Sandy beaches, diverse habitats, stunning wildlife & regular sunshine.

It’s tough not to adore the great state of Florida.

As long as you don’t watch the news.

For the love of God, NEVER WATCH THE NEWS!

But when it comes to the outdoors, Florida is unrivaled in its extraordinary biodiversity, numerous waterways & unique landscapes.

Not to mention that it’s home to one of the coolest birds ever – the raucous & irreverent Florida Scrub-Jay.

(Though perhaps I’m a little biased….)

A favorite getaway

During the long winter months, The Sunshine State is one of the most popular destinations for those seeking asylum from nature’s frigid wrath.

But there’s no faster way to identify yourself as a bumbling tourist than to proclaim you can’t wait to fish Lake OKEYchobee.

As someone who studied, worked & lived in Florida for over 15 years – not to mention someone who grew up in a town called Loxahatchee – I can appreciate the difficulty in pronouncing a number of local spots.

Per the usual, many of them were derived from Native American names for the same locations.

Because as we know, there’s no better way to honor a great “discovery” than to completely botch keep the names that people who’d lived there for thousands of years had already given them.

But I digress….

If you’re looking to travel south, consult this handy pronunciation guide to avoid leaving the locals cringing on your behalf.

Alachua – Ah-LATCH -oo-uh

Altamonte Springs – ALL-tuh-mon-tee Springs

Apalachicola – APP-uh-LATCH-uh-COLA

Captiva – Cap-TEE-vuh

Dunedin – Done-EE-din

Hialeah – HYE-uh-LEE-uh

Homosassa – HOME-uh-SOSS-uh

Kissimmee – Kiss-IMM-ee

Lake Buena Vista – BWEN-uh VISS-tuh (though some stick with the Spanish pronunciation of VEE-stuh)

Lake Istokpoga – Iss-tock-POH-guh

Lake Miccosukee – Mik-uh-SOO-kee

Lake Okeechobee – OH-kuh-CHO-bee

Lake Tohopekaliga – Toh-hoh-PEE-kuh-LEE-guh (or you can play it safe & call it “Toho” for short)

Micanopy – Mih-CAN-oh-pee

Myakka – My-ACK-uh

Oneco – Oh-NEE-co

Palatka – Puh-LAT-kuh

Sebring – SEE-bring

Tamiami – Tam-EE-am-EE

Thonotasassa – Thuh-NOT-uh-SOSS-uh

Wauchula – Wah-CHOO-luh

Wekiwa Springs – Wuh-KYE-wuh

Wekiva River – Wuh- KIVE -uh

Wimauma – WHY-momma

Withlacoochee – WITH-luh-COO-chee

Zephyrhills – ZEFF-er hills