Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota
Includes 21 galleries of internationally recognized European and American art highlighting baroque masters. The Museum of Art, Museum of the Circus, and the Ringling Mansion are located on 66 acres of landscaped gardens. Admission is free to Florida students and teachers.Ringling Museum of the Circus - take a virtual tour online
Salvador Dali Museum St Petersburg,
The Salvador Dali Museum is the permanent home of the world's most comprehensive collection of the renowned Spanish artist's work. Compiled by the A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor Morse over a 45-year period, it is celebrated for its 95 oil paintings, and features excellent examples from Dali's four major periods - Early (1917-27), Transitional (1928), Surreal (1929-39), Classic (1940 +).
South Florida Science Museum, at Dreher Park, West Palm Beach
Premier interactive science museum exhibits. The Aldrin Planetarium and the South Florida Aquarium. 

Attractions

Florida Amusement Parks A comprehensive list, with links, of the many theme parks and amusement parks in the state. from About.com
Florida Beaches - discover our beaches by choosing a city area or clicking a location on the map. Within each city area, beaches are listed in either north to south or west to east order. From http://www.visitflorida.com/
Florida Water Parks & waterslides A comprehensive list, with links, of the Sunshine State's water parks, from About.com
Busch Gardens, Tampa
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the ultimate family adventure park offering an array of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent. A unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country's premier zoos featuring more than 2,700 animals, live shows, restaurants, shops and games, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay provides unrivaled "real" excitement for guests of every age.
Butterfly World, Fort Lauderdale
Tropical Rain Forest Aviary, Hummingbird Aviary, Lorikeet Encounter, Botanical Gardens
Flamingo Gardens, Fort Lauderdale
Botanical Gardens & Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife encounter shows, tram tours.
Gatorland, Orlando
Alligator Capital of the World.110-acre alligator theme park and wildlife preserve. Displays of alligators, crocodiles. Includes a train ride, aviary, breeding marsh, bird sanctuary, petting zoo, and nature walk.
Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral
Imax theaters, view launch pads from the observation gantry, try simulated docking missions, and more.
SeaWorld Adventure Park, Orlando
Habitat areas, thrill rides, dolphin cove, penguin encounter, and spectacular shows.
Splendid China, Orlando
Cultural theme park over 76 acres. Miniature replications of 60 renowned Chinese sights and locations, theater performances, and dining. The replica of the Great Wall is constructed with 6 ½ million tiny bricks, and stretches more then ½ mile.
Walt Disney World Parks, Orlando
Disney theme parks include Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon 
Weeki Wachee Springs, Weeki Wachee Springs state park
Home to mermaid shows, animal shows, river boat rides, scuba diving, and a spring-fed water park with beaches, swimming, slides and flume.

Environment & Nature

Florida PIRG
Statewide grassroots organization dedicated to protecting Florida's environment, consumers, and democratic integrity. Leading the fight to stop offshore drilling.
Florida Center for Environmental Studies
Environmental research center. Coordinates research and training with universities. Focus is on Florida, tropical/subtropical, estuary and freshwater ecosystems.
Florida Marine Research Institute
(FMRI) - protects Florida's marine resources. Includes information on manatees, sea turtles, right whales, fish, corals, sea grass, and red tide.
Florida I Center Community Design & Research
Brings Florida environmentally based non-profit organizations and environmental education information to citizens, developers, and decision makers.
Florida Sinkhole Institute
The mission of the Florida Sinkhole Research Institute (FSRI) is to be the Center of Excellence for the knowledge of sinkholes. The institute will provide education, service, and technology transfer on sinkhole activities to individuals and agencies from local, state, nation, and world-wide through research, literature search, and communication.
Florida State Parks
Links to information on the 100+ parks in the Florida system, with camping information, boating, events, programs, visitor center, walking trails etc.
Florida Trail Association
"The Florida Trail Association's mission is to develop, maintain, promote, and protect a continuous public hiking trail the length of the State of Florida called the Florida National Scenic Trail and other side and loop trails, together called the Florida Trail System; and to educate the public by teaching appreciation for and conservation of the natural beauty of Florida; and to provide opportunities to hike and camp."
Florida Wildflower Showcase
More than 200 original, high-quality pictures of wildflowers and insects.
Sierra Club, Florida Chapter

Events & Festivals

Floridasmart festivals & events
Listings of music, craft, art and other festivals by geographic zones
Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park & Campground, Live Oak
Welcome to the official website for the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park! Along with our outstanding music event calendar, we have a large variety of recreational activities including horseback riding, swimming, canoeing, and more!
Springtime Tallahassee
Even though Tallahassee has experienced substantial growth over the years, it has retained its small town atmosphere... We present to you one of the finest parades in the South, and the best possible collection of artists and artisans in our jubilee festival, not to mention delicious food, great entertainment, and a kid's park that will delight the children.

