Practical Information for visiting Florida

Coverage is excellent along both coasts, in the cities and on the main highways.

It drops in the Everglades, in the rural interior and in parts of the Keys — assume no signal in the backcountry or on the water.

Free Wi-Fi is standard in cafés, hotels, libraries and many public beaches. After a hurricane, expect outages lasting days.

Florida is safe in the areas visitors frequent. The cities have neighbourhoods with higher crime, and they are not places a visitor would need to go.

Ordinary precautions apply, and hire cars are a known target — leave nothing visible, particularly at trailheads and beach car parks.

Water and weather are the real hazards. Rip currents are the leading cause of visitor deaths on these beaches — swim at guarded beaches and check the warning flags, which are posted daily and mean what they say. Lightning is a genuine danger on summer afternoons; leave the beach or the water when a storm approaches.

Alligators inhabit every freshwater body in the state, including drainage ditches and golf ponds. Do not swim in unmarked fresh water and keep dogs away from the edge. Sharks are present but incidents are rare and rarely serious.

No vaccinations are needed and tap water is safe.

Heat, humidity and sun are the main risks from May to October. The subtropical sun burns far faster than visitors expect, including through cloud.

Mosquitoes are constant in the wet season, and no-see-ums on the coast at dawn and dusk go through ordinary repellent. Occasional local cases of dengue and other mosquito-borne illness occur in the far south.

Red tide algal blooms on the Gulf coast cause respiratory irritation and kill fish; check current conditions before choosing a beach. Excellent hospitals in the cities; the Keys and the interior are further from care. Insurance covering medical costs is essential for non-US visitors.

Tipping is expected: 18-20% in restaurants and bars. Note that many Florida restaurants add an automatic service charge — check before tipping twice.

Turtle lighting rules apply on both coasts from March to October and are legally binding. Taking live shells, sand dollars, starfish or coral is prohibited, as is any contact with a manatee.

Feeding alligators is a criminal offence. Many beaches ban alcohol, glass and dogs, and the rules vary town by town.

Right turns on red are permitted after stopping unless signed. The drinking age is 21 and identification is checked routinely.

911 reaches police, fire and ambulance statewide.

Major trauma centres are in Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. The Keys and the interior rely on air ambulance, and transport times there are long.

511 gives statewide traffic and evacuation route information; 211 is the information and assistance line.

Hurricane evacuation zones are mapped by county and signposted on the roads. When an order is issued, leave early — the Keys have one road out and it does not clear quickly. Sign up for county alerts if you are staying on the coast during the season.