Gold Coast

Over thirty years ago Juno Beach resident Eleanor Fletcher, affectionately known locally as 'the Turtle Lady', began assembling a collection of turtle artefacts and information that has grown to become the Marine Life Center on the oceanfront at Loggerhead Park, which monitors turtles along the Gold Coast. The Center is essentially a turtle hospital, and visitors can see ill and injured creatures being rehabilitated. The Center has numerous exhibits, including tropical fish and shells, and a gift shop. Evening guided 'turtle walks' are offered during June and July, but bookings must be made in advance. There are a number of other guided tours, hikes and talks available - check the official website for details.

Address : 14200 U.S. Highway 1, Juno Beach

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.marinelife.org

Telephone : (561) 627 8280

Opening times : Daily 10am-5pm

Culture lovers should not miss out on one of Florida's major cultural attractions, the Norton Museum of Art in the upmarket West Palm Beach. The museum's permanent collection is internationally renowned, including European, American, Chinese, and contemporary art, from the Renaissance through to the present. The museum regularly hosts travelling exhibitions and offers educational programmes for children. There is a museum shop and café serving refreshments. Guided tours are available. Photography is allowed in certain parts of the museum, but not in many of the exhibition areas - be sure to ask permission before taking a photo.

Address : 451 S Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.norton.org

Telephone : (561) 832 5196

Opening times : Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12pm-5PM; Thursday 12pm-9PM; Monday closed.

Admission : Free.

Palm trees arrived at Palm Beach in 1878, when a ship laden with Cuban coconuts was wrecked on the offshore barrier island that is only 14 miles (23km) long and half a mile (1km) wide. Palm Beach has long been the traditional winter holiday home of America's aristocracy, the Kennedys, Rockefellers, Trumps, and other society names filling the Gatsby-era mansions on the island. Henry Morrison Flagler put Palm Beach on the map in 1894 when he opened the Royal Poinciana Hotel on the island and promoted Palm Beach as America's premier winter resort. The mansion Whitehall, which he built in 1901 for his wife, is now the Flagler Museum dedicated to his memory. Today there are many more hotels in Palm Beach, and hundreds of restaurants, some of which rank among the finest in the world.

An hour west of Fort Lauderdale, on the road to Naples, travelors can visit the Big Cypress Seminole, where Florida's 'unconquered' Indian tribe still reside. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Khi museum in the reservation features historical exhibits and a living village where visitors can watch artisans at work. There is also a nature trail to explore, and a film on Seminole history shown regularly. Apart from the many interesting cultural artifacts on display, panoramic scenery at the reservation is spectacular, showcasing some of the typical everglades' flora and fauna. The Big Cypress Seminole Reservation is the ideal place to immerse oneself in the American Indian heritage of Florida.

Address : 6300 Stirling Road, Hollywood

Website : www.seminoletribe.com/museum

Telephone : (954) 966 6300