Government

My Florida.com
The Governor's Official Portal of the State of Florida: links to news, governmental agencies, weather, sports, recreation, online legal forms, business permits, history, attractions, festivals, parks, cities, counties, biographies, and more.
State of Florida.com
State of Florida.com is designed for you! It's your source for Florida information, government links, news, and more of what you've asked for. And since State of Florida.com is totally independent from state government, you are assured of more information with less political spin or content that is dictated by public officials. Because it really is your Florida!
Florida Governors' Portraits
Concise biographies with images of official portraits
Florida Administrative Code Online
Division of Elections: Florida Administrative Code
Florida Election Cases, U. S. Supreme Court

History

Florida History Internet Center
Take an interactive, photographic tour of Florida's long history. Brief biographies, town histories, and other Web sites are linked along the way. Links to Florida symbols, timeline, historic places, etc.
The Floridians: A Social History of Florida
THE FLORIDIANS  is an interactive Florida history text book with photographs, maps, sample questions, and workbook pages. It may be used as part of a history course or as a popular reference to the story of Florida. Copyright credit to: M. C. Bob Leonard, Professor of History, Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, Florida.
Florida State Archives
Florida State Archives Photographic Collection
Library of Florida History: Univ Fla:
Online exhibits, Newspaper Article Database, 1762-1885 and more
Remembering Rosewood
Rosewood: State Library of Florida Bibliography
Governor Bush Attends Dedication Ceremony Honoring Rosewood Survivors 5/4/2004
Real Rosewood, by Lissie PRB Jenkins, a Rosewood descendant.
Florida: the PaleoIndian Period
Florida: the Archaic Period
Florida: Historical Contexts
Florida Bureau of Archaeology
Florida Underwater Archaeology
Seminole Tribe of Florida
Official Home of the Florida Seminole Indians: History, Culture, Government, Archives, and more. The FAQ section includes Definitions, Genealogy, History and Language
African American Odyssey
Florida Historical Society
The FHS publishes the Florida Historical Quarterly, "produced four times annually to promote scholarly research of and appreciation for the people, places, themes, and diversity of Florida's past."
Overseas Railroad, history of the 7 mile bridge linking the Florida East Coast Railway with Key West

Humanities

Florida Folklife Programs
Florida Humanities Council
Online Newsletter, Online exhibits, Read select stories from the latest FORUM magazine "Florida Goes to War".
RootsWeb, Genealogy resources and links for Florida
Society of Florida Archivists. The Society of Florida Archivists is an organization of individuals and institutions who share a concern for the identification, preservation, and use of records of historical value. It is dedicated to the dissemination of information about such records and about sound archival methodology.

Localities: Cities & Counties

Cities in Florida
Counties in Florida
Collier County & Collier Museums Online
Leon County - Florida's Capital County
Talgov.com - Official Website of the City of Tallahassee
Tampa and Tampa History
Tampa's Cigar industry from the The Museum of Cigars  Photos and Cigar Art "Here in The Gallery you will find a collection of historic photographs from Ybor City, West Tampa, and Cuba, of factories, workers, production processes, boxes, labels, advertising, and other subjects relating to the cigar industry."
Tour of Historic Tarpon Springs
"Sponge Capital of the World" 
Tarpon Springs History
Visiting Tarpon Springs

Magazines & Newspapers: Florida

Antiques & Art Around Florida Magazine
Florida Fishing & Boating Magazine
Florida Trend Magazine
Florida Wildlife Magazine
Florida Newspapers Online
Site provided by the State Library, Department of State
Interactive Bibliography (Florida newspaper web sites)
TCC's Library Databases
Full-text subscription service available to TCC students, faculty and staff to feature articles from 25 Florida Newspapers: includes Florida Times Union; Miami Herald; Orlando Sentinel; Palm Beach Post; St. Petersburg Times; Sun Sentinel; Tallahassee Democrat; Tampa Tribune.

Politics

Florida Democratic Party
Republican Party of Florida
American Reform Party of Florida
Common Cause, Florida
Florida Green Party
Florida Independence Party
Florida League of Women Voters
Florida Marijuana Party - there is a national Marijuana Party, the FL one seems to be inactive
Libertarian Party of Florida
Reform Party of Florida
Socialist Party, USA, Florida
Southern Party of Florida (no active chapter in Florida May 2010)
Tea Party Patriots - Florida Tea Party Organizations

Portals

MyFlorida.com: the Official Portal of the State of Florida
State of Florida.com: a non-government portal, very easy to use and informative
FloridaSmart: Florida Information, Attractions, Travel, Schools, Real Estate and more

Shopping

Antique Dealers, St Augustine
Sawgrass Mills Mall, Sunrise
over 400 stores, 30 restaurants and a multiplex theater.
Tanger Outlet Center, Ft Myers

