There is no wrong time to tackle central and north Florida, but you do need to be prepared for the climate. In winter, powerful cold fronts push down from the north, getting stronger and longer as December and January get their grip. February and March can still be too icy for swimming in north Florida but by now azaleas are bursting out in central Florida as days get warmer. Along the Gulf of Mexico in west-central Florida, many of the beach resorts are sunny and swimmable almost every day of the year. Inland Florida can be beastly hot and muggy in summer, so it’s best to avoid the theme parks then unless you have school-age kids and can’t go at any other time. For romance, summer is best spent on the coasts, where the breezes are cooler and waters calmer for shelling, snorkeling, and fishing.
Golf and tennis are passions in central and north Florida, a year-round pursuit. There’s always someplace where the fish are biting, inshore and offshore, in the rivers and estuaries, and in the countless, sparkling lakes that polka-dot central Florida. Birdwatching is superb all year. So are hiking, canoeing, sailing, bicycling, in-line skating, and other active sports. Insiders know that Florida’s sweetwater springs stay the same temperature all year. Locals swim on even the coldest days, knowing that the water is 72° winter and summer. Swim in Blue Springs to look for manatee and in DeLeon Springs to find the Fountain of Youth.