Florida is big, but more importantly it is extremely spread out. If your itinerary includes stops in Pensacola and Miami, you'll want to book a flight between the two or literally be driven crazy. Train service is desultory at best and too expensive to be practical (though we're working on that), and bus service, though somewhat better, is scattershot and difficult to figure out. The reason why Americans drive everywhere is because we have no other choice. Those who like to pilot their own planes should note that virtually every town of respectable size has a general aviation airport.

Our late governor, Lawton Chiles, was first elected to office many years ago after a political campaign in which he walked from the tip of the Panhandle to the heart of central Florida. You can recreate Walkin' Lawton's trek if you like, but you'd be better advised to rent a car. This is extremely easy to do with a valid driver's license (an International Driving Permit may make things easier for non-nationals), and generally affordable-though it gets quite expensive if you are under 25 and may be impossible for those under 21.

International visitors will be thrilled by the low gas prices; take advantage of them and rent a sturdy vehicle instead of an efficient one. Do not rent a small car; especially in north Florida you will be the smallest thing on the road and thus in some danger.

The system of interstate highways makes getting around the state fairly easy; speed limits generally run 70 mph in rural areas but drop to 65, 60, or 55 mph in congested areas. Almost all Floridians ignore these posted speed limits; go with the flow of traffic and be courteous in congested areas, and you'll be fine. Interstate 10 connects Pensacola in the west with Jacksonville in the East; I-95 runs from Jacksonville along the coast to Miami; I-4 connects Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa; and I-74 connects Fort Lauderdale with Naples, Tampa, Gainesville, and points north.

However, while the interstates are the best way to get from one destination to the next, you'll see a lot more of the real Florida from the vast network of U.S., state, and county roads. Get off the interstates whenever you can and take in the scenery. Some of the state's most fascinating tourist attractions are only to be found by driving the back roads. Maps of Florida are easy to find; pick one up before leaving to help in navigating the back roads.

Signage in most of the state is quite good; green signs will note the distance to cities down the road, tell you when to turn to get to a particular town, and in urban areas most streets are well marked. In South Florida the names of roads have a tendency to change without warning and for no particular reason, but most things worth seeing will be easy enough to find despite this minor irritation. Driving is on the right; right turns at red lights are legal except where prohibited by signs.