Sports

Clearwater Threshers: Minor League Baseball, affiliate Philadelphia Phillies
Dania Jai Alai
Daytona Beach Kennel Club: Greyhound racing
Daytona International Speedway: NASCAR
Home of Daytona 500, Gatorade 125, Pepsi 400, Winn Dixie 250
Fort Pierce Jai Alai
Hollywood Greyhound Park: Greyhound Racing
Jacksonville Greyhound Racing: Jacksonville/Orange Park Kennel Club
Jacksonville Jaguars: Official Website, Football
Jacksonville Suns: Southern League Baseball
Jupiter Hammerheads: Minor League Baseball
Lakeland Tigers: Minor League Baseball
Melbourne Brevard County Manatees: Minor League Baseball
Miami Florida Stingrays, Womens Tackle Football Team
Miami Florida Marlins: Official Site, Baseball
Miami Dolphins: Official NFL Team Home Page
Miami Heat: National Basketball Assoc
Miami Calder Race Course: Horseracing
Miami Flagler Dog Track: Greyhound Racing
Miami Jai Alai
Monticello. Jefferson County Kennel Club: Greyhound Racing
Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Track
Orlando Jai-Alai
Orlando Magic: National Basketball Assoc
Orlando Predators: Arena Football League
Palm Beach Cardinals: Minor League Baseball
Palm Beach Kennel Club: Greyhound Racing
Pensacola Pelicans: Minor League Baseball
Pompano Park Racing: Horse Racing
Sarasota Red Sox: Minor League Baseball
St. Lucie Mets: Minor League Baseball
Sunrise Florida Panthers: National Hockey League
Tampa Bay Devil Rays: ESPN site, Baseball
Devil Rays official website - www.devilray.com - was having connection problems the last time it was checked
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: National Football League
Tampa Bay Downs: Horse Racing
Tampa Bay Lightning: National Hockey League
Tampa Bay Storm: Arena Football League
Tampa Yankees: Minor League Baseball
Vero Beach Dodgers: Minor League Baseball

Statistics

FEFDL Florida Electronic Federal Depository Library
Florida Statistical Sources

Webcams

Florida State Webcam Directory and FL Web Cam Portal
Florida Web Cams, from FloridaSmart Web Guide
Florida Webcams, Cameras and Camcorders

Zoos

Brevard Zoo, Melbourne
a small zoo that does big things. Our mission is “Wildlife Conservation through Education and Participation.” To support that mission, we focus on:Providing top quality care for our animals; Offering unique opportunities for guests to experience nature both on- and off-site; Actively participating with Brevard County Public Schools to develop education programs that serve diverse audiences with authentic learning activities;Supporting critical research and field conservation projects both locally and abroad
Jacksonville Zoo, Jacksonville
Escape to the Jacksonville Zoo for the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. Discover the earth's wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure, the Jacksonville Zoo is growing and changing daily, with the addition of our temporary exhibit, Butterflies! in March 2003 and the unveiling of the Zoo's premier attraction, Range of the Jaguar in March 2004. The Jacksonville Zoo has something for all ages with over 1,000 rare and exotic animals.
Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee /West Palm Beach
A cage-less zoo: allows you to drive through a great animal preserve with more than 1200 wild animals roaming free within inches of your car. Visit Safari World amusement park with narrated boat cruise's, minature golf, bird and animal displays, paddleboats,carousel, reptile park, petting Zoo, picnic area, restaurant and gift shops.
Lowry Park Zoo of Tampa Bay
Lowry Park Zoo features several acres of lush, natural habitats comprising five main exhibit areas: The Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center, Native Florida Wildlife Center, Asian Domain, Primate World and Children's Petting Zoo. In September 2001, the Zoo opened Stingray Bay where visitors can pet and feed stingrays in a 16,000-gallon touch pool. In 2002 the Zoo opened Wallaroo Station - a 4.5-acre Australian-themed family zoo that includes a wide variety of Australian animals. In 2004, the Zoo will open an 11-acre African exhibit, which will play host to several African animal species.
Miami Metro Zoo, Miami
Metrozoo provides natural habitat areas for hundreds of animals. Shows and keeper talks are scheduled daily. Speical events are scheduled through out the year. More then just a zoo, Metrozoo houses a nationally renowned captive-breeding program, and is a sanctuary for endangered, rare, and threatened animals.
Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park, West Palm Beach
This 22-acre tropical zoological garden is home to more than 400 animals representing Australia, South and Central America, Asia and Florida. There are endangered species including the Komodo Dragon, Bengal Tiger ,Jaguar, Lemur, Cottontop Tamarin, Golden Lion Tamarin and Florida Panther

Revised: October 14, 2010