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Moving chronologically through the calendar, January and February are usually considered off peak months, which means that if you are looking for a little less crowded theme park experience, this is an ideal time to travel. Lines for major attractions are short, and often non existent, and the days, although warm and pleasant are not debilitating.

This is a popular time for seniors to travel to Florida , often to escape the winter conditions in their home land or state. And these 'snowbirds' as they are known, have been around a while and are savvy enough to know a great vacation opportunity when it presents itself.

Many families also take the opportunity to travel at this time of year when accommodation costs, especially in privately rented vacation homes, tend to be at their lowest. After all, you get all the usual luxury you would expect, but for a lot less money, so it really makes a lot of sense.

March and April can, dependant upon the year of travel, include the Easter break. Without exception, Easter is the most popular time to travel to Florida. Many vacation homes will actually book out Easter and the surrounding weeks up to three years in advance, so it is important that if you are restricted by school vacation schedules that you don't drag your heels. You can expect the theme parks to be busy, but remember that these places are huge, and well equipped to handle large crowds and keep them moving throughout the day.

May and June are often considered the respite months after the hustle and bustle of Easter, and again you will discover the parks are less crowded, excluding the half term UK vacation slot towards the end of May / beginning of June, which again is very popular. Temperature wise, things really start to hot up now, as we head into the full glory of the Floridian summer. However, June marks the official start of the 'rainy season', which is actually a little less scary than it sounds.

At this transitional time in the meteorological calendar, weather conditions are rapidly changing from late spring to early summer, and as a result, it is not unusual to experience a short shower around mid afternoon. The good news however is that these showers last on average approximately 20 minutes, before returning to the glorious sunshine for which Florida is famed.

July and August are considered peak months in the vacation calendar, as it is the time when most folks are granted their annual leave from work. Temperatures can soar into the high nineties and beyond. It is a busy time for vacation home rentals and theme parks alike, but also an excellent time to work on getting that gorgeous bronzed tan !

September slowly begins to lead us out of the summer months and begins to transition us in preparation for Autumn (or the fall). Temperatures begin to slide to a luxurious 85 degrees, and the humidity levels drop off too. Once again, the theme parks take a respite after the events of another fun packed summer period.

By October and November, the temperatures have reached a modest 70 ' 80 degrees throughout the day, but you will notice a slightly cooler night time scenario. Of course by cool, I'm not talking scarves and mittens, this is Florida after all ~ but a lightweight jacket or sweat shirt will help to keep you comfortable on your nocturnal travels. Again, another excellent time to visit, as theme parks are a lot less crowded, (with the exception of the end of October ~ yet another UK half term break), and ideal if you find the hotter temperatures a little to much to handle.

And so to December. Always a magical time in Florida and this is reflected by the stunning array of decorations and parades in both the theme parks and in the local communities. But here is a little known tip for those of you who always thought travelling at Christmas way out of your league ' Between 1st and 15th December most airlines tickets and vacation homes are available at brilliant rates. The reason ? Most families are gearing up for Christmas itself, with all that that entails, and so this two week pre-Christmas slot tends to get overlooked ! So my advice would be to give the family a pre-Christmas treat and snag a bargain at what is a wonderful time of year.

Of course, as you would expect, the weeks including Christmas Day and New Years are extremely popular, and are priced accordingly. However, you haven't lived until you have witnessed the New Year firework displays that Disney produces. They are literally out of this world.

So, in conclusion, when is the best time to visit Florida ? I stand by my original answer, and say, unreservedly, 'Anytime !' Because each and every month of the year holds something unique and special for anyone travelling to the sunshine state. Go ahead, stick a pin in a calendar and try it out for yourself ~ I guarantee you won't be disappointed !

Copyright 2005 Chris Neilson